Abstract
The impact of heavy metals in the aquatic environment expanding day after day, especially with the increase of industrialization and urban development. In this study, the presence, seasonal changes, and removal efficiency of thirteen heavy metals (As, Se, Al, Ag, Sb, Ba, Hg, Cd, Pb, Mn, Cr, Fe, and Ni) assessed by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in both influent and effluent of Saruhanli wastewater treatment plant in Manisa city, western Turkey, operated for urban wastewater processing. Samples collected once sample per month from April 2018 to February 2019. According to the results, all metals founded in both influent and effluent samples of WWTP except Ag and Al not founded in the effluent, the concentration of metals in influent was high ranged from 0.096 µg. L-1 for Ag to 38151.867 µg/L for Fe. The highest removal efficiency was 100%, 100%, 99 %, 99.5% for Ag, Al, Fe, Ni respectively. While the lowest removal percentage was 11%, 19.35%, 27.87% for (Ag, Sb, and As) respectively. Seasonal and yearly differences were also taken in the consideration, (As and Sb) was low in all-seasons during the sampling period.