Landfill leachate management in Istanbul: applications and alternatives

Treatment alternatives for Istanbul, Komurcuoda Landfill (KL) leachate that is currently transported to the nearest central wastewater treatment plant were comprehensively investigated with laboratory scale experiments. As flow rate of leachate increases parallel to increment in landfilled solid waste, an individual treatment will be needed to reduce the transportation cost and pollution load on central treatment. However, if the leachate is separately treated and discharged to a brook, in that case more stringent discharge standards will be valid and therefore advanced processes in addition to conventional ones should be included. In laboratory scale experiments, the young landfill leachate having BOD5/COD ratio above 0.6 was successfully treated with efficiencies above 90% in upflow anaerobic reactors if pH is kept below free ammonia inhibition level. Subsequently, nitrification of anaerobically treated leachate was performed with rates of about 8.5 mg NH4+-Ng-1 VSS h-1 and efficiencies above 99% were provided with automated pH regulation by using sodium bicarbonate. Furthermore, denitrification rates as high as 8.1 mg NOx-N g-1VSS h-1 was obtained when carbon source was externally supplied. In addition to nitrification and denitrification, air stripping and struvite precipitation were also applied to remove ammonia in leachate and in average 94% and 98% efficiencies were achieved, respectively. Finally, in average 85% of biologically inert COD was successfully removed by using either ozone or Fenton's oxidation.     

Comparisons and critical assessment of global and diffuse solar irradiation estimation methodologies

Defining better methodologies of accurate predictions of the amount of monthly mean daily global and diffuse solar irradiation exposed is of utmost importance in order to determine the potential for utilizing the solar energy. This study compares and discusses the main methodologies, databases, and software that are used in estimating the solar irradiation to be used for the short- and long-term performances and feasibilities of solar energy systems, especially photovoltaic power plants in Turkey, and addresses the best one to be used to make the most accurate estimations. The comparisons are carried out between the recent methodologies developed by the authors, some models taken from the related literature that are concluded to be better, a widely used database, namely Meteonorm, and a widely used software, namely EU PVGIS. The reference data to develop the methodologies and to make comparison are provided from the State Meteorological Service of Turkey, which is the responsible body in Turkey to make measurements of solar irradiation. The comparisons are based on monthly mean daily values of global and diffuse solar irradiation and are carried out by statistical errors: mean bias error and root mean square error. The results showed that the methodology developed by the authors has shown better performances in estimating the monthly mean daily global and diffuse solar irradiation amount for Turkey.     

Soil properties and root biomass responses to prescribed burning in young Corsican pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) stands

Fire is an important tool in the management of forest ecosystems. Although both prescribed and wildland fires are common in Turkey, few studies have addressed the influence of such disturbances on soil properties and root biomass dynamics. In this study, soil properties and root biomass responses to prescribed fire were investigated in 25-year-old corsican pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) stands in Kastamonu, Turkey. The stands were established by planting and were subjected to prescribed burning in July 2003. Soil respiration rates were determined every two months using soda-lime method over a two-year period. Fine (0-2 mm diameter) and small root (2-5 mm diameter) biomass were sampled approximately bimonthly using sequential coring method. Mean daily soil respiration ranged from 0.65 to 2.19 g Cm(-2) d(-1) among all sites. Soil respiration rates were significantly higher in burned sites than in controls. Soil respiration rates were correlated significantly with soil moisture and soil temperature. Fine root biomass was significantly lower in burned sites than in control sites. Mean fine root biomass values were 4940 kg ha(-1) for burned and 5450 kg ha(-1) for control sites. Soil pH was significantly higher in burned sites than in control sites in 15-35 cm soil depth. Soil organic matter content did not differ significantly between control and burned sites. Our results indicate that, depending on site conditions, fire could be used successfully as a tool in the management of forest stands in the study area.     

Solidification/stabilization of landfill leachate concentrate using different aggregate materials

The application of reverse osmosis for the treatment of landfill leachate is becoming widespread in Turkey as well as in Europe. A major drawback of this process is the production of concentrate, which could be as much as 30% of the feed stream, and high concentrations of salts and contaminants. The reverse osmosis concentrate is disposed of by using several methods including re-infiltration, drying, incineration and solidification/stabilization. In this study, solidification/stabilization (S/S) technology was studied for the treatment of reverse osmosis concentrate produced from landfill leachate. In order to benefit from its capability to absorb heavy metals, ammonia and some other pollutants, zeolite and different aggregate materials were used in solidification experiments. Main pollutants in the leachate concentrate, TOC, DOC, TDS and ammonia were successfully solidified and approximately 1% of TOC, DOC, TDS and ammonia remained in the eluate water. The results indicated that the landfill disposal limits could be attained by solidification/stabilization process.     

Mapping water chemical variables with spatially correlated errors

One of the most important considerations in many environmental studies is need to allow for correlations among the variables. Monitoring and analyzing relationships between chemical environmental parameters using spatial correlation based regression modelling is the main motivation of this applied study. For this purpose, some noticeable environmental parameters of data sets obtained from two lakes have been considered and the concentrations of chemical variables such as cadmium and nitrate have been appraised by a regression-based geostatistical methodology. The modelling procedure consists of two stages. In the first stage, spatial variables are analyzed via multi-linear regression and some relationships are provided. Next, by using the spatial auto-correlations of the residuals, a type of regression-based kriging procedure is applied. The capacity of the model for appraising the water chemical variables is also tested and performance comparisons with ordinary kriging are conducted. Finally, the applications showed that analyzing water chemical variables with spatially correlated errors is a convenient and applicable approach for assessing the environmental systems.     

