Chemical Speciation of Vanadium in Coal Bottom Ash

Chemical speciation of vanadium is important to understand the true nature of this element in the environment as well as its biochemical pathways. Sample pretreatment, preparation, and chemical speciation methods were applied for vanadium in coal bottom ash here. Two‐stage microwave acid digestion was used to preparation of samples. Determination of vanadium was performed using inductively coupled plasma‐optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES). Speciation of vanadium was carried out using a seven‐step sequential extraction procedure of the coal bottom ash each releasing species of vanadium: Water soluble, exchangeable, carbonate, reducible, oxidizable, sulfide, and residual fractions. Total vanadium concentration in the coal bottom ash is 701 mg kg^?1 d.w. The most abundant form of vanadium in coal bottom ash is residual fraction of vanadium (196 mg kg^?1 d.w.). Relative abundances of the remaining vanadium fractions in coal bottom ash are as follows: Reducible (176 mg kg^?1 d.w.) > sulfide (176 mg kg^?1 d.w.) > carbonate (85 mg kg^?1 d.w.) > oxidizable (50 mg kg^?1 d.w.) > water soluble (10.6 mg kg^?1 d.w.) > exchangeable (9.0 mg kg^?1 d.w.).     

An Assessment of the Seismicity of the Bursa Region from a Temporary Seismic Network

A temporary earthquake station network of 11 seismological recorders was operated in the Bursa region, south of the Marmara Sea in the northwest of Turkey, which is located at the southern strand of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). We located 384 earthquakes out of a total of 582 recorded events that span the study area between 28.50–30.00°E longitudes and 39.75–40.75°N latitudes. The depth of most events was found to be less than 29 km, and the magnitude interval ranges were between 0.3 ≤ M_L ≤ 5.4, with RMS less than or equal to 0.2. Seismic activities were concentrated southeast of Uludag Mountain (UM), in the Kestel-Igdir area and along the Gemlik Fault (GF). In the study, we computed 10 focal mechanisms from temporary and permanents networks. The predominant feature of the computed focal mechanisms is the relatively widespread near horizontal northwest-southeast (NW–SE) T-axis orientation. These fault planes have been used to obtain the orientation and shape factor (R, magnitude stress ratio) of the principal stress tensors (σ₁, σ₂, σ₃). The resulting stress tensors reveal σ₁ closer to the vertical (oriented NE–SW) and σ₂, σ₃ horizontal with R = 0.5. These results confirm that Bursa and its vicinity could be defined by an extensional regime showing a primarily normal to oblique-slip motion character. It differs from what might be expected from the stress tensor inversion for the NAFZ. Different fault patterns related to structural heterogeneity from the north to the south in the study area caused a change in the stress regime from strike-slip to normal faulting.     

Selective Preconcentration of Trace Amounts of Cu(II) With Surface‐Imprinted Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

In this study, a new sorbent is synthesized using surface imprinting technique. Cu(II)‐imprinted multiwalled carbon nanotube sorbent (Cu(II)‐IMWCNT) is used as the solid phase in the solid‐phase extraction method. After the preconcentration procedure, Cu(II) ions are determined by high‐resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry. A total of 0.1 mol L^?1 ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is used to remove Cu(II) ions from the sorbent surface. The optimum experimental conditions for effective preconcentration of Cu(II), parameters such as pH, eluent type and concentration, flow rate, sample volume, sorbent capacity, and selectivity are investigated. The synthesized solid phase is characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The maximum adsorption capacities of Cu(II)‐IMWCNT and non‐imprinted solid phases are 270.3 and 14.3 mg g^?1 at pH 5, respectively. Under optimum experimental conditions for Cu(II) ions, the limit of detection is 0.07 μg L^?1 and preconcentration factor is 40. In addition, it is determined to be reusable without significant decrease in recovery values up to 100 adsorption–desorption cycles. Cu(II)‐IMWCNT have a high stability. To check the accuracy of the developed method, certified reference materials, and water samples are analyzed with satisfactory analytical results.     

