Adaptive neuro-fuzzy based modelling for prediction of air pollution daily levels in city of Zonguldak

Air pollution is a growing problem arising from domestic heating, high density of vehicle traffic, electricity production, and expanding commercial and industrial activities, all increasing in parallel with urban population. Monitoring and forecasting of air quality parameters in the urban area are important due to health impact. Artificial intelligent techniques are successfully used in modelling of highly complex and non-linear phenomena. In this study, adaptive neuro-fuzzy logic method has been proposed to estimate the impact of meteorological factors on SO2 and total suspended particular matter (TSP) pollution levels over an urban area. The model forecasts satisfactorily the trends in SO2 and TSP concentration levels, with performance between 75-90% and 69-80 %, respectively.     

Stability of some quality traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes

This study was carried out in order to determine some quality traits such as thousand grain weight (TGW), hectoliter weight (HW), grain protein content (GPC), Zeleny sedimentation volume (ZSV) and stability of quality traits of 25 bread wheat genotypes. The experiment was conducted at seven environmental conditions during 2 growing periods (2003-2004 and 2004-2005) using randomized complete block design with four replicates. The ANOVA showed that out of the total sum of squares, 48.4, 28.0 and 23.6% for TGW, 71.4, 14.9 and 13.7% for HW, 54.4, 23.0 and 22.6% for GPC, 44.7, 41.7 and 13.6% for ZSV was attributable to E, G and G x E interaction effects, respectively. Thousand grain weight, hectoliter weight, grain protein content and Zeleny sedimentasyon volume of genotypes changed from 34.5 to 41.4 g, from 76.5 to 80.4 Kg, from 11.49 to 13.37% and from 22.1 to 46.0 ml, respectively. Seven stability parameters, covering a wide range of statistical approaches, were used so as to predict the genotypes. The study of genotypic stability showed that Bezostaya and advanced lines numbered 11 and 24 had high stability for quality traits and proved to be the best within the pool of the studied genotypes. Also, 8 and 17 numbered genotypes demonstrated high stability for TGW, HW, GPC and HW, GPC and ZSV, respectively.     

Treatment of the textile wastewater by combined electrocoagulation

Electrocoagulation (EC) due to some advantages over chemical coagulation is becoming a popular process to be used for wastewater treatment. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of initial addition of a chemical coagulant such as polyaluminum chloride (PAC) or alum on the COD removal efficiency of EC treatment of textile wastewaters. The two salts exhibited the same performance in chemical coagulation, but in the combined electrocoagulation (CEC), PAC was found to significantly enhance the COD removal rate and efficiency, depending on the amount of the total aluminum supplied, by initial addition and electrochemical generation. A comparative operating cost analysis was also given and it was found that with the same operating cost per mass of COD removed, CEC performance was 80%, in contrast to 23% with EC, in 5 min of operation.     

Biosorption of Cr(VI) by free and immobilized Pediastrum boryanum biomass: equilibrium, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies

Background and purpose

The biosorption of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution has been studied using free and immobilized Pediastrum boryanum cells in a batch system. The algal cells were immobilized in alginate and alginate?Cgelatin beads via entrapment, and their algal cell free counterparts were used as control systems during biosorption studies of Cr(VI).

Methods

The changes in the functional groups of the biosorbents formulations were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectra. The effect of pH, equilibrium time, initial concentration of metal ions, and temperature on the biosorption of Cr(VI) ion was investigated.

Results

The maximum Cr(VI) biosorption capacities were found to be 17.3, 6.73, 14.0, 23.8, and 29.6?mg/g for the free algal cells, and alginate, alginate?Cgelatin, alginate?Ccells, and alginate?Cgelatin?Ccells at pH?2.0, which are corresponding to an initial Cr(VI) concentration of 400?mg/L. The biosorption of Cr(VI) on all the tested biosorbents (P. boryanum cells, alginate, alginate?Cgelatin, and alginate?Ccells, alginate?Cgelatin?Ccells) followed Langmuir adsorption isotherm model.

Conclusion

The thermodynamic studies indicated that the biosorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature under studied conditions. For all the tested biosorbents, biosorption kinetic was best described by the pseudo-second-order model.     

Removal of Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions using native and acid treated Ni-hyperaccumulator plant Alyssum discolor from Turkish serpentine soil

Alyssum discolor biomass was collected from serpentine soil and was used for removal of metal ions. The plant species grown on serpentine soils are known to be rich with metals ions and thus have more capability for accumulating heavy metals. Native and acid-treated biomass of A. discolor (A. discolor) were utilized for the removal of Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions from aqueous solutions. The effects of contact time, initial concentration, and pH on the biosorption of Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions were investigated. Biosorption equilibrium was established in about 60 min. The surface properties of the biomass preparations were varied with pH, and the maximum amounts of Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions on both A. discolor biomass preparations were adsorbed at pH 5.0. The maximum biosorption capacities of the native, and acid-treated biomass preparations for Ni(II) were 13.1 and 34.7 mg g⁻¹ and for Cu(II) 6.15 and 17.8 mg g⁻¹ dry biomass, respectively. The biosorption of Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions from single and binary component systems can be successfully described by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. When the heavy metal ions were in competition, the amounts of biosorbed metal ions on the acid treated plant biomass were found to be 0.542 mmol g⁻¹ for Ni(II) and 0.162 mmol g⁻¹ for Cu(II), the A. discolor biomass was significantly selective for Ni(II) ions. The information gained from these studies was expected to indicate whether the native, and acid-treated forms can have the potential to be used for the removal and recovery of Ni(II) ions from wastewaters.     

Statistical inference using stratified judgment post-stratified samples from finite populations

This paper develops statistical inference for population mean and total using stratified judgment post-stratified (SJPS) samples. The SJPS design selects a judgment post-stratified sample from each stratum. Hence, in addition to stratum structure, it induces additional ranking structure within stratum samples. SJPS is constructed from a finite population using either a with or without replacement sampling design. Inference is constructed under both randomization theory and a super population model. In both approaches, the paper shows that the estimators of population mean and total are unbiased. The paper also constructs unbiased estimators for the variance (mean square prediction error) of the sample mean (predictor of population mean), and develops confidence and prediction intervals for the population mean. The empirical evidence shows that the proposed estimators perform better than their competitors in the literature.     

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.     

Usage and the economic potential of the medicinal plants in Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey

Medically used plant species in Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey was determined in this study. Totally 50 species within 24 families have been designated in 25 research points, using the face to face polling method with the herbs sellers and purchasers. 14 species of studied plants are endemic and pointed out as endangered species according to the IUCN list (The World Conservation Union). In which health problem the medicinal plants are used, their usage art, area and the used parts have been determined too. The research results show that 12.58% of the species are used in intestinal problems and 8.60% for diuretic. Evaluating from this point of view the region includes very rich species could be used in different health problems. The results shows that average annual income of the medically used plant selling companies is about 33,333$. Increasingly demands for the medically used plants have been raised the medically used plant companies about 60% in the last decade. The relevance of Ethnopharmacologically used plants is increasing in Turkey and in the World. Important is to meet the demand without endanger the rich plant species resources.     

Is Clean Development Always Possible? The Role of Environmental Policy in Developing Countries in the Presence of Aggregate Demand Spillovers

Environmental Modeling & Assessment - This paper investigates whether economic development is impeded by binding national emission standards to control climate change. We develop a simple model...