FRESENIUS ENVIRONMENTAL BULLETIN, vol.25, no.8, pp.3125-3133, 2016 (SCI-Expanded)
The purpose of the study was to determine metal pollution and ecological risk in the sediments and sediment pore water around Trabzon harbor. Concentrations of metal (Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni and As), were determined from 9 sites in May, 2014. Metal concentrations in sediments were varied from 22.3 to 83.7 mu g g(-1) for Cr, 54.3 to 246.8 mu g g(-1) for Cu, 67.2 to 253 mu g g(-1) for Zn, 50.1 to 117.3 mu g g(-1) for Pb, 23.4 to 98.7 mu g(-1) for Ni, 12.3 to 52.6 mu g g-1 for As. Metal concentrations in sediment pore water were varied from 4.14 to 12.41 mu g kg(-1) for Cr, 13.21 to 32.1 mu g kg(-1) for Cu, 22 to 44.75 mu g kg(-1) for Zn, 10.72 to 36.51 mu g kg(-1) for Pb, 3.72 to 14.1 mu g kg(-1) for Ni, 3.12 to 7.78 mu g kg(-1) for As. Metal concentrations were determined using a inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). With the purpose of determining the level of pollution, the potential ecological risk index (RI), the methods of sediment enrichment factor (SEF), pollution load index (PLI), geoaccumulation index (IGEO) and sediment quality guideline (SQG) were applied. Based upon the results from this study, Cu, Pb, Zn and As can be considered as a major contributor to toxicity around Trabzon harbor.