PCDD/F contamination on surface soil in the vicinity of a hazardous waste incinerator: is it possible a different trend?

This study is the first to investigate the contamination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) on surface soils in the vicinity of the first hazardous waste incinerator of Turkey. In the study, 24 soil samples were taken from a 1625-m-radius circle whose center is the stack of the incinerator. This process was repeated 1 year later. Since the acquired average PCDD/F concentrations of the two sampling campaigns (0.05 and 0.02 ng WHO-toxic equivalent (TEQ)/kg) were meaningfully low compared to the related literatures, a new sampling campaign was carried out to control this inconsistency, but this time in a foreign laboratory (0.56 ng WHO-TEQ/kg). In the same period, eight gas samples were taken from the stack under different operational conditions of the facility. According to the evaluations of the findings, the geographical-meteorological data of the study area and the specific operational conditions of the facility corroborate the concentrations of the first and the second soil samplings rather than the third one. The major underlying reason for the inconsistency of the soil concentrations may be the fact that the data analysis procedures used by the laboratories are different. The author suggests a hypothesis which argues that the soils in the vicinity of a hazardous waste incinerator may have significantly lower concentration levels than in related literatures.     

A two stage batch adsorber design for methylene blue removal to minimize contact time

The adsorption of methylene blue onto bentonite in a batch adsorber has been studied. Three kinetic models, the intraparticle diffusion equation and the pseudo first and second order equations, were selected to follow the adsorption process. Kinetic parameters, rate constants, equilibrium adsorption capacities and related correlation coefficients for each kinetic model were calculated and discussed. It was shown that the adsorption of methylene blue onto bentonite could be described by the pseudo second order equation. Adsorption of methylene blue onto bentonite followed the Langmuir isotherm. A model has been developed for the design of a two stage batch adsorber based on pseudo second order adsorption kinetics. The model has been optimized with respect to operating time in order to minimize total contact time to achieve a specified amount of methylene blue removal using a fixed mass of adsorbent. The results of two stage batch adsorber design studies showed that the required times for specified amounts of methylene blue removal significantly decreased. This design is particularly suitable for low-cost adsorbents/adsorption systems when minimising contact time is a major operational and design criterion and a significant volume of effluent needs to be treated in the minimum amount of time.     

Characterization of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Their Sources in the Air of Izmir, Turkey

Air samples were collected in Izmir, Turkey at two (suburban and urban) sites during three sampling programs in 2002 and 2004 to determine the ambient concentrations of several monoaromatic, chlorinated and oxygenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Samples were analyzed for 60 VOCs using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and 28 compounds were detected in most samples. On the average, urban air VOC concentrations were about four times higher than those measured at the suburban site. Toluene (40.6%) was the most abundant compound in suburban site and was followed by benzene (7.4%), o,m-xylene (6.5%), and 1,2-dichloroethane (5.1%). In urban site, toluene (30.5%), p-xylene (14.9%), o,m-xylene (11.4%), and ethyl benzene (7.2%) were the dominating compounds in summer. In winter, toluene (31.1%), benzene (23.9%), 1,2-dichloroethane (9.5%), and o,m-xylene (8.2%) were the most abundant compounds. Receptor modeling (positive matrix factorization) has been performed to estimate the contribution of specific source types to ambient concentrations. Six source factors (gasoline vehicle exhaust, diesel vehicle exhaust+residential heating, paint production/application, degreasing, dry cleaning, and an undefined source) were extracted from the samples collected in the urban site. Three source factors (gasoline vehicle exhaust, diesel vehicle exhaust, and paint production/application) were identified for the suburban site.     

