In this study, the existence of heavy metals such as chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) their distribution in the organs of plant and their bioaccumulation rates in water samples and Myriophyllum spicatum which were collected from the Kadin Creek in seasonal periods between 2011 and 2012 were analyzed. Heavy metal concentrations in the mineralized plant and water samples were determined with Inductive coupled plasma with mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Results showed the maximum heavy metal concentrations, in the root and minimum heavy metal concentrations, except chromium, in the stem. The distribution of heavy metals As, Cd, Hg and Pb was in the form of root > leaf > stem; the distribution of Cr was in the root > stem > leaf. There was a strong negative correlation between the suspended solid matter and heavy metal concentrations in the plant tissues. Heavy metal accumulation showed increase generally in fall. Heavy metals in the water were sorted as Pb > Cr > As > Hg > Cd by their mean concentrations. According to the factor data of bioconcentration, the order of heavy metal accumulation in the plant was As > Cr > Pb > Hg > Cd.

This study examined the spatio-temporality of heavy metal concentrations (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the sediments of Lake Bafa, one of the most important wetlands of Turkey’s Aegean region. The study evaluated sediment quality according to threshold effect concentration (TEC) and probable effect concentration (PEC) values based on sediment quality guidelines (SQG), and provided a potential ecological risk assessment (PERI) along with indices such as geoaccumulation index (NI_geo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), and pollution load index (PLI). For this purpose, surface sediment from 10 different points and core samples from three different points were seasonally collected and the concentrations of nine heavy metals were determined by ICP-MS. The findings indicated the following accumulation order of heavy metals in the sediment: Fe > Al > Mn > Ni > Cr > Zn > Pb > Co > Cd, with concentrations of Al, Mn, and Ni being high in the surface sediment samples. According to the NI_geo, surface sediment and core samples were very slightly polluted with Cr, Mn, and Co at most stations, while five stations were slightly polluted with Cd. Regarding EF, the lake was at risk in terms of Al and Pb accumulation. The CF results indicated that the lake was under pressure in terms of heavy metal pollution. The PLI results indicated a significant pollution hazard at all stations, while the PERI analysis indicated moderate risk of heavy metal pollution at some stations. As one of the most comprehensive studies applying such indices to Lake Bafa, the results are very significant in terms of evaluating the lake’s ecological sustainability.

This study aims to specify the amount of ten heavy metals (Al, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg, Pb) in water, sediment and Enteromorpha intestinalis samples gathered from Kadin Creek in seasonal periods in 2011 and 2012 and to reveal bioaccumulation capability of this macrophytic algae. In this regard, heavy metal concentrations in the gathered samples were determined first with mineralization and then via inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) method. Findings suggested that algae could be used as an indicator in freshwater ecosystems in terms of studied heavy metals. With regard to bioconcentration factor values, in terms of water, algae accumulated aluminum the most and cadmium the least (Al > Cu > As > Zn > Cr > Mn > Ni > Pb > Hg > Cd), in terms of sediment, it accumulated mercury the most and aluminum the least (Hg > Cd > As > Zn > Pb > Mn > Ni > Cr > Cu > Al). The highest rate of heavy metal concentration in algae was observed in summer when contaminants in water and dynamics of plant development increased. It was also observed that the mean mercury and cadmium concentrations exceeded the maximum residue limit values.

Within the scope of this study, heavy metals presence (Al, Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Hg, Pb) in water samples and liver, gills and muscle tissue of gibel carp Carassius gibeliocaught in Marmara Lake was...