Dynamics of Total Suspended Matter at Major Fishing Ports along the Southern Black Sea

Abstract

Total suspended matter (TSM) concentration is an important biogeochemical parameter for water quality management and sediment-transport studies. In this study, we aimed to examine the dynamics of suspended matter in the ports of Fındıklı and Hopa, where fishing activities are most intense in the Southeast Black Sea Region. In this context, the samplings were carried out in November, December, January and February to cover the winter season of 2022. The samples were evaluated in two different water columns, surface and bottom layer, from 9 different stations for each port. TSS is anything that is captured by filtering the sample aliquot through a specific pore size filter. For this reason, 47 mm, 0.44 μm GF/F filters were used in the research method. In the port of Fındıklı, TSM concentrations vary from 7.16-34.52 mg/L at surface, and 3.15-22.41 mg/L at bottom on November, 3.7-28.61 mg/L at surface, and 3.1-20.11 mg/L at bottom on December, 6.1-42.16 mg/L at surface, and 2.78-20.65 mg/L at bottom on January, 9.64-30.11 mg/L at surface, and 3.66-16.71 mg/L at bottom on February. In the port of Hopa, TSM concentrations vary from 8.14-36.41 mg/L at surface, and 2.87-20.24 mg/L at bottom on November, 4.23-26.31 mg/L at surface, and 2.2-13.42 mg/L at bottom on December, 8,24-48.2 mg/L at surface, and 4.11-25.41 mg/L at bottom on January, 7.68-27.61 mg/L at surface, and 1.76-10.34 mg/L at bottom on February. According to these results, TTS values of Hopa port were higher than Fındıklı port. In addition, the stations with the highest values in both ports are the stream discharge points where terrestrial input is intense, depending on the direction and intensity of the current.