Evaluation of health risks from heavy metals in the creeks feeding Mogan Lake, Türkiye

The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks arising from potential exposure to heavy metals pose a negative threat to human health. In this study, heavy metals (Hg, As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, Zn) analyses were conducted in the waters of four creeks in the Mogan Lake Basin (Sukesen Creek, Başpınar Creek, Yavrucak Creek, Gölcük Creek) under anthropogenic pressure. In the water samples taken from the creeks that also contribute to Mogan Lake, which has significant recreational importance in the basin: a) The non-carcinogenic health risks (HQ) of exposure to heavy metals through ingestion and dermal routes were identified for adults and children, b) The total potential non-carcinogenic health risks for adults and children were determined using the hazard index (HI). The total HI (THI) value was calculated as the sum of individual HIs (HIingestion + HIdermal), c) Carcinogenic health risk (CR) values were calculated for three heavy metals (Cr, Ni and As). According to the findings: a) Ingestion HQ values were found to be higher in adults and children due to As compared to dermal HQ values. According to the HI values, there was a high level of non-carcinogenic health risk in terms of heavy metals in Sukesen, Başpınar, and Gölcük Creeks, varying according to the month and age group. However, for Yavrucak Creek, there has not been appeared to be a non-carcinogenic health risk for adults and children, b) According to the calculated HQdermal and HIdermal values, there was no significant adverse health risk due to dermal exposure for adults and children, c) Children hazard index values were found to be higher than adult hazard index values, highlighting that children were at higher health risk most particularly when it comes to the considered heavy metals, d) The THI values for Sukesen and Başpınar Creeks indicated a significant non-carcinogenic health risk possibility for both adults and children in all sampled months. In Gölcük Creek, a serious non-carcinogenic health risk probability was observed for adults in April and for children during the sampling period, e) The calculated CR values for chromium, nickel, and arsenic indicated that the ingestion pathway poses a higher risk compared to the dermal route, expressing the likelihood of cancer incidence in adults and children. In the context of potential health hazards, to take administrative measures regarding heavy metal contamination, particularly in Başpınar and Sukesen Creeks, is important not only for the protection of public health but also for the sustainability of Mogan Lake.