Geomedical, ecological risk, and statistical assessment of hazardous elements in shore sediments of the Iskenderun Gulf, Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey

This study was carried out on the Iskenderun Gulf in Turkey to assess the hazardous element pollution level of sediments and potential risk level which they pose to the environment. Their hazardous element content was inspected using five statistical parameters, mineralogical studies; and six risk indices. Similarity of sample content is divided into five groups C1–C5. C1 had anomalous concentrations of Cr, Zn, and V; C2 had anomalous concentrations Mn, Zn, Cu, and Pb; C3 showed very high Cr concentration; C4 indicated anomalous Cr and V concentrations; and no anomaly is observed for C5 samples. Ni and Mn show a distinct disparity and Cr shows a wide disparity in variance to the other elements. Principal component analysis reveals most of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd, and majority of Mn and Fe are thought to have come from a geogenic source. Most of Ni, Co, and Mg along with majority of Sr, As, and Al are thought to have come from both geogenic and anthropogenic sources, while most of V and majority of Cr are thought to arise from anthropogenic sources. The Gulf thought to possess very high concentrations of Cr, Ni, and Co in most samples. No significant ecological risk is posed by samples BC-(35, 43, and 51), though anomalous concentrations are observed in the samples. On the other hand, samples BC-(16, 19–21, 25–28, 30, 37 and 38) pose moderate ecological risk, yet they possess no anomalous concentration. BC-(9, 10, 17, 18, 24, 32, 33, 53, 54, and 60) were observed to be of significant ecological risk. Cr is enriched in most of these samples with contaminated Geoaccumulation levels except in BC-(32 and 33) that are enriched with contaminated Geoaccumulation levels as BC 32 (Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, and Mn) and BC 33 (Mn). Overall, pollution load index indicated that PLI > 1 for 34 samples are polluted with BC-32 (PLI = 6.98) being the most polluted sample, located around the industrial zone, and followed by samples 53, 54, 33, 24, and 60 with PLI (1.94–2.5).