Ecological risk assessment profile of lake surface sediment using metal(loid)s: a case study, the Boraboy Lake

Abstract

Anthropogenic activities have increasingly threatened aquatic ecosystems with the gradual increase of metalloids in the lake sediment. The profile of Al, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn metal(loid)s that have been investigated in natural Boraboy Lake have been investigated in sediment. Their amounts in the sediment have been found as Mn>Fe>Al>Zn>Cu>Cr>Ni>Co>Pb>As>Mo>Cd. The findings have been analyzed using sediment quality values. The Enrichment Factor, one of the sediment quality values, has indicated that the lake has highly enriched in As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn. In addition to that, it has been detected that As, Ni, and Cu together constituted the 67% of the total toxic effect. While the mean value of Cu has been found to be higher than the reference value of the earth's crust at, 58.1±6.8 ppm, the mean values of As and Ni have been found to be lower than the reference value of the earth's crust (9.4±0.7 ppm) and (18.8±12.8 ppm) respectively. As and Cu have been detected above the Threshold Effect Level. Despite all these results, it has been revealed through sediment quality indexes that there is no threatening accumulation in the lake.