ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ASSESSMENT OF THE BLACK SEA COAST OF TURKEY BASED ON GIS-MAPPING TECHNIQUES

PONTE International Scientific Researchs Journal, cilt.73, sa.6, ss.185-198, 2017 (Hakemli Dergi)

This work reveals the usefulness of the GIS ( Geographical Information Systems)

mapping techniques to show the distribution of pollutants in a coastal

environment of Black Sea of Turkey. The Black Sea, a nearly enclosed and

isolated environment, has suffered from severe ecological changes during the last

three decades. A total of 39 sampling stations at 3 different distances from the

coast ( 500 m, 3 miles, and 20 miles) during four seasons between 2013 and 2014

for water quality monitoring were selected along the mid- Black Sea coast of

Turkey. Characterization of changes in water quality is an important aspect for

evaluating the potential impact of natural or anthropogenic, point and non-point

sources of pollution on ecosystem health. The result showed that contamination

of coastal waters occurred mainly from domestic and industrial wastewater

discharges and agricultural runoff. Annual and/or seasonal average concentration

of certain water quality parameters ( MBAS, NH4

+-N, Phenol, NO3

- - N, TOC, TC

and certain heavy metals) through mid-Black Sea off-shore are figured by GIS

technique in order to show the off-shore variation of pollutant concentrations.

The annual average concentration of heavy metals shown us that there is a

considerably higher concentration of metal pollution through the study area both

at spatial and non-spatial variations.

Key Words: Black Sea, Environmental Pollution, GIS mapping, Heavy metals