DETERMINATION OF SOME HEAVY METALS CONCENTRATIONS IN Phragmites australis PLANT AT LAKE TERKOS (İSTANBUL, TÜRKİYE)

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Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Istanbul University, Faculty Of Aquatic Sciences, Department Of Marine And Freshwater Resources Management, Turkey

Approval Date: 2025

Thesis Language: Turkish

Student: Sinan Musa Yılmaz

Supervisor: Neşe Yılmaz

Abstract:

In recent years, water pollution in drinking water sources has become a significant concern in our country, as well as globally, and has been the subject of numerous scientific studies. Heavy metal pollution is one of the main types of pollution that should be considered for both public health and aquatic organisms in water. The presence of some heavy metals in water or their concentrations being above negligible levels constitutes a serious problem for all marine organisms and, as a result, for humans who are at the top of the food chain. For this reason, heavy metal pollution is one of the primary environmental problems that need to be addressed in aquatic ecosystems. Aquatic macrophytes have high metal accumulation capacity and can also tolerate large metal concentrations in water. With these features, they can be used as on-site biomonitoring organisms for metal contamination in water. In addition, the selection of plant species for biological monitoring studies varies depending on local conditions and the presence of aquatic macrophytes.

In Terkos Dam Lake, one of the most important drinking water reservoirs of Istanbul, the Phragmites australis species, which continues its life cycle despite being exposed to heavy metal concentrations above the limits in its habitats, was examined in a total of 5 stations representing the lake. P. australis, located  in a habitat where domestic wastewater outlets are close to residential areas, continues to live by forming biomass despite being exposed to the intense pollution load brought to the lake by Ormanlı Creek, where drinking water is supplied, water is drawn for irrigation of agricultural areas and garbage wastes are frequently seen due to its use as a recreational area. The obtained result reveals that the examined plant species is quite resistant to heavy metal stress by tolerating high heavy metal concentrations.