Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p> Marine macroalgae have been increasingly utilized in the novel food market due to their richness in essential amino acids, dietary fibers, and bioactive compounds. Among them, <italic>Caulerpa</italic> species, commonly known as sea grapes, have emerged as a valuable commercial resource in Southeast Asia and tropical Australia, where they have been extensively cultivated and studied for their nutritional and biochemical properties. In contrast, little is known about the elemental composition of Caribbean populations. In this study, the ramuli of C <italic>aulerpa racemosa</italic> collected from Guánica, Puerto Rico, were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to determine their elemental composition. Adjacent seawater was analyzed to calculate bioaccumulation factors and evaluate elemental uptake. Results showed a selective absorption profile, with certain trace elements accumulating more than seawater. Cr showed bioaccumulation, indicating <italic>C. racemosa</italic> could be a bioindicator of local metal contamination. The presence of B and Be in tissues also merits further study for ecological and monitoring purposes. Overall, these findings provide new baseline information on the elemental profile of Caribbean <italic>C. racemosa</italic> and support its potential use in marine biomonitoring while highlighting the need for further studies to validate its role in metal remediation and resource recovery. </p>