Recycling of printed circuit board e-wastes: a combined study of pyrolysis characteristics,kinetics and evolved gas analyses at various particle sizes

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The current study aimed to determine the characteristics and kinetic parameters for the pyrolysis of printed circuit board (PCB) wastes including...     

The comparison of heavy metal accumulation ratios of some fish species in Enne Dame Lake (Kütahya/Turkey)

The metal accumulation levels for muscle, skin, gill, liver and intestine tissues of some Cyprinidae species (Carassius carassius, Condrostoma nasus, Leuciscus cephalus and Alburnus alburnus) in Enne Dame Lake (Kütahya/Turkey), which is mostly fed by hot spring waters, were investigated. Analyses were performed for copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), magnesium (Mg), nickel (Ni), chrome (Cr) and boron (B) using inductively coupled plasma-optic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and cadmium (Cd) using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) utilizing microwave digestion techniques. The concentrations of the heavy metals found in the fish varied in the follow ing ranges: Cu: < DL-7.04, Zn: 6.96-357.25, Mn: < DL-20.70, Ni: < DL-6.21, Fe: 9.62-2500.33, Cr: < DL-1.74, Co: < DL-0.54, Cd: 0.01-0.27 and Mg: 197.44-904.90 mg/kg wet weight. While B had the second highest concentration in the water of the lake, it was not encountered in any tissue of the investigated species. In all tissues and the species, While the bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of Mn, Zn, Fe and Cu were remarkably high, the BAFs of Mg, Cr, Co, and B were also fairly low or none. Although the heavy metal accumulation levels for the muscle were generally lower than other tissues, there were some exceptions. Cd level in the muscle of C. carassius was higher than the permissible limit stated by Turkish legislation, FAO and WHO. The mean metal amounts for all the investigated tissues and species are statistically compared and discussed in this study.     

Classification of residential areas according to physical vulnerability to natural hazards: a case study of Çanakkale,Turkey

The selection of new settlement areas and the construction of safe buildings, as well as rendering built‐up areas safe, are of great importance in mitigating the damage caused by natural disasters. Most cities in Turkey are unprepared for natural hazards. In this paper, Çanakkale, located in a first‐degree seismic zone and sprawled around the Sartçay Delta, is examined in terms of its physical vulnerability to natural hazards. Residential areas are analysed using GIS (geographic information system) and remote‐sensing technologies in relation to selected indicators. Residential areas of the city are divided into zones according to an evaluation of geological characteristics, the built‐up area's features, and urban infrastructure, and four risk zones are determined. The results of the analysis show that the areas of the city suitable for housing are very limited. In addition, the historical centre and the housing areas near Sartçay stream are shown to be most problematic in terms of natural disasters and sustainability.     

Fatty acid composition of marine macroalgae from the Black Sea and Dardanelles

The fatty acid (FA) composition was determined in 14 species of marine macroalgae belonging to the Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta, which were collected from ?ile in the Black Sea and Kepez in the Dardanelles. Generally, polyunsaturated FAs and monounsaturated FAs were major components (50–77%). Total saturated FAs ranged from 22% to 50%, with 16?:?0 as the most abundant saturate (32–38%). Two samples of Cystoseira barbata collected from a different station had some differences from each other in their contents of 18?:?2n-6 and 18?:?3n-3 and in the 18?:?2n-6/20?:?4n-6 ratios. Green algal species had a significantly higher proportion of unsaturated FAs and a significantly lower proportion of saturated FAs than the red and brown algae. The amount of n-3 FAs was significantly higher in Ulva rigita, Chaetomorpha linum, Enteromorpha linza and Gracilaria verrucosa (8.88, 6.44, 5.31 and 5.24, respectively).     

Medical waste management in Trachea region of Turkey: suggested remedial action.

The main objective of this paper was to analyse the present status of medical waste management in the Trachea region of Turkey and subsequently to draw up a policy regarded with generation, collection, on-site handling, storage, processing, recycling, transportation and safe disposal of medical wastes. This paper also presents the results of study about awareness on how to handle expired drugs. Initially all health-care establishments in Tekirda?, Edirne and Kyrklareli provinces in Trachea region were identified and the amounts of hospital wastes generated by each of them were determined. Current medical waste-management practices, including storage, collection, transportation and disposal, in surveyed establishments were identified. Finally, according to results, remedial measurements for medical waste management in these establishments were suggested. Unfortunately, medical wastes are not given proper attention and these wastes are disposed of together with municipal and industrial solid wastes. The current disposal method is both a public health and environmental hazard. When landfill sites are visited, many scavengers can be seen sorting for recyclable materials, a practice which is dangerous for the scavengers. In addition, it was found that some staff in health-care establishments are unaware of the hazard of medical wastes. It is concluded that a new management system, which consists of segregation, material substitution, minimization, sanitary landfilling and alternative medical waste treatment methods should be carried out. For the best appropriate medical waste management system, health-care establishment employers, managers and especially the members of house- keeping divisions should be involved in medical waste management practice.     

Pollution correlated modifications of liver antioxidant systems and histopathology of fish (Cyprinidae) living in Seyhan Dam Lake, Turkey

Specimen of freshwater fish (Cyprinidae) was collected from polluted and clean areas in dam Lake of Seyhan. Ten (n=10) fish were taken from each site. Liver preparations of fish from the two sources were comparatively assayed for glutathione-S-transferase (GST), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), catalase (CAT), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). All systems were significantly (p<0.1) affected at the polluted site. The microscopic examination of the liver tissues of the fish living in the polluted area showed mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltration, cloudy degenerations, congestions and also micro- and macrovesicular fatty degenerations. These results provide evidence that both biochemical parameters and histopathological observations can be assumed as sensitive indicators of fish liver metabolism for polluted areas.