SavedAdd your journal

Journals / International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics / 2026 / Volume: 12 Issue: 1

Correlation between water quality and pollution parameters in the surface waters of the coastal areas of the Sea of Marmara, Türkiye

Esra Billur Balcıoglu İlhan(İstanbul Üniversitesi)0000-0003-1235-9101
Fatih İlhan(YILDIZ TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-3037-2713
Gökhan Balcıoğlu(GELİŞİM ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-6885-397X
Deniz Taşkın Kaya(ISTANBUL ÜNIVERSITY)0009-0006-6408-5949
Ilaha Jabrayil Ismayilova(ISTANBUL ÜNIVERSITY)0009-0009-2293-5564
Nuray Çağlar(ISTANBUL UNİVERSITY)0000-0001-7608-6339
Pages
—
Publication Date
2025-03-31
DOI
—
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings of this study may shed light and provide a basis for long-term studies in order to make a complete assessment of water quality in these areas.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The coastal areas of the Sea of Marmara expose to many sources of pollution and pollutants.
📊
Key Findings & Data:In addition, when the water quality parameters are evaluated according to the continental surface water quality criteria, the surface waters of the coastal area of the Sea of Marmara were found to be in the moderate class water quality in terms of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP).
💡
Conclusion & Impact:The findings of this study may shed light and provide a basis for long-term studies in order to make a complete assessment of water quality in these areas.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Sea of Marmara · water quality · pollution

Abstract

The coastal areas of the Sea of Marmara expose to many sources of pollution and pollutants. In addition to these sources, freshwater sources such as rivers and streams also flow into this inland sea, causing serious stress. In this study, dissolved oxygen (DO) and pH values were found to be high in the stations where the water circulation was active, and these results were similar with chlorophyll-a values. In addition, when the water quality parameters are evaluated according to the continental surface water quality criteria, the surface waters of the coastal area of the Sea of Marmara were found to be in the moderate class water quality in terms of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP). The highest values of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and anionic surfactant (AS) among the determined pollution parameters were found in Polonezköy station. The findings of this study may shed light and provide a basis for long-term studies in order to make a complete assessment of water quality in these areas.

🔖

Cite This Article

İlhan, E. B. B., İlhan, F., Balcıoğlu, G., Kaya, D. T., Ismayilova, I. J., Çağlar, N. (2025). Correlation between water quality and pollution parameters in the surface waters of the coastal areas of the Sea of Marmara, Türkiye. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics, Volume: 12 Issue: 1. https://ajindex.com/articles/1413098

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (78)

