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Application of carbocatalysts in water/wastewaterpractices: removal of endocrine disrupting compound bisphenol a
Environmental contaminant has now major regulatory implications toward theecosystem health. Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) have become a subjectof particular concern to researchers in recent years because they act as hormones andhave an impact on living life, which in turn causes many diseases. EDCs can effectreproductive function in males and females. Increased incidence of breast cancer,abnormal growth patterns and neurodevelopmental delays in children, as well aschanges in immune function. (EDCs) are mostly man-made, found in variousmaterials such as pesticides, additives or contaminants in food, and personal careproducts. These chemicals can interfere with endocrine or hormone systems atcertain doses. Human exposure to these chemicals via ingestion of food, dust andwater, via inhalation of gases and particles in the air, and through the skin. Achievingefficient treatment of highly complex structured EDCs has become important inprotecting terrestrial and aquatic environments from the ecotoxicological effectscaused by these priority pollutants. The list of such xenobiotic compounds is broadlyfor example alkylphenols (AP), phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA),polybromodiphenylethers and natural and synthetic estrogens. Extensive research isunderway to develop appropriate and effective methods for the complete removal ofEDCs, conversion to harmless degradation products, or removal of endocrineactivities. Advanced oxidation processes (AOP) based on the production of reactivefree radicals play a very important role in the removal of many organic pollutantswith different chemical structures, either alone or in combination with classicaltechnologies. In recent years, research has been focused on the removal of difficult,even inert and / or toxic contaminants via the sulfate radical-based AOP.Bisphenol A (BPA, 4,4'-(propane-2,2-diyl) diphenol) is an organic syntheticcompound. Chemical formula (CH ) C(C H OH) belonging to the group of₃ ₂ ₆ ₄ ₂diphenylmethane derivatives and bisphenols, with two hydroxyphenyl groups.Mainly found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics areoften used in containers that store food and beverages, compact disk, motorcyclehelmets, medical devices. They may also be used in other consumer goods. Unlike polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins are used to coat the inside of metal products,such as food cans, bottle tops and water supply lines, some dental sealants andcomposites. Some research shown that BPA has adversly affects the endocrine system, the centralnervous system and can also be transferred from the pregnant woman to thedeveloping fetus or child through the placenta and breast milk. Because of theadverse effect of these chemical numerous validated studies have been conducted to determine what happens to BPA in the environment. Due to the fact that biotreatmentrequires long retention times and cannot degrade BPAs completely, rapid andefficient treatment process including advanced oxidation process (AOPs) havesuccessfully been developed to the efficient treatment of BPAs. Most methods of application are not effective in the treatment of many contaminantssuch as phenols, insecticides, solvents, household chemicals and medicines, whereasdifferent AOPs are recommended when wastewater components have a highchemical stability and/or low biodegradability. AOPs represent a collection ofvarious technologies based on the use of different oxides that can provide the fullmineralization of many organic chemicals (conversion to CO2). AOPs based on theproduction of reactive free radicals (such as hydroxyl, HO and sulfate, SO4-radicals) play a very important role in the treatment of many organic pollutants withdifferent chemical structures, either alone or in combination with conventionaltechnologies. In recent years, research on the removal of difficult-to-treat, even inertand/or toxic pollutants by SO4- -based AOPs has come to the forefront. SO4- candestruct variety of organic contaminants. Genarally, persulfate (PS) andperoxymonosulfate (PMS) can be used to generate SO4- by either homogeneous orheterogeneous activation. To activate PS or PMS we can use homogeneous catalysiswhich applies heat, alkaline, UV or metal ions. Heterogeneous catalysis employssolid materials, such as cobalt or manganese based catalysts to activate the sulfateperoxide salts. Because of the physical and chemical properties nanocarbons such as graphene,fullerene, and carbon nanotubes with fascinating, have availed themselves for metal-free environmental catalysis. Firstly, discovered reduced graphene oxide (rGO) andsurface tuned carbon nanotubes can efficiently activate PMS and PS to generatereactive species for catalytic oxidation of organic pollutants. It was further reportedthat the catalytic performance of the carbocatalysts can be significantly improved. rGO exhibits a capacity to degrade organic pollutants. rGO/oxidant treatmentsystems showed high oxidation capacity due to the high activation capacity of rGOover a wider pH range and leads to generation of HO and SO4- by an electrontransfer mechanism from rGO to oxidant. The presence of an oxidant in the mediumincreases the number of radicals formed, which leads to faster oxidation.In the present study, the performance of reduced graphen oxide (rGO) wasinvestigated as an activator for PS and PMS to degrade Bisphenol A (BPA), one ofthe most common known EDCs, from different aqueous matrices namely distilledwater (DW) and municipal wastewater treatment plant effluent (TWW). Themorphology, textural property and structure of the prepared rGO before theactivation of oxidants were thoroughly characterized by various techniques andradical scavenging experiments were employed in order to deliver an insight into thegeneration and evolution of reactive radicals on the metal-free rGO catalyst.Furthermore, the stability and reusability of the rGO was also questioned within thescope of this experimental study.The effect of oxidant (PS and PMS) and catalyst (rGO) concentrations on BPAdegradation rates in DW and TWW samples was examined. Complete BPAdegradation occurred in DW and TWW with the PS/rGO treatment system after 10 min and 30 min, respectively, whereas 94% (DW) and 83% (TWW) BPA removalswere obtained with PMS/rGO for the same treatment period (BPA=2mg/L;rGO=0.02g/L; PS=0.25mM; PMS=0.5mM). The radical quenching experimentsdemonstrated that the SO4- predominated in the activation of PS and PMS with rGOfor BPA removal, however, HO contributed to the catalytic oxidation process but toa lower extend. The reusability test results, where the catalyst was deactivatedseriously just after second cycle, highlighted the need for further studies to enhancethe stability of rGO. This study represented an environmentally benign and efficientoxidative treatment of BPA along with insights into the rGO activated PS or PMS processes.
Kaynağında ayrı toplanmış insan idrarında mikroalg yetiştirilmesi
Günümüzün en büyük problemlerinin başında doğal kaynakların yanlış kullanılması ve bunun sonucunda doğal kaynakların yetersizliği ve iklim değişikliği gelmektedir. Doğal kaynakların büyük bir kısmı enerji üretimi ya da bunu destekleyecek şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Doğal kaynakların son yıllarda hızlı bir şekilde tüketilmesi yeni enerji kaynakları arayışına ya da mevcut kaynakların daha sürdürülebilir bir şekilde yönetilmesi ihtiyacını doğurmuştur. Sürdürülebilir sistemlerin en önemli özelliği döngüsel olmasıdır. Bunun en güzel örneği olarak atıkların yeniden değerlendirilerek enerji kaynağı olarak kullanılması gösterilebilir. Mikroalgler yenilenebilir enerji kaynaklarından biri olan biyokütle enerjisi için önemli yere sahiptir. Hızlı çoğalma oranları ve düşük alan ihtiyacı ile tarımsal elde edilen biyodizel kaynaklarına kıyasla daha avantajlı olarak görülmektedir. Ayrıca mikroalgler, sentetik ortamlarda yetiştirilmesinin dışında atık su ortamlarında da çoğalabilmektedir. Bu durum mikroalg yetiştirilmesi için gerekli ek besin kaynağı problemini çözmekle kalmayıp aynı zamanda arıtma sağlayarak çevreye katkıda da bulunmaktadır. Biyodizel, petrol kaynaklı dizele eşdeğer olarak kullanılabilir bir yakıttır. Günümüzde, biyodizel büyük çoğunlukla yağ içeriği yüksek kültür bitkilerinden elde edilir. Ayrıca mikroalgal ve selülozik bir biyokütleden de biyodizel üretimi vardır. Fakat bunlardan yapılan üretim daha çok pilot ölçekli olup, toplam biyodizel üretimi içindeki hacmi %1'den azdır. Yağ içeriği yüksek kültür bitkilerinin biyodizel üretiminde kullanılması yukarıda bahsedilen sorunlara çözüm olmasına rağmen yeni bir sorun ortaya çıkarmaktadır. Bu sorun, gıda kaynağı olarak kullanılan ürünlerin yakıt olarak kulanılmasıdır. Dahası Dünya genelinde sadece taşımacıklıkta kullanılan yakıta eşdeğer biyodüzelin üretimi için, Dünya'daki bütün tarım alanlarının kullanılması halinde bile mevcut kapasite yetersiz gelmektedir. Dolayısıyla yağ içeriği yüksek kültür bitkilerinin biyodizel üretiminde kullanılması karşılaştığımız sorunu çözmekte yetersizdir. Fakat biyodizel üretiminde mikroalgal biyokütlenin kullanılması durumunda bu sorunun ortadan kalkma potansiyeli vardır. Ayrıca mikroalglerin kültür bitkilerinden çok daha hızlı çoğalma yeterliliğine sahip olması, yetişitirilmesinde verimli tarım alanlarına ihtiyaç duyulmaması, atık sularda büyüyebilme yetenekleri gibi karakteristik sahip olduğu birçok faklı özellikten dolayı mikroalgal biyokütleden biyodizel üretimini çok daha verimli hale getirmektedir. Bu kapsamda, bu çalışmada kaynağında ayrı olarak toplanmış insan idrarı kullanılarak mikroalg yetiştirilmiştir. %5, %10, %20 ve %40 seyreltmeli insan idrarında denemeler yapılmış olup en iyi çoğalmanın %5 seyreltmede olduğu bulunmuştur. 30 ila 35 gün çoğalma süresi boyunca 0,5 g/L'lik biyokütleye ulaşılmıştır. Karışık kültür ile yapılan çalışmaların aksine Chlorella protothecoides, Gloeotilopsis planctonica ve Pandorina morum türleri ilede yapılan çalışmalarda %1,5 ve %5'lik idrar seyreltmeli setlerde çalışmalar yürütülmüştür. Chlorella protothecoides ve Gloeotilopsis planctonica türlerinde %5'lik seyreltmelerde çoğalma gözlemlenirken Pandorina morum türünde %5'lik seyreltme oranında klorofil-a ve OD değerlerine göre bir artış gözlenmemiştir. %1,5 seyreltme oranında tüm saf kültür mikroalgler hızlı bir çoğalma göstermiştir. %10'luk karışık kültür çalışmalarda ise biyokütle başlangıçta bir miktar artmış ancak kısa sürede ölüme geçmiş ve beklenen çoğalma gözlemlenememiştir. Üretilen biyokütle miktarları kıyaslandığı zaman karışık kültür mikroalglerde saf kültür mikroalglere kıyasla 2 kat biyokütleye ulaşılmıştır. Ancak karışık kültür mikroalglerin aksine Chlorella protothecoides, Gloeotilopsis planctonica ve Pandorina morum türleri daha hızlı çoğalma göstermiş olup 7 günde çoğalmalarını tamamlamış ve içsel solunuma geçmişlerdir. Çoğalma süreleri kıyaslandığı zaman saf kültürde yetiştirilen mikroalgler karışık kültüre göre dörtte bir sürede çoğalmalarını gerçekleştirmişlerdir. Bu nedenle çoğalma hızı ve üretilen biyokütle orantılandığı taktirde saf kültür mikroalglerin daha iyi çoğaldığı görülmüştür. Ancak açık sistemde işletilmesi ve havalandırmaya bağlı olarak mikroalg türlerinin birbiri ile karıştığı tahmin edilmiştir. Bu nedenle açık sistemlerde karışık mikroalg türünün tercih edilmesi daha verimli olacaktır. Karışık kültür mikroalgler fotobiyoreaktör sistemleri ile çoğaltıldığı takdirde açık sistem karışık kültür mikroalg biyokütle üretiminden daha verimli olacaktır ancak ilk yatırım ve işletme maliyetlerinin de kıyaslanması ve detaylı bir biçimde incelenmesi gerekmektedir. Üretilen karışık ve saf kültür mikroalglerin lipid içeriği incelendiğinde en yüksek lipid yüzdesi %35 ile Chlorella protothecoides türündedir. Saf kültür açısından üretim hızı da göze alındığında idrarda biyodizel üretimi için en ideal tür olarak bu tür gösterilebilir. Karışık kültür mikroalglerde ise bu değer ortalama %23 civarındadır. Amonyak azotu konsantrasyonlarında %90'ın üzerinde ve fosfor konsantrasyonlarında %80'in üzerinde giderim verimlerine ulaşılmıştır. Yapılan çalışmlar daha ilerdeki çalışmalara bir temel oluşturması açısından öneme sahiptir. İleriki yapılan çalışmalarda farklı pH aralıklarında yapılacak denemeler uçan amonyak azotu sorunun çözümünde önemli bir çözüm olabilir ancak pH ayarının çoğalmayı baskılayarak biyokütle miktarında azalmaya sebebiyet vermeside muhtemeldir. Ayrıca kontaminasyon problemi için de kapalı sistemlerde yapılabilecek denemeler mikroalg üretim veriminin arttırılması açısından önemli olacağı düşünülmektedir. Atık su arıtma tesislerinin en büyük yüklerinden biri olan idrarın mikroalgler ile arıtımı ve elde edilen mikroalglerin enerji üretiminde kullanılması, hem ekonomik hemde çevresel olarak gelecekteki sürdürülebilir enerji ve çevre anlayışı açısından geleceğe ışık tutar niteliktedir.
