Ground temperature estimations for Bolu,Turkey

The approximation of the soil temperature profile may be considered for many energy, environmental, and agriculture applications. In this study, temperature approximation model of ground in Bolu is developed. Unsteady state one-dimensional semi-infinite solid model is used to calculate temperature variation in ground. The results of the temperature equation which are obtained by using analytical method are compared with experimental data obtained from The Turkish State Meteorological Service. Developed model to predict soil temperature variation for Bolu has been solved by using MATLAB computer program. Satisfactory agreement is observed between them.     

Evaluation of anthropogenic effects on water quality and bacterial diversity in Rawal Lake,Islamabad

Water quality and bacterial diversity in the surface water of Rawal Lake was investigated for a period of 8 months to evaluate the pollution load from anthropogenic effects of surrounding areas. Rawal Lake in Islamabad, Pakistan is an artificial reservoir that provides the water needs for the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Grabbed water samples were collected according to standard protocols from ten different locations of the lake and tributaries keeping in view the recharge points from adjacent areas. Temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, hardness, alkalinity, and turbidity of water samples were determined to study the water quality characteristics. The physicochemical parameters showed higher values at the tributaries as compared to the sampling locations within the lake such as values of hardness and alkalinity were 298 and 244 mg/L, respectively, at the tributary of the Nurpur stream. Bacterial strains were isolated by streaking on differential and selective growth media by observing colony morphology and other biochemical tests such as Gram reaction, oxidase, and catalase test. Template DNA was prepared from pure cultivated bacteria and 16S rRNA gene analysis was performed using universal primers for bacteria. Sequencing was performed by using BigDye terminator cycle sequencing kit. Sequences of nearest relative microbial species were identified by using basic local alignment search tool and used as reference sequences for phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic trees were inferred using the neighbor-joining method. Sequencing and phylogenetic characterization of microbes showed various phylotypes, of which Firmicutes, Teobacteria, and Proteobacteria were predominant.     

Seasonal variation of Sarpa salpa fish toxicity, as related to phytoplankton consumption, accumulation of heavy metals, lipids peroxidation level in fish tissues and toxicity upon mice

The aim of this work was to investigate for Sarpa salpa the seasonal trend in the food sources, heavy metals bioaccumulation and the oxidative stress in the organs. In addition, the toxicity was assessed by mouse bioassay of extract of the fish's organs collected in autumn, the peak of occurrence of hallucinatory syndrome. The toxicity was further studied for compounds present in epiphyte collected from the sea at the end of spring and in summer that are digested by the S. salpa in these seasons. We observed a higher lipid peroxydation in different tissues of S. salpa compared to the control fish Diplodus annularis. Furthermore, heavy metals accumulation in organs of these fish showed a significant variation between the two species (P?<?0.05). The lethal dose (LD50%) determined for crude ciguatoxin (neurotoxins) extracts of viscera, liver, brain and muscle of S. salpa were as follows: 1.217, 2.195, 14.395, 18.645 g/kg mouse, respectively. We noticed a significant correlation (P?<?0.05) between the total amount of toxic dinoflagellates and the level of TBARS in the liver, the brain and the muscle, this for all seasons and all sizes. Moreover, the cytotoxic effect observed for epiphytes extract confirms the transfer of toxins originating from toxic dinoflagellates, which live as epiphytes on P. oceanica leaves, to the fish by grazing. Our work indicates that, toxic phytoplanktons and heavy metals accumulation are responsible for the increase of oxidative stress in the organs of S. salpa. Hence, the edible part of S. salpa, especially the viscera and liver, can cause a threat to human health, and consumption should, for this reason, be dissuaded.     

Identifying genes and gene networks involved in chromium metabolism and detoxification in Crambe abyssinica

Chromium pollution is a serious environmental problem with few cost-effective remediation strategies available. Crambe abyssinica (a member of Brassicaseae), a non-food, fast growing high biomass crop, is an ideal candidate for phytoremediation of heavy metals contaminated soils. The present study used a PCR-Select Suppression Subtraction Hybridization approach in C.?abyssinica to isolate differentially expressed genes in response to Cr exposure. A total of 72 differentially expressed subtracted cDNAs were sequenced and found to represent 43 genes. The subtracted cDNAs suggest that Cr stress significantly affects pathways related to stress/defense, ion transporters, sulfur assimilation, cell signaling, protein degradation, photosynthesis and cell metabolism. The regulation of these genes in response to Cr exposure was further confirmed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Characterization of these differentially expressed genes may enable the engineering of non-food, high-biomass plants, including C.?abyssinica, for phytoremediation of Cr-contaminated soils and sediments.     

