Accumulation of Heavy Metal in Platanus orientalis L. (Oriental Plane) Collected from Coastal Areas in İstanbul

In this study, heavy metal concentrations (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Ni, Cr, Cd) were detected in the samples of bark, leaf and soil belonging to P. orientalis which were collected from coast sides of Fatih, Beşiktaş, Kadıköy, Tuzla, Pendik and Sarıyer district in İstanbul which is one of the most crowded metropols in the world. The aim of this study is to determine the level of heavy metal pollution in İstanbul that has the highest population and industrialization in our country. After plant and soil samples were preprocessed, the analyses of heavy metals were performed on ICP-MS. Data obtained from the parts of the plant and the soil collected from different districts was statistically evaluated on SPSS and it is detected that there are significant differences between the regions. It is also determined that there are differences between washed and unwashed leaves in terms of heavy metal concentrations. When the obtained data was examined, it is found that the concentration of Cr, Cu, Fe, Zn and Ni heavy metals were higher in the plant parts collected in Tuzla district where the organized industrial area and shipyard were produced. Consequently, it is decided that P. orientalis which commonly grows in cities can be a biomonitor to determine heavy metal contamination.