Azerbaycan'da üniversiteli gençlerin pestisitler hakkında bilgi düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi
Bu araştırmanın amacı, Azerbaycan'da eğitim alan üniversiteli gençlerin pestisitlere ilişkin farkındalık ve bilgi düzeylerini değerlendirilmesidir. Azerbaycan`da 2018-2019 eğitim-öğretim yılında 18-35 yaş aralığındaki, lisans ve lisansüstü düzeydeki 401 öğrenci araştırmaya katılmıştır. Araştırma verileri, öğrencilerin sosyal medya üzerinden doldurdukları anket ile toplanmıştır. Öğrencilerin sosyodemografik özellikleri ve pestisit bilgi düzeyine belirlemeye yönelik sorulardan oluşmaktadır. Anket formu toplam 23 sorudan oluşmaktadır. Demografik özellikleri araştıran sorular; cinsiyet, yaş, yaşadıkları şehir, eğitim durumu, fakülte, bölüm, sınıf gibi bağımsız değişkenlerdir. Çevre ve pestisit hakkında bilgi kaynağı, pestisit uygulama deneyimi, çevre ve pestisit hakkında haberleri takibe ilişkin 3 soru yer almaktadır. Verilerin analizi, SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) 16,0 paket programının yardımıyla değerlendirilmiştir. Betimsel istatistik yöntemlerden frekans, yüzde, ortalama ve standart sapma analizi kullanılmıştır. Genel pestisit bilgi anketi puan düzeyi ile bağımsız değişkenler arasındaki ilişkilerin tespiti için Ki-kare testi uygulanmıştır. Araştırmaya katılan öğrencilerin %54.6 erkek, %45.4 kız ve yaş ortalaması 18-35`tir. Pestisit bilgi düzeyleri; % 52.6 iyi, %35.9, orta, %11.5 kötü olarak belirlenmiştir. Pestisit bilgi düzeyleri ile öğrencilerin okudukları fakülte, önceden pestisitin ne olduğu hakkında bilgili olmaları, ilaçlama işlemine şahit olmaları arasında anlamlı bir ilişki olduğu belirlenmiştir. Pestisit bilgi düzeyi %52.6 öğrencinin iyi olmasına rağmen katılımcıların yükseköğretim gören toplum bireyleri olduğu göz önüne alarak pestisit konusundaki bilgileri yeterli bulunmamaktadır. Pestisit ve çevre konusunda eğitimin iyileştirilmesi için çevre konusundaki problemlerine ilgisini artırabilecek yöntemler geliştirilmelidir. Anahtar kelimeler: Azerbaycan, Çevre Eğitimi, Öğrenciler, Pestisit, Bilgi Düzeyi
Zeytin atıklarının kuru ve yaş karbonizasyonlarının karşılaştırılması
Yapmış olduğumuz çalışmada, zeytin atıklarından termokimyasal yöntem olan hidrotermal karbonizasyon (HTC) ve yavaş piroliz metoduyla ''biochar'' üretimi çalışmaları yapılmıştır. Bu amaçla biyokütle zeytin ağacı budama atığı (ZB) ve zeytinyağı endüstrisi (iki-fazlı zeytinyağı fabrikası) atığı kullanılmıştır. ''HTC'' prosedürü belirlenen sıcaklıklar arasında (200-260°C) ve belirlenen bekleme zamanlarında (0 - 240 dakika), piroliz prosedürü de yine belirlenen sıcaklıklar arasında (200-500°C) ve belirlenen alıkonma zamanlarında (1-2saat) çalışılmış, yapılan metod seçeneklerinin (sıcaklık-zaman) biocharların özellikleri üzerindeki davranışları gözlemlenmiştir. Van Krevelen grafiği dikkate alındığında, yapmış olduğumuz biocharların, linyit kömürü ve özelliklerinde olduğu gözlemlenmiştir. HTC metoduyla üretilen hydrocharlar da biyokütleye nispeten az kül miktarı mevcuttur. Üst ısıl değeri yüksek biocharlar elde edilmiştir. Sonuca bakıldığında ortaya çıkan veriler temiz, yeşil bir çevre için umut kaynağıdır.
Urla (İzmir/Türkiye) kumsallarında deniz çöplerinin mevsimsel olarak araştırılması
Bu tezde; son yıllarda okyanuslara kadar dağılım göstermiş, sayıları her geçen gün artan, sağlık, ekonomik, estetik ve kültürel açıdan tehlike oluşturan denizel çöplerin mevsimsel olarak dağılımı incelenmiştir. Bu çalışma Ekim 2017- Ekim 2018 tarihleri arasında Urla'daki Kum Denizi Plajı ve Demircili Koyu Plajı'ndaki deniz çöplerinin cins ve miktarlarının belirlenmesini, bu çöplerin artışını engellemek adına alınabilecek önlemlerin tartışılmasını ve bu çöplerin halk sağlığına etkilerinin ve sosyal zararlarının değerlendirilmesi açısından diğer çalışmalara yardımcı olmayı amaçlamaktadır. Örnekleme yapılan plajlara denize paralel olacak şekilde 2 metrelik transektler yerleştirilmiştir. Arazi bölgelerinde ayrılmış transektler boyunca 2 santimetreden büyük olan örnekler toplanmıştır. Bundan sonra toplanan atıklar UNEP'e göre sınıflandırıldı ve miktarları belirlendi. Daha sonra katı atık yoğunluğu belirlendi ve temiz kıyı indeksi hesaplanmıştır. Kum Denizi Plajı ve Demircili Koyu Plajı'ndan 90,81 kilogram ağırlığında 3,417 adet katı atık toplanmıştır. Toplanan katı atıklar arasında en fazla plastik atık (%82) bulunmuştur. Temiz kıyı indeksi hesaplarına dönemlere göre bakıldığında; Kum Denizi Plajı temiz ve çok temiz, Demircili Koyu Plajı ise, temiz, orta, temiz ve kirli bulunmuştur.
İzmir'de kurulu bazı rüzgar enerji santrallerinin çevresel etkileri
Bu tezde İzmir'de kurulu bazı rüzgar enerjisi güç santrallerinin çevresel etkileri incelenmiştir. Rüzgar santralleri, rüzgardaki kinetik enerjiyi önce mekanik enerjiye daha sonra da elektrik enerjisine dönüştüren, sistemlerdir. Rüzgar santrallerinin kurulum ve işletim aşamasında çevresel etkiler ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bu çevresel etkiler; rüzgar türbinlerinin estetik etkileri, kuruldukları araziye etkileri, insan sağlığına etkileri, gürültü etkileri, flora ve faunaya etkileri ve elektromanyetik etkileri olarak sıralanmıştır. Bu çalışmada rüzgar santrallerinin tanımlanması, tarihçesi, yararları, zararları, ülkemizde ve dünyada rüzgar enerjisinin kullanımının durumu, ülkemizde rüzgar santralleri ile ilgili mevzuatlar araştırılmış, rüzgar türbinlerinin çevresel etkileri, İzmir ili kurulu rüzgar elektrik santralleri örneğinde incelenmiştir.
Yeşil üniversite rehberi ve Ege Üniversitesi Çevre Yönetimi Bilgi Sisteminin oluşturulması
Bu tezde yeşil üniversite kavramı, yeşil üniversite modelleri, üniversitelerde çevre yönetim sisteminin uygulanması ve üniversitelerde sürdürülebilirlik performansının ölçüm yöntemleri incelenmiştir. Vaka çalışması olarak Ege Üniversitesi'nin yeşil üniversite performansı ölçülmüştür. GreenMetric tarafından 2018 yılında yapılan değerlendirmede Ege Üniversitesinin 5075 total puanla, 719 üniversite içerisinde 287'inci sırada yer almıştır. Ege Üniversitesi en yüksek başarıyı %63 ile atıklarda ve %56 ile ulaşımda göstermiştir. Üniversitenin en düşük puanları ise su(12%) ve enerji(25) yönetimi konularında almıştır.
