Objective: This present investigation aimed at assessing the water quality of the Gediz River located in western Turkey.Methods: Some physicochemical parameters and nutrient concentrations of the surface water of Gediz River were determined over a period of twelve months (October to September 2012) at 5 sampling sites along the river.Results: Data on some ions namely NH 4 -N, NO 2 -N, NO 3 -N and PO-34-P were measured. The pH, temperature, electrical conductivity (EC), salinity and dissolved oxygen were also determined to assess the chemical status and pollution levels of the river. The measured data were given as mean, maximum, minimum values, respectively. In this context; the ranges for Water temperature [17.95°C±1.37ºC (30.2-4.5)], pH [7.45±0.06 (8.11-6.66)], Dissolved Oxygen [3.84±0.65 mg/L (6.25-2.43)], Electrical Conductivity (E.C) [1051.4±216.07 µS/cm (3000-296)], Salinity [0,16±0,05 ppt (0,8-0,1)], Ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 -N) [1.772±0.8228 mg/L (4.642-0.057)], Nitrite nitrogen (NO 2 -N) [0.605±0.4224 mg/L (2.312-0.050)], Nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) [46.014±44.9878 mg/L (151.965-2.855)], Phosphate phosphorus (PO-34-P) [5.489±3.6356 mg/L (20.350-0.190)] were found to be higher than the natural background levels for surface water.Conclusion: This indicates pollution of the river water samples from the areas studied. Our findings highlighted the deterioration of water quality of the river due to anthropogenic and agriculturel activities.Özet: Amaç: Mevcut araştırmada batı Türkiye'de bulunan Gediz Nehri'nin su kalitesini değerlendirmek amaçlan-mıştır.Metod: Gediz Nehri'nin yüzey suyunun bazı fizikokimyasal parametreleri ve nutrient konsantrasyonu nehir boyunca 5 örnekleme bölgesinde on iki aylık (Eylül 2012 Ekim 2011) bir süre boyunca belirlenmiştir. Bulgular: Yüzey suyunda bulunan NH 4 -N, NO 2 -N, NO 3 -N ve PO-34-P gibi bazı iyonların konsantrasyonları ölçüldü. pH, sıcaklık, elektriksel iletkenlik (EC), tuzluluk ve çözünmüş oksijen de nehrin kirlilik düzeylerini ve kimyasal durumunu tespit etmek için değerlendirilmiştir. Ölçülen veriler sırasıyla ortalama, maksimum, minimum değerler olarak verilmiştir. Bu kapsamda; sıcaklık için 17,95±1,37ºC (30,2-4,5); pH için 7,45±0,06 (8,11-6,66); çözünmüş oksijen için 3,84±0,65 mg/L (6,25-2,43); E.C için (25ºC) 1051,4±216,07 µS/cm (3000-296); tuzluluk için 0,16±0,05 ppt (0,8-0,1); amonyum azotu için (NH 4 -N) 1,772±0,8228 mg/L (4,642-0,057); nitrit azotu için (NO 2 -N) 0,605±0,4224 mg/L (2,312-0,050); nitrat azotu için (NO-3-N) 46,014±44,9878 mg/L (151,965-2,855); orta fosfat fosforu için (PO-34-P) 5,489±3,6356 mg/L (20,350-0,190) olarak belirlenen ortalama değerler yüzey suyu için olması gereken seviyesinden daha yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur.Sonuç: Bu, çalışılan alanlardaki nehir su örneklerinin kirliliğini gösterir. Bulgularımız insan kaynaklı ve tarımsal Tuğba Şentürk and Şükran Yıldız: Some physicochemical parameteres and nutrient content of Gediz River 211 faaliyetler sebebiyle nehrin su kalitesinin bozulmuş olabileceğini vurgulamaktadır.

This study aimed to investigate Ni, Sb, Mn and Cu adsorption from aqueous solution by Chlorella and Scenedesmus algae. The competitive adsorption efficiency of nickel (Ni 2+), antimony (Sb 3+), manganese (Mn 2+) and copper (Cu 2+) onto two living microalgae strains was studied from multi-metal aqueous solution for 24h incubation time. After exposure, chlorophyll a-b, total carbohydrate and Atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging were performed. Then adsorption isotherms models of metal ions were determined based on Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The adsorption capacity in multi-metal system was determined 6.47 mgg-1 for antimony, 5.96 mgg-1 for manganese, 28.57 mgg-1 for copperand 10.71 mgg-1 for nickel (Cu>Ni>Sb>Mn) by Chlorella respectively, whereas, and 10.82 mg g-1 for antimony, 7.07 mgg-1 for manganese, 27.09 mgg-1 for copper and 9.71 mgg-1 for nickel(Cu>Sb>Ni>Mn) by Scenedesmus cells. According to AFM images, deformation was detected in two algae cell walls treated with heavy metals compared to untreated cells. For this study, Freundlich adsorption model best fitted the data for all metal ions with 1/n value <1. As a result, when the results obtained in the study are revealed that Chlorella and Scenedesmus cells were an effective adsorbent for removal of the four heavy metals, especially Cu 2+ ions from aqueous solutions due to its high efficiency of Cu adsorption.

Algal populations hold great potential for encountering water pollution problem due to their remediation abilities. Thus, using them for removing the pollutants stands as a powerful approach. However, it is crucial to investigate the negative effects of these pollutants on algal populations as well as understanding the removal capacity of these populations in order to benefit their abilities. In the present study, Chlorella vulgaris was used as a candidate for metal removal. Besides the remediation capacity for certain essential (Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , Co 2+ , Mn 2+ , Mo 6+) and non-essential (Cd 2+ , Pb 2+ , Sn 4+ , Ba 2+ , As 5+) metals, chlorophyll and carbohydrate contents, and photosynthetic gene (psaB, Photosystem I reaction center protein subunit B) expression levels were also evaluated. Results indicated that remediation efficiency of C. vulgaris for essential metals was Cu>Co>Zn>Mo>Mn and for non-essential metals was Sn>Pb>Ba>Cd>As, respectively. It was also observed that psaB expression was increased after the essential and non-essential metal treatment. It can be concluded that C. vulgaris can be used as a bioindicator for Mn and As while it is also suitable to be used for metal removal.