5-Year Impact Factor: 1.4
CiteScore: 3.1
Physico-Chemical Characteristics and Nutrient Levels of the Eastern Black Sea Rivers
2 Central Fisheries Research Institute, 61250, Yomra, Trabzon, Turkey DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v13_5_09 Viewed : 5771 - Downloaded : 4442 This study was conducted to determine physico-chemical characteristics and nutrient levels on a monthly basis of the rivers of the Eastern Black Sea region with an average flow rate of about 10 m3/sec and above, including Kızılırmak, Yeşilırmak, Melet, Pazarsuyu, Aksu, Harşit, Değirmendere, Solaklı, İyidere, Büyükdere, Fırtına, Çağlayan and Kapistre.
The highest annual average values for electrical conductivity (EC), reactive phosphate (o-PO4), ammonium (NH4), nitrite (NO2), sulphate (SO4) and hardness were determined as 1.16 ±0.29 mS/cm, 0.81±0.66 μM, 11.6±10.4 μM, 2.83±3.1 μM, 333±74 mg/L ve 407±47 mg CaCO3, respectively, in Kızılırmak (Samsun); the highest turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS) and organic matter (as permanganate index) as 191±99 FTU, 232±137 mg/L and 4.12±2.14 mg O/L respectively in Değirmendere (Trabzon); the highest silicate concentration in Melet (Ordu) as 305±47 μM; the highest nitrate concentration in İyidere (Rize) as 124±79 μM; and the highest chlorophyll-a levels in Yeşilırmak (Samsun) as 1.98±1.70 μg/L. As a result of cluster analyses, it was established that Kızılırmak river is in a group different from that of other rivers in terms of sulfate, hardness and electrical conductivity and the rivers situated in eastern part of the region is more acidic than those in the west in terms of pH. Data obtained from the study were evaluated according to Water Quality criteria and water quality classes of the rivers were identified by parameters.
Keywords : Eastern Black Sea, river, nutrient levels, physico-chemical levels, land based pollutants