Quality of water used during cage cultivation of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Bereket HES IV Dam Lake (Muğla,Turkey)

A thorough investigation of the impact of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cultivation on surface water quality in the area known as Bereket HES IV Dam Lake was conducted. Water samples were collected from October 2009 to June 2010 from four stations in the Dam Lake and analyzed for water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and orthophosphate. Surface water quality was then evaluated based on the comparison of samples collected from three stations located near fish cages to those collected from a reference station outside the cultivation area as well as by the comparison with standards specified in the Water Pollution Registration Act. According to the Water Pollution Registration Act, the surface water quality of the Dam Lake was class I. Additionally, there were no significant differences in water quality within the Dam Lake among any of the sampling stations, including the reference station. Overall, these findings indicate that cage cultivation of rainbow trout may have a negative impact on the entire Dam Lake.     

The impact of pretreatment and inoculum to substrate ratio on methane potential of organic wastes from various origins

Biochemical methane potentials (BMP) of two different substrates from macroalgae (MA) and market place wastes (MPW) were investigated using anaerobic granulated sludge from food industry with different ratios of substrate to inoculum (S/X). The substrates were used as MA only, MPW only, MA–MPW mixture, pretreated MA, and pretreated MA–MPW mixture. Research involved investigation of the effects of parameters such as temperature (35, 45, and 55 °C), substrate to inoculum ratio (S/X = 0.5, 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 as g VS_substrate/g VS_inoculum), and the type of pretreatment (by microwave, thermal, and ultrasonic) on BMP. BMP assays were performed for all substrates. The highest cumulative biogas production (and BMP) were obtained for MA only at an S/X ratio of 4.0 g VS/g VS as 357 L_biogas/kg VS (197 L CH₄/kg VS) and 33 L_biogas/kg VS (17 L CH₄/kg VS), respectively, at 35 and 55 °C. For pretreated substrates, the highest cumulative biogas production and BMP were observed as 287 L_biogas/kg VS and 146 L CH₄/kg VS using pretreated macroalgae at 35 °C. Results suggested that MA only and MA–MPW mixtures are suitable substrates for biogas production. It is also concluded that any type of pretreatment has adverse effects on biogas and methane productions.     

Element concentration,daily intake of elements,and health risk indices of wild mushrooms collected from Belgrad Forest and Ilgaz Mountain National Park (Turkey)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The aim of this study was to determine the element content of wild edible and inedible mushroom species (Agaricus campestris, Armillaria ostoyae,...     

Bakterielle Mineralisierung von Dibenzofuran,Dibenzo-p-dioxin und 1,2,4,5-Tetrachlorbenzol in Böden

Quantitative degradation of dibenzofuran (DBF), dibenzo-p-dioxin (DBD), and 1,2,4,5-tetrachlorbenzene (TeCB) by the bacterial strains sphingomonas sp. HH 69, sphingomonas sp. RW1 and pseudomonas sp. PS 14 was investigated by radio-tracer techniques in liquid cultures and especially in samples of different soils. Pure strains converted DBF, DBD and TeCB up to 80% to CO₂ within few days. This degradation occurred not only in aerated liquid cultures but also in heterogeneous soils, with low levels of other pollutatns at favourable pH-values. Rate and degree of the mineralization of DBF, DBD and TeCB were independent of the DBF-, DBD-, or TeCB-concentration in the soils within a broad range. There was obviously a close correlation between the starting concentration of active cells (starting bacterial count) and the rate of degradation of the test substances in soil; by raising the starting bacterial count in the soil samples, mineralization of DBF, DBD, and TeCB, respectively, was clearly accelerated. However, under nearly the same coniditions in more acid soils (pH-values < 4) no significant degradation of DBF, DBD, and TeCB to CO₂ took place. As expected, this difficulty can be overcome by mixing CaCO₂ into the acid soils (liming). Easily utilizable substances like peptone, triolein, and glucose added as special carbon and energy sources to low contaminated soils, had only a small—if any—effect on the mineralization of DBF, DBD, and TeCB. In soils contaminated by a mixture of pollutants, the bacterial strains could develop their degradation capacity only to a limited extent and showed different degradation effects depending on the basic type of contamination. The efficiency of the degradation specialists was thus dependent on the “Chemical Environment” (type and concentration of contaminants present).     

