Heavy metal amounts in soil and sediments of surface water sources in the industrial regions of Istanbul

Abstract

Today, heavy metal-oriented soil pollution composes a substantial problem, especially in regions with dense industrial activities. Industrial wastes may also be introduced to superficial waters either directly or indirectly, forming a dense accumulation of heavy metal in aquatic sediments. Istanbul exhibits a high density of industrial activities. In this study, soil and sediment samples were taken from 4 superficial water resources in the dense industrial region that borders Istanbul. In the first section of the study, the heavy metal concentrations (Cu, Ni, Zn, Pb, Cd) in these samples were determined and compared with each other. In the second section of the study, after the comparison with similar studies in the literature, an assessment was made.