Major air pollutants in Bursa,Turkey: their levels,temporal changes,interactions, and sources

Bursa is one of the largest cities of Turkey and it hosts 17 organized industrial zones. Parallel to the increase in population, rapidly growing energy consumption, and increased numbers of transport vehicles have impacts on the air quality of the city. In this study, regularly calibrated automatic samplers were employed to get the levels of air pollution in Bursa. The concentrations of CH₄ and N-CH₄ as well as the major air pollutants including PM₁₀, PM_2.5, NO, NO₂, NO_x, SO₂, CO, and O₃, were determined for 2016 and 2017 calendar years. Their levels were 1641.62?±?718.25, 33.11?±?5.45, 42.10?±?10.09, 26.41?±?9.01, 19.47?±?16.51, 46.73?±?16.56, 66.23?±?32.265, 7.60?±?3.43, 659.397?±?192.73, and 51.92?±?25.63 µg/m³ for 2016, respectively. Except for O₃, seasonal concentrations were higher in winter and autumn for both years. O₃, CO, and SO₂ had never exceeded the limit values specified in the regulations yet PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and NO₂ had violated the limits in some days. The ratios of CO/NO_x, SO₂/NO_x, and PM_2.5/PM₁₀ were examined to characterize the emission sources. Generally, domestic and industrial emissions were dominated in the fall and winter seasons, yet traffic emissions were effective in spring and summer seasons. As a result of the correlation process between O_x and NO_x, it was concluded that the most important source of O_x concentrations in winter was NO_x and O₃ was in summer.     

Removal of organochlorine pesticides from lindane production wastes by electrochemical oxidation

This study is focused on the effective removal of recalcitrant pollutants hexaclorocyclohexanes (HCHs, isomers α, β, γ, and δ) and chlorobenzenes (CBs) present in a real groundwater coming from a landfill of an old lindane factory. Groundwater is characterized by a total organic carbon (TOC) content of 9 mg L^?1, pH₀?=?7, conductivity?=?3.7 mS cm^?1, high salt concentration (SO₄^2?, HCO₃^?, Cl^?), and ferrous iron in solution. The experiments were performed using a BDD anode and a carbon felt (CF) cathode at the natural groundwater pH and without addition of supporting electrolyte. The complete depletion of the four HCH isomers and a mineralization degree of 90% were reached at 4-h electrolysis with a current intensity of 400 mA, the residual TOC (0.8 mg L^?1) corresponding mainly to formic acid. A parallel series reaction pathway was proposed: HCHs and CBs are transformed into chlorinated and hydroxylated intermediates that are rapidly oxidized to non-toxic carboxylic acids and/or mineralized, leading to a rapid decrease in solution pH.     

Comparative evaluation of some macro- and micro-element and heavy metal contents in commercial fruit juices

Micro- and macro-element contents of several commercial fruit juices purchased from marked were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Among the minor elements determined, Zn, Cu, Mn, Mo, Co, Cd and Ni were found to be lover. Major mineral contents of fruit juices were established as Ca, K, Mg and P. The potassium contents of fruit juices were determined at the higher levels. K contents of fruit juices ranged between 475 mg/kg (B apricot) and 1478 mg/kg (B peach). In addition while Ca contents of fruit juices change between 19.3 mg/kg (E cherry) and 81.8 mg/kg (C orange), Mg contents ranged at the levels between 23.7 mg/kg (A apricot) and 65.4 mg/kg (D orange). Generally Ca and contents of peach, orange and apricot juices that belong to A and D companies were determined at the high levels.     

Factors related to presenteeism among employees of the private sector

The objective was to explore the relationship between person-based variables and work-related variables of presenteeism in four different private sector workplaces. Employees (N=413) filled in a questionnaire related to demographic and socio-economic characteristics, social networks, work-related factors, lifestyle factors and state of health. Presenteeism was assessed using the Stanford Presenteeism Scale 6 (SPS-6). The majority of respondents were male (77.2%), and mean age was 34.7±8.1 years. The prevalence of chronic conditions was 15.9%. The mean score for the SPS-6 was 19.9 (SD, 3.3). The female score was higher than the male score on the SPS-6 in this study. Total score was higher among workers who reported working at high speed. SPS-6 score was higher among individuals with a chronic health problem. Understanding of the workplace and personal factors related to presenteeism may support the health and well-being of workers.     

Physicochemical properties of seeds of Capparis species growing wild in Turkey

While Capparis spinosa var. herbaceace (2009) seeds collected from the Mardin-midyat region contains the highest protein (22.25 %), C. spinosa var. spinosa seeds (2009) collected from the Mu?la-Milas region contained the lowest protein (18.25 %). In addition, oil contents of C. spinosa and Capparis ovata seeds changed between 27.74 to 31.09 and 28.66 to 31.40 %, respectively. Crude cellulose contents of C. spinosa and C. ovata seeds were found as 28.24 and 29.67 %, respectively. It was found that ash content of C. spinosa and C. ovata seeds were found between 2.13 and 2.23 %, respectively. Phenolic matter content of C. spinosa and C. ovata were found between 1.98 mg (GAE) and 1.76 mg (GAE), respectively. Radical activity values of C. spinosa and C. ovata were determined as 83.432 and 83.718 %, respectively.     

