Determination of Nickel and Lead Contents in Soil and Plant in Corlu, Turkey

Abstract

The extent of the environmental pollution derived from industrial activities has intensive adverse effects in Corlu, Turkey. In the study area industrialisation has been growing rapidly and uncontrolled since 1970's. Corlu has a great importance regarding its industrial improvement both for Thrace region and Turkey. This consequence has not yet been evaluated sufficiently in the view of environmental concerns. Due to environmental cycle, trace elements, emanating from atmospheric and industrial Pollution accumulate, in soil and affect the ecosystem nearby. These elements may accumulate in soil, collected in plant or infiltrated 10 ground water. If they accumulate in a plant the), may reach to food chain and become harmful for human life. Hence, the investigation of trace elements in soil and plant samples is very important in the point of environmental Pollution, especially for plants. In the present study, levels of Pb and Ni in soil and plant samples collected from Corlu, Turkey, were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The maximum levels of trace elements were determined as 52.91 mg Pb kg(-1) and 40.68 mg Ni kg(-1) in soil and 80.90 mg Pb kg(-1) in plant parts. Phytotoxic Pb amount ill the some samples was observed. The nickel in plant samples was not in detectable limits for FAAS.