Monitoring of lead, zinc, cadmium, nickel, chromium and copper in street dust samples in Adapazari, Turkey, after earthquake

Abstract

The present paper reports the data on heavy metal pollution in dust samples collected in the centre of an Adapazari city after 1999 earthquake. In this study, the city was divided into 8 sampling sites including the control site and the trace element contents of 80 street dust samples collected throughout Adapazari city after earthquake, August 17, 1999. The control sample was collected from non-affected areas of Adapazari. Dust samples have been analyzed for trace elements of Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr and Cu by using the flame-atomic absorption spectrophotometric method after digestion with aqua regia. Results showed that the highest mean values measured for Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr and Cu in street dust samples are 25.9, 205.1, 0.7, 40.2, 10.2 and 14.2 pg g -1 , respectively, compared with the control values. Dust levels were observed to increase in Adapazari city centre because of the reconstruction of streets, sewage and water systems, demolishing of damaged buildings, etc. It was also observed that elemental loadings typically decreased during the rainy sampling dates due to the leaching by rain.