The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey Project

Gebze Technical University (GTU) Earth and Marine Sciences Institute Dr. Meltem Çelen's project titled "Developing solution proposals by investigating the main nutrient sources that trigger the formation of Marine Mucilage in two different basins" was entitled to be supported within the scope of the TÜBİTAK ARDEB 1001 "Mucilage Research". 

Project Information:

Regarding the mucilage formation observed in the Marmara Sea, it is important to consider the nutrient loads (nitrogen and phosphorus compounds) and point pollution loads originating from the Black Sea, as well as the diffuse pollution loads originating from agricultural areas. Within the scope of the project, distributed and point nitrogen and phosphorus pollution loads will be modeled on the basis of integrated and sub-basins in two selected basins. After the validation of the model is established with the actual measurements to be obtained from the field studies, measures to reduce the pollution loads will be determined.

The two main research questions of the project are:

What measures can be taken to reduce the concentrations of nutrient substances that trigger mucilage formation in the streams feeding the Marmara Sea to the desired levels?

How might the reality of climate change in our country affect the current situation and the pollution reduction measures presented in the project in the future?

In order to investigate these questions, the focus will be on the Izmit Bay drainage basin, which is the part of the Marmara Sea declared as a sensitive water body in terms of nitrogen and phosphorus parameters in the Basin Action Plans and the Communique on Sensitive and Less Sensitive Water Areas of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Regulation. Here, as a basin with two different characters; Saz-Çayırova Stream Basin and Yalakdere Basin were selected as the study area. It is of particular importance that a scientific study will be carried out on the Saz-Çayırova Stream flowing through our campus.

With this project work, a new dimension will be added to the marine mucilage research started in the previous months within the Institute of Earth and Marine Sciences.