Composition and distribution of organochlorine pesticide residues in surface sediments from Gediz and Bakircay Rivers (Eastern Aegean)

The contamination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in sediments from Gediz and Bakirgay Rivers were investigated to evaluate the pollution potentials and distribution of OCPs in Western Turkey. In the selected rivers, the rapidly developing industrial and agricultural activities, municipal development and use of chemicals caused serious environmental problems. Surface sediments were sampled in January (rainy season) and July 2004 (dry season) at sampling stations from Gediz and Bakirgay Rivers. The concentrations of OCPs, by high resolution gas chromatography-electron capture detector, were detected in the sediment samples from the rivers that flow into the Aegean Sea. The concentration of organochlorine pesticides in surficial sediments from Gediz River were 0.88-47.4 ng g(-1)dw for Sigma DDTs (4.4'-DDT+ 4,4'-DDE+ 4,4'-DDD); 0.04-2.0 for Sigma. HCHs (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, delta-HCH) and 0.34-7.5 ng g(-1)dw for Sigma cyclodienes. Results showed that the concentrations of pesticides in sediments were in the range of 3.2-45.9 ng g(-1)dw for Sigma DDT; 0.43-2.0 ng g(-1)dw for Sigma HCH and 0.78-8.6 ng g(-1)dw for Sigma cyclodienes in Bakircay River. Among the OCPs, 4,4'-DDE was the most dominant compound in the Gediz and Bakirgay River sediments during rainy and dry seasons. In this study, the ratios of DDD+DDE/Sigma DDT and DDD/DDE were used to indicate the most probable source of contamination. The result of these ratios showed that most of the OCP contamination comes from the weathered agricultural areas. The ratios of DDD/DDE for the sediment samples were smaller than unity. This means that DDE was the most frequent OCP in the river sediments

<smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"> Vertical structure of the chemical properties of western Black Sea </smarttagtype>

314-322 The data have been used to understand the variations of chemical features (distribution of nutrients, oxygen and sulfide) at specific density surfaces of the western Black Sea. The range and possible reasons of variations in the vertical profiles of nutrients, oxygen and hydrogen sulphide concentrations are discussed for the Black Sea. The concentrations of inorganic nutrients in the productive surface waters ranged between 0.02-0.30 μM for o.PO4-P and 0.10-0.50 μM for the TNOx-N. The maximum TNOx value of 6.5-7.0 μM was found between the σθ = 15.35-15.55 surfaces throughout the basin. The upper and the deeper phosphate maxima were observed at σθ = 15.50-15.60 and σθ = 16.20-16.25 surfaces, respectively. TNOx/PO4 ratios displayed distinct maxima at specific density surfaces of the upper nutricline. Si/TNOx and Si/PO4 were also calculated in the western Black Sea. </smarttagtype

Monitoring metal contamination levels and fecal pollution in clam (Tapes decussatus) collected from Izmir Bay (Turkey)

The aim of this study was to monitor the heavy metal contents and fecal pollution in Tapes decussatus (carpet shell clam) from Izmir Bay (Eastern Aegean). Bivalve mollusks were sampled on January, March, July, and October 2007 in the Izmir Bay. Izmir Bay is one of the great natural bays of the Mediterranean. Concentrations of heavy metals were determined in the clams from the different seasons. Fecal coliform densities were determined to evaluate the degree of water pollution and clams' microbiological accumulation of the classical microbial pollution indicators. The concentration of heavy metals in T. decussatus from Izmir Bay were Hg 0.044-0.13; Cd 0.026-0.24; Pb 0.38-1.2; Cr 2.3-3.7; Cu 6.4-8.4; Zn 56.0-81.8, and Ni 8.1-9.6 mu g/g (dry weight). The maximum values were generally obtained in July and March except Ni. This study found that the levels of heavy metals except Cr in T. decussatus were below Spanish and European Communities legislations for shellfish as food. Microbial pollution indicators (heterotrophic bacteria and fecal coliform) were measured in T. decussatus. Maximum heterotrophic bacteria and fecal coliforms were recorded in the winter while the lowest were detected in summer

PROFILES OF SOME BEACHES ON COASTAL BATHING WATERS OF TURKEY IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Turkish tourism has been rapidly developing in recent years in terms of volume, value, and physical investments. Tourism not only provides an additional income to the economy of the country and increases the inflow of foreign currency, but also affects the environment in many ways such as increases in transportation, use of resources and pollution. Briefly, a significant increase in human population can cause serious problems in sensitive environments such as coastal areas. In this study, the profiles of five beaches located in the most important coastal cities in Turkey whose tourism revenue has greatly increased in recent years were identified, and the residential areas around these beaches, and the geological structure, hydrology were explained and microbial water quality properties (total and fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci) were statistically evaluated. As a result, it is considered that the beaches are the most important tourism icon in the Mediterranean basin, and that great efforts should be made for and attention should be paid to the development of the management strategies of these beaches. Therefore, all the beaches should be carefully monitored as much as possible both in terms of public health and in terms of their impact on the environment

