Metal (Pb, Cd and Hg) inputs via the rivers to the Southern Marmara Sea Shelf, Turkey

Abstract

Abstract A chemical study of the major river waters of Southern Marmara Sea Shelf, Turkey, was carried out on the metal distributions and sources. The distribution of metals (Pb, Cd and Hg) was measured as ‘’Total’’, dissolved and in the suspended matter. The concentrations obtained show that the high metal concentrations in the Erdek Bay waters are mainly due to the land-based natural inputs from the erosion products of mineralized zones to the bay by two rivers (Biga and Gönen). However, the relatively high metal concentrations in the Gemlik Bay waters suggested some anthropogenic (domestic industrial) inputs via the Kocasu (Susurluk) to the southern shelf. Generally dissolved metal contents are higher than in the suspended matter throughout the water column. Especially Cd contents are lower than the detection limit of the method (<0.01 µg/l) in the suspended matter except in Biga and Gönen waters.

Keywords

• Key words: metal, Marmara Sea, river, atomic absorbtion spectrophotometer

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