Adsorption of Malachite Green from Aqueous Solution Using Hydroxyethyl Starch Hydrogel Improved by Graphene Oxide

Journal of Polymers and the Environment - This study is the first report of the preparation of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) hydrogels rapidly crosslinked with divinyl sulfone in a single step and...     

Total Lead and Stable Lead Isotopes in Stockholm Sediments

Lead (Pb) in the environment is derived from both naturaland anthropogenic sources. The aim of this study is to estimate the isotopic signature of anthropogenic Pb in sediments from a highly contaminated area (Stockholm), to discuss the influence of different sources on this signature, and to suggest natural Pb background concentrations. Also distribution patterns and differences between different water areas in Stockholm have been studied, both by total Pb and stable Pb isotopes. In 1993, sediment samples were collected at 24 stations in the Stockholm area and analysed for total Pb, zirconium (Zr), scandium (Sc) and stable Pb isotopes (^{204, 206-208}Pb). Total Pb data show that the Stockholm sediments are severely contaminated by Pb. The contamination seems to be rather local since the small lakes surrounding the central parts of Stockholm are much less effected than the central parts. Stockholm is clearly influenced by anthropogenic and natural sources, but in some of the small lakes also by Pb in zircons from the geological basement. The anthropogenic Pb in Stockholm has typical ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ratios of 0.85–0.89 and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb ratios of 36–38, which are distinct from natural sources. Pb/Sc ratios suggest that the natural background Pb concentration is 10–20 mg kg^-1 d.w.     

Treatment of residual lubricating oil using rice husk-based material as ecological adsorbent

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - One of the most significant environmental problems the world population faces is the inadequate disposal of petroleum derivatives. Lubricant oil is...     

Determination of Cadmium and Copper in Fish Samples from Sir And Menzelet Dam Lake Kahramanmaraş, Turkey

The cadmium and copper levels were determined in the total of 126 fish samples which belongs to five fish species collected from Sır and Menzelet Dam Lakes in Kahramanmaraş Province by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The concentrations of heavy metals were expressed as ppm wet weight of tissue. The mean levels of cadmium and copper in muscle, liver and gill tissues of Cyprinus carpiofrom the Menzelet Dam were found as 0.27, 0.91, 1.49 and 0.94, 1.2, 1.05, respectively. The mean levels of Cd in the muscle tissues of Leuciscus cephalusfrom the Menzelet Dam were found 0.32 ppm, Cd wasn't found in tissues of liver and gill. The mean levels of Cu in the muscle, liver and gill tissues were found as 3.17 ppm, 1.19 ppm, 0.96 ppm, respectively. The mean levels of the Cd and Cu in muscle and gill tissues of Acanthobrama marmid from the Sır Dam were found as 1.28, 2.64 and 0.72, 0.08, respectively. The levels of the Cd and Cu in muscle tissues of Cyprinus carpiofrom the Sır Dam were found 0.87 and 0.02 ppm, respectively. The mean levels of the Cd and Cu in the muscle and gill tissues of Chondrostoma regium from the Sır Dam were found to be 0.80, 2.62 and 0.67, 1.34 ppm, respectively. The mean levels of the Cd in the muscle tissues of the Silurus glanis was found as 0.60 ppm. In the muscle of the Silurus glanis from the Sır Dam, Cu was not found. The Sır Dam is more polluted than the Menzelet Dam from the point of Cd but less polluted than the Menzelet Dam From the point of Cu. A relationship was determined between species and their habitating region in terms of the levels reflected metal residues. In this study it was emphasized that the amounts of Cd and Cu in the samples were low, however, seas, lakes, rivers, soil, air and consumed foods etc. has to be controlled routinely.     

Characterization of the Leachate in an Urban Landfill by Physicochemical Analysis and Solid Phase Microextraction-GC/MS

The aim of this study is to evaluate extensively the characterization and identification of major pollutant parameters by paying attention to the organic chemical pollution for unregulated dumping site leachate in Eskişehir/Turkey. The study that is first and only one research has been very important data related with before new sanitary landfill site in Eskişehir city. For this purpose, in this study leachate samples were collected in-situ at monthly interval for a period of 8 months. Firstly, thirty three physicochemical parameters were monitored. Secondly, SPME technique was used for identification of organic pollutants. Meteorological data were also recorded for the same sampling period to correlate meteorological data and physicochemical parameters. Mean values are used in the correlation analysis. Correlation is shown only for the relationship between air temperature and NO₃ ⁻. No correlation has been found between rain and leachate quality parameters since the amount of rain was very low during the sampling period. However, analysis results were generally decreased in winter season when each parameter and each sampling point are examined separately. According to correlation between every parameter, especially solid content and dissolved oxygen concentration of leachate is affecting to other parameters. Also, sodium and potassium are changing proportionally with same parameters (suspended solids, fixed solids, dissolved oxygen) and high correlation between chloride and heavy metal concentration is showing. The results were statistically evaluated by use of SPSS 10.0 program. Second part of the study, the leachate was extracted by Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) technique and then analyzed. Of the methodologies tested in this study, the best one selected was based on 100 μ m polydimethylsiloxane coated fiber (PDMS), headspace with heating (Δ HS) sampling mode and an extraction time of 15 min. at a temperature of 50 ^o C. Thirty three organic compounds in leachate were identified by GC/MS.     