Liyofilizasyonun, Pseudomonas sp. organizmasının canlılığına ve tereftalik asit kimyasalını biyoparçalama aktivitesi üzerine etkisi
Atıksularda bulunan bazı hidrokarbonların biyoparçalanmasında kullanılan Pseudomonas sp. petrokimya endüstrisi atıksu fabrikalarının atıksularından elde edilmiştir. Bu çalışmada Pseudomonas sp.'nin liyofilizasyon sonrası canlılığı ve biyoparçalama aktivitesi üzerine farklı koruyucuların ve liyofilizasyon tekniklerinin etkisi karşılaştırılmıştır. Pseudomonas sp. Nutrient Broth ortamında 27 ºC de çoğaltılmıştır. Bakteriyal hücreler, koruyucu ajan olarak skim milk, sakkaroz, silikajel ve çeşitli kombinasyonları olacak şekilde liyofilizasyon viallerine eklenmiştir. Vialler, liyofilizatöre (Labconco FreeZone 6 ) yerleştirilmiş, 24 saat liyofilizasyon işlemi yapılmıştır. Vial kapakları vakum altında kapatılmış +4ºC'de karanlıkda saklanmıştır. Bakteriyel hücreler yeniden aktive edilmiş (1.-3.-5.-15.-30.hafta) ve canlılık sayıları gözlemlenmiştir. Bakteri, tek karbon kaynağı içeren (100 mg /L TFA) Bushnell – Hass Broth besiyerine inoküle edilmiş ve HPLC(Yüksek Performanslı Sıvı Kromotografisi ) ile biyoparçalama aktivitesi ölçülmüştür. Başlangıç sayısı 2x10⁸ cfu/ ml olarak belirlenmiştir. 30 hafta sonunda Pseudomonas sp. freeze drying tekniğinde; koruyucu ajan olarak skim milk kullanıldığında ve 4ºC 'de saklandığında, canlılığının 1,5x10⁶ olduğu belirlenmiştir. Pseudomonas sp.'nin biyoparçalama aktivitesi liyofilizasyon öncesi ve sonrasında aynı kalmıştır.
Homa Lagünü (İzmir Körfezi, Ege Denizi) yüzey alanının zamansal ve mekânsal değişiminin uzaktan algılama teknikleri kullanarak belirlenmesi
Geniş deniz ve okyanusların kıyısal alanlarında oluşan denizle yarı bağlantılı kıyısal gölcüklere lagün adı verilmektedir. İzmir'de bulunan Homa Lagünü; 1982 yılında "A" grubu sulak alan statüsü ile koruma altına alınmıştır. Homa Dalyanının içinde bulunduğu Gediz Deltası kuşların koruma ve üreme bölgesidir ve biyolojik rezervlerin korunması, sürdürülebilir yönetiminin sağlanabilmesi için 1998 yılından itibaren RAMSAR bölgesidir. Bu tez çalışmasında, Homa Gölü'nün yüzey alanının mevcut durumunun ortaya çıkarılması ve geçmiş yıllardan günümüze kadar gölün yüzey alanında meydana gelen değişimlerin uzaktan algılama yöntemleri kullanılarak belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. 1984-2017 yılları arasında seçilmiş Landsat 5 TM ve Landsat 8 OLI görüntüleri kullanılmıştır. Bu görüntüler, düzeltilmiş ve alan kesiti yapılarak çalışmaya uygun hale getirilmiştir. Daha sonra görüntüler sınıflandırılmış ve gölün yüzeyindeki değişimler normalize edilmiş su durum indeksi (NDWI) ile analiz edilmiştir. Analizler doğrultusunda Homa Dalyanını besleyen Kırdeniz Lagünün tamamen yok olduğu, Homa Dalyanının ise bölgede yapılan koruma çalışmaları doğrultusunda nispeten daha az küçülme yaşadığı ve Taş Boğaz adı verilen ağız açıklığının büyüdüğü görülmüştür.
Gençlerin çevreye duyarlı tüketim tercihlerinin belirlenmesi
Dünyada ve Türkiye'de bireylerin tüketim alışkanlıkları sağlıklı, güvenilir ve çevre dostu ürünler yönünde değişmektedir. Özellikle, tarımsal üretimde yoğun girdi ve teknoloji kullanımı ile kimyasalların aşırı şekilde kullanımı sonucu güvenilir gıda teminindeki zorluklar, sağlık ve çevreye ilişkin riskler alternatif yöntemlerle üretilmiş gıdaya olan ilgiyi ve talebi artırmaktadır. Bu alternatif tarımsal üretim yöntemlerinden en önemlileri organik tarım ile iyi tarım uygulamalarıdır. Son yıllarda Genetiği Değiştirilmiş Organizmalara olan tepki dikkate alındığında, genetiği ile oynanmamış ürünler de tüketici açısından önemlidir. Bu çalışmada, üniversite gençliğinin son yıllarda bu denli önemli hale gelen güvenilir ve çevreye duyarlı ürün tercihleri konusundaki geleceğe dönük davranışlarının incelenmesi hedeflenmiştir. Araştırma kapsamında Ege Üniversitesinde farklı fakültelerde eğitim gören 379 öğrenci ile yüz yüze anket çalışması yapılmıştır. Gençlerin organik, genetiği değiştirilmiş organizmalı ürün ve İyi Tarım Uygulamalarına göre üretilmiş ürünelere karşı bilinç düzeyi ve duyarlılıkları araştırılmıştır. Çalışmada, tüketicilerin çevreye duyarlı üretim yöntemi seçimini etkileyen faktörlerin belirlenmesinde Multinomial Lojistik Regresyon Analizinden yararlanılmıştır. Model sonunda, gençlerin çevreci bir ürün için, fazladan para ödemeyi kabul etme oranı arttıkça organik üretim yöntemini tercih etme oranının da arttığı belirlenmiştir.
Açık maden ocaklarının ekolojik onarım çalışmalarında farklı zemin koşullarına uyumlu öncü bitki türlerinin belirlenmesi
Madencilik faaliyetlerinin ekolojik sonuçlarının araştırılması ve etkilerin aza indirilmesi gerekmektedir. Bu kapsamda maden işletmelerinin ardında oluşan bozulmuş alanlarda ekolojik onarım çalışmalarının yürütülmesi, yeniden oluşturulan ekolojik yapıların sürdürülebilir olması önemlidir. Tahrip edilen toprak yapısı, hidrolojik yapı ve bitki örtüsünün yeniden tesis edilmesi bu bozulmuş alanlarda oldukça zordur ve uzun süre gerektirir. Ancak onarım çalışmaları ile oluşturulan morfolojik yapıların erozyonu engeller ve hidrolojik iyileşmeyi destekler şekilde tahsis edilmesi gerekir. Bu yapılar içerisinde oluşan stres koşullarına dayanıklı öncü bitki türleri ile yapılan rekültivasyon çalışmaları, onarım sürecini ve çıplak kayaç yüzeylerinde toprak oluşumunu hızlandıracak, sürdürülebilir yapılar oluşturacaktır. Bu araştırmada açık maden ocaklarının ekolojik onarım çalışmalarında farklı zemin koşullarına uyumlu öncü bitki türleri araştırılmıştır. Çalışma alanı olarak İzmir, Aydın ve Muğla illerinde, 3 farklı kayaç türü üzerinde bulunan 6 farklı terk edilmiş veya onarım çalışmaları tamamlanmış açık ocak işletmesi seçilmiştir. Çalışma alanlarına doğal yollarla gelen ve alanlarda oluşan stres koşulları altında yaşamını sürdüren öncü bitki türlerin tespiti yapılmıştır. Araştırmada kayaç türlerinin farklılıklarına göre ekolojik restorasyon çalışmalarında sürdürülebilirlik kriterini destekleyen bu öncü bitkilerin kullanılması önerilmiştir.
Degradation of oxytetracycline antibiotic from waste activated sludge by fenton oxidation process
Antibiotics are emerging organic contaminants that enter wastewater network as consequence of human activities, and transferred to sewage sludge by sorption during wastewater treatment. The treatment of antibiotics in waste activated sludge (WAS) deserves special attention since antibiotics have potential to cause the spreading of antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens in contrast to other emerging organic contaminants.Although Fenton oxidation has been considered as a promising pre-treatment method by providing sludge disintegration and degradation of recalcitrant compounds, there is a lack for the determination of antibiotics? fate during Fenton oxidation of WAS.The efficiencies of Fenton and Fenton-like oxidation for oxytetracycline (OTC) antibiotic, which exhibits high sorption capacity, were evaluated in synthetically contaminated WAS at different experimental conditions. While increased H2O2 dosage and [Fe+2]/[H2O2] ratio affected process efficiency positively, higher total solid content of WAS drastically reduced the OTC degradation. Fenton and Fenton-like oxidations provided 94 % and 87% OTC degradation with 150 g/kg TS H2O2 and 1.2 Fe/H2O2 molar ratio in 120 minutes treatment time, respectively. Metal and nutrient release and enhanced physical properties were additional results of the Fenton oxidation.
Determination of biogas production potential from various supermarket wastes
Up to date, alternative methods have been investigated to both decrease the environmental effects of wastes and also meet the growing energy demand considering thenew technological developments. Then, biogas production through anaerobic digestion comes forward as an alternative method. Biogas and methane production potential of various substrates and waste sources through anaerobic digestion have been carried out in several laboratory and pilot-scale investigations. Through the continued developments of these investigations and applications, using supermarket wastes in biogas plants occurs as a new method to remove wastes in an environmentally way. The research focused mainly on to investigate the biogas production potential of supermarket wastes. In the concept of research, waste characterizations and suitable total solid (TS, %) ratios of substrates were primarily determined. The objective of this study was to observe the biogas production potentials of every supermarket waste type in the same operation conditions through anaerobic digestion. With this goal, simulated batchreactors were operated in the laboratory at a constant temperature of 350C. Reactors were filled with shredded and homogenized waste mixtures which were collected from waste storage area of one of the supermarket chain. Substrates were prepared considering TS values which were fixed for every reactor. Also, sludge addition was performed in order to accelerate microbial activity before loading to the reactors.Consequently, methane-rich biogas production was observed through anaerobic digestion of supermarket wastes. The better performance in gas production and methane concentration was recorded for mixed wastes due to the better nutritional composition. The feasibility study that was calculated in the light of methane and gas production results showed that installing biogas plant could be feasible in an economically manner for supermarkets.