  1. Achman, D.R., Hornbuckle, K.C., Eisenreich, S.J. (1993). Volatilization of polychlorinated bipheyls from Green Bay, Lake Michigan, Environmental Science and Technology, 75-87.
  2. Aksu, A., Balkıs Özdelice, N., Çağlar Balkıs, N., Taşkın, Ö.S., Durmuş, T. (2024). Characterization of the Mucilage Mass Observed in the Sea of Marmara and the Contribution of Phytoplankton to This Structure. In: Albay, M. (Eds.) Mucilage Problem in the Sea of Marmara (pp 129-141), İstanbul, Istanbul University Press.
  3. Algan, O., Balkıs, N., Çağatay, M.N., Sarı E. (2004). The sources of metal contents in the shelf sediments from the Marmara Sea, Turkey, Environmental Geology, 46(6-7), 932-950.
  4. Anonymous, (2007). Manisa Provincial Directorate of Environment and Forestry. “Environmental Management-Water Pollution”. Manisa, Türkiye (In Turkish).
  5. APHA (1995). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 19th Edition, American Public Health Association Inc., New York.
  6. APHA (American Public Health Association) (2000). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water. 20th Edition, APHA, Washington DC.
  7. APHA (American Public Health Association) (2005). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (21st ed., 1220 p). Washington DC: American Public Health Association.
  8. Aşan, C. (2022). Marine Pollution Simulation and Comparative Intervention Procedures Based on Case Scenario. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics, 9(4), 161-171. https://doi.org/10.30897/ijegeo.1190762
  9. Atabay, H., Tan, İ., Mutlu, S., Evcen, A., Usluer, G.D., Bayram Partal, F., Dönertaş, A. (2024). Changes in Nutrients and Eutrophication in The Sea of Marmara. In: İşinibilir, M., Kıdeyş, A.E., Malej, A. (Eds) Ecological Changes in the Sea of Marmara (pp 263-278), İstanbul, Istanbul University Press.
  10. Balcıoğlu İlhan, E.B. (2024). Inventory of Research on Surfactants and Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Sea of Marmara, Türki̇ye. In İşinibilir, M., Kıdeyş, A.E., Malej, A. (Eds) Ecological Changes in the Sea of Marmara (pp 341- 372), İstanbul, Istanbul University Press.
  11. Balcıoğlu, E. B. (2014b). A pleniminary study on the anionic detergent pollution of different coastal surface water of the Sea of Marmara. Afyon Kocatepe University Journal of Sciences and Engineering, 14, 39-44.
  12. Balcıoğlu, E. B. (2015). A two year monitoring study on anionic detergent, phosphate and chlorophyll-a concentrations in Istanbul Strait, Turkey. Journal Aquatic Sciences, 30(1B), 141-148.
  13. Balcıoğlu, E.B. (2013). Comparison of 2012 summer and winter datas of detergent pollution in coastal surface water from various regions of Marmara Sea. FABA Symposium (Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences), Erzurum, Turkey, (in Turkish).
  14. Balcıoğlu, E.B. (2014a). Anionic detergent LAS pollution in coastal surface water of the Turkish Straits System. Journal of Black Sea and Mediterranean Environment, 20, 25-32.
  15. Balcıoğlu, E.B. (2018). Oil load transported by rivers and oil pollution in the environment: The case of the Black Sea. In Erdoğan, O. and Arsever, M.L. (Eds) Scientific and Professional Studies in the World of the Future, Natural Sciences and Agriculture (pp 1-13), Bursa, Türkiye, Ekin Basım Yayın Dağıtım (in Turkish).
  16. Balcıoğlu, E.B. (2019a). Investigation of anionic detergent and phosphate pollution in Gökçeada coastal area surface water. Pajes, 25(3), 280-285 (in Turkish).
  17. Balcıoğlu, E.B. (2019b). Seasonal changes of LAS, phosphate, and chlorophyll-a concentrations in coastal surface water of the Prince Islands, Marmara Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 138, 230–234.
  18. Balcıoğlu, E.B. (2019c). Comparison of TPH Pollution in Coastal Area Surface Water of North Aegean and Marmara Seas: Examples from Prince Islands and Gökçeada. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University Journal of Agriculture and Nature, 22(4), 593-600 (in Turkish).
  19. Balcıoğlu, E.B., Gönülal, O., Güreşen, S.O., Aksu, A., Öztürk, B. (2018). Comparison and origins of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the entrance and the exit of the Turkish Straits System (TSS). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 136, 33-37.
  20. Balcıoğlu, E.B., Öztürk, B. (2009). Oil pollution in the surface water of Sakarya River. J. Black Sea/Mediterranean Enviroment, 15, 99-108.
