Chemical Composition and Acidity of Rain at the Gulf of Iskenderun,North-East Mediterranean

The purpose of the present work was to investigate the chemistry of rain in the Gulf of Iskenderun, North East Mediterranean, Turkey. The Gulf region has a large number of industries. Main industries existing in the region are iron and steel works, fertilizer plants, a cement plant, and several medium and mini size steel mills in addition to the international pipe line terminals. This study aims to apportion the local sources contributing to the overall pollution of the region. To this end a precipitation sampling program was started in January 2000, and over 48 precipitation samples were collected from each of 5 stations located at Iskenderun city center, Iskenderun industrial zone, Payas city center, the campus of Iskenderun Technical College and the campus of Mustafa Kemal University. Samples were analysed for pH, NO₃ ⁺, Cl^-. Ca, Al, Ba, Na, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, Zn, Fe, K. Concentrations of metal ions were determined by ICP-AES. NO₃ ^- ions and pH were determined by using NO₃ ^- selective electrode and pH meter, respectively.pH values of the collected samples at the industrial zone and at Payas city center, ranged between 5.02 and 7.38, respectively. NO₃ ^- and metal ions concentrations were highly variable. Concentrations of Ca and Fe ions were higher in the industrial zone and Payas city center. In the other three stations, concentrations of metal ions and NO₃ ^- ion were lower than that of industrial zone and the values of pH ranged between 6 and 7.4. The average pH values at Iskenderun Gulf showed that the precipitation was not acidic, because of the high concentration of Ca. The highest concentrations of Na and Cl ions were recorded in the University campus because the campus is located by the Mediterranean Sea.     

Modelling and Optimization of Uranium (VI) Ions Adsorption Onto Nano-ZnO/Chitosan Bio-composite Beads with Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Nano-ZnO-chitosan bio-composite beads were prepared for the sorption of \({\text{UO}}_{2}^{{2+}}\) from aqueous media. The resulting nano-ZnO/CTS bio-composite beads were characterized by TEM, XRD etc. The sorption of \({\text{UO}}_{2}^{{2+}}\) by bio-composite beads was optimized using RSM. The correlation between four variables was modelled and studied. According to RSM data, correlation coefficients (R²?=?0.99) and probability F-values (F?=?2.24?×?10^??10) show that the model fits the experimental data well. Adsorption capacity for nano-ZnO/CTS bio-composite beads was obtained at 148.7 mg/g under optimum conditions. The results indicate that nano-ZnO/CTS bio-composite beads are appropriate for the adsorption of \({\text{UO}}_{2}^{{2+}}\) ions from aqueous media. Also, the suitability of adsorption values to adsorption isotherms was researched and thermodynamic data were calculated.     

Effects of air pollution on lung function and symptoms of asthma, rhinitis and eczema in primary school children

Health effects of ambient air pollution were studied in three groups of schoolchildren living in areas (suburban, urban and urban-traffic) with different air pollution levels in Eski?ehir, Turkey. This study involved 1,880 students aged between 9 and 13 years from 16 public primary schools. This two-season study was conducted from January 2008 through March 2009. Symptoms of asthma, rhinitis and eczema were determined by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire in 2008. Two lung function tests were performed by each child for summer and winter seasons with simultaneous ambient air measurements of ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) by passive sampling. Effects of air pollution on impaired lung function and symptoms in schoolchildren were estimated by multivariate logistic regression analyses. Girls with impaired lung function (only for the summer season evaluation) were more observed in suburban and urban areas when compared to urban-traffic area ([odds ratio (OR)?=?1.49; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.04–2.14] and [OR?=?1.69 (95 % CI 1.06–2.71)] for suburban vs. urban-traffic and urban vs. urban-traffic, respectively). Significant association between ambient ozone concentrations and impaired lung function (for an increase of 10 μg m^?3) was found only for girls for the summer season evaluation [OR?=?1.11 (95 % CI 1.03–1.19)]. No association was found for boys and for the winter season evaluation. No association was found between any of the measured air pollutants and symptoms of current wheeze, current rhinoconjunctivitis and current itchy rash. The results of this study showed that increasing ozone concentrations may cause a sub-acute impairment in lung function of school aged children.     