C2/c pyroxene phenocrysts from three potassic series in the Neogene alkaline volcanics, NE Turkey: their crystal chemistry with petrogenetic significance as an indicator of P–T conditions

Chemical and structural data are reported for C2/c pyroxene phenocrysts collected from three potassic series (Group A: basanite-tephrite, Group B: tephrite-phonolitic tephrite, Group C: alkaline basalt-trachybasalt) of the Neogene alkaline volcanics (NAVs) in northeastern Turkey, in order to investigate the evolution of the magmatic plumbing system and the location of magma chamber(s) with crystallization conditions. The rock series hosting the clinopyroxene phenocrysts show generally porphyritic texture and have a variable phenocryst-rich nature (20–58%), with phenocryst assemblages characterized by cpx ± ol ± plag ± foid ± amp ± bio. The clinopyroxene phenocrysts can be chemically classified as Ti- and Fe³⁺-rich Al-diopsides for Groups A and B (AB-cpxs) and Ti- and Fe³⁺-poor Al-diopsides for Group C (C-cpxs). They have poorly variable composition, clustering in the diopside field. Structurally, the diopside groups have nearly similar a (ranging from 9.73 to 9.75 ?), V _cell (437.2–440.9 ?³), and 〈beta〉 angle values (106.01°–106.23°), but some differences in polyhedral parameters and geometries of the AB-cpxs and C-cpxs have been observed. For example, the AB-cpxs are characterized by larger c (5.27–5.30 vs. 5.25–5.28 ?), V _T (2.27–2.30 vs. 2.23–2.28 ?³), and V _M2 (25.53–25.72 vs. 25.41–25.59 ?³) values and smaller b (8.87–8.88 vs. 8.88–8.91 ?) and V _M1 (11.49–11.63 vs. 11.64–11.83 ?³) values with respect to the C-cpxs. In addition, the AB-cpxs show higher values of V _M2/V _M1 (2.20–2.23) due to large V _M2 and small V _M1 compared to the V _M2/V _M1 ratios of the C-cpxs (<2.19). Such differences in the crystal structure of the AB-cpxs and C-cpxs from the NAVs are partly related to different crystallization pressures, but mostly related to variation in melt composition and, possibly, the influence of other crystallizing mineral phases. In particular, R(M2-O1) and R(M1-O2) (i.e. bond lengths) differences in the clinopyroxenes of different groups support the presence of evolved host rocks with different alkaline character (i.e. silica-undersaturated Groups A–B and silica-saturated Group C). Based on the cpx-geothermobarometry, the crystallization pressures for the C-cpxs are lower than 4.5 kbars, but the AB-cpxs have relatively high-pressure values (5.6–10.6 kbars), suggesting that the AB-cpxs crystallized in higher pressure environments. The relatively higher crystallization temperatures of the AB-cpxs also indicate higher cooling rates. The P–T estimates suggest that the source regions of the clinopyroxene phenocrysts from the NAVs were crustal magma chambers in a closed plumbing system at a moderate- to low-pressure regime.     

Spatial Variation of the Precipitation Chemistry in the Thrace Region of Turkey

Pollutants affect not only the environment in which they originate since they are also transported by air currents to other locations. For this reason, air pollution is a global problem for all countries and the air and water quality need to be monitored carefully. More information on precipitation chemistry is required to determine the source of pollution as well as its effects on the ecosystems. In this study, precipitation chemistry has been analyzed for the first time by using simple bulk collectors located at four different sites in Northwest Turkey for a period of two years. About 650 sequential rainwater samples were collected and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, anions such as , , Cl^?, and cations such as Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and . The selected sites were under the effect of different environmental factors. Our results showed that the highest and concentrations were measured in the Northwest of the research area. Additionally, it has been found that Ca²⁺ ions are abundant within all rainwater samples.     

