Evaluation of a fast wastewater odour characterisation procedure using a chemical sensor array

Sewage treatment works are one of the major sources that cause atmospheric odour pollution. The increase in the number of complaints about odour nuisance is due to the increase in environmental concerns. Unfortunately, the legislation on odour nuisance from sewage treatment works is very limited. In order to determine suitable thresholds on which to base legal standards, reliable and efficient odour measurement methods need to be defined. A chemical sensor array was developed for the purpose of measuring wastewater odour. This paper describes the development of the chemical sensor system which is specifically tuned to odours of wastewater origin and which can give an electronic measure of the wastewater odours. Odour emissions from a wastewater treatment facility were detected by using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor array. The array consists of nine sensor elements, which were coated with different materials. In this paper, the usage of these novel instruments in the water industry was shown.     

Indoor and outdoor radon measurements at lung cancer patients’ homes in the dwellings of Rize Province in Turkey

In this study, indoor and outdoor radon (²²²Rn) surveys were carried out in the summer and winter seasons in homes of one hundred lung cancer patients in the year 2013–2014. The aim was to investigate the relationship between radon and cancer patients. Lung cancer patients completed a questionnaire concerning their living environment, various physical parameters and living habits. Pearson correlation and t tests revealed no meaningful results between radon concentrations, on one hand, and environmental and personal living habits, on the other hand. Consequently, the BEIR VI model was adapted and ²²²Rn exposure was estimated to be responsible for about 12% of the lung cancer incidences in the winter season and around 5% in the summer season in the Rize Province. However, due to the limited number of data and numerous parameters that could lead to lung cancer, the estimations done with the model should be taken very lightly. The annual effective doses due to inhalation of indoor and outdoor ²²²Rn were estimated to be, respectively, 1.43 and 0.94 mSv y^?1. The indoor and outdoor annual effective doses were, respectively, close and below the world annual effective dose (1.3 mSv y^?1). At the district level, the indoor annual effective dose equivalent in the ?yidere district was 4.52 mSv y^?1, which was 3.5 times greater than the world average. The number of patients in the majority of the houses in this district was more than one.     

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic in medical waste amounts: a case study from a high-populated city of Turkey

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - In this study, the amount of medical waste generated in a high-populated city in Turkey between January 2018 and August 2021 was evaluated, and the...     

Evaluation of industrial waste black cumin (Nigella Sativa) for biohydrogen production without pretreatment

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The depletion of fossil fuels and the fact that fossil fuels pollute the environment accelerated the trend toward environmentally friendly energy...     

Use of carbonised beet pulp carbon for removal of Remazol Turquoise Blue-G 133 from aqueous solution

Carbonised beet pulp (BPC) produced from agricultural solid waste by-product in sugar industry was used as adsorbent for the removal of Remazol Turquoise Blue-G 133 (RTB-G 133) dye in this study. The kinetics and equilibrium of sorption process were investigated with respect to pH, temperature and initial dye concentration. Adsorption studies with real textile wastewater were also performed. The results showed that adsorption was a strongly pH-dependent process, and optimum pH was determined as 1.0. The maximum dye adsorption capacity was obtained as 47.0 mg g^?1at the temperature of 25 °C at this pH value. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models were used for describing the adsorption equilibrium data of the dye, and isotherm constants were evaluated depending on sorption temperature. Equilibrium data of RTB-G 133 sorption fitted very well to the Freundlich isotherm. Mass transfer and kinetic models were applied to the experimental data to examine the mechanisms of adsorption and potential rate-controlling steps. It was found that both external mass transfer and intra-particle diffusion played an important role in the adsorption mechanisms of dye and adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo second-order type kinetic model. The thermodynamic analysis indicated that the sorption process was exothermic and spontaneous in nature.     

Macro- and microelement contents of some legume seeds

Macro- and microelement contents of legume seeds were determined by ICP-AES. The potassium K contents of seeds ranged between 7,426 mg/kg (Lupinus albus L.) and 16,558 mg/kg (Phaseolus vulgaris L. ssp. sphaericus Mart). In addition, while P contents of seeds changed from 2,719 mg/kg (L. albus L.) to 5,792 mg/kg (Vigna sinensis (L.) Savi), Ca contents ranged at the levels between 1,309 mg/kg (Cicer arietinum L.) and 2,781 mg/kg (L. albus L.). The microelement contents of samples were found to be different depending on several species. The iron levels of samples were determined at the levels between 90.51 mg/kg (Phaseolus mungo L.) and 152.80 mg/kg (P. vulgaris L. ssp. sphaericus Mart). In addition, Zn contents of seeds were found between 31.32 mg/kg (C. arietinum L.) and 44.75 mg/kg (V. sinensis (L.) Savi).     

