Historical evolution of heavy metal pollution and recent records in Lake Karagöl sediment cores using 210Pb models, western Turkey

In present study, Activity concentrations of 210Pb (Polonium-210) were indirectly determined by utilizing alpha spectrometry. Sediment chronology was obtained by using 210Pb (CF; CS, CRS, CIC) models and corrected via residence time of the 210Pb in each core for Lake Karagöl. Average residence times of the 210Pb is 6.5, 4.8, 5.3 months and average sedimentation rate is 0.366, 0.322, 0.237 cm year−1 in S-1, S-2, S-3 stations respectively. According to atmospheric 210Pb flux (24 mBq cm−2 year−1) and 210Po/210Pb ratio values, we determine the soil erosion in the lake catchment. The ranges of ratios in the sediment cores obtained from Lake Karagöl are 1.4–1.3, 1.5–1.2, 1.3–1.1 in S-1, S-2, S-3 stations respectively. In terms of Enrichment Factor, heavy metal concentrations are lower than the antropogenic values. So we can say that the elements originate from the continental supply. In other words there is not metal pollution in the lake.