Effects of climate change on surface water management of Seyhan basin,Turkey

The goal of this study was to set-up the basis for climate change adaptation of water resources management policies in Seyhan River basin. The first priority was to identify the balances between water resources and water users with respect to existing and planned projects. In this respect various aspects of Seyhan basin were evaluated, including evaluation of existing water resources, determination of water demand of existing and planned projects, and water resources supply-demand characteristics. The global climate change model was downscaled to the basin scale, the results were associated with hydrometeorological monitoring network and finally the impact of climate change on surface water resources and demands were determined for specific projection years. Water resources management scenarios were developed to evaluate adaptation alternatives to climate change scenarios at the basin level. It was determined that even though there was no water stress in Seyhan basin in 2010, many parts of the basin were expected to suffer significant shortages over the coming years.     

Applying linear analysis methods to GIS-supported procedures for preventing traffic accidents: Case study of Konya

This study develops methods to obtain maps to determine traffic Hot Spots in Konya, Turkey, by applying linear analysis supported by Geographical Information Systems (GIS).Hot Spot analysis is known method but the study differs from former researches at the point of determining of risky zones, classification and illustration of them on the maps with the different accident parameters. The aim is not to contribute another Hot Spot analysis using a number of statistical methods, but to determine the Highest Potential Hot Spots (HPHS), which are inter-sectional clusters, and to use different parameters, such as number of accidents, number of fatalities and injured, and number of accidents with only financial loss.In addition, apart from classical illustrational techniques, Hot Pieces (HPCS) on roads divided into 1 km segments are shown by their grading according to their numerical values. Hence, thematic illustration distinguishes them from others.Another aspect of this study is that, besides investigation of Hot Spots by means of data of accidents of previous years’, Probable Hot Spots (PRHS) were illustrated and highly potential Hot Spots were determined. These latter are candidates for Hot Spots in the near future. Thus, premature accidents can be anticipated easily.The main intention of this study is to emphasize the importance of using criteria, other than total accident number, to illustrate intersection Hot Spots and to constitute a model of accident severity and variety. It is anticipated that the results obtained from highway accidents data will guide improvement of the route segments.     

Land cover classification with an expert system approach using Landsat ETM imagery: a case study of Trabzon

The main objective of this study is to generate a knowledge base which is composed of user-defined variables and included raster imagery, vector coverage, spatial models, external programs, and simple scalars and to develop an expert classification using Landsat 7 (ETM+) imagery for land cover classification in a part of Trabzon city. Expert systems allow for the integration of remote-sensed data with other sources of geo-referenced information such as land use data, spatial texture, and digital elevation model to obtain greater classification accuracy. Logical decision rules are used with the various datasets to assign class values for each pixel. Expert system is very suitable for the work of image interpretation as a powerful means of information integration. Landsat ETM data acquired in the year 2000 were initially classified into seven classes for land cover using a maximum likelihood decision rule. An expert system was constructed to perform post-classification sorting of the initial land cover classification using additional spatial datasets such as land use data. The overall accuracy of expert classification was 95.80%. Individual class accuracy ranged from 75% to 100% for each class.     

The Strategic Impact of Adaptation in a Transboundary Pollution Dynamic Game

This work studies the strategic impact of a region’s investment in adaptation measures on the equilibrium outcomes of a transboundary pollution dynamic game played in finite horizon. We incorporate adaptation as a region-specific capital stock that decreases local damages and study the feedback (subgame perfect) equilibrium of the non-cooperative game between two regions. In order to discern the impact of adaptation, we compare the equilibrium solutions of three scenarios, which differ in the regions’ ability to invest in adaptation measures. The results show that investing in adaptation gives regions an incentive to increase their emissions, which causes an inverse strategic response in the other region. The anticipation of a rise in pollution makes the other region respond by cutting its emissions and investing more in adaptation. The equilibrium trajectories of the stocks of pollution and adaptation capital follow the highest path over time when both regions adapt. When there is an asymmetry between regions in their adaptation capabilities, the region that does not (or cannot) adapt becomes worse off due to lower emissions and higher damages, while the adapting region finishes the game better off than the no-adaptation case.     

Development of new monthly global and diffuse solar irradiation estimation methodologies and comparisons

In assessing and deciding the prediction schemes of solar irradiation countrywide, better the accuracy means better the management of energy transition toward renewables. Consequently, the present study is on the development of new models to make the most accurate possible estimations of the global and diffuse solar irradiation based on ground measurements. Such analysis produces the most accurate estimations for the input of solar energy systems. This is utmost significant for deciding the investments on solar energy systems and their design periods. Turkey is a high-potent country whose solar energy market has been growing rapidly. She doesn’t have adequate reliable measurement network and there is no estimation methodology developed for each and every point within its territory. Moreover, installing such a measurement system network doesn’t seem to be economically feasible and technically possible, inter alia. Accordingly, this study defines a methodology to make the most accurate estimations of monthly mean daily solar irradiation on horizontal surface and its diffuse and beam components. For the global and diffuse estimations, new methodologies in linear and quadratic forms are developed, compared, and discussed. The comparison is applied by using mean bias error and root mean square error statistical comparison methods. The measured data values used for modeling and comparisons are provided from the State Meteorological Service of Turkey responsible authority for solar irradiation measurements. The results revealed that the methodologies explained in this study give very high accurate values of total solar irradiation on a horizontal surface and its diffuse component.