Size fraction of hazardous particulate matter governing the respiratory deposition and inhalation risk in the highly polluted city Delhi

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Delhi has been identified as one of the highly polluted cities in the world and recently associated with the highest population weighted PM2.5...     

Modeling of energy and emissions from animal manure using machine learning methods: the case of the Western Mediterranean Region,Turkey

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In Turkey, facilities for the use of biomass resources in energy production are increasing, and new conversion facilities are commissioned every year...     

Potential of microalgae Bio-Coke as a sustainable solid fuel alternative to coal coke

Energy and environmental issues have triggered the search for new sources of green energy alternatives in recent years. Biofuel production from renewable sources is widely considered one of the most sustainable alternatives for environmental and economic sustainability. Microalgae are currently being promoted as one of the most promising liquid biofuel feedstocks due to their rapid growth, high lipid production capacity, and carbon–neutral cycle. In this study, whole microalgae cells were utilized as raw material to produce solid biofuel, i.e., Bio-Coke, and this study aimed to investigate the possibility of microalgae Bio-Coke as an alternative to coal coke. The results show that Bio-Coke can be produced from microalgae in the temperature range of 80–100 °C. The apparent density is between 1.253 and 1.261 g/cm³, comparable to the apparent density of lignocellulosic Bio-Coke. Additionally, the calorific value is higher than the calorific value of lignocellulosic Bio-Coke and within the range of the calorific value of subbituminous coal. Therefore, microalgae Bio-Coke can be utilized to replace coal coke usage in the future.

     

North–South Investment Flows and Optimal Environmental Policies

In the context of a simple North–South model that focuses on the international movement of capital, we show how neglect of pollution-generating effects of foreign investment may lead to distorted and misleading policy recommendations. Such a neglect has recently received emphasis in the empirical literature on East Asian economies, as in Bello and Rosenfeld (1990, “Dragons in Distress: Asia's Miracle Economics in Crisis,” Food First, San Francisco), and was shown to overlook resulting tendencies in these economies toward specialization, away from agriculture and toward manufacturing. Our simple model formalizes this observation and allows us to show that even for an unspecialized capital-poor, resource-rich South, such pollution-generating effects provide incentives for the North to encourage, rather than to discourage, foreign investment abroad and strengthen Southern incentives to restrict foreign investment more sharply than is conventionally assumed. In a nutshell, it brings out the implications of Northern capital “creating its own demand” as a consequence of its adverse impact on the Southern resource base. Despite its simplicity, the model thus sheds light on three interrelated aspects of international trading relations: production asymmetry, incomplete markets, and monopolistic advantage.     

Analysis of gross alpha, gross beta activities and beryllium-7 concentrations in surface air: their variations and statistical prediction model

Measurement of gross α, gross β activities and cosmogenic beryllium-7 (⁷Be) concentrations were made both daily and weekly during the years 2001–2004 from samples of atmospheric aerosols filtered from the air at Tehran Nuclear Research Center (35 41′ N) and Zahedan (28 29′ N). Weekly aerosol samples collected with the high-volume air samplers on cellulose filters were used to determine the ⁷Be contents of samples, using a semiconductor gamma spectrometer. Airborne dust samples were collected daily on fiber glass filters and used to determine the gross β and gross α activities with automatic beta analyzer and a ZnS(Ag) counter, respectively. In this work, the concentration and meteorological data were used to determine models for gross α, gross β and ⁷Be. The air concentrations of gross β and gross α activities and ⁷Be concentrations displayed lognormal distributions during the study period. Both β and ⁷Be have maximum activity concentrations during warm mid-year months.     

Classification and mapping forest sites using geographic information system (GIS): a case study in Artvin Province

The productivity of forest sites has been indirectly determined with solo wood production objective in forest management. Forest site productivity should, however, be determined directly in order to implement ecosystem based multipurpose forest management philosophy. This article tackles the problem in distinguishing and mapping forest sites using both direct method and indirect method in Genya Mountain located in central of Artvin State Forest Enterprise. About 112 sample plots were designed and distributed over the area. In each sample plot, soil samples were collected and the classical timber inventory measurements were taken. According to direct method, Soil Moisture Regime (SMR) method is preferred due to a water deficiency in the study area. Water holding capacity was used as an essential criterion for the classification of the forest site. Forest site classifications were assigned regarding the physiographic factors such as landform, aspect, and slope. Five different forest sites classes; dry, moderate fresh, fresh, humid and hygric were determined. According to direct method, the guiding curve was used to generate anamorphic site index (SI) equations and three site index classes; good (SI=I–II), medium (SI=III) and low (SI=IV–V) were determined. Some important differences between the methods were realized. The forest sites determined with site index estimation method indicate that site index I and II is 505.99 ha, III 1095.79 ha and IV and V 992.95 ha, whereas forest sites determined with direct method related to dry site of 937.58 ha, moderate fresh site of 931.90 ha, fresh site of 1,797.71 ha, humid site of 80.48 ha and hygric site of 356.55 ha. The forest site maps of both methods were created using GIS functions. The forest sites of open and degraded areas should be determined according to direct method.     

