The contamination status of trace metals in Sinop coast of the Black Sea, Turkey

Abstract

The concentrations of some heavy metals in sediment from the Sinop coasts of the Black Sea were measured to monitor metal pollution in 2013. The distribution of the heavy metals in sediments of the Black Sea shows a variable pattern. The objectives of the present study were to elucidate the distribution heavy metals such as Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Mn, Fe, As, Cd, Cr, Hg and Co in sediment from Sinop coast of the Black Sea. The quality of sediment in the Black Sea, pollution levels of metal were evaluated using the enrichment factor technique (EF). The lowest EF values were between 0-5 in Cu, Fe, Zn, Ni, Cd, Pb, Mn and Co. These values did not have statistically significant differences. As, Cr and Hg concentrations were estimated relatively higher enrichment values than other metals. The results indicated that contamination of surface sediments in Sinop Coast is dominated As (10.2-7.4 mg.kg-1), Cr (67-374 mg.kg-1) and Hg (0.07-0.03 mg.kg-1) and to a lesser extent Cu (7.24-5.09 mg.kg-1), Fe (1.76-1.12%), Zn (19.3-13.8 mg.kg-1), Ni (16.2-12.5 mg.kg-1), Cd (0.06-0.04 mg.kg-1), Pb (7.12-6.32 mg.kg-1), Mn (470-227 mg.kg-1), Co (9.5-5.9 mg.kg-1). Also, the requirement of age determination is of great importance to assess the extent of the anthropogenic contribution to pollution.