Evaluation of priority persistent organic pollutants in Yeşilırmak basin coastline river and sea sediments

Today, the persistent organic pollutant loads which are formed as a result of modern agriculture and industrial production are becoming very dangerous for the environment and human health. Exposure of living things to these pollutants can occur by direct exposure to pollutants emission or by transport of pollutants as a result of food chain and meteorological events. For this reason, all environmental samples should be analyzed in this context and risk assessments should be made especially for regions where pollutant emissions may occur. In this study, bottom sediment sampling was made from a total of 16 stations including 8 freshwater and 8 seawater from the region located on the coastline of Yeşilırmak Basin. In sediment samples analysis were carried out for persistent organic pollutant (POP) groups (PCDD/F, PAH, PCB, OCP) using standard methods. The toxic effects of the determined concentrations of the pollutants, which are situated in national-international legislations primarily were evaluated as a result of the related analysis. Gas chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) for the analysis of PCDD/F and gas chromatography-mass mass spectrometry (GC-MSMS) systems were used for PAH, PCB, OCP analysis. As a result of the analyzes, the highest concentrations; for 17 total PCDD/F congeners 174,74 pg g-1, for 16 total PAH congeners 1280,51 µg kg-1 with region the organized industrial and port activities are conducted in the BD-2 coded marine station, for the 7 total PCB congeners with 23,73 µg kg-1 near the smelting and electrolysis plant at the BD-5 coded marine station, for the OCP compounds, were detected as agricultural activities 8 fresh water sampling stations. For POP groups, when the stations detected highest concentrations were assessed, in the BD–2 coded station, OCDD compound with 61,80 pg g-1 for PCDD/F, pyrene compound with 161,80 µg kg-1 for PAH, in the BD–5 coded station, PCB 138 compound with 4,99 PCB µg kg-1 for PCB and in the fresh water sampling stations 10.03 µg kg-1 for OCP with 4,4'-DDT have been observed. When the results of POP analysis of sediment samples are evaluated wholly, is has been observed that there are unintentionally occurring compounds, but their effect levels are low in terms of aquatic life. Besides, as the presence of compounds emerged at the end of the agricultural and industrial productions are the levels of high toxic effect especially in some regions of aquatic life measures should be taken.