Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
2010, Vol 10, Num, 4 (Pages: 453-462)
Integrated Environmental Quality Assessment of Kızılırmak River and its Coastal Environment
Gülfem Bakan 1 ,Hülya Böke Özkoç 1 ,Sevtap Tülek 1 ,Hüseyin Cüce
1 Ondokuz Mayıs University, Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, 55139, Samsun, Turkey
DOI :
10.4194/trjfas.2010.0403
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Kızılırmak River receives substantial loads of nutrients, trace metals and other compounds, resulting from
anthropogenic activities within its catchment. The main aims of this research were to evaluate spatial and seasonal trends in
water discharge, nutrients and trace metals and also to compare data with water and sediment quality criteria and with certain
quality indices such as water quality index (WQI), sediment quality index (SQI) and trophic state index (TSI), identifying the
environmental pressures and assessing the impact of the loads to the coastal environment. Nine stations were sampled within
the main stream of Kızılırmak River near to the Black Sea. Field measurements and routine laboratory water analysis were
carried on the eight sampling stations seasonally. Wet sediment sample analyses were also performed for EC, pH, organic
matter and moisture content within the range of 1.13-1.76 mS; 7.52-8.80; 1.41-4.60%; 18.92-33.65%, respectively. However,
trace metal analyses including Cd, Ni and Pb were done by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) both on water and
sediment samples with the total digestion methods. Since the analytical cost involved could be a limiting factor for river
quality assessments in developing countries, certain quality indices were used in this study. For each type of indices
calculations, different approaches from the literature were selected and compared. Calculated NSFWQI, WQInew and WQI min.
values are in good agreement and the water quality of the river is considered at medium level. For the Derbent Dam of
Kızılırmak River, two different trophic level index calculations have also the same results indicating eutrophic conditions
where algal growth and blooms can occur. However, certain metal quality indices both for water and sediment measurements
indicate that the river has medium quality of lead pollution which may be caused by automobile exhausts and urban storm
run-off.
Keywords :
Environmental quality assessment, water quality, sediment quality index, trophic state index, Kızılırmak River