Bioaccumulation of macro- and microelements by macrophytes in Lake Baikal is one of factors in the dynamics of near-shore food webs and biodiversity.

Chemicals in macrophytes and in suspended matter precipitated on the plants surface represent a part of flows of matter incoming into a food chain and participating in formation of water and bottom sediments elemental composition in the littoral. At this studies stage, to characterize the elements distribution in natural and anthropogenic sites of the littoral, we determined by ICP-MS method the elemental composition in Potamogeton perfoliatus L., Potamogeton filiformis Pers., Myriophyllum spicatum L., Batrachium trichophyllum (Chaix) Bosch, Butomus umbellatus L., Sagittaria natans Pall. In the studied species, such macroelements dominate as K, Ca and Na; dominant microelements are Mn, Fe, Si and Sr. There are some peculiarities in the elemental composition of each species: P. filiformis is characterized by elevated content of B, Ge and Sb, B. trichophyllum by Mn and Ag, B. umbellatus by Ti and Cr. The highest content of U and the lowest one of K, Rb, Tl, Nb, Cs, LREE are characteristic for M. spicatum. S. natans exceeds other species by content of Br, Zr, REE, Ta, W and Th. Compared to the aquatic environment in the littoral, the macrophytes accumulate 4200–15000 times more P, in 2000–26000 times more Mn, 4000–14000 times more Zn. In M. spicatum sampled at the stations adjacent to the territories of settlements and touristic units there are elevated concentrations of Cl, Na, P, K and highest values of summary content of macroelements and of all determinable elements.