Bio-monitoring of some heavy metal levels (Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu) in whole edible soft parts of Mytilus galloprovincialis (L. 1758) was conducted in Turkish Aegean Sea coast during the period of September 2002-August 2003 seasonally. Moreover, some physico-chemical environmental parameters, also have been analysed in the same region. The values of some physico-chemical environmental parameters in coastal waters of Turkish Aegean Sea were changed between; 9.0-27.0 ( composite function)C for temperature, 31.93-40.45 psu for salinity, 7.35-8.48 for pH and 4.05-9.50 mg/l for dissolved oxygen. The levels of trace elements in whole edible soft parts including interstitial fluids of Mediterranean mussels M. galloprovincialis (L. 1758), sampled from 6 different regions of Turkish Aegean Sea coast have ranged between; 0.04-0.52 microg Cd/g wet weight, 0.49-1.72 microg Pb/g w.w., 0.95-1.85 Cu/g w.w., 16.11-37.15 microg Zn/g w.w. The highest values for all trace metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu) were measured in inner part of Izmir Bay (station 3) and lowest in Sigacik and Gulluk Bay (station 5, 6). Generally heavy metal levels are lower than the results in soft mussel tissues reported from Mediterranean regions.

Bottom sediments reflect in general the relative contamination of a sea area. Therefore, a great deal of monitoring work has been dedicated to the analysis of bottom sediments. Izmir Bay is a very important pollution centre in Turkish Aegean coast region due to a densely populated community, industrial complex and maritime transportation, and there are many streams flowing into the bay that pass through a number of industrial and agricultural areas. It had received the majority of domestic and industrial wastewaters until the wastewater treatment plant was constructed. It is well known that sediments play an important role as reservoirs of a fraction of the pollution in aquatic systems. Therefore, sediment samples were collected monthly from three stations which are located in the inner part of the bay during the period January to December 2003. Temporal variations and seasonal changes on their (210)Po and (210)Pb contents were examined, and the activity concentrations of (210)Po and (210)Pb were found to vary from 43+/-6 to 132+/-12 and 27+/-5 to 91+/-9 Bq kg(-1) dry wt, respectively. The highest values of those natural radionuclides were measured at Karşiyaka Station because of the current systems of the bay. Seasonally, the (210)Pb levels were found to increase during the winter time for all the stations.

No abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the effects of Izmir Big Channel Waste Water Treatment Project on the sediment quality of Izmir Bay. Wastewater treatment improves the water quality. However, sediment does not respond to this treatment as fast as water column. Monitoring of bottom water and sediment quality is necessary for identification of the recovery of the whole ecosystem. For this purpose, bottom water and sediment samples were collected from three stations which are located in the middle and inner parts of the Izmir Bay on a monthly basis between January 2003 and December 2003. Values measured at stations ranged between; 0.54-12.82 microg/L for chlorophyll-a, 0.09-9.32 microg/L for phaeopigment, 0.05-1.91 mg/L for particulate organic carbon in bottom waters, 11.88-100.29 microg/g for chlorophyll degradation products and 1.12-5.39% for organic carbon in sediment samples. In conclusion, it was found that grazing activity explained carbon variations in sediment at station 2, but at station 1 and station 3 carbon variations in sediment were not related to autochthonous biological processes.

This study compared the levels of the trace metals zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) in the bivalve Lithophaga lithophaga from Izmir Bay (Aegean Sea) between 2001 and 2011. Comparisons were made on the basis of season, as well as year. All values were measured by voltammetry. Median values of trace metals for all seasons in 2011 were 244.67 μg Zn g(-1), 1.09 μg Cd g(-1), 7.64 μg Pb g(-1) and 56.03 μg Cu g(-1) as dry weight. The results showed a general trend of decreasing Zn, Pb and Cu concentrations over time, but an increasing trend for Cd. Mean trace metal concentrations in individuals of L. lithophaga in 2011 exceeded the permissible limit published in the Turkish Food Codex for Pb, and closely approached the limit for Zn. The mean Cd concentration was within the permissible limit of the Turkish Food Codex, but exceeded the limit of the World Health Organization. Levels of Cu were within permissible limits of published regulations.