Assessment and modelling of the toxicity of phenols: A comparative study with marine and freshwater algae
Algae sustain biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems by producing oxygen and recycling nutrients. In contrast to their key role in the environment, toxicity data of many organic pollutants, such as phenols, on algae, especially for marine algae, are severely limited. On the other hand, the data requirement in algal toxicity is almost impossible to be supplied through exhaustive laboratory testing considering the huge number of chemicals to be assessed. Therefore, the use of alternative methods to laboratory testing, such as the quantitative structure-activity/toxicity relationships (QSARs/QSTRs), can help reduce the data gap in algal ecotoxicity.In this study, novel toxicity data of phenols on marine alga Dunaliella tertiolecta and freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris were generated and subjected to QSAR analysis. The phenols selected for toxicological assessment are known to elicit toxicity through different modes of toxic action including polar narcosis, respiratory uncoupling and reactive mechanisms; as such, the data set was regarded as a miniature model of industrial chemical space and provided a realistic basis upon which to explore the development of algal QSTRs. Multiple linear regression and counter propagation artificial neural network techniques were used to build internally and externally validated QSTR models. Most of the QSTRs highlighted the importance of hydrophobicity and electrophilicity related parameters among numerous descriptors. Hydrophobicity was found to underpin the toxicity of phenols to algae. On the other hand, pyrogallol, hydroquinones and catechols, which are potentially capable of being oxidized to reactive species, displayed algal toxicity in excess of that predicted by hydrophobicity. The toxicity of these reactive phenols was better described by electrophilicity parameters. The external validation of the models was also verified using a data set obtained from literature comprising the toxicity of phenols and anilines to another freshwater alga, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. Consequently, the developed QSTRs were shown to be applicable to data from another algal test system and at least for another class of organic compounds.Apart from the QSTRs, investigation of inter-algal and inter-species toxicity correlations between algae and other aquatic organisms such as bacteria, protozoa, daphnia and fish revealed that the response of aquatic organisms to phenols differentiated above the level of polar narcosis. As a result, for a heterogeneous set of compounds acting through different modes of toxic action, the models developed in this study can be used to predict the toxicity of untested compounds provided that the new chemicals are within the applicability domain of the respective model.
Political ecology of small hydraulic power plant constructions in the province of Rize
Hundreds of small hydraulic power plants (SHPPs) in different regions of Turkey have been under construction. However, local people are opposing to these constructions in some regions, especially through judiciary means. The government aims to make legal amendments in order to change the legal basis enjoyed by the opposition until now. These events manifest that SHPPs refer to a case of politicized environment. Relying on a political ecologic perspective, the study defined the issue of SHPPs in Rize as an ecological distribution conflict between different social actors having distinct material interests.To test this hypothesis, this study investigated the state?s policy of SHPPs and the opposition against it, focusing on three valleys in Rize. The research helped to identify the related actors, their motives and strategies. Grassroots actors aimed to defend their livelihood interests that depend on the sustainability of stream ecosystems. Environmental non-governmental organizations supported the cause of grassroots actors from a moral and environmentalist position. The state was driven by a developmentalist and neo-liberal motivation to increase domestic electricity generation capacity by promoting business investments in SHPPs. Although the state is the pivotal actor in this conflict, each actor has its own strengths enabling it to exert power over its opponents.
Toxicity-oriented control of advanced oxidation processes: A case study on phenol derivatives
Advanced oxidation processes are expected to be carefully operated and monitored based on their ecotoxicological impact because the partial oxidation of organic contaminants may result in the formation of intermediates more toxic than parent compounds. Toxicity tests in combination with the transformation product analyses could be an important tool for the control of advanced oxidation processes. Considering the commercial importance as well as toxicological properties of chlorophenol and nonylphenol polyethoxylate group phenolic compounds, degradation and detoxification of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and nonylphenol decaethoxylate (NP-10) in distilled water and synthetically prepared freshwater were investigated by applying the H2O2/UV-C, Fenton and photo-Fenton advanced oxidation processes that are well-known for their effectiveness in removing many organic pollutants from waste streams. Although not an advanced oxidation process, UV-C photolysis was also included in the study due to the fact that it is becoming an attractive technology in water treatment facilities due to several advantages. The marine photobacteria Vibrio fischeri were employed as the test organism to assess changes in acute inhibitory effect during the studied treatment processes, whereas the umu-test using Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 strain was selected as the genotoxicity assay. Toxicity results were complemented by transformation product analyses performed by means of high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, colorimetry and ion chromatography in order to gain a deeper insight into acute toxicity and genotoxicity patterns during application of the studied treatment processes. The H2O2/UV-C and photo-Fenton processes ensured complete 2,4-DCP removal and near-complete mineralization as well as effective abatement of UV280/254 absorbances. Hydroquinone, chlorohydroquinone, maleic and formic acids and aldehydes were identified as the common transformation products of the studied treatment processes. The most rapid decrease in the acute inhibitory effect was achieved by the H2O2/UV-C and photo-Fenton processes, however a re-increase in toxic effect was evidenced in the former advanced oxidation process when extending the treatment time beyond 30 min. The acute inhibitory effect ultimately measured in synthetic freshwater was higher than that recorded in distilled water for UV-C photolysis and lower for the H2O2/UV-C and Fenton processes, whereas the photo-Fenton process was not significantly affected by the inorganic constituents of synthetic freshwater based on acute toxicity test results. During application of the studied treatment processes in distilled water no significant genotoxic effect was observed with and without metabolic activation. Complete NP-10 degradation that is very fast accompanied with high total organic carbon removal efficiencies were achieved by the H2O2/UV-C and photo-Fenton processes, whereas the Fenton?s reagent provided only poor NP-10 abatement and insignificant mineralization. Aliphatic carboxylic acids including formic, acetic and oxalic acids, aldehydes and polyethylene glycols containing 2-8 ethoxy units were all identified as the degradation products of NP-10 by the studied treatment processes. The photo-Fenton process appeared to be toxicologically safer both in distilled water and synthetic freshwater based on the acute toxicity tests since the inhibitory effect did not increase relative to the original NP-10 solution after treatment. The genotoxic effects obtained in distilled water both with and without metabolic activation followed the order; Fenton > H2O2/UV-C > photo-Fenton > UV-C. Formation of weakly to moderately genotoxic transformation products was evidenced in the presence and absence of metabolic activation when the H2O2/UV-C process was applied to synthetically prepared freshwater. The genotoxic effect levels were typically lower during photo-Fenton treatment of synthetic freshwater contaminated with NP-10 as compared to those achieved with the H2O2/UV-C process both in the presence and absence of metabolic activation.
Determination of effects of selected veterinary antibiotics on biogas production in anaerobic digestion systems and analysis of resistance gene promotion
This study presents results of investigation of many laboratory scale anaerobic digesters operated with cattle manure of OTC vaccinated animal. Excretion pattern of oxytetracycline after treatment was observed and excreted amount of antibiotic was calculated. Anaerobic digestion of cattle manure was monitored and performances were recorded in presence of antibiotic and changing operational parameters. Manure amendment to soil was performed to monitor fate and effect of oxytetracycline and digester microbial communities on soil microbial communities Within the scope of the dissertation, it was found that OTC inhibits digester performance significantly. Effect of OTC was higher on bacterial population rather than archaea. OTC excreted from animal body as at least 18% of initial amount within solid manure. This amount will further increase because of repetitive injections and liquid manure addition. These manures were used as feedstock in anaerobic digesters operated under common operational parameters for farm type anaerobic digesters. 50% inhibition in biogas production was observed. Temperature was most influential parameter of digester performance followed by solid content and mixing rate. Temperature has been also most effective parameter on degradation of OTC. Mixing rate also helped degradation of OTC slightly. Also solid content was in negative relation with OTC inhibition. It has been found that half-life of OTC was ranging from 22-28 days in mesophilic and 16-18 days in thermophilic digesters, respectively. Molecular analyses showed that bacterial community of digesters was dominated by fermentative and hydrolytic bacteria belonging groups of Firmicutes and acidogenic Proteobacteria. Methanobacteriales, Methanomicrobiales and Methanosarcina spp. were found as methanogenic community. FISH analyses indicated an increase in microbial activity after 20 days; after that activity dropped significantly. Manure and digestate were amended to soil to monitor the elimination of antibiotic and its effects on microbial structures. It has been found that the half-life of OTC is far longer (135 days) in soil than in digesters (18-24 days) and microbial structures were changed after amendment. Tetracycline resistance gene analyses showed presence of 10000-1000000 resistance gene copies in digester studies and 1000-100000 resistance gene copies in soil studies Analyses also showed that ratio of antibiotic resistance genes to bacterial 16S rRNA genes were increased 50 fold in mesophilic digesters and 100 fold in thermophilic digesters. In soil studies ratio dont showed a significant change.
Rapid detection and identification of bacterial pathogens in drinking water sources using DNA-based methods and immunoimmobilization technology
Clean water is a basic requirement for the survival of the planet and is essential for human health. Water-borne pathogens and the diseases they cause have been a serious threat to public health. Drinking water is a major route for spreading of such pathogens. Monitoring of microbial community is one of the most significant practices for prevention of water-related diseases and potential outbreaks. Comprehensive analysis of chemical composition and microbiological structure of drinking water reservoirs is essential for understanding the levels of contamination and pathogenic threats. Rapid pathogen detection methods are critical for on-site experiments. This study involves two parts. The first part covers investigation of physicochemical and bacteriological composition of drinking water reservoirs in İstanbul. Physicochemical quality was monitored in terms of pH, conductivity, total dissolved solids, salinity, dissolved organic carbon, heavy metals, anions and cations. Bacteriological characterization was performed using culture-independent, DNA-based methods such as DGGE, sequencing and qPCR. The second part includes development of a rapid and sensitive detection method based on immunoimmobilization for selected E. coli strains. A recently developed BiyoTrap® technology was used in combination with immunoimmobilization method for analyzing field samples taken from water reservoirs. Water samples were taken from water intake chambers of drinking water treatment plants. Chemical quality parameters were mostly in agreement with regulation limits. Bacterial diversity was investigated with a combination of DGGE, band excising and sequencing of excised bands. DGGE revealed the presence of 66 OTUs in samples. Similarity research of DGGE band sequences, bacteria available in reservoir samples belong to the members of Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes with abundances of 53%, 24%, 16%, 5%, 3% respectively. According to principal component and correlation analysis, Cr, Zn, Co, F-, and NO3- were found to have a significant impact on bacterial community. qPCR was used for quantification of ETEC, EHEC, Legionella and Salmonella targeting specific genes namely LT, stx, mip and hilA respectively. Maximum gene copy numbers for ETEC, EHEC, Legionella and Salmonella were quantified as 6.74x1011, 1.63x104, 1.48x106 and 1.33x106 per 25 ng DNA/?l respectively. Pathogenic E. coli strains were efficiently immobilized on gold surfaces activated with antibodies specific to their fimbrial and LPS antigens. The strains were selectively sorted on antibody microarrays. Minimum antibody requirement for effective immobilization of bacteria was determined as 4 ug/ml. Minimum detection limit of immunoimmobilization method was 10^4 cfu/ml. Pre-concentration of environmental samples using BiyoTrap® considerably enhanced the immobilization efficiency of target bacteria on antibody modified chips. Minimum detection limit was improved to 10^2 cfu/ml using BiyoTrap®.
