Evaluation of Heavy Element Contamination Levels with the Use of Different Species of Hydrophilidae (Coleoptera) in Erzurum Province of Turkey

ABSTRACT: This study evaluates the level of some heavy elements (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Sr, Pb) in Erzurum Province, and to observe whether Hydrophilidae (Coleoptera) is a useful candidate for biomonitoring studies. For this purpose, water, sediment and hydrophilid samples were collected from four sites on June, July, August 2014, Erzurum (Turkey). Heavy elements levels in insect, sediment and water samples which are at the same place were measured by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer. The results have showed that the hydrophilids were contaminated by their environments, therefore accumulated some elements at higher concentration. The sediments heavy element analysis indicated that among the fourteen heavy elements Cr was maximally accumulated, followed by Ni and Fe. In all sampling sites, Ti, Fe, Ni, Cu, Br, Pb concentrations in water and sediment were measured, and every insect species accumulated Ti, Fe, Ni, Cr, Zn, Br, Sr, Pb in different levels. The water samples’ results were compared with national water quality criteria. Some heavy elements’ concentrations exceed the allowable limits