Bioaccumulation, Detection and Analyses of Heavy Metal Pollution in Sultan Marsh and Its Environment

Sultan Marsh is one of the largest and most important wetlands in Turkey, Middle East and Europe, embodying saline and fresh water ecosystems, which provide a shelter for 426 bird species. The area has begun to contribute much to the tourism of Kayseri state and its environs. However, the sites in the vicinity of the sewerage – sludge and fertilizer plants are highly damaged due to pollution. As such, studies on the heavy metal status of water, sediment and plants were investigated. Phragmites australis, Ranunculus sphaerosphermus plants and samples of sediments were taken from 13 different stations of this Marsh. All sampling sites in the study area basin were generally more or less polluted when compared with the control sites. Cr concentrations in the roots of the plants were higher than in the sediment. The tissues of Phragmites australis accumulated heavy metals more than those of Ranunculus sphaerosphermus. The heavy metal accumulation in different parts of plants followed the sequence: root > stem > leaf. Both plants can be used as biological indicators while determining environmental pressures; however, Phragmites australis proved more appropriate for such studies.