Ecotoxicological evaluation of organic contamination in the world's two significant gateways to the Black Sea using GIS techniques: Turkish Straits

Mar Pollut Bull. 2023 Sep;194(Pt A):115405. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115405. Epub 2023 Aug 18.

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the spatial-temporal distributions of limnological parameters of Çanakkale Strait (ÇS) and İstanbul Strait (İS), Turkiye. Fluvial (n = 11) and lacustrine (n = 4) habitats water samples were collected in the dry and rainy seasons of 2022-2023. Among limnological parameters, the highest mean electrical conductivity values of 6063 μS/cm were noted in the İS basin during the rainy season and the lowest was 0.04 mg/L for nitrite in the ÇS basin. Generally, the levels of organic contaminants and ecological risk indices were as follows: rivers of İS > rivers of ÇS > Alibey Dam Lake (İS) > Atikhisar Dam Lake (ÇS). The highest non-carcinogenic health risks of 0.88 were noted for children in the ÇS basin during the dry season and the lowest of <0.01 in Atikhisar Dam Lake during the rainy season. Multivariate statistical techniques were applied to data to categorize investigated ecosystems and sources apportionment of contaminants and geospatial distribution.

Keywords: Ecotoxicological risk assessment; GIS based evaluation; Organic pollution; Çanakkale and İstanbul Straits.

MeSH terms

  • Black Sea
  • Child
  • Ecosystem*
  • Ecotoxicology
  • Geographic Information Systems*
  • Humans
  • Lakes