Evaluation of organic farming as a sustainability indicator for the Akyaka region
In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the need to manage the impact of human activities on the environment. Sustainable communities play an important role in developing this awareness especially on the regional basis. The aim of the study is to assess the current environmental status of the coastal town of Akyaka located in Southwest of Turkey and to develop proposals for the sustainability approach of the town with special emphasize on organic agricultural activities. Concerning the residents and visitors sustainable approach, an integrated survey was conducted among the citizens of Akyaka Region in order to assess the potential of organic farming as a sustainability indicator. The main idea behind this is to assess the state of organic farming applications and level of awareness among farmers and the degree of interest of local community in organic products. Within this respect, two separate questionnaires were prepared; one for farmers and the other one for consumers. Questionnaires were conducted with both farmers at the local marketplace and residents at restaurants, hotels of Akyaka. Moreover, 135 consumers and additional 30 farmers from the surrounding villages of Akyaka were interviewed. The number of interviewed participants corresponds to 6.6% of the total target people which is above evaluation limit of 5%. The information obtained from Organic Consumers' Questionnaire for Akyaka Region was analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 21.0) statistics program. On the other hand, as the current organic product information achieved by questionnaire applied for farmers contains variety of data, the results were evaluated on frequency basis of SPSS and general evaluation. In conclusion, among many areas about environmental management systems, organic farming was selected as the key topic of this thesis. The aspects of sustainability are interconnected and related to each other and understanding these relationships is crucial for successful implementation of an ecovillage concept. According to this study, income level was emerged as the main differentiator in purchasing organic products. On the other hand, age and gender of consumers and organic food purchasing have no significant correlation.
Ecological footprint as an indicator for regional sustainable development: Turkey Bursa Kadikoy
Sustainable development is constantly gaining ground among the methods which measure whether an area is developing in a sustainable way, with ecological footprint to be the major index for assessing of the sustainability of a region. As Turkey constitutes one of the major rising economies; this study calculates and analyzes its ecological footprint both with them of Bursa and Kadikoy. Bursa is both a rural and provincial city among the most developed regions of Turkey while Kadikoy is one of the most crowded rural counties. These similar and contradicting characteristics of both places were the reasons for their choice in this study. In 2002, the per capita ecological footprint of Turkey was 5.78 gha and by 2011 it increased to 6.59 gha while that of Bursa in 2011 was 3.49 gha. Additionally, the ecological deficit of Turkey worsened, as from 3.78 gha in 2002 it increased to 4.81 gha in 2011. Simultaneously the ecological deficit of Bursa was again lower than that of the whole Turkey reaching 1.69 gha in 2011. Moreover, the per capita carbon ecological footprint of Kadikoy reached the 2.362 gha being the highest compared to the respective ones of Turkey and Bursa. Finally, from the eco-efficiency calculation it is inferred that its performance noted an overall improvement during that period, but again that of Bursa was higher by 1149 US $.
Ömerli̇ reservuari dereleri̇ndeki̇ alg davraşini tahmi̇n etmede model uygulanmasi
The occurrence of small populations of algal blooms in lakes, reservoirs, rivers and other freshwater environments is natural. However, under favourable conditions, the population size can increase dramatically and the algae may accumulate at the freshwater surface as a concentrated bloom. As a result of the bloom occurrence, water resources and water-body users can face the problems of reduced aesthetic quality, emission of unpleasant odours, blocking of water-filtration systems and release of toxins into the water. The apparent increase in the frequency of bloom events is a symptom of eutrophication, and requires monitoring and management. Numerous modelling studies have been carried out to predict the behaviour of algae in freshwaters. However, in Turkey, modelling studies regarding algal growth or transport have rather been limited, particularly in river systems. The main objective of the study is to provide predictions about the intensity, timing and location of the potential algal blooms in selected streams of the Ömerli Reservoir. In order to achieve this, a formerly developed deterministic-mathematical model is applied to the selected streams of the Ömerli Reservior. Monthly field data obtained from 3 different streams of the reservoir, for 1 year is used as input data for the model application. Results indicated that the model predictions are quite reasonable in terms of expressing the relationships between environmental conditions such as, irradiance, nutrient, temperature, turbulence, and algal density change. Furthermore, the simulations also indicate an acceptable prediction of seasonal chl-a concentrations. As a result of this study, it can be said that the model simulation results fit reasonably well with the findings in the literature.
Surface interactions of Cs+ and Co2+ with bentonite and perlite
During nuclear weapon tests, any accidents in the nuclear power plants or nuclear fuel cycle generating, considerable amounts of radioactive waste can release very hazardous radionuclides such as137Cs and 60Co to the geosphere. Both 137Cs and 60Co have long half- lives as 30.2 and 5.27 years, respectively, and these radiotoxic elements can give hazards to biota or human being in the environment. The isolation of radiotoxic elements from environment is efficiently and low-costly achieved by the adsorption of these radionuclides onto the clay or oxide surfaces. In this study, bentonite and perlite was used as adsorbents for the removal of Cs+ and Co2+ from aqueous solution. In this concern, the adsorption behavior of Cs+ and Co2+ onto either bentonite or perlite as a function of pH, time, initial metal concentration, temperature, ionic strength and humic acid (HA) concentration was studied by batch adsorption technique. The adsorption isotherm data were interpreted by Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models. Bentonite attained maximum adsorption capacity for Cs+ as 83.3 mgg-1 and for Co2+ mgg-1 as 15.9 whereas perlite attained capacity values for Cs+ as 1.22 mgg-1 and for Co2+ as 1.83 mgg-1. HA had little influence on adsorption capacity of bentonite for Cs+, but it greatly affected the adsorption capacity of perlite for Cs+. Furthermore, HA increased the adsorption capacity of bentonite for Co2+, whereas it decreased adsorption capacity of perlite for Co2+. Thermodynamic parameters, standard enthalpy (ΔHo), standard entropy (ΔSo) and standard free energy (ΔGo), for the adsorption of Cs+ and Co2+ were determined at four different temperatures of 288 K, 298 K, 318 K and 338 K. All adsorption processes, except Cs+ adsorption onto bentonite, showed the endothermic nature with the positive ΔHo values. The negative values of ΔGo and the positive values of ΔSo indicated the feasibility and spontaneous nature for all adsorption processes and more disordered form after adsorption.
Cytonuclear discordance in the marbled crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787) along the Mediterranean coasts of turkey
The marbled crab, Pachygrapsus marmoratus is a common species in the Mediterranean and along the coasts of Turkey. Its global distribution extends to the north-eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean. In this study, a total of 384 specimens from 32 sites were collected from around coasts of Turkey, and genetically examined in mitochondrial CO1 gene and five nuclear microsatellites for a better understanding of its evolutionary history. High levels of genetic differentiation was found between populations of P. marmoratus distributed all around the Turkish coasts (Population C) and those constrained to the Mediterranean coasts (Population M). Both populations, however, shared the same or have very similar mtDNA CO1 haplotypes. Different scenarios are discussed referring to the biogeographical history of the Mediterranean for explaining this pattern. Two alternative explanations for the cytonuclear discordance as retention of ancestral polymorphisms or gene flow after secondary contact could not be distinguished. The use of complementary mitochondrial markers with faster mutation rates than CO1 subunit in addition to microsatellites, and sampling individuals from the rest of the Mediterranean and from the Atlantic Ocean can be useful in resolving the observed pattern.
Biotransformation of benzalkonium chlorides by immobilized cells of pseudomonas sp. biomig1
Mass use of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) caused these chemicals to become an environmental concern. Little or no elimination of QACs in wastewater treatment plants necessitates a removal policy for these chemicals within treatment system before discharge. In this study, an advanced treatment system after biological treatment is proposed for efficient removal of benzalkonium chlorides (BACs), the most common type of QACs in consumer products. Cultures of Pseudomonas sp. BIOMIG1BDMA which can convert BACs into dimethylbenzylamine (BDMA) were immobilized into Ca-alginate beads. Beads were optimized with respect to CaCl2 concentration and diameter for the best BAC biotransformation efficiency at a cell density of 107 CFU/mL. Optimal beads were 3 mm beads produced by using 0.15 M CaCl2. Number of cells in these beads was found to be 4.6±1.4x106 CFU/bead. BAC degradation kinetics of these beads were analyzed for C12BDMA and C14BDMA. The cell specific utilization rate constant was estimated to be 0.46 µM-BACs/hr. Continuous flow packed bed reactors were prepared using alginate beads as packing material and operated at 4.7, 2.3, and 1.2 hrs empty bed contact times corresponding to 1.3 hrs, 0.8 hrs, and 0.3 hrs mean residence times. 85±5% removal efficiency was obtained with the setup of 0.3 hrs mean residence time at 20 µM BACs. The same flow rate gave 102±11% removal efficiency for 2 µM BAC concentration, and 95±5% removal efficiency for actual wastewater.
Biyolojik sistemlerde mikrobiyel ürünler ve metal inhibisyonu
One of the main topics in biological treatment systems is the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on surface of cells. These substances consisting mainly of proteins and carbohydrates have the ability to bind metals. In this dissertation, first activated sludge reactors were operated in long term at different COD/TKN ratios and with different organic substrates. In each sludge EPS production as well as the changes taking place in EPS were examined. The study pointed to the existence of a very loosely bound EPS fraction in sludge of which there was no mention in literature before. In addition, the study examined the relationship between EPS and surface charge and hydrophobicity of sludges. The results indicated that in an activated sludge system wastewater composition was of crucial importance and the composition of EPS varied with the feed supplied to an activated sludge system. The inhibitory effect and binding of silver and nanosilver (AgNP) was studied. AgNP was synthesized in laboratory. Although the concentration of nanosilver was raised to levels above the normal concentrations found in sewage, nanosilver had no effect on substrate removal since it lost its stability. However, the presence of nanosilver clearly affected the structure of EPS. The binding of nanosilver to the various fractions in EPS is of importance since this determines the transfer of nanosilver to the receiving water or accumulation in sludge phase. Overall, the study revealed that "heavy metal inhibition" depended on many factors.
Lead-free organometallic perovskite characterization for environmentally friendly solar cells
Solar energy is rapidly emerging to take place of the conventional energy sources due to its cheap and clean energy advantages. It is very important to obtain energy from solar cells for Turkey as well, since Turkey's nearly half of the energy sources are imported. One of the best way to accomplish this is using lead-free Perovskites in solar cells. The goal of this study was to investigate the preparation and the material characterization methods of the lead-free organometallic Perovskite layers, which were obtained from the reaction of methyl ammonium iodide and various tin halide salts with the help of different polar-aprotic solvents. Applying this kind of Perovskite material prevents the lead-Perovskite's lead-originated environmental harms, which can show up when the solar panels complete their commercial lifetimes. It is very well known that the potential lead (Pb) exposure can cause decreased fertility, nerve disorders, high blood pressure and memory or concentration problems in human beings. In addition, replacement of DMF, which is usually used in literature with DMSO, prevents potential carcinogen effects of the solvent by inhalation, which may occur in the preparation phase of Perovskite layer. In order to acquire homogenized lead-free perovskite layer for the experimental use, one step method, two step method and solid state method were applied in this study. After development of a homogenized lead-free Perovskite layer step, the layer was ready to be used with hole transport materials (HTM), blocking layers, back contact and front contact in order to obtain a high-efficient solar cell with Perovskite layer. At the end of the research, different kinds of the Perovskite were successfully synthesized and characterized by different material characterization methods. Since all the layers of solar cells need to be optimized separately, electrical characterization was not included in this work as a goal.
