Environmental impact of fish farming: assessment of metal contamination and sediment geochemistry at three aquaculture areas from the eastern Aegean coast

KÜÇÜKSEZGİN F., PAZI İ., GÖNÜL L. T.

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT, cilt.194, sa.4, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 194 Sayı: 4
  • Basım Tarihi: 2022
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10661-022-09960-3
  • Dergi Adı: ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, ABI/INFORM, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Compendex, EMBASE, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, Geobase, Greenfile, MEDLINE, Pollution Abstracts, Public Affairs Index, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Marine sediments, Metals, Aquaculture effluents, Pollution indices, Ecological risk assessment, Eastern Aegean Sea, HEAVY-METALS, MARINE-SEDIMENTS, INTENSIVE AQUACULTURE, SURFACE SEDIMENTS, ORGANIC-CARBON, TRACE-ELEMENTS, NORTHERN PART, ADRIATIC SEA, QUALITY, PHOSPHORUS
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Metal contamination and geochemistry of surface sediments were assessed at three aquaculture sites from the eastern Aegean coast. The chlorophyll degradation products and organic carbon levels were used as indicators of eutrophication status. In Akkoy, higher Hg, Pb, and Cd levels were observed around the cages, while maximum concentrations of other elements were determined at stations situated near the Buyuk Menderes River estuary. Metal concentrations were less than the central Aegean coast background levels other than Zn, Ni, and Cr in Akkoy. Several approximations have been utilized to evaluate potential toxicity of sediments and sediment quality guidelines (SQG) were used to estimate the risks for aquatic life. Ni was the only metal with concentrations exceeding all SQG values, which indicates the highest adverse biological effect in Ildir, Akkoy, and occasionally toxic in Gulluk. Based on Q(PEL) and Q(TEL), Ni and Cr were the predominant metal contaminants in all areas. Similarly, Cr and Ni account for the most of the all sediment toxicity in the aquaculture areas according to toxic risk index. It is concluded that sediments around the fish farms are affected by growing input of elements because of aquaculture activity. The levels of chlorophyll degradation products showed oligotrophic and mesotrophic conditions in the three studied aquaculture areas.