Determination of heavy metals in water, sediment and plankton content from Gediz river delta

ABSTRACTDETERMINATION OF HEAVY METALS IN WATER, SEDIMENT AND PLANKTON CONTENTFROM GEDIZ RIVER DELTAKeywords : Heavy Metals, Gediz River, Biomagnification, Plankton, Sediment, WaterIn this study, water, sediment and plankton samples were collected from the stationswhere Gediz river meets Izmir bay. Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn concentrations inthem were determined by using ICP - EAS instrument. Variations in heavy metalconcentrations depending on stations were also investigated.The study was carried out in three different stations between September 2004 andAugust 2005. Samples were taken monthly.The amounts of heavy metals from water, sediment and plankton samples respectivelywere given as below;Cd 0,0046 ± 0,0009 ppm; Co 0,0558 ± 0,0145 ppm; Cr 0,0169 ± 0,0013 ppm; Cu0,0081 ± 0,0013 ppm; Fe 0,2734 ± 0,0384 ppm; Mn 0,1361 ± 0,0123 ppm; Ni 0,0182 ± 0,003ppm; Pb 0,1582 ± 0,0135 ppm and Zn 0,0327 ± 0,0152 ppm,Cd 3,0517 ± 0,7936 ppm; Co 8630,3 ± 517,54 ppm; Cr 75,374 ± 10,163 ppm; Cu 43,762 ±4,6469 ppm; Fe 15310 ± 582,34 ppm; Mn 494,06 ± 24,015 ppm; Ni 93,317 ± 8,8722 ppm; Pb125,8 ± 8,3431 ppm and Zn 117,01 ± 8,2936 ppm.Cd 1,4775 ± 0,2672 ppm; Co 0,024 ± 0,0117 ppm; Cr 0,4423 ± 0,2295 ppm; Cu 0,1678± 0,1774 ppm; Fe 0,0035 ± 0,0004ppm; Mn 0,0424 ± 0,0158 ppm; Ni 0,274 ± 0,1314 ppm; Pb0,0556 ± 0,0246 ppm and Zn 0,021 ± 0,0045 ppm.The gradual order of metals in water, sediment and plankton were given as follow;Fe>Pb>Mn>Co>Zn>Ni>Cr>Cu>Cd,in water, Fe>Co>Mn>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cr>Cu>Cd in sediment,Cd>Cr>Ni>Cu>Pb>Mn>Co>Zn>Fe in plankton.The levels of heavy metal concentrations in descending order was as follow: Cd, Cr, Cuand Ni is sediment>plankton>water; for Co, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn is sediment>water>plankton.It was determined that all heavy metal concentrations (in mg/lt) were fluctuatedaccording to water, sediment, plankton, station and months. The significant analysis ofdifferences between stations were done by One-way ANOVA and Two way ANOVA tests. Itwas concluded that There was no significant difference in all heavy metal content in bothwater and plankton samples. Only significant difference were observed in Cr metalconcentrations from sediments in different stations.