Investigation of sediment pollution and heavy metal content in the Golden Horn estuary

During the centuries, Golden Horn has witnessed the whole civilization existed in the region and being most popular place in İstanbul. But for reasons as industrial development, increase rapidly population, uncontrolled construction and discharges, traffic-induced atmospheric inputs, Golden Horn region has been under a heavy pollution load. Golden Horn is alarming in terms of public health and environment carried out improvement works, heavy metal pollution is greatly reduced pulling up to 4-5 meters Golden Horn sediment. In addition, laying of channels to waste water coming to Golden Horn estuary is greatly reduced. To live in a healthy environment of living creatures, analysis and determination of heavy metal levels in land, water and air quality has a great importance for determining the source of pollution and determining the measures that can be taken. The purpose of this study, samples from the Golden Horn estuary's sediment in İstanbul, which is the determination of metal pollution in the sediment. In 2014, samples taken from the Golden Horn estuary's surface sediment were acidified for pretreatment with various chemicals and analyzed. Later, Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe) and Nickel (Ni) concentrations was analyzed Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The heavy metal analysis with by ICP-OES showed that only Copper (Cu) concentration is above the TEC (Threshold Effect Concentrations) level. The other heavy metal concentration to be analyzed is below the TEC (Threshold Effect Concentrations) and PEC (Probable Effect Concentrations) levels. Studies in Golden Horn estuary showed, significant improvement for pollution but contaminants can become concentrated in sediments may persist for many years in the structure of sediment.