Impact of industry on ground water contamination: a case study in Konya city, Turkey

Having developed rapidly in recent years, Konya, one of Turkey’s most significant industrial cities, has been hosting production activities in sectors such as glass, chemistry, mining, metal and machine in the factories 96% of which located in the third Organized Industrial Zone. In common environmental agenda, it was suggested that wastewater stemming from increased industrial diversity and some geological lithology can create environmental problems, including groundwater contamination. In this study, to characterize dry and rainy period, samples were collected from 11 wells so as to determine effects of wastes in the area on groundwater quality. The relation between industrialization and contamination was investigated in water samples, whose contents were examined for NH3, NO3, SO4, B, Ca, Cl, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Sr, V, and Zn. Element distribution maps of locations where concentration rise occurred were determined in the vicinity. It was specified that SO4, Ca, Cl, Na, Cr, Mg, Mn, Ni and Zn in samples exceeded the maximum contaminant levels according to WHO, EPA and EC standards. It was determined that water samples belonging to rainy period were contaminated more than that of dry period, which poses a threat to environment.