Temporal coastal erosion changes analysis using remote sensing in northern Terkos Lake
Istanbul`s drinkable / useable water demand is provided by its nearby surface water resources (Yüzeysel Su Kaynakları Raporu, İMP 2005). The cities` exponentially increasing water need can not be satisfied with the existent water resources and new solutions should be provided to tackle the upcoming water shortness problem in the following decades. Terkos Lake is one of the most crucial surface water resources of Istanbul city. Inevitably, as a result of increasing population, irregular urbanization over the Istanbul in the last 20 decades, qualities of the water basins have been reduced dramatically. All precautions taken and aggressive rules and regulations imposed did not prevent the water basins enough from environmental pollution (Çodur, 2004). Remote sensing is a principle investigation method for large scale geographic locations. This method has been used for a lot research area (Gedik, 2006) like agricultural and geological branches. It is also a handy tool in environmental risk assessments. This study will initially focus on the satellite images which were converted into image vectors with the use of ArcMap and finally assess the status of Terkos Lake with the vector- time analysis.
Life cycle assessment of different types of cement concrete and their impacts on LEED certificated buildings
The ecosystems and biospheres of our planet are being destroyed due to the fossil fuel driven industrial development and excess production of goods. Fossil fuel combustion, land use change and overexploitation of resources have raised the global mean surface temperature. Concrete production is a highly resource and emissions intensive process due to its cement content. Considering the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with the calcination process and the combustion of fuels during clinker production, and the abiotic resource depletion of fossils and elements, a more eco-designed concrete should involve environment friendly clinker substitutes and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in cement and in concrete as well as refuse derived fuels in fuel mix to create significant reduction in resource and emissions intensity. Moreover, the construction industry generates significant amount of waste that should be managed and integrated to value chain in the view of circular economy. In this study, an integrated approach of application of waste to energy targets, utilizing clinker substitutes, SCMs and construction and demolition waste (CDW) in concrete mix will be interpreted with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for different selected scenarios. The results represent the environmental savings through the integrated approach in terms of their relatively reduced contribution to global warming, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical ozone creation, human toxicity and abiotic resource depletion of fossils and elements. In addition, the eco-designed concrete to be defined as a result of LCA study will be evaluated in terms of LEED green building certification system.
The prevalence of Avian malaria in the migratory birds of Aras-Igdir region
Trying to understand certain aspects of avian malaria such as the extent of parasite diversity, distribution and prevalence in host populations in Aras-Iğdır region, a migratory hotspot in eastern Turkey, comprise the main objectives of this thesis
Water quality assessment of an indoor swimming pool
This study investigated the quality of Boğaziçi University indoor swimming pool water by using physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. Physical parameters were temperature, color, turbidity, conductivity, salinity and TDS. Chemical parameters were pH, alkalinity, hardness, free chlorine, ammonia, TKN, oxidizability, common anions, metals, and organic carbon. Moreover, UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectra of samples were recorded. Microbiological parameters were heterotrophic plate count, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Hygienic habits and behaviors of pool users were evaluated by questionnaires. The results of physical and chemical parameters and heterotrophic plate count conformed to those recommended by authorities. Escherichia coli, total coliforms and fecal coliforms were not identified. 35 strains were identified: Pseudomonas spp. were the most frequently isolated bacteria (34%); 20% of the identified strains were Pseudomonas aeruginosa; the rest were various bacteria. This study has revealed that waters of indoor swimming pools in Turkey have not been examined in this context. The results indicate that pool waters should be continually monitored and Enterococci should be used as a parameter. Surveys in heavily used pools will be beneficial in revealing the hygienic habits and behaviors of pool users and directing future research on pool water quality.
Effect of rumen fungi on potential of biogas production in anaerobic digesters fed with different lignocellulosic compounds
Although lignocellulosic biomass are considered as an alternative biogas source, they also cause rate limitation in hydrolysis step of anaerobic digestion process, negative effect on the performance of anaerobic digesters and reduction in yield. Thus, they can be also defined as a significant problem in energy production from animal manure, microalgae and macroalgae. Anaerobic rumen fungi can be seen as a potential treatment method to improve the biogas production because they produce pretty much hydrolyze enzymes. In this study, effects of anaerobic rumen fungi on the performance of anaerobic digesters and biogas production from different lignocelluloosic compounds and also microbial community dynamics during anaerobic digestion process were investigated. In the different three sets, it was examined that effects of bioaugmentation with anaerobic rumen fungi at various ratios of inoculums on biogas production of anaerobic digesters fed with animal manure, microalgae and macroalgae respectively. The highest biogas productions reached 5500 ml in digester R2, 6250 ml in digester F5 and 3500 ml in digester A1. It was also found that the highest methane productions are 60% for animal manure, 57% for microalgae H. pluvialis and 54,7% for macroalgae Ulva lactuca due to addition of anaerobic rumen fungi. Changes in quantity and diversity of bacterial and archaeal communities were detected by lllumina MiSeq sequencing technology. Changes in the number of total cells of fungi were analysed by qPCR to show effect of anaerobic rumen fungi on biogas production from different lignocellulosic compounds.
Investigation of the suitability of cassava flour and algal starch for bacterial cellulose production
Bacterial celluloses have a wide range of applications in many areas such as environmental, medical, food and electronics. In the present study, the suitability of two carbon sources were tested for BC production. Cassava flour, as a starch-rich material, was tested to be used as a carbon source after the hydrolysis of its starch content to glucose. Since starch is among the valuable components of microalgal biomass, glucose obtained by the hydrolysis of starch from Chlorella vulgaris was also tested to be used in BC production. While algae has a lower starch content than cassava flour, several stress conditions were attempted to increase the starch content of C. vulgaris. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report on the use of hydrolysates of cassava flour and algal starch as carbon sources in the production of BC by Komagataeibacter hansenii. BC yields on dry weight basis were 1.202±0.005 g.L-1, 1.138±0.004 g.L-1, and 1.104±0.002 g.L-1 from glucose (as control), cassava flour, and algal starch, respectively. The results of the characterization studies have revealed that the morphological and chemical characteristics of the BCs produced from cassava flour and algal starch were similar to the BC produced from glucose.
Hazir beton sektörünün su ayak izi: Niğde örneği̇
İnsan ihtiyaçlarının çeşitlenmesi, nüfus artışı ve teknolojik gelişmeler suyun miktarında azalma ve su kalitesinde bozulmalara neden olarak su kıtlığı tehdidine yol açmaktadır. Hazır beton son yıllarda hızla gelişen inşaat sektörü açısından önemli bir malzemedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Niğde örneğinde hazır beton üretiminden kaynaklanan su ayak izini belirlemektir. Hazır betonun yaşam döngüsü dikkate alınarak beşikten kapıya kadarki doğrudan ve dolaylı su ayak izi hesaplanmıştır. Doğrudan su ayak izi kapsamında üretimden kaynaklanan, mikser yıkama, beton santrali yıkama, toz bastırma, bahçe sulama ve personel kullanımı; dolaylı su ayak izi kapsamında üretim içeriğinde kullanılan çimento, agrega, enerji ve yemek değerlendirilmiştir. Ana sonuçlar şunlardır: (1) Beton endüstrisindeki büyük su tüketimi, dolaylı tüketilen su miktarıyla yakından bağlantılıdır. (2) Hazır betonun su ayak izi 2,238 m3/m3 olup, bunun 0,217 m3/m3'ü doğrudan su ayak izi, 2,021 m3/m3 'ü ise dolaylı su ayak izidir. (3) Agreganın su ayak izi diğer faaliyetlerle karşılaştırıldığında en yüksek su ayak izi olan 1,125 m3/m3 ulaşmaktadır; onu 0,573 m3/m3 su ayak iziyle çimento takip edilmektedir. (4) Personel yemek ve enerji de sırasıyla 0,292 m3/m3 ve 0,0308 m3/m3 oranında su ayak izine katkıda bulunmaktadır.
Kaş-Kekova DEKA'da balık biyoçeşitliliğini değerlendırmede çevresel DNA metabarkodlama ve su altı görsel sayımın karşılaştırılması
The impacts of anthropological activities are one of the major causes leading to biodiversity loss. Marine biodiversity, especially fish, suffers from human activities the most through overexploitation, pollution, and habitat loss and fragmentation; therefore, Marine Protected Areas play a significant role in protecting and conserving marine biodiversity and habitat. However, biomonitoring of species diversity in such areas is usually dependent on conventional surveys, which can be costly, invasive, require taxonomic expertise, and are potentially prone to subjectivity and error. As an alternative to traditional surveys, eDNA metabarcoding can be utilized to assess and monitor diversity in biodiversity spots. In this study, 21 seawater samples were collected in a marine protected area (Kaş-Kekova) in Antalya, Turkey, from three different sampling depths (surface, 12m, and 24m) in 16 stations. Two sets of universal primers targeting COI and 12S rRNA markers were used in the eDNA metabarcoding. This study aimed to assess the fish biodiversity in Kaş-Kekova MPA by eDNA metabarcoding and compare it with the simultaneous underwater visual census (UVC) findings and whether eDNA metabarcoding cross-validates the fish biodiversity recorded in the area and to detect the presence of any invasive or elusive species where the conventional methods might fall short of their detection. The results of the analyses demonstrated that the two methods were complementary to each other and with better sampling effort, utilizing eDNA metabarcoding could be promising in terms of species diversity assessment and forewarning the possible invasive species.
Life cycle assessment of energy and value-added product generation from biomass by pyrolysis
The sustainable management of biomass waste from food and raw materials is a critical issue today. Meanwhile, global energy demand is constantly increasing with the rapidly growing population and industrialization. Today, most of the energy used is still fossil fuels, and this dominance is a significant obstacle to the sustainable energy transition. The European Green Deal aims to make a sustainable economy possible by drawing attention to the transformation of climate and environmental problems brought about by these problems. At this point, pyrolysis technology offers a promising solution. It provides a cleaner way of waste management by providing valuable chemicals from biomass waste and energy generation. It enables us to use resources efficiently in line with the principles of circular economy. In this study, the environmental performance of a biomass waste pyrolysis plant, which obtains energy and valuable products by pyrolysis of biomass waste, was evaluated using the life cycle assessment methodology, and scenarios in which energy is assessed in different ways were discussed. In addition, changes in environmental impacts of this clean production plant, which contributes to the circular bioeconomy, were examined in the changing 2030 and 2053 electricity projections. The results show that environmental impacts are mainly due to the electricity consumption used in the production processes throughout the life cycle and the exhaust emissions of the cogeneration unit, and the system has the potential to make a positive contribution to abiotic depletion potential by producing activated carbon from biochar and converting biomass into energy.
