Distributions of 210Pb around a uraniferous coal-fired power plant in Western Turkey

In the present study the spatial and the vertical distributions of 210Pb were investigated in the soils around a uranifereous coal fired power plant (CPP) in Yatagan Basin, in Western Turkey. The variation of 226Ra activity along the soil profiles was studied to assess the unsupported 210Pb distribution in the same samples. 226Ra was measured by gamma spectroscopy and 210Pb activities were determined from 210Po activities using radiochemical deposition and alpha spectroscopy. The total 210Pb activity concentrations in bulk core samples varied in the range of 38-250 Bq kg(-1) in the study sites and of 22-78 Bq kg(-1) in reference site. In the sectioned cores sampled from the study areas the ranges for activity concentrations of 226Ra, total 210Pb and unsupported 210Pb are 24-77; 39-344 and 4-313 Bq kg(-1), respectively. Corresponding ranges for reference site are 37-39; 39-122 and 1-83 Bq kg(-1).     

Kinetics of aerobic and anaerobic biomineralization of atrazine in surface and subsurface agricultural soils in Ohio

The purpose of this study was to assess atrazine mineralization in surface and subsurface samples retrieved from vertical cores of agricultural soils from two farm sites in Ohio. The Defiance site (NW-Ohio) was on soybean-corn rotation and Piketon (S-Ohio) was on continuous corn cultivation. Both sites had a history of atrazine application for at least a couple of decades. The clay fraction increased at the Defiance site and the organic matter and total N content decreased with depth at both sites. Mineralization of atrazine was assessed by measurement of ¹⁴CO₂ during incubation of soil samples with [U-ring-¹⁴C]-atrazine. Abiotic mineralization was negligible in all soil samples. Aerobic mineralization rate constants declined and the corresponding half-lives increased with depth at the Defiance site. Anaerobic mineralization (supplemented with nitrate) was mostly below the detection at the Defiance site. In Piketon samples, the kinetic parameters of aerobic and anaerobic biomineralization of atrazine displayed considerable scatter among replicate cores and duplicate biometers. In general, this study concludes that data especially for anaerobic biomineralization of atrazine can be more variable as compared to aerobic conditions and cannot be extrapolated from one agricultural site to another.     

Hydrogeochemical and Geophysical Investigation of the Istanbul Tuzla–Icmeler Spring Area for Environmental and Land Use Planning Purposes

The spring waters of Tuzla–Icmeler are on the Marmara Sea coast in Tuzla town of Istanbul city. The springs discharge a natural sodium chloride mineral water that consumed for ages for therapeutic purposes attributed to their chemical properties. Development of springs commenced during the Ottoman times and a surface collection structure was built at the discharge point of the main spring. Two deep wells were drilled to tap mineral water within the past decades. The bottled water of these springs is also sold for a couple of years and its consumption as a beverage is increasing. The geochemical properties of these springs were investigated by several researchers in the past. This study comprises geochemical and geophysical measurements performed between July 2001 and July 2002 in order to construct a conceptual hydrogeological model for environmental and land use planning purposes. The seasonal evaluation of Tuzla–Icmeler (mineral spring) shows that the chemical properties fluctuate from the beginning of summer until the beginning of winter. This indicates that the overdraft of water during the summer season causes the movement and mix of normal groundwater with the mineralized groundwater. As a result, mixing of less mineralized groundwater decreases the salinity of mineralized groundwater. Using the site-specific hydrogeological, geochemical and geophysical data, zones of protection areas were delineated in order to prevent a possible pollution access to the springs and surroundings from nearby dockyards, dwellings and vehicle traffic. For this purpose, a new land use plan was proposed using the existing settlement sustainability plans.     

