Determination of heavy metal levels in water, sediment and aquatic plants in recipient environments where different types of wastewater are discharged in the elazig region

In this study, it is aimed to determine the dominant macrophyte species growing in the discharge areas of Elazig Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant, Keban Pb-Zn and Maden Copper Mine Galeries and to determine heavy metal concentrations in water, sediment and plant samples. For this purpose, samples from dominant aquatic plants, water and soil were collected between August and September 2019. Samples form 9 different wetland plants (EC-Eupatorium cannabinum, JG-Juncus, PG-Phragmites, TM-Tamarix tetrandra, XM- Xanthium strumarium, SX- Salix, BL- Bolboscholnus ascbersus, LY- Lythnium salicaria and TP-Typha latifolia), water and sediment were collected and analysed for heavy metal concentrations (Ag, Al, As, Au, B, Ba, Bi, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Hg, K, La, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sc, Sb, Se, Sr, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Zn). Anion, cation and physico-chemical parameters analyzes were conducted to the water samples in Elazig DSI chemistry laboratory, and trace element analyzes were conducted in ACME Laboratory (Canada). Soil samples taken from the regions were firstly sifted, dried, grinded, and analysed for the various trace elements with ICP-MS equipment in the ACME Analysis Laboratory. Plant stem and roots were first washed with tap water, then dried at 60 oC, and later ashed at 300 oC for 24 hours. The ash samples were digested with mixture of HNO3, HCl, H2O for one hour and then analyses were conducted for the elements with ICP-MS. Thereby, trace element concentrations are determined for the ash and also transformed to the dry weight. Results indicates that, gallery water samples taken from the Keban Pb-Zn areas are rich in SO4, F, Ca, Fe, Mn, S, Cd, Pb, Sr, U and Zn. Additionally, water samples taken from the Maden Copper Deposit are rich in Mg, As, Co, Cu and Ni and samples taken from domestic waste water discharge areas are rich in Cl, K, Na, P, Al, B, Ba and Br. In addition, by measuring the metal concentrations in the soil, roots and stems of wetland plants, the enrichment coefficients for root (BKF-K) and stem (BKF-G) and the translocation factor (TLF) from root to stem were calculated. Based on these calculations, the accumulator plants of each metal were determined. According to these values; for the strontium-root BL and LY; for the strontium-stem PG, XM, BL, LY, TP; for the boron-root EC, TM, XM, SX, LY, TP; for the boron-stem EC, JG, PG, TM, XM, SX, BL, LY, TP; for the zinc-stem TP; for the copper-root SX, BL, LY, TP; for the copper-stem SX, BL, LY, TP; for the manganese-stem TP; for the gold-root TP; for the uranium-root LY; for the molybdenum-root PG, SX, BL, TP; for the molyndenum-stem PG, XM, SX, LY, TP; for the selenium-root PG, XM, SX, BL, LY, TP; for the selenium-stem PG, XM, SX, LY, TP; for the rubidium-root EC, JG, PG, TM, XM, SX, BL, LY; for the rubidium-stem, EC, JG, TM, XM, BL, LY; for the chromium-root JG, BL; for the thallium-root EC, JG, XM, SX, BL, LY, TP; for the thallium-stem, XM and TP were identified as accumulator plants. These results indicated that the wetland plants analysed in the study area can be used for treatment and rehabilitation of water and soils contaminated with different metals.