Heavy metals in sinking particles and bottom sediments from the eastern Turkish coast of the Black Sea

• Published in: Estuarine, coastal and shelf science Vol. 78; no. 2; pp. 396 - 402
• Main Authors: ERGÜL, H. A, TOPCUOGLU, S, OLMEZ, E, KIRBASOGLU, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 20-06-2008; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Black Sea; Brackish water ecosystems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; heavy metals; particulate flux; Sea water ecosystems; sediment trap; surface sediment; Synecology; MED, Black Sea; Black Sea; sediment trap; surface sediment; heavy metals; Black Sea; particulate flux; Marine environment; Brackish water environment; Sediment trap method; Turkey; Metal particle; Sediments; Heavy metal
• ISSN: 0272-7714; 1096-0015
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2008.01.006

Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn, Pb, As, and Sb were determined in sediment trap and bottom sediment samples collected seasonally from a station on the eastern Turkish coast of the Black Sea. Cd, Pb and Mn concentrations were highest in the sediment trap samples except during the summer period, whereas Co, Ni, Zn and Fe levels were much lower than corresponding levels found in the surface sediments. Cu, Cr, As and Sb levels showed no definite trend with sediment type. In general, with the exception of Cr, relatively lower metal concentrations in the sediment trap material were determined in the summer period. The highest mass flux, 56.5
g
m
−2
day
−1, was measured during autumn. The highest flux of heavy metals also occurred during autumn and was strongly dependent on particle mass flux. Based on these results, we suggest that the downward vertical transport of particulate heavy metals in this region is related to the high degree of land erosion and the resultant particulate flux dynamics, which occur here. It was noteworthy that the highest concentrations of Cd, Cu, Co, Zn, Fe and Sb in particles were measured during winter a finding which suggests that enhanced fossil fuel combustion, which occurs during this period in adjacent urban and industrial areas plays an important role in the metal composition of sinking particles in nearshore waters.