Solid phase extraction of Cu(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Cd(II) and Mn(II) ions with 1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol loaded Amberlite XAD-1180

A new method for separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of Cu(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Cd(II) and Mn(II) ions in various matrices was proposed. The method is based on the adsorption and chelation of the metal ions on a column containing Amberlite XAD-1180 resin impregnated with 1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN) reagent prior to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The effect of pH, type, concentration and volume of eluent, sample volume, flow rates of sample and elution solutions, and interfering ions have been investigated. The optimum pH for simultaneous retention of all the metal ions was 9. Eluent for quantitative elution was 20 ml of 2 mol l(-1) HNO(3). The optimum sample and eluent flow rates were found as 4 ml min(-1), and also sample volume was 500 ml, except for Mn (87% recovery). The sorption capacity of the resin was found to be 0.77, 0.41, 0.57, and 0.30 mg g(-1) for Cu(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), and Mn(II), respectively. The preconcentration factor of the method was 200 for Cu(II), 150 for Pb(II), 100 for Cd(II) and Ni(II), and 50 for Mn(II). The recovery values for all of the metal ions were > or = 95% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) were < or = 5.1%. The detection limit values were in the range of 0.03 and 1.19 microg l(-1). The accuracy of the method was confirmed by analysing the certified reference materials (TMDA 54.4 fortified lake water and GBW 07605 tea samples) and the recovery studies. This procedure was applied to the determination of Cu(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Cd(II) and Mn(II) in waste water and lake water samples.     

Spatiotemporal changes of landscape pattern in response to deforestation in Northeastern Turkey: a case study in Rize

Recognition and understanding of landscape dynamics as a historical legacy of disturbances are necessary for sustainable management of forest ecosystems. This study analyzes spatial and temporal changes in land use and forest cover patterns in a typical mountain forest area in Rize Forest Enterprise of the Northeastern part of Turkey. The area is investigated by evaluated the temporal changes of spatial structure of forest conditions through spatial analysis of forest cover type maps from 1984 and 2007 using GIS and FRAGSTATS. The quantative evidences presented here showed that there were drastic changes in the temporal and spatial dynamics of land use/forest cover. As an overall change between 1984 and 2007, there was a net decrease of 2.30% in total forested areas. On one hand, productive forest areas decreased 12,506 ha, on the other hand, degraded forest areas increased 14,805 ha. In examining the changes of crown closure and development stages of forest ecosystem during the study period, the forest stand area with medium crown closures increased. Regenerated area increased while the other development stages were left to grow to mature development stages in the period. These results regarding to crown closure and development stage showed that forest quality has increased but total forest areas decreased. This is partially due to out-migration of rural population in Rize and Cayeli towns. In terms of spatial configuration, analysis of the metrics revealed that landscape structure in Study area had changed substantially over the 23-year study period, resulting in fragmentation of the landscape as indicated by the large patch numbers and the smaller mean patch sizes due to heavy timber subtraction, illegal cutting, and uncontrolled stand treatments.     

The assessment of the relationship between various waterscapes and outdoor activities: Edirne,Turkey

The environment is very important in terms of the behaviours and actions of human beings, and activity–environment correlation is used frequently in outdoor arrangements. The environment must meet the requirements and expectations of society. Outdoor activities are the activities that contribute to the well-being of human beings in physical (heartbeat, respiration, blood pressure, etc.) (Ulrich, Journal of Environmental Psychology 11:210–230, 1991), psychological (fear, anxiety, depression, loneliness, stress, etc.) (Marcus and Barnes 1999) and behavioural (insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, passivity, etc.) (Ulrich 1999) terms. It is known that human beings are affected significantly by the environments they are in, and more importantly, it is known that the environment they are in affects their happiness status. The causes of this effect are the features and appearances of the spatial elements and components that mainly make up such environments. One of the elements that is used frequently in landscape is water. If one examines designed or natural open spaces, it may be observed that water has very distinctive features. Dynamic (in the form of a leak, with intense flow rate, cascade, foamy, squirting, jet, graded, etc.) and still water elements may be used with sculptures, plants, rocks and elevations (on land). This study aims to reveal which age groups of students enjoy the different types of activities with regards to water features and emotional associations that motion and characteristics of water bring out in human beings and also to reveal the water preferences of human beings, including their reasons for such preference. Thus, 20 different water compositions located in Edirne Province were selected, and in 2-min camera reels, the students of various age groups assessed water with various characteristic features via a survey. As a result, it was revealed that human beings from various age groups wish to perform different activities with water elements having distinctive characteristic features, and the types of water elements that are subject to various age groups’ like and dislike were determined. Kruskal–Wallis test was used during testing the effect of age differences. Chi-square analysis was used in order to examine the effect of age differences on preferences with regards to the activities that shall be performed at locations that include utilization of various water elements. The results reveal that while the use of water should be allowed in landscaping, selections regarding the elements of these water features should be made based on the type of activity and the age group of users in relation to the location.     

