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Dissolved heavy metals in the Tigris River (Turkey): spatial and temporal variations

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Abstract

Multivariate statistical techniques, such as analysis of variance, cluster analysis (CA), correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and factor analysis (FA), were applied to determine the spatial and temporal variations of dissolved heavy metals in the Tigris River at 7 different sites spread over the river stretch of about 500 km during the period of February 2008 to January 2009. The results indicated that Fe, Cr, and Ni were the most abundant elements in the river water, whereas Cd and As were the less abundant. Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn showed significant spatial variations, reflecting the influence of anthropogenic activities. The lowest total concentration of heavy metals was found at site 2 downstream of the Dicle Dam due to clean water from the dam. The concentrations of most metals were found lower when compared with results of previous studies due to reduction of the activity of the copper mine plant and the construction of two dams on the river. The lowest total concentrations were determined in February due to high precipitation and snow melts. Hierarchical agglomerative CA classified all the sampling sites into three main groups of spatial similarities. Clusters 1 (Maden and Bismil), 2 (Cizre), and 3 (Eğil, Diyarbakır, Batman, and Hasankeyf) corresponded to moderate polluted and relatively low polluted regions, respectively. PCA/FA, CA, and correlation analysis suggest that Cu, Ni, and Zn are controlled by anthropogenic sources.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank İbrahim Tunik for assistance with English editing of the manuscript. We also thank Dr. Vera Slaveykova and other two anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Provincial Directorate of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, 23000, Elazığ, Turkey

    Memet Varol

  2. Faculty of Art and Science, Biology Department, University of Dicle, Diyarbakır, Turkey

    Bülent Gökot & Aysel Bekleyen

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  1. Memet Varol
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  2. Bülent Gökot
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  3. Aysel Bekleyen
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Correspondence to Memet Varol.

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Responsible editor: Vera Slaveykova

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Varol, M., Gökot, B. & Bekleyen, A. Dissolved heavy metals in the Tigris River (Turkey): spatial and temporal variations. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20, 6096–6108 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-013-1627-8

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