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Kızılırmak River receives substantial loads of nutrients, trace metals and other compounds, resulting from anthropogenic activities within its catchment. The main aims of this research were to evaluate spatial and seasonal trends in water discharge, nutrients and trace metals and also to compare data with water and sediment quality criteria and with certain quality indices such as water quality index (WQI), sediment quality index (SQI) and trophic state index (TSI), identifying the environmental pressures and assessing the impact of the loads to the coastal environment. Nine stations were sampled within the main stream of Kızılırmak River near to the Black Sea. Field measurements and routine laboratory water analysis were carried on the eight sampling stations seasonally. Wet sediment sample analyses were also performed for EC, pH, organic matter and moisture content within the range of 1.13-1.76 mS; 7.52-8.80; 1.41-4.60%; 18.92-33.65%, respectively. However, trace metal analyses including Cd, Ni and Pb were done by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) both on water and sediment samples with the total digestion methods. Since the analytical cost involved could be a limiting factor for river quality assessments in developing countries, certain quality indices were used in this study. For each type of indices calculations, different approaches from the literature were selected and compared. Calculated NSFWQI, WQI new and WQI min. values are in good agreement and the water quality of the river is considered at medium level. For the Derbent Dam of Kızılırmak River, two different trophic level index calculations have also the same results indicating eutrophic conditions where algal growth and blooms can occur. However, certain metal quality indices both for water and sediment measurements indicate that the river has medium quality of lead pollution which may be caused by automobile exhausts and urban storm run-off.Keywords: Environmental quality assessment, water quality, sediment quality index, trophic state index, Kızılırmak River. Kızılırmak Nehri ve Kıyısal Çevresinin Entegre Çevresel Kalite Değerlendirilmesi ÖzetKızılırmak, havzasındaki insan aktiviteleri nedeniyle yüksek miktarda besin elementleri, iz metaller ve diğer bileşiklerin yüklerini taşımaktadır. Bu araştırmanın ana amaçları; su deşarjları, besin elementleri ve iz metallerinin yersel ve mevsimsel değişimlerini değerlendirme; ayrıca verileri, su ve sediment kalite kriter değerleriyle karşılaştırma ve belli kalite indisleriyle örneğin su kalite indeksi (WQI), sediment kalite indeksi (SQI) ve trofik durum indeksi gibi, çevresel baskıları ve kirlilik yüklerinin kıyısal çevrede neden olduğu etkileri değerlendirmektir. Kızılırmak Nehrinin ana kolunda, Karadeniz'e deşarj ağzına yakın dokuz istasyondan numune alınmıştır. Arazi çalışmaları ve rutin laboratuar su analizleri 8 örnekleme noktasında mevsimsel olarak yürütülmüştür. Islak sediment numune analizlerinde, EC, pH, organik madde ve nem içeriği ölçülmüş ve 1,13-1,76 mS; 7,52-8,80; %1,41-4,60; %18,9...

A detailed study was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of heavy metal pollution in the sediments in terms of environmental, ecological and human health. Sediment samples were collected from 5 different points in two seasons, namely summer (August 2017) and winter (December 2017), to determine the distribution of heavy metals, potential pollutants, toxic and ecological risks in the river sediments in Samsun -Tekkeköy district located in the Mid-Black Sea Region of Turkey and to evaluate the human health risk. The distribution of heavy metals at the sampling points was Fe > Al > Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Pb > Cd based on their averages. According to the toxic risk index (TRI) results, sampling point OIZ (Organized Industrial Zone) Channel (T3) was also found to have a moderate risk, and it was determined that the highest contribution was from Cu > Ni > Cd > Cr, respectively. Potential ecological risk (PERI) results revealed a low risk except for Cd metal at all sampling points. While the sediment enrichment factor (EF) did not show much metallization at many points, the highest enrichment was observed in Cd, Cu, and Zn metals and at sampling point T3. According to the geoaccumulation index (I geo ) and contamination factor (C F ), sampling point T3 showed contamination with Cd, Cu, Cr, and Zn. Evaluation of human health risk showed that the hazard index (HI) results of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were higher among children than adults. The total lifetime cancer risks (TLCR) of heavy metals were within the limits determined by USEPA. However, the risk was ranked as Cr > Cd > Pb. Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQG) and pollution index results showed that heavy metal contamination was due to anthropogenic and industrial activities since the region was an industrial zone. It was determined that heavy metals posed ecological risks and that Samsun-Tekkeköy region was moderately and signi cantly contaminated.

Sediment, mussel, and seawater samples were collected three times during 2001-2003 at nine sampling stations along the mid-Black Sea coast of Turkey. The samples were analyzed with GC-ECD for contents of various organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the environment. DDT and its metabolites were detected at concentrations significantly above the detection limits. The highest concentrations of DDT metabolites measured in the sediment and mussel samples were 35.9 and 14.0 ng/g wet weight respectively. Considerable levels of aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor epoxide, lindane, endosulfan sulphate, and HCB were also detected in the sediment, mussel, or seawater samples. Although these persistent toxic compounds have been banned for some years in Turkey, they may still be used illegally in some regions, contributing to their significant levels in the environment. The biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) estimated for DDT and its metabolites in mussels was 2.9, which is nearly two times higher than the benchmark of 1.7. In spite of such high BSAF values observed for these toxic compounds, their levels in mussels were significantly below the international legal limits recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Edible biota from the waterbodies examined may thus still be considered safe for human consumption at this time. However, as pollutants can biomagnify through the food chain over time, further routine sampling and analysis of biota along the Black Sea coast are warranted in order to better assess the threat of OCPs to public health in the region.