Heavy metals intake by cultured mushrooms growing in model system

Micro element and heavy metal contents of mushrooms were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). It was seen an increase in the heavy metal contents (except Cu and Zn) of the mushrooms until the second dose. A decrease was seen in heavy metal intake of the mushroom in the application of the third dose. The highest accumulation occurred from the upper soils treated with the second dose. Amounts of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn, which were accumulated in the mushroom after the application of this dose, were detected as 5.7, 23.1, 75.7, 62.8 and 99.3 ppm, respectively.     

Water quality assessment and meta model development in Melen watershed – Turkey

Istanbul, being one of the highly populated metropolitan areas of the world, has been facing water scarcity since the past decade. Water transfer from Melen Watershed was considered as the most feasible option to supply water to Istanbul due to its high water potential and relatively less degraded water quality. This study consists of two parts. In the first part, water quality data covering 26 parameters from 5 monitoring stations were analyzed and assessed due to the requirements of the “Quality Required of Surface Water Intended for the Abstraction of Drinking Water” regulation. In the second part, a one-dimensional stream water quality model with simple water quality kinetics was developed. It formed a basic design for more advanced water quality models for the watershed. The reason for assessing the water quality data and developing a model was to provide information for decision making on preliminary actions to prevent any further deterioration of existing water quality. According to the water quality assessment at the water abstraction point, Melen River has relatively poor water quality with regard to NH₄⁺, BOD₅, faecal streptococcus, manganese and phenol parameters, and is unsuitable for drinking water abstraction in terms of COD, PO₄^3?, total coliform, total suspended solids, mercury and total chromium parameters. The results derived from the model were found to be consistent with the water quality assessment. It also showed that relatively high inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations along the streams are related to diffuse nutrient loads that should be managed together with municipal and industrial wastewaters.     

Effects of noise pollution over the blood serum immunoglobulins and auditory system on the VFM airport workers, Van, Turkey

Noise pollution is a common health problem for developing countries. Especially highways and airports lead to noise pollution in different levels and in many frequencies. In this study, we focused on the effect of noise pollution in airports. This work aimed measurements of noise pollution levels in Van Ferit Melen (VFM) airport and effect of noise pollution over the immunoglobulin A, G, and M changes among VFM airport workers in Turkey. It was seen that apron and terminal workers were exposed to high noise (>80 dB(A)) without any protective precautions. Noise-induced temporary threshold shifts and noise-induced permanent threshold shifts were detected between the apron workers (p?<?0.001) and terminal workers (p?<?0.005). IgA values of apron terminal and control group workers were approximately the same in the morning and increased in a linear manner during the day. This increase was statistically significant (p?<?0.001). IgG and IgM values of apron, terminal, and control group workers were approximately same in the morning. Apron and terminal workers IgG and IgM levels were increased until noon and then decreased until evening as compare to control group, but these changes were not statically significant (p?>?0.05). These findings suggested that the noise pollution in the VFM airport could lead to hearing loss and changes in blood serum immunoglobulin levels of airport workers. Blood serum immunoglobulin changes might be due to vibrational effects of noise pollution. Airport workers should apply protective precautions against effect of noise pollution in the VFM airport.     

The effects of evening primrose oil on arsenic-induced oxidative stress in rats

Forty-eight male Wistar albino rats were allocated to the four groups such that each comprised 12 animals. The first group was maintained as the control. In group 2, evening primrose oil was administered at a dose of 0.1 mL rat^?1 day^?1 (～500 mg kg^?1 bw) into the stomach via gavage, whilst in group 3 sodium arsenide was administered at a concentration of 100 mg L^?1 in ad-libitum drinking water for 30 days. The fourth group was given 0.1 mL rat^?1 day^?1 evening primrose oil into the stomach via gavage plus 100 mg L^?1 of sodium arsenide in ad-libitum drinking water for 30 days. At the end of the 30th day, tissue (liver, lung, kidney, brain, heart, spleen, and testis) and blood samples were collected from each group. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels and superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were measured in the samples. Exposure to arsenic in rats causes oxidative stress by increasing lipid peroxidation (increase of MDA and NO levels) and altering the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Evening primrose oil did not have any adverse effects. Furthermore, it was ascertained that the administration of arsenic with evening primrose oil reduced the severity of oxidative stress.