Determination of heavy metals in lower Sakarya river sediments using a BCR-sequential extraction procedure

A BCR-sequential extraction procedure for the determination of extractable heavy metals was applied to sediments of various rivers and lakes. There are many rivers basins in Turkey. Sakarya River Basin is one of the most important basins, which consists of three parts: Upper, Middle and Lower Sakarya River Basins. In this study, the Lower Sakarya River was selected as the study area for sediments. The samples were collected monthly from 10 pre-determined stations through the river for 10 months time and analysed for the distribution of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn elements. The determination of extractable heavy metals in sediments was carried out by using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The validation of the results was performed by the analysis of a BCR 701 standard reference material.     

Studies on antimicrobial activities of solvent extracts of different spices

The antimicrobial activities of the ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol extract of 12 plant species were studied. The extract of Capsicum annuum (red pepper) (fruit) Zingiber officinale (ginger) (root), Cuminum cyminum (cumin), Alpinia ficinarum (galingale), Coriandrum sativum (coriander), Cinnamomun zeylanicum Nees (cinnamomun), Origanum onites L. (thyme), Folium sennae (senna), Eugenia caryophyllata (cloves), Flos tiliae (lime), Folium menthae crispae (peppermint) and Piper nigrum (blackpepper) were tested in vitro against 2 fungi and 8 bacterial species by the disc diffusion method. Klebsiella pneumonia 13883, Bacillus megaterium NRS, Pseudomonas aeroginosa ATCC 27859, Staphylococcus aureus 6538 P, Escherichia coil ATCC 8739, Enterobacter cloaca ATCC 13047, Corynebacterium xerosis UC 9165, Streptococcus faecalis DC 74, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Rhodotorula rubra were used in this investigation. The results indicated that extracts of different spices has shown antibacterial activity in the range of 7-24 mm 30 microl(-1) inhibition zone Eugenia caryophyllata (clove), 7-20 mm 30microl(-1) inhibition zone Capsicum annum (red pepper) and Cinnamomun zeylanicum (cinnamon) bark, 7-18 mm 30microl(-1) inhibition zone Folium sennae (senna) leaves, 7-16 mm 30 microl(-1) inhibition zone Zingiber officinale (ginger) root, 7-15 mm 30microl(-1) inhibition zone Cuminum cyminum (cumin) seed, 7-14 mm 30 microl(-1) inhibition zone Folium menthae crispae (peppermint), Origanum onites (thyme) leaves and Alpinia ficinarum (galingale) root, 7-12 mm 30 microl(-1) inhibiton zone Piper nigrum (blackpepper), 7-11 mm 30microl(-1) inhibition zone Flos tiliae (lime) leaves, 7-8 mm 30microl(-1) inhibition zone Coriandrum sativum (coriander) to the microorganisms tested.     

The archaeology of deforestation in south coastal Turkey

The Rough Cilicia Archaeological Survey Project investigates landscape transformation as a component to its regional survey of ancient Rough Cilicia (south coastal Turkey opposite Cyprus). Rough Cilicia was celebrated during antiquity for pristine cedar forests that stood between 1500 and 1800 m in altitude along the slopes of the Taurus Mountains. Today along the front range of the Taurus Mountains this forest is completely denuded or otherwise replanted with recent growth in the past 80 years. We employ paleoenvironmental analysis of relic cedar forests in the Taurus Mountains to construct a timeline of anthropogenic disturbances associated with population growth over time and thereby assess the sustainability of ancient forestry practices. To obtain these data, the team recovers pollen and carbon samples from geomorphologic trenches excavated in the cedar zone, tree ring data from dendrochronological survey of the existing forest, and archaeological data from remains of ancient highland settlements. Preliminary results indicate that current perspectives about the timing of deforestation in this region are flawed and that the initial deforestation coincided with regional site abandonment and population decline at the end of antiquity.     

Distribution and accumulation of heavy metals in the sediments of Akkaya Dam,Nigde, Turkey

Twenty-one surface sediment samples were collected from Akkaya Dam. Heavy metal concentrations (Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, Cr, As, V and Cd), grain size, organic carbon and carbonate contents were studied in order to assess the extent of environmental pollution and to discuss the origin of these contaminants in sediments of dam. The sediments in the study area are mostly very fine sands. However, mud was observed in the northeast of the dam. Sediment pollution assessment was carried out using enrichment factor. The calculation of enrichment factors showed that Mo is depleted by 1.0 whereas Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, Mn, As, V, Cr and Cd are enriched by 3, 5.4, 7, 2.7, 2.2, 3.4, 42.3, 2.1, 1.8 and 7.2, respectively. Relatively high concentrations heavy metals occurred in north (textile industry area) and east (Karasu River) due to enrichment controlled by anthropogenic wastes. The results of correlation analysis show low–medium positive and negative correlations among metals, grain size, carbonate contents and organic carbon and indicate that heavy metals in sediments of the Akkaya Dam have different anthropogenic sources.