Spatial distribution and sources of BTEX and TPH contamination in freshwater sediments from Lake Iznik, NW Turkey

• Main Authors: Selma Ünlü, Bedri ALPAR
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: IJEGEO 2018-12-01
• Series: International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics
• Subjects: Monoaromatic Hydrocarbons; Contaminated Sediment; Pollution Sources; Lake; Multivariate Analysis
• Online Access: http://dergipark.gov.tr/ijegeo/issue/39624/450811

Iznik Lake is an important water supply deteriorating gradually due to anthropogenic pollution. Concentration and distribution of monoaromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and three xylene isomers; BTEX) were detected in the lake sediments using a static headspace GC-MS. ΣBTEX concentrations varied between 10.6 and 272.3 μg kg-1 dry weight (dw), with an average of 88.3 μg kg-1 dw. The light aromatic fraction of m-,p-Xylene was the most abundant compound (50.0% in average), followed by toluene (31.2%), oxylene (12.2%), ethylbenzene (5.3%) and benzene (1.3%). Multivariate statistical analyses indicated that the BTEX levels and their distributions were controlled mainly by morphological and textural features of the sediment; anthropogenic inputs transported by the surrounding rivers, mainly influenced by agricultural facilities; absorbance of BTEX compounds in sediment; and biodegradation processes. Due to lack of any national sediment quality guideline regarding BTEX, the results will establish a significant baseline that will shed light on the administrative authorities for formulating their rational environmental strategies.