Determination of heavy metal concentrations in street dusts in Istanbul E-5 highway

Components and quantity of street dust are environmental pollution indicators especially in big cities. Street dust is generally composed of car exhaust gas originated particles and wind-transported particles. Heavy metals, which are found in street dust, such as Pb, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cd and Ni are significant for environmental pollution. According to the kind of vehicle in traffic, quantity and type of heavy metals vary in street dust. The use of leaded gasoline gives a boost to the importance of lead level especially in street dust even at the start of 21st century. These metals possess bioaccumulation property, and the possibility of the amount of these metals reaching a critical value and threatening human health increases the importance of this issue. In this study, street dusts have been collected from E-5 Highway from Topkapi to Avcilar regions that spans about 18 km in Istanbul, Turkey, and Pb, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cd and Ni concentrations have been detected in street dust. Twenty-two street dust samples were taken from a total of 22 different points at previously decided 14 main areas. Analyses were conducted using Leeds Public Analyst method. According to the results of this study, Pb, Cu and Zn concentrations in E-5 Highway between Topkapi and Avcilar region in Istanbul were higher than maximum concentration levels of these heavy metals in normal soil. This situation indicates that there is heavy metal pollution in the inspected area in E-5 Highway in Istanbul.