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The aim of this study was to assess the level of heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) contamination and enrichment in the surface sediments of the Seyhan River, which is the receiving water body of both treated and untreated municipal and industrial effluents as well as agricultural drainage waters generated within Adana, Turkey. Sediment and water samples were taken from six previously determined stations covering the downstream of the Seyhan dam during both wet and dry seasons and the samples were then analyzed for the heavy metals of concern. When both dry and wet seasons were considered, metal concentrations varied significantly within a broad range with Al, For both seasons combined, the enrichment factor (EF) and the geo-accumulation index (I geo ) for the sediments in terms of the specified metals ranged from 0.56 to 10.36 and À2.92 to 1.56, respectively, throughout the lower Seyhan River. The sediment quality guidelines (SQG) of US-EPA suggested the sediments of the Seyhan River demonstrated ''unpolluted to moderate pollution'' of Cu, Pb, and Zn, ''moderate to very strong pollution'' of Cr and Ni. The water quality data, on the other hand, indicated very low levels of these metals suggesting that the metal content in the surface sediments were most probably originating from fine sediments transported along the river route instead of water/wastewater discharges with high metal content.

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The Silifke plain is located near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Turkey. The delta in the plain is a highly fertile land that supports the agriculture of more than twenty types of crop. Some trace element content of the groundwater samples taken from the existing wells in this area are analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES). The mean levels (ppm) of boron (B), barium (Ba), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), total chromium (TCr), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), and nickel (Ni) were obtained for the sampling points in the area for four seasons. Groundwater samples taken in the study area don't exhibit significantly elevated levels of these elements during a period of twelve months between December 2007 and November 2008. Furthermore, all of the elements exhibit values lower than 0.005 ppm, with the exception of B, Ba, and Fe. The results demonstrate that although these three elements produce the highest values, most are found to be appropriate for activities such as irrigation and human consumption in terms of trace elements.

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