Heavy Metal Contamination Status and Risk Assessment in Surface Sediments of Köyceğiz Lagoon Estuary System (KLES) (South-West Anatolia)

Abstract

This study reports the presence of heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb) in the sediment and water column in the Köyceğiz Lagoon Estuary System (KLES) (South-West Anatolia). The mean heavy metal concentrations (µg L-1) in the water were found as Cr: 3.72-8.36, Ni: 6.51-9.48, Cu: 1.29-11.88, Cd: ND-0.08, Pb: ND-0.34. The heavy metal concentrations in water samples were found to be below the internationally acceptable limits. The mean heavy metal concentrations (mg kg-1) in the sediment were found as Cr: 1.75-4.25, Ni: 5.24-12.69, Cu: 0.25-0.51, Cd: <0.01, Pb: 0.04-0.13. As a result of the analyses conducted concerning contamination factor (CF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), monomial potential ecological risk index (ER), and total potential ecological risk index (RI) for heavy metals in the sediment, it was deduced that there was not any pollution and moderate or high ecological risks.