The quantity of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) contained in marine algae collected in Onsan-myon on the east coast of Korea from March to December 1978 was determined as a part of the environmental base line survey of the Onsan Industrial Base. In general, green algae have a higher Cu content than either brown or red algae, and brown algae have higher As and lower Cu contents, while red algae have a higher Zn content. Significant differences between algal species in either Cd or Pb content were however not found.