The Comparison of Heavy Metal Level in Surface Water, Sediment and Biota Sampled from the Polluted and Unpolluted Sites in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea

• Published in: Thalassas : revista de ciencias del mar Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 319 - 330
• Main Authors: Çiftçi, Nuray, Ayas, Deniz, Bakan, Mısra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.04.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aluminium; Aluminum; Arsenic; Bioaccumulation; Biota; Chemical analysis; Coastal Sciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Fish; Fish & Wildlife Biology & Management; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Heavy metals; Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; Industrial areas; Industrial pollution; Invertebrates; Iron; Liver; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Marine crustaceans; Marine fishes; Metal concentrations; Multiple regression analysis; Muscles; Oceanography; Particle size; Regression analysis; Sampling; Seasons; Seawater; Sediment; Sediment samplers; Sediment samples; Sediments; Species; Statistical analysis; Statistical methods; Strontium; Surface water; Tissue; Tissues; Variance analysis; Viscera; Water analysis; Zinc; Mediterranean Sea; Iskenderun Bay; Sediment; Mersin Bay; Metals; Biota; Seawater
• ISSN: 0212-5919; 2366-1674
• DOI: 10.1007/s41208-020-00239-3

The determination of heavy metal level (aluminium, iron, zinc, arsenic strontium) in surface water, sediment, and biota in Iskenderun Bay, polluted site, and Mersin Bay, unpolluted site, in 2018–2019 seasonally were aimed. The muscle and liver (viscera for shrimp) tissue of three fish ( Saurida lessepsianus , Nemipterus randalli , Mullus barbatus ) and an invertebrate ( Penaus semisulcatus ) species, which have different habitats and diet, were used to detection of biota metal level. Sediment samples were analyzed in four different particle sizes which were < 63, 63 ≤ − < 125, 125 ≤ − < 250, 250 ≤ − < 500 μm mesh size. The metal levels in surface water, sediment, and biota samples were analysed with Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using variance analysis and Duncan’s procedure was applied. The relationships of the data were compared with Linear Regression Analysis. The heavy metal levels in the surface water, sediment, and biota sampled from the polluted and unpolluted sites in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea were compared according to metal, species, tissue, season, particle size, and sampling site. Metal levels in seawater detected in polluted and unpolluted sites were Sr > Fe > As>Al > Zn and Sr > Fe > As>Zn > Al respectively. ( p  < 0.05). The results according to the Multiple Regression Analysis, Sr, Fe, Zn, and As level in seawater were shown strong positive relationships with sediment ( p  < 0.0001). A negative relationship was found between Sr in seawater and seasons (p < 0.05). The order of metals determined in sediment was found Fe > Al > Sr > Zn > As in both sampling sites. The sediment Zn levels were a negative relationships between biota, particle size, sampling sites and season ( p  < 0.001). There was a strong positive relationship between sediment As level and biota ( p  < 0.0001). The sediment Sr level was shown the negative relationships with biota and season ( p  < 0.05). The metal levels determined in the muscle tissue sampled from polluted and unpolluted sites were Fe > As> Zn > Sr > Al and As≥ Fe > Zn > Sr > Al, while the liver metal level sampled from polluted and unpolluted sites were Fe > Zn > As>Al > Sr and Fe > Zn > As>Sr > Al, respectively. There were significant of metals between species and tissues ( p  < 0.05, 0.001, 0.0001). However, the significant relationships were not found between sampling sites and seasons ( p  > 0.05). Iron accumulated in the liver more than the muscle tissue while arsenic accumulated in the muscle more than the liver tissues due to the functional difference of tissues ( p  < 0.05). The tissue metal level was high abundant in the polluted site. Fe was at the highest level in biota and sediment from both regions may be due to industrial activities in the polluted site whereas agricultural activities or discharged by the Göksu River in the unpolluted site.