Chlorophyll a fluorescence,an alternative method for estimating primary production

The in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence index (F_+DCMU-F_-DCMU/F_+DCMU) of natural waters was compared to the ¹⁴C-determined primary production, and the fluorescence intensity in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (F_+DCMU) was studied as a function of extracted and spectrophotometrically determined chlorophyll concentrations. Samples were taken every second week from May through October, 1979, at the station Systrarna situated in a coastal area of the Bottnian Sea. In addition, samples from the Archipelago Sea of the Baltic were collected on board the Finnish research vessel R/S Aranda during the September cruise 1979. The correlations between the fluorescence index and the ¹⁴C-determined primary production and between F_+DCMU and total chlorophyll concentration were good when samples taken over short time intervals were compared. The shortcomings of both the fluorescence and the ¹⁴C methods are discussed. It is concluded that the fluorescence method is useful if it is desirable to follow with high time resolution any changes in the potential for photosynthesis (or primary production) in a water mass over relatively short time periods; e.g. during an algal bloom. The fluorescence method can furthermore be technically developed for automatic monitoring with a high time resolution. Efforts are being made in our laboratory to develop the method further to give information about the in situ rates of photosynthesis rather than the potential for photosynthesis in a photoplankton population.     

Energy flow model of an oxygen-deficient estuary on the Swedish west coast

The estuary Byfjord (Sweden) is characterized by high primary production, a well developed meiofauna compared to the macrofauna, high epifaunal biomass, a low number of herbivorous copepods and a small fish stock. A simplified energy flow model of the ecosystem of the fjord is given. The energy transfer is approximated to 15%. About one-fourth-300 (metric) tons of carbon — of the annual primary production is suggested to be directly consumed and to produce 5 tons of zooplankton carbon and 40 tons of epifaunal (mainly Mytilus edulis) carbon. About 500 tons of carbon from the detritus pool are probably utilized in animal production. This amount will produce 5 tons of zooplankton carbon, 6 tons of meiofaunal carbon, and 3 tons of carbon from the benthic macrofauna. Production of fish is estimated at 0.3 ton carbon per year. M. edulis seems to be the only food resource in the fjord worth harvesting by man.     

Primary Productivity in the Golden Horn

The shores of the Golden Horn—once most important seaport of the region—represented throughout history a romantic and recreational venue. This tributary to the Bosphorus, however, became seriously polluted with the extensive industrialization and rapid population growth in Istanbul over the past century. Two main tributaries, the Alibeykoy and the Kagithane, dumped both liquid and solid waste from residential areas and industry (small and large-scale) into the Golden Horn. As a result of this pollution, the landward three to four kilometers of the estuary became swamped with sediment. The dominance of anaerobic activity resulted in a highly unpleasant smell, and the shallow depth as one progressed up the bay restricted navigation. In early 1997 The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality began a dredging operation and gradually diverted all domestic and industrial wastewater discharge from the Golden Horn. Since then there have been remarkable improvements in water quality. This paper presents the state of eutrophication through the water body of the Golden Horn; parameters such as DO, TKN, NH₃-N, NO₃-N, the total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved phosphorus (PO₄-P), phytoplankton and chlorophyll-a have been were analyzed in samples of water taken from various points in the Golden Horn. The presence of DO and the phytoplankton, both indicators of primary productivity in an aquatic body, has been evaluated in relation to former conditions.     

Increase of collagen in the rat heart induced by noise

Rats were exposed to randomly applied noise during their nightly active phase for up to half a year. The ventricular myocardium was studied by electron microscopy and estimation of hydroxyproline. A significant increase of collagen was found especially in the left ventricle.A combination of noise stress with an Mg-deficient diet enhanced the increase of myocardial collagen Thus, Mg-deficiency and noise appears to act in a synergistic manner.     

Preface. Biological and Chemical Perspectives of Ecosystem Disturbance

Water, Air, &; Soil Pollution: Focus -     

An assessment of the quality of various bottled mineral water marketed in Turkey

Fifteen bottled mineral waters purchased at random all over Turkey were analyzed for their chemical composition by OPTIMA-2000 ICP-AES Perkin Elmer techniques. Results show a wide spread in the chemical specification of these mineral waters, with differences in chemical composition observed in the regions being due to the geological environment and the majority of bottled mineral waters exceeding the pH limit of Turkish drinking water standards. When the concentrations of elements are evaluated, it can readily be seen that generally there are three types of mineral water in Turkey. The concentrations of Al, B, Ba, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn Pb and Zn in mineral water were compared with the limits established by the Turkish Standard for Natural Mineral Waters (Turkish Official Gazette 2004); water standards prepared by World Health Organization (2006) and the United States of America Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) drinking water standards (1993). Such a comparison shows that, except for Ba and Mn, the concentrations of the other heavy metals are lower than the limit of the US.EPA in Turkey. Some parameters examined were found to comprise strong correlations pair-wise.