Concentrations of some heavy metal and macroelements in sediment, water, macrophyte species, and leech (Hirudo sulukii n. sp.) from the Kara Lake, Adiyaman, Turkey

Abstract

Content of some heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and macroelements (Ca, Mg, Na, and K) were determined in samples of water, sediment, macrophytes (Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Myriophyllum spicatum, and Chara vulgaris), and leech (Hirudo sulukii n. sp.) collected from Kara Lake Adiyaman, Turkey at four distinct seasons using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). It was found that the studied heavy metals were completely below the detection limit of ICP-OES for water samples. The results showed that most heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Zn, Fe, and Pb) and macroelements (Mg and Na) had their highest values in sediment samples in August. Increases of heavy metals and macroelements may be due to evaporation because of summer stagnation at this period. The average content of studied elements was in the order of Mn>Ni>Cr>Zn>Fe>Pb>Cu in sediment samples. As a non-essential heavy metal, Cr was the most accumulated in all the macrophytes studied. The average Cr concentration was in the order of P. crispus > P. perfoliatus > M. spicatum > C. vulgaris. In C. vulgaris, the accumulation of Ca was the highest compared with other macrophytes. The accumulation of heavy metal was in the order of Fe>Zn>Cu>Pb>Mn>Cr>Ni>Cd in H. sulukii n. sp. The obtained results showed that the heavy metal and macroelement (Na, Ca, Mg, and K) concentrations in water, sediment, macrophytes, and leech are below the risk values according to the aquatic life pollutant data provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Overall, the element contents can be attributable to the geological sources because of the general absence of serious pollution in Kara Lake, Adiyaman, Turkey.

Keywords: Aquatic plants; Bioaccumulation; Elements; Medicinal leech; Natural lakes; Toxic pollutants.