Tracing organic and inorganic pollution of agricultural Crops and water resources in the Aegean Region - Turkey (TRACE)

Project:

EN: Tracing Organic and inorganic pollution souRces of Agricultural Crops and water resources in Güzelhisar Basin of the AEgean Region - Turkey

Türkçe: Ege Bölgesi Güzelhisar Havzasi Tarim Ürünleri ve Su Kaynaklarini Etkileyen Organik ve Inorganik Kirleticilerin Izlenmesi

Project Management: Prof. Dr. Rolf-Alexander Düring

Project work: Prof. Dr. Rolf-Alexander Düring, Dr. Sezin Czarnecki

Project duration: ended

Summary:
The study area Güzelhisar Basin (923 hectares of agricultural land) is 6 km far from the city Aliaga, Aegean Region in Turkey which represents a rather industrialized area having five large iron and steel mills, but also areas of agriculture. Steel industry in Aliaga is causing heavy-metal pollution in the area. Since most of iron smelters and roller mills are not equipped with high-efficiency emission control devices, air pollution problems in the region have grown rapidly. Around Güzelhisar Basin and nearby, the dominant plantations are cotton, maize, vegetables, olive trees and vineyards. Güzelhisar stream and dam water is used for irrigation of the agricultural land. Due to contamination from metal industry in Aliaga, organic farming is not allowed in this region. Industrial activities in the region present a threat not only on organic farming but also on sustainable agriculture. The region is a multi-impacted area in terms of several pollutant sources affecting soil and water quality. The objective of this pilot study is to trace back nutrients, persistent organic pollutants, radionuclides, and metal contents of Güzelhisar Basin (and Güzelhisar stream and dam) by analyzing soil, plant, sediment and water samples. Two participating institutions - EGE University Izmir and Justus Liebig University Gießen - will identify sources of pollutants in the agricultural area of the Güzelhisar Basin and their impact will be assessed by analytical and chemometric methods. Both institutions are already cooperating within the ERASMUS programme.  Spatial distribution of pollution will be evaluated by regionalization (grid system) methods. For this, an advanced analytical methodology will be applied which provides an understanding of sources and occurrence of the respective substances of concern. An innovative multi-tracer approach comprising organic and inorganic marker substances, will identify and quantitatively assess sources and their impact on water pollution and the pollutant pathways in this agricultural crop production system. This project will - as a pilot study - provide a first important insight and a basis for further investigations on a larger scale. Therefore, the existing cooperation of both partners will be intensified and consolidated to develop an EU-funded consortium. Currently, the open calls within the Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology activity of the EU FP7 do not match to support such bilateral cooperation.  Knowledge transfer between the participants will be fostered through exchange of scientists, regular workshops, and conferences. Through the dissemination of results via publications, and a final conference, the environmental awareness in the public will be enhanced.

Funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Project partner: Ege Üniversitesi Izmir, Turkey