Chemometric and geochemical study of the heavy metal accumulation in the soils of a salt marsh area (Kavak Delta, NW Turkey)
2015
Sungur, Ali | Özcan, Hasan
PURPOSE: A series of investigations were performed to provide heavy metal signatures of salt marsh soil and to evaluate potential sources in Kavak Delta, NW Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The soil samples were collected from 77 sampling sites and analyzed to identify the concentrations of Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, and Zn. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy was used for metal detection. In order to assess the existing pollution, geochemical approaches such as enrichment factor, geo-accumulation index, contamination factor, and pollution load index were applied. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results indicated that the average values of the analyzed metals (except Ba and Sr) were more than the shale averages. Chemometric analysis was performed, and three main sources with corresponding cluster elements were identified: Pb and Se are mainly derived from anthropogenic sources; Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Li, Ni, and Zn have anthropogenic sources combined with lithospheric sources, while Sr comes mainly from lithospheric sources. The resultant pollution load index (1.62) for metals in the salt marsh soils indicated metal pollution in the research site. Geoaccumulation index, enrichment factor, and contamination factor also resulted in supporting outcomes and indicated prominently Cd, Li, Ni, Pb and Se metals in the existing pollution of the site. CONCLUSIONS: Combining chemometric and geochemical approaches can be successfully used for natural and anthropogenic sources and pollution assessment of salt marsh soils. It was observed that Cd, Li, Ni, Pb, and Se dominantly accumulated in the research site. These metals may have a negative impact on the existing species in the study area and create an environmental risk.
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