The occurrence and environmental effect of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Taurus Mountains soils

Purpose  

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are of global concern due to their ubiquitous presence and toxicity. The occurence of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), -dibenzofurans (PCDFs), co-planar biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDT), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in forest soil collected from Taurus mountains may have adverse effects on the environment and health. The aim of the study was to investigate the outcome and distribution of POPs in the environment and the possible grasshopper effect along an altitude transect from sea level up to nearly 2,000 m a.s.l at a spatial distance of about 60 km in the southeastern Turkish Mediterranean Sea.     

Efficient removal of insecticide “imidacloprid” from water by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes

The oxidative degradation of imidacloprid (ICP) has been carried out by electrochemical advanced oxidation processes (EAOPs), anodic oxidation, and electro-Fenton, in which hydroxyl radicals are generated electrocatalytically. Carbon-felt cathode and platinum or boron-doped diamond (BDD) anodes were used in electrolysis cell. To determine optimum operating conditions, the effects of applied current and catalyst concentration were investigated. The decay of ICP during the oxidative degradation was well fitted to pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics and absolute rate constant of the oxidation of ICP by hydroxyl radicals was found to be k _abs(ICP)?=?1.23?×?10⁹ L mol^?1 s^?1. The results showed that both anodic oxidation and electro-Fenton process with BDD anode exhibited high mineralization efficiency reaching 91 and 94 % total organic carbon (TOC) removal at 2 h, respectively. For Pt-EF process, mineralization efficiency was also obtained as 71 %. The degradation products of ICP were identified and a plausible general oxidation mechanism was proposed. Some of the main reaction intermediates such as 6-chloronicotinic acid, 6-chloronicotinaldehyde, and 6-hydroxynicotinic acid were determined by GC-MS analysis. Before complete mineralization, formic, acetic, oxalic, and glyoxylic acids were identified as end-products. The initial chlorine and organic nitrogen present in ICP were found to be converted to inorganic anions Cl^?, NO₃ ^?, and NH₄ ⁺.     

Determination of heavy metals in bee honey with connected and not connected metal wires using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP–AES)

Two honey samples are taken from two parts of the same honeycomb: one that contacts to the surface of the wire and the other taken from the surface that does not contact the wires. Heavy metal contents of these two samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry). The Mo, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn contents of the honey in contact with wire is higher when compared to the other. Especially, Fe and Zn contents of honey in contact with wire is much higher than the non-contact one. These values are, respectively, 190.21 and 112.76 ppm. Besides, Ni content of honey in contact with wire is approximately 50% higher.     

Predicting field capacity,wilting point,and the other physical properties of soils using hyperspectral reflectance spectroscopy: two different statistical approaches

In this study, we examined the ability of reflectance spectroscopy to predict some of the most important soil parameters for irrigation such as field capacity (FC), wilting point (WP), clay, sand, and silt content. FC and WP were determined for 305 soil samples. In addition to these soil analyses, clay, silt, and sand contents of 145 soil samples were detected. Raw spectral reflectance (raw) of these soil samples, between 350 and 2,500-nm wavelengths, was measured. In addition, first order derivatives of the reflectance (first) were calculated. Two different statistical approaches were used in detecting soil properties from hyperspectral data. Models were evaluated using the correlation of coefficient (r), coefficient of determination (R ²), root mean square error (RMSE), and residual prediction deviation (RPD). In the first method, two appropriate wavelengths were selected for raw reflectance and first derivative separately for each soil property. Selection of wavelengths was carried out based on the highest positive and negative correlations between soil property and raw reflectance or first order derivatives. By means of detected wavelengths, new combinations for each soil property were calculated using rationing, differencing, normalized differencing, and multiple regression techniques. Of these techniques, multiple regression provided the best correlation (P?<?0.01) for selected wavelengths and all soil properties. To estimate FC, WP, clay, sand, and silt, multiple regression equations based on first(2,310)-first(2,360), first(2,310)-first(2,360), first(2,240)-first(1,320), first(2,240)-first(1,330), and raw(2,260)-raw(360) were used. Partial least square regression (PLSR) was performed as the second method. Raw reflectance was a better predictor of WP and FC, whereas first order derivative was a better predictor of clay, sand, and silt content. According to RPD values, statistically excellent predictions were obtained for FC (2.18), and estimations for WP (2.0), clay (1.8), and silt (1.63) were acceptable. However, sand values were poorly predicted (RDP?=?0.63). In conclusion, both of the methods examined here offer quick and inexpensive means of predicting soil properties using spectral reflectance data.     

An integrated methodology for the used product selection problem faced by third-party reverse logistics providers

The rise of electronic commerce and the stricter government regulations on the recovery of end-of-life products increased the number of products returned by customers. A company may deal with increasing product returns by developing its own reverse logistic system. However, high fixed costs associated with dedicated reverse logistics equipment and infrastructure force many companies to outsource their reverse logistics operations to third-party reverse logistics providers. One of the important problems faced by third-party reverse logistics providers is the selection of the types of used products to be collected. In this study, a four-phase used product selection methodology is proposed. First, the quantitative and qualitative selection criteria are determined. Then the weights of the criteria are calculated using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. Next, simulation models are employed to determine the values of quantitative criteria. Finally, technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution ranks alternative used product types. A numerical example is also provided in order to present the applicability of the proposed methodology.