Conservation genetics of the Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) in the Mediterranean Sea
Seabird populations globally face decline from threats on breeding grounds and at sea. Seabirds form spatially structured populations and limited understanding of population connectivity hinders their conservation. Genomic approaches, generally underutilised in seabird conservation, allows to assess population connectivity and the driving historical and contemporary factors and aids in identifying relevant conservation units. This research focuses on the Yelkouan Shearwater, a Mediterranean-endemic seabird facing conservation challenges. Employing next generation sequencing and diverse analytical methods, this study unveils, for the first time, the population genomic structure of the Yelkouan Shearwater. It also evaluates contemporary factors influencing this structure and tests its utility for the conservation of the Yelkouan Shearwater. The results of this dissertation highlight the pivotal role of comprehensive range-wide sampling and high-resolution sequencing data in unravelling the population genomic structure of seabirds. It also underscores the intricate relationship between seascape features and seabird genomic structure. Given the high pace of global change and biodiversity loss, these findings should inform future seabird research and conservation management, extending their relevance beyond the Mediterranean.
Identification of Salda lake archaeal composition by MinION sequencer to demonstrate possible microbial assemblance between martian environment and planet earth
Discovery of microbial life on another planet is crucial for demonstrating the existence of life precursors in space. According to data collected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Lake Salda on Earth is an analogue for the Jezero crater, Mars. The study examines archaeal components of Lake Salda, which could provide clues to possible biosignatures on Martian surface. Archaea are considered the most primitive microorganisms. Amplicon sequencing employed to analyze archaeal species present in Lake Salda using MinION device from Oxford Nanopore Technologies. This research represents the first application of the MinION sequencer for analyzing archaeal community of the Lake. The samples collected during summer 2021, from sediments, biofilm, microbial mats, water filters, and moss, categorized based on their sampling location and composition. The findings indicated that the samples primarily consist of four superphyla of archaea: Thaumarchaeota (now referred to as Nitrososphaerota), Aigarchaeota, Crenarchaeota (now referred to as Thermoproteota), and Korarchaeota (collectively known as TACK), Euryarchaeota, Candidatus Thermoplasmatota, Diapherotrites, Parvarchaeota, Aenigmarchaeota, Nanoarchaeota, and Nanohaloarchaeota (DPANN). The largest diversity was observed in sediment samples, whereas microbial mat samples exhibited the lowest diversity. No significant differences in diversity were observed among the samples based on location. Archaeal species identified in Lake Salda play significant role in biogeochemical cycles. Furthermore, optimal growth conditions for most of the identified species do not align with the environmental characteristics of Lake Salda. Understanding how these species adapt to suboptimal conditions and the mechanisms underlying this adaptation provides valuable insights into evolutionary biology and astrobiology.
Türkiye'de agroekoloji: Farkli tanimlar, algilar ve söylemlerin belirlenmesi
Scientific and public attention to agroecology is rising given the accelerating adverse social and ecological consequences of industrial agriculture. Defined as a science, a practice and a social movement, agroecology is conceptualized differently by various stakeholders. Recently, a growing number of stakeholders started to promote agroecology in Türkiye. However, the different understandings and definitions adopted by these actors lead to confusion and a risk of cooptation by the dominant actors of the corporate food regime. Hence, this study aimed to identify the different perceptions, definitions, and discourses surrounding agroecology in Türkiye to capture its potential and limitations. The study employed a mixed-method approach, via participant observation, an online survey with 59 participants, and follow-up in-depth interviews. Exploratory Factor Analysis used to analyze the survey revealed three distinct discourses on agroecology in Türkiye: Transformative, Reformist, and Laissez-Faire Approach to Agroecology. Accordingly, Transformative Agroecology is a discourse concerned with alternatives to the corporate food regime with a focus on justice and social movements. In contrast, the Laissez-Faire approach envisions an agroecology within the boundaries of the corporate agri-food regime prioritizing markets without any government intervention. Reformist Agroecology offers a middle way based on gradual reforms for fine-tuning industrial agriculture and improving its social and ecological performance. The study cautions against the emerging threat of co-optation of agroecology by mainstream actors of the corporate agri-food regime via the discourses of Laissez-Faire and Reformist Agroecology.
Evaluation of the environmental impacts of the selected household appliances via life cycle assessment approach
With industrialization, products which make human life more comfortable have become widespread and household appliances having adverse environmental impacts on earth's system through their lifecycle are one of those product groups. On behalf of minimizing the adverse impact of human living on the earth system, the current environmental impact of these products should be measured and analyzed. Since environmental impacts cannot be minimized unless it is measured and analyzed regarding their hot spots. The objective measurement of product groups' environmental impacts is figured out through life cycle assessment (LCA) from cradle to grave within the scope of CML 2001 method by using GaBi 8 software in this study for the use phase having the highest environmental impact in some of the impact categories of dishwashers, washing machines, and refrigerators due to their high electricity consumption. The impact categories with the largest environmental impact include CC, ADP-Fossil fuel, FAETP, HTP, and MAETP, according to the normalization result. The goal of this study is to compare the impact of possible scenarios for circular economy approaches including cleaner electricity mix of Türkiye in 2035, product durability, customer choices, and behavior, and to lessen their environmental burden. As a result of this study, the most environmentally friendly scenarios are the combination of Türkiye's 2035 electricity mix, 20 % fewer washing cycles and 20 % more energy-efficient (S8), and renewing the appliances with 20 % more energy-efficient ones (S5) for Türkiye to achieve its net zero emission target instead of extending lifespan up to 2053.
Political ecology of inter-basin water transfers in Turkey: the case of melen stream
Istanbul, Turkey's cultural and economic capital with around 20 million residents, uses resources, particularly water, from far beyond its borders. Even though the city has always had trouble providing fresh water to its citizens, its current size necessitated a number of costly solutions to meet the growing demand, some of which took the form of inter-basin water transfer projects, such as the "Great Melen Project", the second-biggest water transfer project in the country. The project forced the evacuation of a number of villages expected to flood, by using urgent expropriation decisions. This thesis focuses on Ortaköy village, evacuated in 2014, by conducting a series of in-depth interviews with various stakeholders, especially with former residents of the village, to learn more about how this project has affected people's lives in the area. The findings demonstrate how, despite the project being hailed as a technological and engineering marvel, the Melen region is being sacrificed—and quite easily—for the sake of the nation's economic growth ideals (embodied in the image İstanbul), and how these ideals are used form consent among the villagers.
Dominant viruses and mitochondrial genome of Cladocora caespitosa
Global warming leads to increased coral bleaching due to higher sea temperatures and increased pathogenic activity affecting coral communities. Together with rising temperatures, the pathogenic activity affecting coral communities also increases. However, the role of viruses in coral bleaching has been underestimated. Recent studies demonstrated the presence of virus-like particles (VLP) on the surface of bleached corals, indicating the need for further analysis to determine the impact of viruses on the bleaching phenomena. In this context, our objective was to detect the dominant viruses on Cladocora caespitosa, a coral species endemic to the Mediterranean basin, when exposed to a bacterial pathogen, namely Vibrio coralliilyticus, and heat stress. Thermally stressed and both thermally and pathogenically stressed colonies were bleached during the experiment, representing the detrimental impact of the mentioned stressors on coral health. The viral load of the control groups significantly differed from each other prior to the introduction of any stress factors, indicating the complex interactions within coral microbiota. The increased abundance of viruses in thermally and both thermally and pathogenically stressed corals demonstrates a positive correlation between the viral activity and stress. Interestingly, while the increased abundance of viruses was attributed to bacteriophages in thermally stressed corals, the abundance of eukaryotic viruses increased in both thermally and pathogenically stressed corals, presumably indicating a difference in the bleaching mechanisms observed in those tanks. In addition, using the sequenced reads of C. caespitosa, we conducted mitochondrial genome assembly of the species and undertook phylogeographic comparisons.
Medium and large mammal community and spatiotemporal activity and interspecific interactions of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Yenice forest - Implications for conservation
Understanding their ecological requirements is essential for the conservation planning of the protected species in a designated protected area. Otherwise, protected areas become symbolic reserves safeguarded only in documentation. In this study, we carried out the first extensive systematic camera trapping in Yenice Forest, Karabük, Turkey, covering around 500 km2 area of the forest. We examined the distribution and habitat use of medium and large mammals in Yenice Wildlife Development Area and the surrounding state hunting grounds. We further evaluated the spatiotemporal patterns and species interactions of the brown bear which is a keystone, umbrella, and flagship species. A multiscale analysis of environmental covariates showed that mean elevation and slope within 16km radius and water bodies within 4km radius were the most influential parameters and positively influenced the occurrence of brown bears in Yenice Forest. The human-related covariates did not affect the spatial use of habitat, however, there was temporal partitioning of space use between humans and brown bears. At the community level, abundance was found higher in the areas with vehicle captures compared to the areas where no vehicles were recorded. Mean slope within 16km radius and water bodies within 4km radius were also important covariates at the community level. Protected area status and distance to the protected area did not change the habitat use of the target species. Target species showed mostly nocturnal and crepuscular activity. Further systematic monitoring of these species would help understand the trends of these populations in time and better inform conservation decisions
Optimization of astaxanthin accumulation in Haematococcus lacustris in a photobioreactor system
Astaxanthin is a highly sought keto-carotenoid with numerous health advantages and can either be produced naturally or synthetically. Natural astaxanthin outperforms synthetic by 50-fold, coenzyme-Q10 by 100-1000, and vitamin E by 500-fold in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, natural astaxanthin remains potent that can be used as a sustainable-safe substitute for synthetics in the cosmetics, nutraceutical, and functional-food industries. Haematococcus is one of the most preferred genus for astaxanthin accumulation. In this study, the less-studied Haematococcus lacustris CCAP 34/6 strain was evaluated for optimal astaxanthin accumulation, and the obtained extract was presented as the final product in encapsulated form. To achieve this, light, temperature, growth medium and sonication conditions were evaluated under titles divided into two main groups: green and red phases, considering the unique life cycle of the strain. The green phase studies demonstrated a 308.21% increase in biomass in 3N:BBM medium under gradual blue-red-light at 23°C, whereas the red phase studies showed the most rapid astaxanthin accumulation in BG11-N medium at 28°C. Following the acquired data, a biomass concentration of 2.02 g/L and an astaxanthin yield of 2.1% were achieved after large-scale-cultivation in a 6L flat panel photobioreactor. Optimum encapsulation conditions were determined and edible beads with 4 mm and 8 mm diameters containing 1 mg of pure astaxanthin were produced. Overall, the findings of this comprehensive thesis study shed light on astaxanthin production from H. lacustris CCAP 34/6 by creating optimal growth conditions and extended to the final encapsulated product.
