Assessment of distribution of heavy metals and activity level of Pb-210 in biota from the northern coast of the Marmara Sea and Western Black Sea

Abstract

In this study, heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, V) and Pb-210 analyses have been performed in the marine biota (scaldfish, sea lettuce, crab). Samples were collected from 5 different parts of the Marmara Sea and Western Black Sea in January 2020. The results indicated that the highest Cu and Zn content was found in algae samples, but it was observed that heavy metal concentrations such as Co, Cu, Cd and V were generally low and under permissible limit. Also, Pb-210 (radioactive isotope of Pb) activity levels were determined to vary from 23.20 Bq kg(-1) to 52.67 Bq kg(-1) dry weight. It was clearly seen that there was a linear correlation between the toxic and radioactive Pb when the obtained data were compared.