A biomonitoring study: Heavy metals in macroalgae from eastern Aegean coastal areas

The concentrations of metals were measured in macroalgae species seasonally at eight coastal stations along the eastern Aegean coast. Sediment and seawater samples were also collected to detect their metal contents in order to gain more information on the environmental conditions of the area and possible bioaccumulation patterns. The aim of this study is, to gather more information on the use of selected species as cosmopolitan biomonitors for the eastern Aegean; to provide information on the marine environmental quality by the use of macroalgae and to determine which algae species are suitable as biomonitoring species for the study area. The relative abundance of metals in macroalgae decreases in the order: Fe-Zn-Cu-Cr-Cd-Hg-Pb and seawater: Fe-Zn-Pb-Cu-Cr-Cd-Hg. In sediment the distribution order from higher to lower was Fe-Cr-Zn-Pb-Cu-Hg-Cd. The brown algae Cystoseira sp., the green algae Ulva sp. and Enteromorpha sp. possess high potential as cosmopolitan biomonitors for trace metals in the Aegean Sea. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Distribution and chemical speciation of heavy metals in the surficial sediments of the Bakircay and Gediz Rivers, Eastern Aegean

The pollution of aquatic ecosystem by heavy metals has assumed serious proportions due to their toxicity and accumulative behaviour. The toxicity and fate of the water borne metal is dependent on its chemical form and therefore quantification of the different forms of metal is more meaningful than the estimation of its total metal concentrations. A five-step sequential extraction procedure was applied for the determination of the distribution of seven elements (Pb, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ni, Fe) in sediment samples collected from BakA +/- r double dagger ay and Gediz Rivers. According to this study, the results of metals are mostly retained in the residual, oxidizable and reducible fractions. Based on the chemical distribution of metals, we found that Cr, Zn, Cu and Ni are the most non-mobile metals. Pb is the metal that showed the highest percentages in the residual and reducible fractions. Mn is present in the higher percentages in the reducible and carbonate fractions. However, Fe is present in the greatest percentages in the residual fraction, which implies that these metals are strongly linked to the sediments. The risk assessment code as applied to the present study shows that about 12.3-26.9 and 15.7-33.5% of manganese at most of the sites exist in carbonate fraction in the BakA +/- r double dagger ay and Gediz Rivers, respectively. Therefore, Mn comes under the medium risk category in the BakA +/- r double dagger ay and high-risk category in the Gediz River. Speciation pattern of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Ni, Fe shows low to medium risk to aquatic environment health in both rivers

Distribution of Aliphatic and Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Red Mullet (Mullus barbatus) and Annular Sea Bream (Diplodus annularis) from the Izmir Bay (Eastern Aegean)

Polycyclic aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons were analyzed in red mullet and annular sea bream from the Izmir Bay. These fishes were selected because of their multitude, wide distribution and common use in the Turkish diet; they were sampled and analyzed in 2000-2001 and 2004-2005 periods at five locations by trawling. Red mullet showed higher PAHs and aliphatics than annular sea bream. PAH levels for red mullet and annular sea bream ranged from 202 to 556 and 78.7 to 415; aliphatics ranged from 834 to 2,420 and 436 to 1,724 ng/g dw, respectively. Molecular ratios showed pyrolitic inputs for PAHs, biogenic and anthropogenic inputs for aliphatics. The carcinogenic PAH, benzo(a)pyrene, was detected in most fish samples in levels ranged between 22.2 and 64.1 ng/g dw. The average PAH contamination level was within the "moderate" category in fish from Izmir Bay. Results indicate the needing of a systematic monitoring program in order to provide accurately assessment and management of risks for the regional population

Sessile fouling organisms and environmental parameters in the marinas of the Turkish Aegean coast

149-157<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-IN">Results of salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), total inorganic nitrogen, orthophosphate phosphorus and reactive silica were investigated in relation to the fouling organisms settled in the different marinas of the Eastern Aegean coast. Water samples were taken 3 m below the surface and from bottom. Seasonal changes in sessile macrobenthic groups settled on test panels were studied during 1993- 1994. Fifty-five sessile macrofouling organisms belonging to 8 different groups prevailing at the study sites were identified. In the more stressed marinas, the covering values of dominant groups were found to be notably different. Some pollution resistant species such as Hydroides elegans, Balanus eburneus, Balanus amphitrite, Bugula stolonifera, Bugula neritina and Ciona intestinalis were predominantly present. The early coloni sers as well as rapidly breeding opportunistic species were dominantly present at the sites enriched by organic pollutants. </span