Developing of a pricing model for Turkish lignite used in thermal plants

The objective of this paper is to develop a general pricing model for Turkish Lignite, which is mainly sold to thermal plants. This model will contribute to the development of coal mining within the scope of privatization efforts of the Turkish energy market. The paper consists of two stages. First, data of 10 thermal plants have been evaluated by using hedonic pricing analysis to determine influential price parameters. The results of hedonic regression analysis indicate the effect and importance of calorific value and electricity price on lignite prices. Second, a general coal-pricing model has been developed by taking into account the results of hedonic analysis. Comparison of the coal prices estimated by the developed pricing model and the coal prices obtained from thermal plants indicates an acceptable relation.     

Workplace violence: a study of Turkish workers

This research was conducted to address the experience of workplace violence of Turkish workers from different sectors and to investigate the impact of the exposed violence on their psychological well-being. Data were collected anonymously with printed questionnaires from the volunteer participants and depended on self-reporting. The response rate was 79.0% (1708/2161). The prevalence of workplace violence was found to be 44.8%. The most common type was verbal violence together with mobbing (bullying). Victims of physical violence were mostly males, whereas females were found to be victims of verbal, psychological and sexual violence. Most cases did not result in legal action and the victims remained silent. Psychological well-being of exposed workers in terms of depression, anxiety and stress seemed to deteriorate. Workplace violence remains a silent epidemic in Turkey. Preventive measures against workplace violence and social support for violated workers do not exist.     

Effect of sediment size on bioleaching of heavy metals from contaminated sediments of Izmir Inner Bay

The effect of sediment size on metals bioleaching from bay sediments was investigated by using fine (< 45 μm), medium (45-300 μm), and coarse (300-2000 μm) size fractions of a sediment sample contaminated with Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn. Chemical speciation of the metals in bulk and size fractions of sediment were studied before and after bioleaching. Microbial activity was provided with mixed cultures of Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. The bioleaching process was carried out in flask experiments for 48 days, by using 5% (W/V) of solid concentration in suspension. Bioleaching was found to be efficient for the removal of selected heavy metals from every size fraction of sediments, where the experiments with the smaller particles resulted in the highest solubilization ratios. At the end of the experimental period, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were solubilized to the ratios of 68%, 88%, 72%, and 91% from the fine sediment, respectively. Higher removal efficiencies can be explained by the larger surface area provided by the smaller particles. The changes in the chemical forms of metals were determined and most of the metal releases were observed from the reducible and organic fractions independent from grain size. Higher concentrations were monitored in the residual fraction after bioleaching period, suggesting they are trapped in this fraction, and cannot be solubilized under natural conditions.     

Effect of different irrigation methods on yield of red hot pepper and plant mortality caused by Phytophthora capsici Leon

This experiment was conducted in 1999 and 2000 in a field naturally infected by Phytophthora capsici to determine the effects of different irrigation methods, namely, basin (B), closed-end furrow (F), drip (D) and sprinkler (S) irrigation on dry yield of chili pepper (Capsium annuum L. K. Maras Type). Water use efficiency (WUE) and plant mortality were also measured. The averages of total applied water to the B, F, D and S plots for the two years were 937.7 mm, 920.6 mm, 886.5 and 913.4 mm, respectively. Thus, the mean seasonal water use by pepper varied from 1020.7 to 1109.7 mm. The highest water use was measured in B, followed by use for S, D and F methods. The highest mean potential dry yield with 1.58 t ha(-1) was obtained using D method. This was followed by S (1.36 t ha(-1)), B (1.13 t ha(-1)), and F (0.81 t ha(-1)) methods. In terms of plant mortality, crops having B irrigation had the highest (93.9%), followed by lessen amount to the S (3.2%), F (3.1%), and D methods (1.7%). Only the B irrigation method stimulated the development of P. capsici disease. On the other hand, mean WUEs varied between 0.7 and 1.7 kg ha(-1)mnm(-1) for Irrigation methods. WUE for D method was slightly higher than S method, but considerably higher than B and F methods.     