Biomonitoring of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb using lichens and mosses around coal-fired power plants in Western Turkey

Mosses and lichens are useful biological indicators of environmental contamination for a variety of metals and radionuclides of both natural and artificial origin. These plants lack a well-developed root system and rely largely on atmospheric deposition for nourishment. Therefore in the study, different lichens (Cladonia convoluta, Cladonia foliacea) and mosses (Homalothecium sericeum, Hypnum lacunosum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Tortella tortuosa, Didymodon acutus, Syntrichia ruralis, Syntrichia intermedia, Pterogonium graciale, Isothecium alopecuroides, Pleurochatae squarrosa) were collected around the Yata?an (Mu?la), Soma (Manisa), Seyitömer - Tunçbilek (Kütahya) coal-fired power plants and investigated for potential use as biomonitors for ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb deposition. While the activity concentrations of ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb in lichens are in the ranges of 151 ± 7-593 ± 21 and 97 ± 5-364 ± 13 Bq kg⁻¹, for mosses the ranges for ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb are 124 ± 5-1125 ± 38 and 113 ± 4-490 ± 17 Bq kg⁻¹, respectively. In the study, the moss samples were observed to accumulate more ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb compared to lichens. While the most suitable biomonitor was a moss species (H. lacunosum) for Yata?an (Mu?la), it was another moss species (S. intermedia) for Soma (Manisa) and Seyitömer - Tunçbilek (Kütahya) sites. ²¹⁰Po concentrations were found higher than ²¹⁰Pb concentrations at the all sampling stations.     

A model for prediction of product distributions for the reactions of phenol derivatives with hydroxyl radicals

In this study, with the intention of estimating the photocatalytic or photodegradation rates and finding certain predictors to be used for the determination of the most probable reaction path and the primary intermediate, the reactions of (*)OH radicals with 11 phenol derivatives including benzene were modeled. For 43 possible reaction routes, calculations of the geometric parameters, the electronic and thermodynamic properties of the reactants, the product radicals and the transition state complexes were performed with the semiempirical PM3 and DFT/B3LYP/6-31G(*) methods. The solvation effects were computed using COSMO as the solvation model. Based on the results of quantum mechanical calculations, the rate constants, the branching ratios and the product distributions of all the possible reaction paths were calculated by means of the transition state theory. Three predictors were determined for the prediction of the most probable transition state and the reaction path. The differences in the reaction rates were explained in terms of the presence of hydrogen bonds in the transition state complexes and the entropy effects. Finally the results obtained were compared with the available experimental data in order to assess the reliability of the proposed model.     

Heavy metal accumulation and histomorphological alterations in Aphanius fasciatus (Pisces,Cyprinodontidae) from the Gulf of Gabes (Tunisia)

The present study illustrates an analysis of histological changes; cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) accumulation; and metallothionein (MT) levels in normal and deformed Mediterranean killifish, Aphanius fasciatus (Pisces, Cyprinodontidae), collected from unpolluted (S1) and polluted areas (S2) in the Gulf of Gabes in Tunisia. Metal determination in water and sediment showed that the concentrations were significantly higher (p?Histopathological investigations revealed greater changes in gills, kidney, liver, and bone tissues of fish from the polluted area than those recorded in fish from the reference area. In comparison to normal fish of the polluted area (S2), tissue alterations were more developed in deformed specimens of this site. A possible relationship between metallic pollution, incidence of spinal deformities, and histological changes in A. fasciatus in the polluted site was discussed.     

Investigation on thermal degradation kinetics and mechanisms of chicken manure,lignite, and their blends by TGA

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was performed under the air environment for four different heating rates (10, 20, 30, and 40 °C...     

Development of a new adsorbent from pumpkin husk by KOH-modification to remove copper ions

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Heavy metal pollution in watercourses is a major environmental problem throughout the world due to rapid population growth, industrialization, and...