Quantifying coastal inundation vulnerability of Turkey to sea-level rise

The vulnerability of low-lying coastal areas in Turkey to inundation was quantified based on the sea-level rise scenarios of 1, 2, and 3 m by 2205. Through digital elevation model (DEM) acquired by the shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM), the extent and distribution of the high to low-risk coastal plains were identified. The spatio-temporal analysis revealed the inundated coastal areas of 545, 1,286, and 2,125 km² at average rates of 5, 10, and 15 mm yr⁻¹ for 200 years, respectively. This is equivalent to minimum and maximum land losses by 2205 of 0.1–0.3% of the total area and of 1.3–5.2% of the coastal areas with elevations of less than 100 m in the country, respectively. This study provides an initial assessment of vulnerability to sea-level rise to help decision-makers, and other concerned stakeholders to develop appropriate public policies and land-use planning measures.     

Evaluating greywater reuse potential for sustainable water resources management in Oman

This study aims to evaluate the potential of greywater availability in Muscat Governorate in the Sultanate of Oman, to establish a methodology for greywater quantity estimation, to test greywater quality in order to assess reuse potential, and to examine public acceptance for reuse.Total fresh water consumption and greywater generation from different household sources were measured by water meters in five selected households during summer and winter. Additionally, a survey was designed and conducted in five administrative areas of Muscat Governorate, with the objective of testing a methodology for estimating greywater generation potential in these areas. Collected data were compared with that used by the Ministry of Housing, Electricity and Water, Sultanate of Oman. The survey covered a total of 169 houses and 1,365 people. Greywater samples were collected and analyzed from showers, laundries, kitchens and sinks in some of these households to determine their water quality parameters. Statistical analysis results indicated that there is no significant variance in the total fresh water consumption between data used by the ministry and those measured and estimated during this study, highlighting the applicability of the tested method. The study concluded that the average per capita greywater generation rate is 151 Lpcd. Greywater production ranged from 80 to 83% of the total fresh water consumption and most of the greywater is generated from showers. Further, 55 to 57% of the greywater generated in a typical Omani household originated from the shower, 28 to 33% originated from the kitchen, 6 to 9% originated from laundry, and 5 to 7% originated from sink, which constitutes approximately 81% of the total fresh water consumption. The physical, chemical, and biological analyses of the grab samples revealed that greywater contains significant levels of suspended solids, inorganic constituents, total organic carbon, chemical and biochemical oxygen demands, total Coliforms and Escherichia Coliform bacteria. The public acceptance survey illustrated that approximately 76% of the respondents accepted the reuse of greywater for gardening, 53% for car washing and 66% for toilet flushing.     

Spatial and temporal dynamics of land use pattern in Eastern Turkey: a case study in Gümüşhane

Recognition and understanding of landscape dynamics as a historical legacy of disturbances are necessary for sustainable management of forest ecosystems. This study analyzed spatial and temporal changes in land use and land cover patterns in a typical mountain watershed in the Gumushane district along the Northeastern part of Turkey. The area is investigated by comparing LANDSAT images from 1987 to 2000 and evaluated the temporal changes of spatial structure of forest conditions through spatial analysis of forest cover type maps from 1971 and 1987 using GIS and FRAGSTATS™. The results show a general decreasing trend in area of natural land cover types including broadleaf and conifer forests as well as coppice between 1971 and 1987 (0.54%, respectively). In contrast, between 1987 and 2000 this natural land cover types show increasing trend (1.6%). In parallel with forest dynamics, the area of managed land including lowland and upland agricultural areas, rangelands and grasslands increased during the first period and decreased during second period. In terms of spatial configuration, Gümüşhane forests aren’t generally fragmented by intensive forest utilization in the latter periods. This is partially due to out-migration of rural population in Gümüşhane. Nevertheless, land use pattern significantly changed over time depending on a few factors such as unregulated management actions, social pressure and demographic movements. The study revealed that demographic movements have a major effect on landscape dynamics.     

Mapping chlorophyll-a through in-situ measurements and Terra ASTER satellite data

This paper presents an application of water quality mapping through real-time satellite and ground data. The Lake Beysehir which is the largest freshwater lake and drinking water reservoir in Turkey was selected as the study area. Terra ASTER satellite image is used as remote sensing data source for water quality mapping in addition to simultaneously performed in-situ measurements. Ground data is collected simultaneously with the ASTER overpass on June 09, 2005 over the Lake Beysehir. The spatial distribution map is developed by using multiple regression (MR) technique for water quality parameter, which is chlorophyll-a (chl-a). The results indicate that simultaneous ground and satellite remote sensing data are highly correlated (R (2) > 0.86). In the image processing step, geometric correction, image filtering and development of water quality map procedures are performed with the ERDAS Imagine and ArcGIS 9.0 software. The trophic status of Lake Beysehir is considered to be oligotrophic with an average 1.55 microg/l chl-a concentration.