Aquatic macrophytes in Ethiopian Rift Valley lakes; Their trace elements concentration and use as pollution indicators

•Macrophytes from Ethiopian rift valley lakes were investigated for trace element concentrations in leaves.•Low concentration of trace elements in aquatic macrophytes showed low trace element load in the studied lakes.•Eichhornia crassipes, Potamogeton schweinfurthii and Potamogeton thunbergii from Lake Koka, Ziway and Awassa, respectively, can accumulate higher concentration of trace elements and can be used as bioindicators of pollution.•Aquatic macrophytes used as feed for animals contain sufficiently low level of trace metal elements.•Based on the trace element concentration in macrophytes, PCA showed strong correlation between Pb, As, Co and Cr.