Research Information System
1ST INTERNATIONAL BLACK SEA CONGRESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, 31 August - 03 September 2016
Sediments are the store where physical pieces and some chemical types of them and
these sediments have toxic substances whose concentrations are higher than water
column. The fact that the pivot of the metals among sediments – pore water – water
column phases shows that metals affect not only benthic life but also the pelagic
ones in the water columns. Many chemicals can be discharged on the surface water
from industries and some of these chemicals can stick to the sediments because of
their structure. Thus, the pollution in the sediment history in the depth of the rivers
can be seen even though the quality of the water increases. In these cases, there
will be another source of pollution for the river if sediment in the depth of the river
is eroded because of natural events or starts to be carried through the stream.
When heavy metals, such as Cr, Cd, Al, Pb, Cu, Al, Zn, etc., are in aquatic environments,
they cause a toxic effect on the life in the sediment layer. This effect is gathered in
the hydrophilous living creatures and is carried to the body of human beings via the food
chain and threatens their health. The amount of AVS (acid volatile sulfite) which is
for the determination and removal of the pollution caused by heavy metals in the
aquatic environment may be the indicator of potential metal toxics because it can
point out the outgrowth of the metal concentrations in the sediment layer. Generally,
trace metals related to the AVS is referred as metals which can be decomposed
simultaneously. The determination of AVS (acid volatile sulphite) and simultaneously
extracted metals (SEM) could be an important phase to determine the speed of
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toxic metals’ operativeness and to check their level of effectiveness. By comparing
SEM and AVS rate during oxidation in anoxic sediment to determine the effects
of metals, potential metal toxicity can be settled. In this study, literature research
for ecotoxicological observarían of sediments and evaluation of these sediments in
terms of heavy metal pollution is performed.
Keywords: Ecotoxicology, heavy metals, sediment, SEM-AVS relationship