Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Li, Mn, Ni, and Ba Concentrations in Sediments of Lotic Habitats in the Biga Peninsula, Türkiye

Özet

Sediments, which contain a wealth of various toxic and essential elements, play a very important role in our freshwater habitats. Although some elements are essential and needed by living things, it is known that long-term and large-scale exposure to them can be harmful, just like non-essential toxic elements. The Biga Peninsula, situated in the northwestern region of Anatolia, possesses significant agricultural, industrial, and touristic potential. This study was carried out to determine the spatiotemporal variations of lithium (Li), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni) and Barium (Ba) levels in sediments of the riverine ecosystems located in the Biga Peninsula. Five riverine ecosystems were selected for the study, and sediment samples were collected during both the dry and wet seasons of 2022–2023 to assess seasonal variations. According to the results of this research, the annually average concentrations of investigated elements in sediments of the riverine ecosystems located in the Biga Peninsula were found in the order of Mn (1076 mg/kg) > Ba (93 mg/kg) > Ni (21 mg/kg) > Li (14 mg/kg). While no significant seasonal differences were detected in Mn, Ni and Ba accumulations, it was recorded that the average Li values in the sediments increased approximately 8 times during the wet season.