Evaluation of a full-scale biogas plant utilizing cow and poultry manure in the presence of veterinary antibiotics
Antibiotics, used in food-producing animals, are excreted at high concentrations into the environment, either in their original or converted forms, via feces or urine. Hence, using animal manure as fertilizer can pose significant risks, including the accumulation of veterinary antibiotics in the environment and the development of antibiotic resistance, which can affect human health. In this regard, anaerobic digestion is a well-known biotechnology for removing antibiotics from animal manure. This study evaluated the performance of the full-scale mesophilic anaerobic digestion system utilizing poultry and cow manure, focusing on biogas yield, solid reduction, and the removal of antibiotics, specifically fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines. Through the anaerobic digestion process, a total solids reduction of 27% and a volatile solids reduction of 38% were achieved, resulting in a biogas yield of 0.94 L/gVS with methane content of 58% and electrical energy generation of 1500 kWh; the overall performance of the full-scale digestion system can be considered satisfactory. Additionally, the removal rates of selected antibiotics were found to be 32%, 38%, 37%, 38% and 67% for tetracycline, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, respectively, by analyzing original forms without the effects of their conversion forms. Therefore, animal manure containing antibiotics can still pose environmental and public health risks, even after being treated by anaerobic digestion, due to the spreading of antibiotics and their residues into the environment, as well as the development of antibiotic resistance in humans. Considering these factors, digestate should not be used as fertilizer for agricultural purposes unless further treatment is applied.
Kentsel atıksu arıtma tesisi mikrobiyal yapısı ve işletme performansının beklenen tasarım kabulleri ile karşılaştırılması
Bu çalışmada, tesis tasarımında kabul edilen şartların ve beklenen performansın gerçek işletme ve farklı model ile karşılaştırılması yapılarak nutrient giderim sistemlerinde sağlanması gereken efektif azot giderim işletme koşulu ve bununla birlikte azot gideriminin gerektirdiği proses tanklarındaki oksik/anoksik hacmin optimum şekilde belirlenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Tasarım kabullerinin işletme performansı üzerindeki etkisi ve tasarımlarda dikkat edilmesi gereken noktalar araştırılıp, yapılacak mikrobiyolojik karakterizasyon ile işletme şartlarının mevcut durumu ortaya konularak işletme için alınabilecek önlemler için fayda sağlaması hedeflenmektedir. Birinci bölümde, yapılan çalışmanın önemi vurgulanarak amaç ve kapsamı açıklanmıştır. Yapılan tasarımlarda kullanılan tasarım kabullerinin gerçek işletme açısından önemi vurgulanarak kullanılacak model ve tesis gerçek işletme verilerinin tasarım kabulleri ile karşılaştırılacağı belirtilmiştir. İkinci bölümde, aktif çamur sitemleri arıtma konfigürasyonları, aktif çamurun mikrobiyal karakterizasyonu ve neden olduğu problemler, çamur çökelebilirliği, aktif çamur modelleri hakkında geniş bir literatür bilgisi verilmiştir. Üçüncü bölümde, İSKİ Paşaköy İleri Biyolojik Atıksu Arıtma Tesisi tanıtılmış, tesis tasarımında baz aınan tasarım metodu hakkında bilgi verilmiş, çalışmada kullanılan model tanıtılarak yapılan kimyasal ve mikrobiyolojik analizler açıklanmıştır. Yapılan analiz sonuçları ile tesisin işletme durumu ortaya konulmuş olup, bu değerler modelgirdisi olarak kullanılmıştır Dördüncü bölümde, modelde iki farklı işletme koşulu için simülasyon sonuçları, tasarım methodu hesaplama sonuçları, mikrobiyolojik inceleme sonuçları ve çamur çökelebilirliği testi sonuçları verilmiş, bu sonuçlar ilişkilendirilerek değerlendirme yapılmıştır. Simülasyonda oluşturulan işletme koşullarında proses tanlarında farklı oksik/anoksik hacimler kullanılarak farklı VD/VT oranlarının özellikle azot giderim verimine etkisi araştırılmıştır. Yapılan kabuller ile hesaplanan tasarım metodu sonuçları gerçek işletme verileri ve model sonuçları ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Mikrobiyolojik inceleme ile, sistemin mevcut mikrobiyal karakterizasyonu yapılıp, baskın türler ortaya konmuştur. Aktif çamurun çökelebilirliği incelenerek, çökelme parametreleri belirlenmiştir. Farklı VD/VT oranlarının çamur çökelebilirliği ve mikrobiyal analiz ile ilişkisi açıklanmış ve değerlendirmeler yapılmıştır.
Modeling water supply and demand balance of Istanbul under future climate and socio-economic change scenarios
Population growth creates an increased freshwater demand with the subsequent developments due to urbanization and industrialization in the metropolis Istanbul, Turkey. Climate change has additional serious impacts on water resources. Therefore, sustainable water management practices are required to cope with the dynamic socio-economic change and climate change on water demand and supply balance in Istanbul. In this study, Water Evaluation and Planning Systems (WEAP) modeling program, as an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) tool, is used to understand the impacts of climate change and socio-economic changes such as population growth and water use on water demand and supply balance and to know what awaits Istanbul until 2100. The model is analyzed under different scenarios of socio-economic and climate change. The physical and spatial properties of the watershed basin and catchment hydrology data appropriate with Rainfall Runoff (Simplified Coefficient) Method of WEAP are used in the baseline scenario construction and scenario analysis. Regarding the results, the city is expected to experience the negative impacts of climate change much more after 2030 while the impacts will get more dispersed and unpredictable after 2040. The high dependency on the external water resources, especially on Melen River, is increasing the water insecurity of the city especially with the pressure created by increased total water demand of the city. To achieve a water-smart society under the increasing pressures of climate change and socioeconomic changes; technological improvements, policy changes and educational activities to increase environmental awareness are needed with the joint contributions of all stakeholders.
An assessment of soil erosion using Rusle model: a case study from the marmara region
Soil is a vital resource for life. Soil erosion is one of the most serious natural problem caused by degrading land, agricultural and other human induced activities. The aim of this study is to predict the soil loss in the Marmara Region as a result of climate change. To achieve this, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is used and soil loss maps of the region are produced by the the help of remote sensing and geographic information systems techniques. While soil loss maps are produced between the years 1989 and 2017, future projections of soil erosion are also investigated for the period between years 2020 and 2049. For climate projections two scenarios of the Regional Climate Model are used: RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. The results showed that, when compared to the historical data, soil erosion risk in the future will increase in the Marmara Region. The soil loss results for the time interval 2020-2049 of the scenario RCP 8.5 is 61% higher than the results of the scenario RCP 4.5. Also, the results based on the historical data of the Regional Climate Model showed that the soil loss ranged from 0 to 24.298 Mg. ha-1. year-1 during the time interval 1989 -2017 in the Marmara Region, and the average soil loss is estimated as 12.2 Mg. ha-1. year-1.
An in silico approach for estimating the activity of vector control chemicals targeting Aedes aegypti and their aquatic toxicity
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is known as the main vector that transmits the viruses cause dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya epidemic arthritis, and Zika. Control of the vector is an important strategy to avoid disease propagation. However, vector control is threatened by the increasing resistance of mosquitoes to insecticides. On the other hand, environmental impacts of the intense use of these insecticides is of great concern. In the present study, the larvicidal activity of plant-derived compounds was subjected to a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. A valid QSAR model which fulfill the criteria set by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was generated using QSARINS 2.2.2 software. The generated QSAR model was validated both internally and externally. The external predictivity of model was tested with chemicals with no experimental larvicidal data and it has 95.3% structural coverage. The most toxic and the least toxic plant-based larvicides were determined. Piperidine derivatives were found highly effective on Aedes aegypti larvae. Also, the fruit Piper nigrum was highlighted as a plant-based larvicide source. Additionally, in order to propose a safe larvicide the toxicity of larvicides to nontarget organism living in aquatic systems was evaluated by using previously generated acute toxicity and cytotoxicity models towards three representative aquatic species (algae, fish, and planarian) by Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ecotoxicology and Chemometrics Lab group and the most toxic larvicides are detected for these aquatic species.
Molecular and morphological identification of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Kutahya mine-tailings: Bio-phytoremediating at mine site
Tavsanli is a coal mining site located in Kutahya, Turkey. The tailings of this mine site are contaminated with heavy metals. Heavy metal contamination possesses a threat to the biota, ecosystem function and structure. Thus, remediation of mine tailing is crucial for the removal and destruction of toxic elements. Bio-phytoremediation is the use of plants, microorganisms or both to remove, detoxify, sequester contaminants or convert them into non-toxic materials. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) have the ability to form symbiotic relationship with plenty of plant species and help them cope with extreme environmental conditions such as heavy metal pollution, drought, acidity. Since Tavsanli stands for a stressed environment due to its contamination, it is hypothesized that native plants have an interaction with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in order to support plants to thrive in harsh conditions. This thesis examined how bio-phytoremediation methods can be implemented for the Tavsanli mine tailings. Soil samples and native plants were obtained from the mine site and greenhouse experiments were carried out with Sorghum bicolor L. seeds as host plant. Then roots were examined using both molecular and morphological techniques to investigate the presence of AMF which are known to bioremediate heavy metal contaminated sites. Following the DNA extraction, specific primers that target the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region were used to identify the AMF in the soil samples, DNA isolates were sequenced and compared to the fungi database.
Optimized production of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from Chlorococcum novae-angliae
Essential fatty acids (ω-3 and ω-6) are key examples of highly demanded nutraceutical supplements as they are substantially required for the development of nervous system and brain in children, and to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system in adults. Major sources of essential fatty acids in nature are fungi, plant, fish, and microalgae. Among them, microalgae feedstocks have gained significant attention recently as they grow much faster and provide higher biomass productivity compared to plant species or fungi. Moreover, microalgae are primary producers of essential fatty acids. Although there are many alternatives for ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids in the international market which are mainly fish oil-based, pollution of water resources, accumulation of heavy metals, organic contaminants, dioxin in fish bodies, undesirable odor of fish oils, and reduced fish stocks due to overfishing became major concerns for sustainability of these resources. Therefore, microalgae based ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids are more desirable in the market as they appeal more to vegans and vegetarians due to their plant-based nature. In this study, Chlorococcum novae-angliae, a green microalgae that natively synthesize high amounts of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids has been exposed to various growth conditions (light, nitrogen, salinity, and temperature stress) to optimize their growth conditions for maximal production of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids as a potential candidate for achieving large-scale production goals. For this reason, lipid content and fatty acid profiles of Chlorococcum novae-angliae were investigated in order to find out biosynthesis levels of ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids.