Investigation of heavy metal pollution of waters around Alacakaya chrome deposit

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the heavy metal pollution in the surface and underground waters around the chrome deposits of the Alacakaya district of Elazig. In this context, the water samples were collected from streams, galleries and spring waters observed in the region in July, 2021. A large number of both cation and anion analyzes were performed on these samples. The anion analyzes of the water samples taken were done in the ion analyzer in the Elazig İl Özel İdaresi Analysis Laboratory, and the cation analyzes were performed in the ICP-MS in the Acme (Canada) Analysis Laboratory. According to the results of this analysis, the waters in the region were classified and according to this, the waters in the region were classified as Mg+2, Ca+2 and HCO3- rich waters. In this study, heavy metal levels of the surface and underground waters in the region were evaluated in terms of pollution criteria. In the waters in the region, it was detected an average of 24.9 ppb Al, 0.6 ppb As, 13 ppb B, 40.7 Br, 15.6 ppm Cl, 0.04 ppb Co, 8.6 ppb Cr, 12 ppb Fe, 28.08 ppm Mg, 3.71 ppm Na, 0.81 ppb Ni, 4832 ppb Si , 0.03 ppb Pb, 21.9 ppb Sr, 0.03 ppb U and 1.85 ppb V. All of these waters were found to have values below the WHO's drinking water standards. No heavy metal pollution has been detected in the surface and underground waters of the region, despite the intense mining activities in the region. Keywords: Elazığ, Alacakaya, heavy metal pollution, surface and underground waters