Investigation of the heavy metal pollution of Istanbul bosphorus sea-waterand mussels

In this study, the concentration of heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead, ch romium, copper and zinc in sea water and mussel samples collected from the Istanbul Bosphorus was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spe ctrometry. The concentration ranges of Cr, Cd Pb, Cu and Zn in sea water we re 0.89-3.93, 0.32-2.00, 1.29-4.41, 0.60-35.2 and 0.13-1.38 mug/l respectiv ely. On the other hand, the contents of Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn in mussel sam ples were found to be 2.97-5.46 1.96-2.68, 1.81-2.01, 0.074-5.27 and 31.90- 45.35, respectively. The heavy metal concentrations found in the sea-water and mussels of the Istanbul Bosphorus showed that sea-water and mussels hav e not been heavily contaminated by the toxic elements studied.