Investigation of the Effects of Fish Farms in Bolu (Turkey) on Aquatic Pollution

Abstract

In the present study, the inlet and exit waters of two trout farms that were situated on the 4th and the 20th km of the Abant Rivulet in Bolu (Turkey) were investigated in a 10-month period between August 2011 and May 2012 in terms of their physicochemical parameters; the results were evaluated in terms of the environmental impact that they generated. Both of these farms, entitled as A and B in the present study, produce rainbow trout. Among the significant parameters that were determined in the inlet and exit waters in farm A throughout the study period, the following values were obtained: temperature 12.7-12.4°C; pH 8.3-8.5, 8.1-8.5; conductivity 171.5-354, 170.8-353 μS/cm; turbidity 0.38-18.30, 0.13-19.15 NTU, COD 16.5-65, 32-72 mg/l; orthophosphate 1.47-19.75, 0.63-12.67 mg/l; nitrite 0.02-0.11,0.03-0.10 mg/l; nitrate 0.83-5.5, 0,1-5.85 mg/l; ammonium 0.02-1.04, 0.13-0.99 mg/L. The values that were recorded in farm B were as follows: temperature 12.6-12.7°C; pH 7.8-8.4, 7,9-8.3; conductivity 190.3-336.7,122-335.3 μS/cm; turbidity 0.12-47.40, 0.10-47.35 NTU, COD 21.5-78, 24-75 mg/l; orthophosphate 3.73-54.67, 1.53-20 mg/l; nitrite 0.02-0.09,0.01-0.08 mg/l, nitrate 0.70-1.93, 0.60-9.50 mg/l, ammonium 0.09-0.88, 0.10-088 mg/l.