Non-target effect of organic insecticides: effect of two plant extracts on soil microbial biomass and enzymatic activities in soil

Efficacious botanical derivatives can provide an alternative to synthetic pesticides for organic farming systems. However, there is lack of information regarding the side effects of organic pesticides on key soil ecological processes. In this study, we investigated the effects of aqueous extracts from Urginea maritima and Euphorbia myrsinites exhibiting translaminar and systemic activity against pests on microbial biomass and enzymatic activities in soil. Two grams of plant material was extracted with 100 ml of water and then diluted 1:100, 2:100, and 4:100 with distilled water. Diluted plant extracts were applied around hypocotyl of tomato by soil drench. The effect of both plant extracts on microbial biomass C, amount of total N and organic C, and enzymatic activity in soil was significant. After the last application, the highest microbial biomass C was determined in the lowest U. maritima concentration (U 1:100). Soils treated with the highest concentration of U. maritima (U 4:100) had always lower SMBC content than control soil. All concentrations of E. myrsinites decreased microbial biomass C by 18% to 27% compared to the control. Total nitrogen and organic carbon decreased in soils without (control) and with treated U. maritima extract from first application to last application. Phosphatase, urease, and β-glucosidase activities were monitored in plant extract-treated soils. Except U. maritima 1:100 treatments of second and fourth applications, the other treatments of plant extracts negatively affected enzymatic activity in soil. U. maritima and E. myrsinites plant extracts exhibited different effects on soil microbial biomass and activity, probably because of their different chemical contents.     

滨海平原咸水入侵动态监测网构建研究——以潍河下游地区为例

作为进行咸水入侵动态监测的基础性工作，对潍河下游地区的供需水平衡及地下水位、水质和地层电阻率在咸淡水界面上变化规律进行了研究分析；同时，探索了监测工作的地理工程技术途径，并据此构建了3个层次的监测体系：（1）宏观区域供需水平衡分析与地下水位负值区变化监测，（2）中观咸水入侵发展变化的物探监测，（3）微观地下水位、水质变化监测；最后，为了对日益增多的咸水入侵动态数据资料进行有效的管理，设计了一个基于GIS的、以数据库管理应用为核心的信息系统。     

Levels of organohalogenated persistent pollutants in human milk from Kahramanmaraş region, Turkey

The levels of 1,1,1-trichloro-bis-2,2'-(4-chlorophenyl) ethane (p,p'-DDT) and its metabolites, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), chlordanes (trans- and cis-chlordane, oxychlordane and trans-nonachlor), 11 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and 7 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners were measured in 37 individual human milk samples from Kahramanmara? region, Turkey. Organochlorine pesticides were the major contaminants in the milk samples. p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDT were detected in all samples, while beta-HCH had a detection frequency of 97%. The sum of the DDTs in human milk samples varied between 0.52 and 315.8 ng/g wet weight (ww) with a mean ratio between p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDT equal to 31.1. p,p'-DDD could be measured only in six samples. beta-HCH was the most prevalent HCH isomer with a mean value of 2.08 ng/g ww. The mean concentration of gamma-HCH was 0.38 ng/g ww, while alpha-HCH was not detected in any sample. HCB is found in 95% of the milk samples with a mean concentration of 0.30 ng/g ww. The mean value for the sum of chlordanes was 0.39 ng/g ww, with oxychlordane and trans-nonachlor being the principal contributors. PCBs could be measured only in 8 out of 37 samples and their concentration ranged between <0.15 and 1.92 ng/g ww for the sum of PCBs. PCB profiles were dominated by congeners 153, 180 and 138. PBDEs were detected only in 3 out of 37 samples, with the highest value being 0.014 ng/g ww (0.40 ng/g lipid weight) and BDE 47 was the dominant congener. Although the number of samples is relatively low and they are not representative for the whole Turkish population, the results of the present study are important to provide additional data on the concentrations of persistent organochlorinated pollutants in Turkey and show as first the PBDE levels in Turkish population.     

Rank-dependent hoarding effort in willow tits (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Parus montanus</Emphasis>): a test of theoretical predictions

Many birds and mammals store energy as hoarded food supplies. A supply of stored food is beneficial during periods when food is scarce, but building up and managing such a supply also entails costs. The optimal number of caches will be reached when the net benefit is at its maximum. If dominants can steal more stored food from subordinates than the other way around, the optimum will differ between these categories. A previous theoretical model of hoarding in groups with dominant and subordinate members produced three testable predictions: (1) hoarders should store more food as anticipated future conditions get worse; (2) subordinate flock members should store more food than dominants; and (3) dominants should increase hoarding relatively more than subordinates as conditions get worse. Here we present a field experiment on willow tits (Parus montanus) designed to test these predictions. We found support for all three. Hoarding increased as conditions got worse, subordinates stored at a higher rate than dominants, and dominants increased their hoarding effort relatively more than subordinates as conditions worsened. These results support the incorporation of information on dominance and food availability into models predicting food storage behaviour.Communciated by J. Dickinson     

Determination of T-2 toxin in grain and grain products by HPLC and TLC

The purpose of this study was to investigate the T-2 toxin contaminated grain and grain products consumed especially by Turkish population. The T-2 toxin was detected using the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detector at 208 nm and the identify of T-2 was further confirmed by thin layer chromatography (TLC). The recovery was 91 +/- 4.24% for corn flour fortified with the known amount of T-2 toxin (1 ppm). The detection limits of T-2 toxin for the HPLC and the TLC were 25 ng and 50 ng, respectively. A total of 30 commercially available grain and grain product samples were analyzed. Two corn flour samples were found to contain detectable levels of T-2 toxin at a level of 1.60 ppm and 4.08 ppm.     

Investigation of seat belt use among the drivers of different education levels

Seat belt use habit has been investigated according to the education level of drivers. Copies of a questionnaire were distributed to 1000 participants of four different education levels. Factors such as seat belt usage habit, restricting factors and crash data have been investigated. Data have been analyzed with SPSS 15.0 software. Increased level of education leads to increased seat belt usage, lower numbers of crashes and crash severities. The factors restricting seat belt use are lack of habit, discomfort and short distance driving. The use of precaution signal and increases in comfort can increase seat belt usage. The primary and high school education on traffic safety and seat belt usage has been serving the purpose.