Assessment of the heavy metal pollution in water and Viviparus contectus (Millet, 1813) samples from Demirköprü Dam Lake (Manisa)

Aquatic organisms accumulate metals in their bodies through food chain in consequence of entering aquatic ecosystems. For evaluation the presence of potentially heavy metals, Gastropods have been used in biomonitoring studies. For these reasons, the present study aimed to analyse heavy metal bioaccumulation (Cd, Cr, Pb, As, Zn and Cu) in water and Viviparus contectus from Demirköprü Dam Lake (Manisa, Turkey). In addition, physico-chemical characteristics of water [pH, water temperature (°C), dissolved oxygen (mg/L)] were measured during sampling. According to the findings, the most accumulated metal in freshwater snails is Zn, and the most accumulated metal in water samples is Pb, and the heavy metal accumulation changes depending on the season. The heavy metal concentrations obtained are below the limit levels according to the EPA, FAO and Turkish Food Codex Contaminants Regulation. In conclusion, aquatic environment is adversely affected by anthropogenic pollution and the obtained data is useful for biomonitoring studies.