Influences of urban wastewaters on the stream water quality: a case study from Gumushane Province, Turkey

Urban wastewater in Turkey is primarily discharged without treatment to marine environments, streams and rivers, and natural and artificial lakes. Since it has been well established that untreated effluent in multi-use waters can have acute and chronic impacts to both the environment and human health, it is important to evaluate the consequences of organic enrichment relative to the structure and function of aquatic environment. We investigated the impacts of untreated municipal wastewater discharge from the city of Gumushane in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey on the surface water quality of the stream Harsit. Several key water-quality indicators were measured: chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrogen (NH ₄ ⁺ –N), nitrite nitrogen (NO ₂ ^? –N), nitrate nitrogen (NO ₃ ^? –N), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total nitrogen (TN), orthophosphate phosphorus (PO ₄ ^3? –P), methylene blue active substances (MBAS), water temperature (t), pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and electrical conductivity (EC). The monitoring and sampling studies were conducted every 15 days from March 2009 to February 2010 at three longitudinally distributed stations. While t, pH, DO, and EC demonstrated relatively little variability over the course of the study, other parameters showed substantial temporal and spatial variations. The most dramatic differences were noted in COD, NH ₄ ⁺ –N, NO ₂ ^? –N, TKN, TN, PO ₄ ^3— P, and MBAS immediately downstream of the wastewater discharge. Concentration increases of 309 and 418 % for COD, 5,635 and 2,162 % for NH ₄ ⁺ –N, 2,225 and 674 % for NO ₂ ^? –N, 283 and 478 % for TKN, 208 and 213 % for PO ₄ ^3? –P, and 535 and 1,260 % for MBAS were observed in the summer and autumn, respectively. These changes were associated with greatly diminished seasonal stream flows. Based on NO ₂ ^? –N, TKN, PO ₄ ^3— P, and MBAS concentrations, it was concluded that Harsit stream water was correctly classified as polluted. The most telling parameter, however, was NH ₄ ⁺ –N, which indicated highly polluted waters in both the summer and autumn. The elevated concentrations of both P and N in the downstream segment of the stream triggered aggressive growth of submerged algae. This eutrophication of river systems is highly representative of many urban corridors and is symptomatic of ongoing organic enrichment that must be addressed through improved water treatment facilities.     

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.     

Variation of total organic carbon content along the stream Harsit, Eastern Black Sea Basin, Turkey

The TOC in surface waters and wastewater is an important analytical parameter describing the total content of all organic substances containing carbon. In practice, the TOC originated from natural and anthropogenic sources, and even if it is not directly responsible for dangers on human health, its determination is important for any kind of water that is used by public. The aim of this study was to determine variation of total organic carbon (TOC) and total carbon (TC) content in the stream Harsit, which courses in Eastern Black Sea Region, Turkey. Sampling was fortnightly conducted in each of the four seasons between March 2009 and February 2010. A total of 230 water samples were collected from ten sampling stations along the main branch of the stream Harsit with 143 km of length. Obtained TOC values were evaluated and used to classify the water quality of stream Harsit, according to the Turkish Water Pollution Control Regulation (TWPCR). The annual average TOC content values for the stations were found between 2.33 and 6.97 mg/L. It was seen that the TOC content have increased along the streamcourse of Harsit until the fourth station, where reaches its maximum value. The TOC content, then, has decreased and the minimum value was observed in the eighth station. The results showed that, except in winter season, maximum TOC content observed in many of the water samples were above Class I water standard indicated in TWPCR, which classifies the water resources according to the different area of uses. It was also found that TOC has a small contribution to TC and the highest TOC content in stream waters were measured in Gumushane station where direct discharge of city wastewaters and solid waste dumping to the stream were observed.