2nd International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture and Environment (ICSAE), Konya, Türkiye, 30 Eylül - 03 Ekim 2015, ss.124
Increased demand for water, quantitative and qualitative deterioration of water, environmental
pollution and possible climate changes cause negative impacts in aquatic ecosystems, due to
population growth and rapid industrial development. On the other hand; pollution and
degradation of these ecosystems create many problems in irrigated agriculture. As a result of
anthropogenic activities (mining, industrial, agricultural, etc.) the pollutants such as heavy
metals, pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls threaten the ecosystems, mingling with the
water sources. The water, contaminated by these pollutants and also used in agricultural
activities is taken by plants and animals to be used in their vital activities. Thus, the plant and
animal foods contaminated with organic and inorganic pollutants constitute a significant risk
to human health upon the consumption of these foods. Therefore; maintaining the acceptable
values of water resources used in agricultural activities for the safety of sustainable food is
great importance in terms of environmental and human health.
The studies evaluating the effect of pollutants in the water to physico-chemical,
microbiological parameters as well as on organisms in aquatic ecosystems have been
previously conducted. In this study; pollution studies of some water sources used for
irrigation in Turkey were compiled.