Multivariate analysis of water quality parameters in Izmir bay, eastern Aegean

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Abstract
Results of Dissolved Oxygen(DO), Temperature, Salinity, Turbidity, Suspended Material(SM), Total Inorganic Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus in sea water sampled in the Izmir Bay were processed using two mathematical statistical methods. “Principal Component”; analysis and “Cluster”; analysis were combined to assess the degree of contamination in different parts of the Izmir Bay, to determine the sources and to trace the diffusion paths. The eigen values of the first three Principal Component(PC) accounted for 96.8% of the total variance. The composition of the first PC includes the positive contribution of DO, salinity and the negative contribution of suspended material, turbidity, total inorganic nitrogen and total phosphorus. The second PC explains temperature and accounts for 9.089% of total variability. A third PC isolates total nitrogen and suspended material. Cluster analysis helped to classify the sampling stations and identify the sources of pollution. The eastern coasts of the bay are intensely polluted compared to the western part of the Izmir Bay due to industrial and domestic wastes.