The Comparison of Heavy Metal Level in Surface Water, Sediment and Biota Sampled from the Polluted and Unpolluted Sites in the Northeastern Mediterranean Sea

The determination of heavy metal level (aluminium, iron, zinc, arsenic strontium) in surface water, sediment, and biota in Iskenderun Bay, polluted site, and Mersin Bay, unpolluted site, in 2018–2019 seasonally were aimed. The muscle and liver (viscera for shrimp) tissue of three fish ( Saurida lessepsianus , Nemipterus randalli , Mullus barbatus ) and an invertebrate ( Penaus semisulcatus ) species, which have different habitats and diet, were used to detection of biota metal level. Sediment samples were analyzed in four different particle sizes which were Zn and Sr > Fe > As>Zn > Al respectively. ( p Zn > As in both sampling sites. The sediment Zn levels were a negative relationships between biota, particle size, sampling sites and season ( p Sr > Al and As≥ Fe > Zn > Sr > Al, while the liver metal level sampled from polluted and unpolluted sites were Fe > Zn > As>Al > Sr and Fe > Zn > As>Sr > Al, respectively. There were significant of metals between species and tissues ( p 0.05). Iron accumulated in the l