  21. Balkıs, N., Aksu, A., Erşan, M.S. (2012). Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination of the Southern Black Sea Shelf, Turkey. Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 19, 592–599.
  22. Bao, C., Huang, B., Shao, J., Cai, Q., Mu, Q., Murk, A.J. (2021). Spatial and temporal distribution of toxic compounds in sediments and potential ecological effects on macrobenthic faunal species in Hangzhou Bay from 2003 to 2015. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 172: 112816.
  23. Bhateria, R., Jain, D. (2016). Water quality assessment of lake water: a review. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 2, 161–173.
  24. Bordovsky, O.K. (1965). Sources of organic matter in marine basins. Marine Geology, 3, 5-31.
  25. Çağatay, M.N., Görür, N., Algan, O., Eastoe, C., Tchapalyga, A., Ongan, D., Kuhn, T., Kuşçu, I. (2000). Late Glacial-Holocene palaeoceanography of the Sea of Marmara: timing of connections with the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. Marine Geology, 167, 191-206.
  26. Coveney, M.F., Wetzel, R.G. (1995). Biomass, production and specific growth rate of bacterioplankton and coupling to phytoplankton in an oligotrophic lake. Limnol. Oceanogr., 40: 1187–1200.
  27. Cserháti, T., Forgács, E., Orgos, G. (2002). Biological activity and environmental impact of anionic surfactants. Environmental International, 28, 337–348.
  28. Damar A., Ervinia A., Kurniawan F., Rudianto B.Y. (2021). Eutrophication in a tropical estuary: Is it good or bad? IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 744. 012010. 10.1088/1755-1315/744/1/012010.
  29. Ehrhardt, M., Burns, K.A. (1999). Determination of petroleum residues dissolved and/or finely dispersed in surface seawater. In Grosshoff, K., Kremling, K., Ehrhardt, M. (Eds) Methods of Seawater Analysis, Third Edition, (pp, 467-477), Wiley.
  30. FAO (1982). The Review of the Health of the Oceans. FAO/IMCO/UNESCO/WMO/WHO/IAEA/UNEP Joint Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP). Rep Stud Gesamp, 15, 108.
  31. Folger, D.W. (1972). Texture and organic carbon content of bottom sediments in some esturies of the United States. In: Nelson, B.W. (Ed) Environmental Framework of Coastal Plain Estuaries (pp. 391- 408), USA, Geology Society of America.
  32. Foshtomi, M.Y., Oryan, S., Taheri, M., Bastami, K.D., Zahed, M.A. (2019). Composition and abundance of microplastics in surface sediments and their interaction with sedimentary heavy metals, PAHs and TPH (total petroleum hydrocarbons). Marine Pollution Bulletin, 149, 110655.
  33. Gaudette, H.E., Flight, W.R., Toner, L., Folger, W. (1974). An inexpensive titration method for determination of organic carbon in recent sediments. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 44, 249-253.
  34. Gazioğlu, C. (2018). Biodiversity, coastal protection, promotion and applicability investigation of the ocean health index for Turkish seas. International Journal of Environment and Geoinformatics, 5(3), 353-367.
  35. Gong, Y., Zhao, X., Cai, Z., O’Reilly, S.E., Hao, X. (2014). A review of oil, dispersed oil and sediment interactions in the aquatic environment: influence on the fate, transport and remediation of oil spills. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 79 (1–2), 16-33.
  36. Gonzales- Maso, E., Gomez, P.A. (1996). Monitoring anionic surfactants (LAS) and their intermediate degredation products in the environment. Analytical Chemistry, 15, 275- 280.
  37. Grasshoff, K., Ehrnardt M., Almgren T. (1983). Methods of Seawater Analysis. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim. Güven, K.C., Çoban, B. (2012). Oil input of surface water of the Turkish rivers flow to the Black Sea in 2005-2007. J. Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment, 18 (2), 128-133.
  38. Güven, K.C., Çoban, B. (2013). LAS pollution of the Sea of Marmara, Golden Horn and Istanbul Strait (Bosphorus) during 2004-2007. Journal of Black Sea and Mediterranean Environment, 19, 331˗354.
  39. Güven, K.C., Çubukçu N, İpteş, M., Özyalvaç, M., Cumalı, S., Nesimigil, F., Yalçın, A. (2008). Oil and detergent pollution in surface waters and sediments of the Istanbul Strait, Golden Horn, Izmit Bay (Sea of Marmara), Çanakkale Strait, Aliağa (Aegean Sea) in 2005-2007. Journal of Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment, 14, 205-102.
