Financial and economic factors affecting the lignite prices in Turkey: An analysis of Soma and Can lignites

Using a simultaneous equation econometric model based on yearly data between 1997 and 2006 for the Aegean Lignite Enterprise this study examines factors that affect the lignite price in Turkey. The Aegean Lignite Enterprise produces and sells the lignite of Soma and Can and their data reflect the general Turkish situation. The results suggest that (1) lignite prices sold to the industry increase (decrease) depending on the decrease (increase) in the industrial production and (2) total electricity production and electricity price are the most important factors that potential investors and related persons have to take into consideration for the pricing of lignite in the thermal power plant market.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in amniotic fluids of pregnant women in south-central Turkey†

The concentrations of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in amniotic fluid of 200 pregnant women from the Cukurova region of Turkey. The concentrations of OCPs [hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (p,p′-DDT), and various metabolites], and different PCB congeners (28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) were determined by gas chromatography with electron capture detection as follows: HCB 6.6 ± 4.7, ΣHCH 21.6 ± 14.2, ΣDDT 12.5 ± 7.5, and ΣPCBs 74.0 ± 54 ng mL^?1. Correlations of maternal or gestational age and levels of OCPs and PCBs were not significant. The levels of these organochlorine compounds (OCs) were below detection limit for 5% of the samples, 80% contained more than one OC. This study illustrates that prenatal exposure of a fetus to OCs is prevalent in the Cukurova region.     

Oxidative and genotoxic effects of bisphenol A on primary gill cell culture of Lake Van Fish (Alburnus tarichi Güldenstädt, 1814)

Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey. The lake limits lifespan due to its high pH and brackish water. For this reason, only a single species of fish (Van Fish) is living in the lake that has been adapted to these conditions. In the present study, we investigated the total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), malondialdehyde (MDA) level and DNA damage effect of bisphenol A (BPA) (10^?7, 10^?6 and 10^?5?M) on primary gill cell culture of Van Fish for 24 and 48?h of incubation periods. TAS levels were not changed when compared to those of the control group, but TOS levels were decreased in both 24 and 48?h. The MDA level increased only at the highest concentration (10^?5) at the end of 12 and 24?h (p?.05). DNA damage increased only at the 10^?5?M concentration after 48?h. At the end of the experiment, BPA exposure caused lipid peroxidation and genotoxic effect. These results indicate that high levels of BPA exposure induced oxidative stress and DNA damage by time- and concentration-dependent fashion in the gill cell culture of Van Fish. Gill cell culture is a useful model for the rapid identification of the harmful effects of chemicals in the aquatic environment.     

The bird species of Kumasir lake (Kahramanmaras-Turkey) and a view of environmental ethics on sustainable wetland management

Kumasir lake is located next to towns of Donuklu and Fatih, nine km west of Kahramanmaras city center the region of east Mediterranean, Turkey This lake is of crucial importance from the point of native and immigrant birds. We located 17 birdspecies in this area during our observations carried out in the spring and autumn of 2005-2006. These were Ciconia ciconia L., Anas platyrhynchos L., Accipiter nisus L., Accipiter brevipes L., Fulica atra L., Columba palumbus L., Merops apiaster L., Upupa epops L., Alauda arvensis L., Motacilla flava L., Turdus merula L., Acrocephalus scirpaceus L., Regulus regulus L., Garrulus glandarius L., Corvus corax L., Fringilla coelebs L., Hirundo rustica L.. Among observed 17 species; 6 of them were immigrant and remaining 11 of them were native birds. Kumasir lake is surrounded by wetland of Amik and Gavur lake. Since it was greatly dried, it was transformed to farmland. Consequently the birds lost most of theirnests and settlements. However not taken in the care of environmental ethic values, the wastewaters of the villages drain to lake reservoir; herbicides and insecticides used for agriculture are polluting the water reeds have been burned, the lake's reeds are getting dry by the irrigation for the farmland. So, the wetland ecosystem is being affected negatively by these factors. On the other hand, the birds are exposed to illegal and unlawful hunting. For this reasons, this lake must be taken into a management regime of sustainable wetland (protection profiting balance) and used techniques of participation planning via the process of sustainable natural resources and planning.     