Ambient concentrations and source apportionment of PCBs and trace elements around an industrial area in Izmir, Turkey

Atmospheric concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and trace elements were measured at two sites (Industrial and Urban) located around the Aliaga industrial region, Izmir, Turkey. Average sigma 36PCB concentrations were 3136+/-824 and 1371+/-642 pg m(-3) for summer and winter periods, respectively in the Industrial site and they were 314+/-129 and 847+/-610 pg m(-3) in the Urban site. The elemental content showed that the PM(10) measured at the Industrial site was dominated by terrestrial elements and trace elements emitted by the iron-steel plants (Fe, Zn and Pb). The elemental profile at the Urban site was typical for Aegean Region that was dominated by terrestrial elements (Ca, Al, Mg) and sea salt (Na). Sources of particle-phase PCBs and trace elements were identified using factor analysis (FA) and were apportioned by chemical mass balance (CMB) model. FA suggested that the steel industry, fuel oil combustion, or the nearby vinyl chloride process in the petrochemical plant, and soil were significant PCB sources. CMB results showed that at the Industrial site, the contribution of steel industry and soil to particle-phase PCBs were 71% and 22%, respectively, while at the Urban site, the contributions were 33% and 49%, respectively. Steel industry was also the dominant contributor for trace elements around the site. Fugacity calculations in air and soil showed that the soil acts as a secondary source to the atmosphere for low molecular weight PCBs especially in summer and as a sink for the higher molecular weight ones.     

Heavy metal deposition in moss samples from East and South Marmara Region, Turkey

A survey of atmospheric heavy metal deposition in the east and south Marmara region, Turkey was carried out in September 2004. For this purpose, moss samples (Hypnum cupressiforme) were collected in a systematic network of 125 sites. Concentrations of the elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Fe, Co, Cr, Cu, K, Li, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, Mg, Ti, and Zn) in the moss were used as an indication of the level of air pollution in the region. Significant differences in heavy metal concentrations, especially for Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn, were recorded in the moss samples collected around industrialized and heavily populated cities (Istanbul, Bursa, Band?rma, Kocaeli, Biga-?an) and in an abandoned lead-mining area (Bal?kesir-Balya). A map of the spatial distribution of each element in the region was plotted, and enrichment factors were calculated. VARIMAX principal component analysis was applied to the data obtained, and five different components were obtained. The results showed that Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn derived from anthropogenic and industrial sources while other elements came mostly from natural sources.     

Investigating the environmental Kuznets Curve and the role of green energy: Emerging and developed markets

In this study, the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis and the effect of green energy sources to decrease CO₂ emissions are examined for emerging and developed markets from 1990 to 2011 using a pooled mean group (PMG) estimator. Empirical findings of this study suggest that the EKC hypothesis is not confirmed by emerging markets; meanwhile, it is strongly supported by developed markets. The long-run elasticity results of per capita data may also imply a divergence between emerging markets and developed markets regarding CO₂ emissions. On the other hand, the findings of this study indicate that renewable energy sources will play an important role in reducing CO₂ emissions for both panel groups in the long run.     

Adsorption of phosphate from aqueous solution onto alunite

The phosphate removal potential of alunite, a low cost and abundantly available material, has been investigated. The effects of calcination temperature and time of alunite, adsorbent particle size, pH and initial phosphate concentration on the phosphate adsorption by the calcined alunite have been studied. Phosphate removal was seen to increase with increasing calcination temperature, decreasing adsorbent particle size and pH. Adsorption of phosphate followed first-order rate kinetics. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm constants and correlation coefficients were calculated and compared. It was concluded that the adsorption data of phosphate onto calcined alunite fitted to the Langmuir model more than Freundlich model. Specific surface areas of the calcined alunite were calculated at different calcination temperatures and particle sizes.     

A mathematical modeling of sulphur dioxide pollution in Erzurum City

A non-linear simple air-quality model was developed by applying the continuity equation for the air control volume over Erzurum city center and tested using daily average values of SO2 and meteorological data obtained during the winter seasons in Erzurum, Turkey from 1994 to 1998. Model parameters are estimated by non-linear regression analysis. Agreement between model predictions and measured data was found very satisfactory with standard deviations less than 20 microg/m3.