  40. Güven, K.C., E. Okuş, H.İ. Sur, C. Gazioglu, A. Yuksek, S. Ünlü, H. Altiok, S. Tas¸ A.E. Muftuoglu, N. Yilmaz, A. Aslan Yilmaz, U. Karhan., A. Yalcin (2006). Petroleum pollution of Volgoneft-248 tanker accident in the Florya– Küçükçekmece area. Final Report. Istanbul University, Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, Istanbul, Turkey.
  41. Güven, K.C., Ünlü, S., Çetintürk, K. Okuş, E. (2004). Oil pollution in Bosphorus, Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara after M/V GOTIA ship accident occurred in 2002. Journal of Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment, 10, 85-102.
  42. Kapsalis, K., Kavvalou, M., Damikouka, I., Cavoura, O. (2021). Investigation of petroleum hydrocarbon pollution along the coastline of South Attica, Greece, after the sinking of the Agia Zoni ΙΙ oil tanker. SN Applied Sciences, 3, 48.
  43. Kelly, C.A., Law, R.J., Emerson, H.S. (2000). Methods of analysing hydrocarbons and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in marine samples. Aquatic Environment Protection: Analytical Methods, 12. CEFAS: Lowestoft. 18 pp.
  44. Korkmaz, N.E., Çağlar Balkıs, N., Aksu, A., Savun, B., Deryal, G. (2024). Pharmaceuticals in the Sea of Marmara, Türki̇ye. In: İşinibilir, M., Kıdeyş, A.E., Malej, A. (Eds), Ecological Changes in the Sea of Marmara (pp 297- 340), İstanbul, Istanbul University Press.
  45. Lewis, M.A. (1991). Chronic and sublethal toxicities of surfactants to aquatic animals: A review and risk assessment. Water Research, 25 (1), 101-113.
  46. Loring, D.H., Rantala, R.T.T. (1992). Manual for the goechemical analyses of marine sediments and suspended particulate matter. Earth-Science Reviews, 32 (4), 235-283.
  47. Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU), (2021). The Sea of Marmara Action Plan. Retrieved 6 November 2024 from https://www.marmara.gov.tr/tr/marmara-denizi-eylem-plani.
  48. McDonald, R., Weber, K., Padowski, J., Flörke, M., Schneider, C., Green, P. A., Gleeson, T., Eckman, S., Lehner, B., Balk, D., Boucher, T., Grill, G., Montgomery, M. (2014). Water on an urban planet: Urbanization and the reach of urban water infrastructure. Global Environmental Change, 27, 96-105.
  49. Motamed M. J., Florax R.J.G.M., Masters, W.A. (2014). Agriculture, Transportation and the Timing of Urbanization: Global Analysis at the Grid Cell Level. Journal of Economic Growth, 19, 339–368.
  50. Nazir, M., Khan, F., Amyotte, P., Sadiq, R. (2008). Multimedia fate of oil spills in a marine environment-An integrated modelling approach. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 86(2): 141-148.
  51. Official Gazette (2006). Legislation of swimming and recreation water quality criteria. Number 26048, Ankara, Türkiye (in Turkish).
  52. Official Gazette (2012). Regulation on Quality Classification of Inland Surface Water Resources. Number 28483, Ankara, Türkiye (in Turkish).
  53. Official Gazette (2021). Quality Criteria of Continental Surface Water Resources according to their Classes in terms of General Chemical and Physicochemical Parameters, Number 29327, Ankara, Türkiye (in Turkish).
  54. Okuş, E., Aslan, A., Taş, S. (2002b). Time Series Analysis of Nutrients in Southwestern Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Second International Conference on Oceanography of the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea: Similarities and Differences of Two Interconnected Basins, 14-18th October 2002, Ankara, Turkey.
  55. Okuş, E., Aslan, A., Yüksek, A., Taş, S., Tüfekçi, V. (2002a). Nutrient distribution at Bosphorus and surrounding areas. Water Sci. Technol., 46 (8), 59–66.
  56. Okuş, E., Öztürk, I., Sur, H.I., Yuksek, A., Tas, S., Aslan Yilmaz, A., Altiok, H., Balkis, N., Dogan, E., Övez, S., Aydin, A. F. (2008). Critical evaluation of wastewater treatment and disposal strategies for Istanbul with regards to water quality monitoring study results. Desalination, 226(1- 3), 231-248.
  57. Peavy, H.S., Rowe, D.R., Tchobanoglous, G. (1985). Environmental Engineering. Corbitt, R.A. (Ed.), USA, McGraw-Hill, Inc.
  58. Polat, N., Akkan, T. (2016). Assessment of heavy metal and detergent pollution in Giresun Coastal Zone, Turkey. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 25 (8), 2884-2890.