Retro-techno-economic evaluation of acetic acid production using cotton stalk as feedstock

In value-added chemical industries, use of agricultural wastes as raw materials remains to be a major challenge in commercialization due to lack of competitiveness with respect to petrochemical processes. This work presents the techno-economic analysis of a novel bioprocessing plant converting 356,400 MT/year cotton stalks into 147,000 MT/year acetic acid. A production scheme integrating lignin separation with the main bioconversion stages has been proposed. Techno-economic assessment was performed through economic feasibility and retro-techno-economic analysis (RTEA) methods. The RTEA method has been extended to include the estimation of research and development funding for improving economic feasibility. Carbon offset of the proposed technology has been estimated and carbon credit results have been incorporated into the economic feasibility metrics.     

ECO-design of reuse and recycling networks by multi-objective optimization

An ECO-optimized reuse of process liquors addresses the financial gain and the effective use of resources. In processes that have a potential for process liquor recovery, the minimization of both economic and environmental burdens can be realised by an ECO-optimal design of reuse and recycling network (RRN).In this paper, a procedure for synthesizing such an RRN for a metal finishing process is investigated. The simultaneous analysis of environmental impact sensitivity (SAEIS) based on a superstructure approach, combined with multi-objective optimization is performed by mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP). This allows an “eco–eco” trade-off i.e. total annualized cost and environmental impacts are minimized simultaneously. By varying the weighting factor, different RRN alternatives were generated. A replacement of the standard and closed-loop system by these solutions, even for the environmentally friendliest case, yielded a reasonable cost saving on raw material's inputs.     

Determination of potential allergenic fungal flora and its clinical reflection in suburban elementary schools in Izmir

In this research, in order to determine mean fungus counts, indoor and outdoor air samples were taken in five elementary school buildings located in the city center of Seferihisar, Izmir (45 km from Izmir) within a 1-year period between March and April 2004, and between January and February 2005 representing similar climatic characteristics. Five samples, three from three classes where 5–8, 10–12, and 12–15 age group students attended, one from the corridors, and one from outside the buildings in all the schools, were taken for each period. Within the period of the study, in indoor and outdoor air samples, 7,122 microfungus colonies were counted. Sixty-four species were identified that belong to 17 genera as a result of the identification of isolates obtained. Skin prick tests were applied to 55 out of a total of 117 teachers by the clinicians. According to these test results, 24 teachers were sensitive to at least one agent. Results revealed that, in terms of mold counts, the difference between the schools and the difference between the times (periods) were statistically significant (p?< 0.05).     

Simultaneous determination of selected endocrine disrupter compounds in wastewater samples in ultra trace levels using HPLC-ES-MS/MS

An analytical procedure for the simultaneous determination of six selected endocrine disrupter compounds (EDCs: diltiazem, progesterone, benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), estrone, carbamazepine (Cbz), acetaminophen) was developed by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ES-MS/MS). All of the parameters for HPLC and ES-MS/MS systems including mobile phase composition, flow rate, and sample injection volume were optimized to obtain not only the best separation of species interested but also low detection limits. Reverse phase chromatography coupled to ES-MS/MS was used for the separation and detection of EDCs. Formic acid (0.10% ) and 5.0 mM ammonium formate were selected as mobile phase composition in gradient elution. Detection limits for diltiazem, progesterone, BBP, estrone, Cbz, and acetaminophen were found to be 0.13, 0.12, 0.04, 0.13, 0.12, and 0.05 ng/mL, respectively. Influent and effluents from three different wastewater treatment plants located in Ankara, i.e., rotating flat-sheet membrane unit, pilot type flat-sheet membrane unit located at METU Campus and samples from Ankara central wastewater treatment plant were analyzed for their EDCs contents under the optimum conditions.