A comparison of landslide susceptibility mapping of the eastern part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (Turkey) by likelihood-frequency ratio and analytic hierarchy process methods

The North Anatolian Fault is known as one of the most active and destructive fault zones which produced many earthquakes with high magnitudes both in historical and instrumental periods. Along this fault zone, the morphology and the lithological features are prone to landslides. Kuzulu landslide, which is located near the North Anatolian Fault Zone, was triggered by snow melting without any precursor, occurred on March 17, 2005. The landslide resulted in 15 deaths and the destruction of about 30 houses at Kuzulu village. There is still a great danger of further landslides in the region. Therefore, it is vitally important to present its environmental impacts and prepare a landslide susceptibility map of the region. In this study, we used likelihood-frequency ratio model and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to produce landslide susceptibility maps. For this purpose, a detailed landslide inventory map was prepared and the factors chosen that influence landslide occurrence were: lithology, slope gradient, slope aspect, topographical elevation, distance to stream, distance to roads, distance to faults, drainage density and fault density. The ArcGIS package was used to evaluate and analyze all the collected data. At the end of the susceptibility assessment, the area was divided into five susceptibility regions, such as very low, low, moderate, high and very high. The results of the analyses were then verified using the landslide location data and compared with the probability model. For this purpose, an area under curvature (AUC) and the seed cell area index assessments were applied. An AUC value for the likelihood-frequency ratio-based model 0.78 was obtained, whereas the AUC value for the AHP-based model was 0.64. The landslide susceptibility map will help decision makers in site selection and the site-planning process. The map may also be accepted as a basis for landslide risk-management studies to be applied in the study area.     

Code Development of Three-Dimensional General Relativistic Hydrodynamics with AMR (Adaptive-Mesh Refinement) and Results from Special and General Relativistic Hydrodynamics

In this paper, the general procedure to solve the general relativistic hydrodynamical (GRH) equations with adaptive-mesh refinement (AMR) is presented. In order to achieve, the GRH equations are written in the conservation form to exploit their hyperbolic character. The numerical solutions of GRH equations are obtained by high resolution shock Capturing schemes (HRSC), specifically designed to solve nonlinear hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. These schemes depend on the characteristic information of the system. The Marquina fluxes with MUSCL left and right states are used to solve GRH equations. First, different test problems with uniform and AMR grids on the special relativistic hydrodynamics equations are carried out to verify the second-order convergence of the code in one, two and three dimensions. Results from uniform and AMR grid are compared. It is found that adaptive grid does a better job when the number of resolution is increased. Second, the GRH equations are tested using two different test problems which are Geodesic flow and Circular motion of particle In order to do this, the flux part of GRH equations is coupled with source part using Strang splitting. The coupling of the GRH equations is carried out in a treatment which gives second order accurate solutions in space and time. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Swell pressure prediction by suction methods

Soil suction is the most relevant soil parameter for characterization of the swell behavior. An attempt was made to predict swell pressures from soil suction measurements. In this study, Na-bentonite was mixed with kaolinite in the ratios of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% of dry kaolinite weight to obtain soils in a wide range of plasticity indices (i.e. 30, 50, 68, 84 and 97%). Suction measurements using thermocouple psychrometer technique were made on statically compacted specimens. The dependence of soil suction on water content, dry density and bentonite content was examined. Soil suction was correlated to the soil properties, namely, water content, plasticity index, dry density, cation exchange capacity and specific surface area using multiple regression analyses. The correlations revealed a simple regression equation for a quick prediction of soil suctions from easily determined soil properties. In order to investigate soil suction versus swell pressure behavior, the results of standard constant volume swell tests (ASTM, 1990) performed on statically compacted samples of these clay mixtures were used. A linear relationship was established between the logarithm soil suction and the swell pressure. It was also found that an experimental relationship which would directly relate the initial soil suction to the swell pressure can be established.