  59. Powley, H.R,. Durr, H.H., Lima, A.T., Krom, M.D., Van Cappellen, P. (2016). Direct Discharges of Domestic Wastewater are a Major Source of Phosphorus and Nitrogen to the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Sea. Environmental Science and Technology, 50 (16), 8722-8730. ISSN 0013-936X.
  60. Readman, J.W., Fillmann, G., Tolosa, I., Bartocci, J., Villeneuve, J.P., Catinni, C., Mee, L.D. (2002). Petroleum and PAH Contamination of the Black Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 44, 48-62.
  61. Redfield, A.C., Ketchum, B.H., Richards, F.A. (1963). The influence of organisms on the composition of sea-water. In: Hill, M.N. (Ed.) The composition of seawater: Comparative and descriptive oceanography. The sea: ideas and observations on progress in the study of the seas, 2: pp. 26-77.
  62. Salimi, S., Almuktar, S.A.A.A.N., Scholz, M. (2021). Impact of climate change on wetland ecosystems: A critical review of experimental wetlands. Journal of Environmental Management, 286, 112160,
  63. Solmaz, S.K.A., Yonar, T., Üstün, G.E. (2000). Inventory of terrestrial pollution in Gemlik Bay. In: Öztürk, B., Kadıoğlu, M., Öztürk, H. (Eds.), The Sea of Marmara 2000 Symposium Proceedings Book (pp. 513-519), Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkish Marine Research Foundation (in Turkish).
  64. Taşdemir, Y. (2002). The Sea of Marmara: pollutants and environmental measures. Uludağ University Journal of The Faculty of Engineering, 7(1), 39-45 (in Turkish).
  65. Taşdemir, Y., Payan, F. (2000). Characterization of classical air pollutants from textile industry in Bursa. In: Öztürk, B., Kadıoğlu, M., Öztürk, H. (Eds.), The Sea of Marmara 2000 Symposium Proceedings Book (pp. 377-383), Istanbul, Türkiye, Turkish Marine Research Foundation (in Turkish).
  66. TÜBA. (03.06.2021), Mucilage-Marine Saliva Assessment Report. Retrieved 15 November 2021 (in Turkish).
  67. TÜBİTAK-MAM (2021). Institute of Environment and Cleaner Production, The Sea of Marmara Action Plan, Sub-Working Group on Determination of Diffuse Source Pollution, Marmara Sea Basin Diffuse Source Pollution Loads and Measures to be Taken Summary Report, Gebze, Kocaeli (in Turkish).
  68. Tugrul, S., Beşiktepe, Ş.T., Salihoğlu, İ. (2002). Nutrient exchange fluxes between the Aegean and Black Seas through the Marmara Sea. Mediterr. Mar. Sci., 3(1), 33–42.
  69. UNEP (1989) Evaluation of MED POL- Phase II Monitoring Data-Part IV Petroleum and Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Coastal and Reference Areas (UNEP (OCA)/MED WG.5/Inf.6) UNEP, Athens.
  70. Ünlü, S., Alpar, B. (2009). Hydrocarbon Contamination in Sediment Offshore Yeşilırmak River, Black Sea, Turkey. In: E. Özhan (Editor), Proceedings of the Ninth International Conference on the Mediterranean Coastal Environment MEDCOAST09, 13-17 November 2009, Sochi, Russia.
  71. Ünlüata, Ü., Oğuz, T., Latif M.A., Özsoy, E. (1990). On the physical oceanography of the Turkish Straits. In: Pratt, L.J. (ed.), The Physical Oceanography of the Sea Straits (pp. 25-60), NATO/ASI Series, Kluwer, Dordrecht.
  72. Ünlüata, Ü., Oğuz, T., Latif, M. A., Özsoy, E. (1990). On the physical oceanography of the Turkish Straits. In: The Physical Oceanography of Sea Straits (pp. 25-60). Springer Netherlands.
  73. Üstün Kurnaz, S., Büyükgüngör, H. (2007). Investigation of PAH contamination in water and mussel samples in Kızılırmak Delta coastline. ITU Journal/e Water Pollution Control, 17(2), 15-22 (in Turkish).
  74. Wei, Y., Ding, D., Qu, K., Sun, J., Cui, Z. (2022). Ecological risk assessment of heavy metal pollutants and total petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments of the Bohai Sea, China. Marine Pollution Bulletin 184: 114218.
  75. Winkler, L.W. (1888). The determination of oxygen dissolved in water. Reports of the German Chemical Society, 21: 2843-2855.
  76. WPCR (2022) Turkish Water Pollution Control Regulation. Available at:
  77. https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr›eskiler›2022/12 (accessed 1 Jul 2023) (in Turkish).
  78. Yücel, S., Taşkın, Ö.S., Aksu, A., Çağlar Balkıs, N. (2024). Polychlorinated Biphenyls (Pcbs) and Organochlorine Pesticides (Ocps) in the Sea of Marmara, Türki̇ye. In: İşinibilir, M., Kıdeyş, A.E., Malej, A. (Eds.), Ecological Changes in the Sea of Marmara, (pp 279-296), İstanbul, Türkiye, Istanbul University Press.