Bioaccumulation of Some Heavy Metals in Different Tissues Of Dicentrarchus Labrax L, 1758, Sparus Aurata L, 1758 And Mugil Cephalus L, 1758 From the ÇamlIk Lagoon of the Eastern Cost Of Mediterranean (Turkey)

In this study, bioaccumulation of the heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cd) in the liver, gill, gonad and muscle tissues of Dicentrarchus labrax, Mugil cephalus and Sparus aurata were investigated seasonally. Camlik is the important fisheries lagoon located in The Iskenderun Bay, Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Due to heavy industrial and agricultural activities in the region, the bay has the polluted coastal waters of Turkey. Therefore, the levels of cadmium, zinc, iron were determined in the muscle in each species because of its importance for human consumption and also the liver, gill, gonad were analysed since these organs tend to accumulate metals. Heavy metal levels were found generally higher in the liver and gill than the gonad and muscle tissues in three species; the levels of all metals in a given tissue were generally higher in Mugil cephalus than the other two species. Data collected in this study suggest that Camlik lagoon is affected by a relatively metal pollution. The concentrations of Zn concentrations in the muscle tissues exceeded the acceptable levels for a food source for human consumption and other metals in the edible parts of the investigated fish were in the permissible safety levels for human uses.     

An Approach for Recreation Suitability Analysis to Recreation Planning in Gölcük Nature Park

Gölcük Nature Park (GNP) is an area protected by law in Turkey. It is an important nature park with rich flora, fauna, geomorphologic forms, landscape features, and recreational potential in the region. However, GNP does not have a recreation management plan. The purpose of this study was to determine the actual natural, cultural, and visual resources of GNP, determine the most suitable recreational sites with multiple factors, evaluate the demands and tendencies of visitors, and suggest recreational activities and facilities for the most suitable sites of GNP. However, it was also conceived as leading to a recreational plan and design of GNP in the future and identifying the entire appropriate and current data of GNP with the creation of various maps. This study used multifactor analysis to determine the most suitable recreation sites of GNP. Used recreation factors were established including degree of slope, proximity to water resources, accessibility, elevation, vegetation, soil, climate, aspect, current cultural facilities, visual values, and some limiting factors in accordance with the characteristics of GNP. Weighting and suitability values of factors were determined by 30 local expert surveys. All obtained data were evaluated and integrated in the Geographical Information Systems base. Obtained maps were overlapped. Thus, recreational suitability zones map were created manually. However, the demands and behaviours from visitor surveys in GNP were focused on the most suitable recreation sites of the park. Finally, 10% of GNP was identified as the most suitable sites for recreational use. Various recreational facilities and activities (including picnicking, sports facilities and playgrounds, camping sites, walking paths, food and local outlets, etc.) were recommended for nine of the most suitable areas on the proposed recreational map.     

Reconnecting to the Biosphere

Humanity has emerged as a major force in the operation of the biosphere, with a significant imprint on the Earth System, challenging social-ecological resilience. This new situation calls for a fundamental shift in perspectives, world views, and institutions. Human development and progress must be reconnected to the capacity of the biosphere and essential ecosystem services to be sustained. Governance challenges include a highly interconnected and faster world, cascading social-ecological interactions and planetary boundaries that create vulnerabilities but also opportunities for social-ecological change and transformation. Tipping points and thresholds highlight the importance of understanding and managing resilience. New modes of flexible governance are emerging. A central challenge is to reconnect these efforts to the changing preconditions for societal development as active stewards of the Earth System. We suggest that the Millennium Development Goals need to be reframed in such a planetary stewardship context combined with a call for a new social contract on global sustainability. The ongoing mind shift in human relations with Earth and its boundaries provides exciting opportunities for societal development in collaboration with the biosphere--a global sustainability agenda for humanity.     

Determination of heavy metal pollution with environmental physicochemical parameters in waste water of Kocabas Stream (Biga, Canakkale, Turkey) by ICP-AES

Waste water pollution of industrial areas can answer for the serious consequences of one of the most important environmental threats to the future. In this study, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry method (ICP-AES) is proposed to determine heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Cd, Cr, Zn, Al, Fe, Ni, Co, Mn) and major elements (Ca, Mg) in waste water of Kocabas Stream. The concentration of metals in the waste water samples taken from 9 different stations (St.) in Biga-Kocabas Stream in November 2004 (autumn period) were determined after simple pretreatment of samples by the proposed ICP-AES method. An analysis of a given sample is completed in about 15 min for ICP-AES the method. The results of heavy metals concentrations in waste water were found between 0.00001–77.69610 mg l⁻¹ by the ICP-AES technique. The concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Cr, Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, Mg and Ca 0.00001 (St.3,6,7) – 0.0087 mg l⁻¹ (St.9), 0.00001 (St.4-7) – 0.0020 mg l⁻¹ (St.8), 0.00001 (St.1,3-7,9) – 0.0041 mg l⁻¹ (St.2), 0.0620 (St.2) – 0.2080 mg l⁻¹ (St.3), 0.0082 (St.6) – 0.2290 mg l⁻¹ (St.8), 0.3580 (St.2) – 1.7400 mg l⁻¹ (St.3), 0.2240 (St.1) – 0.6790 mg l⁻¹ (St.3), 0.0080 (St.1) – 1.5840 mg l⁻¹ (St.3), 0.0170 (St.3) – 0.0640 mg l⁻¹ (St.2), 0.0010 (St.1,4,5,8) – 0.0080 mg l⁻¹ (St.3), 5.0640 (St.9) – 5.2140 mg l⁻¹ (St.1) and 43.3600 (St.2) – 77.6961 mg l⁻¹ (St.9), respectively. Also we measured environmental physicochemical parameters such as temperature, salinity, specific conductivity, total dissolved solid (TDS), pH, oxidation and reduction potential (ORP), and dissolved oxygen (DO) in the waste water at sampling stations.