Fuzzy robust process capability indices for risk assessment of air pollution

Air pollution is one of the most important threats for the humanity. It can damage not only human health but also Earth’s ecosystem. Because of the harmful effects of air pollution, it should be controlled very carefully. To do the risk assessment of air pollution in Istanbul, the process capability indices (PCIs) which are very effective statistics to summarize the performance of process are used in this paper. Fuzzy PCIs are used to determine the levels of the air pollutants which are measured in different nine stations in Istanbul. Robust PCIs (RPCIs) are used when air pollutants have correlation. Fuzzy set theory has been applied for both PCIs and RPCIs to have more sensitive results. More flexible PCIs obtained by using fuzzy specification limits and fuzzy standard deviation are used to evaluate the air pollution’s level of Istanbul. Additionally some evaluation criteria have been constructed for fuzzy PCIs to interpret the air pollution.     

Continuing observation of disturbed reproductive cycle and ovarian spermatogenesis in the giant abalone, Haliotis madaka from an organotin-contaminated site of Japan

Histological examination of gonads as well as chemical analysis of organotin compounds in tissues of the giant abalone, Haliotis madaka, was conducted to evaluate continuing endocrine disruption in abalone populations in Japan. Abalone specimens were collected from two different areas, Tsushima as a reference site and Jogashima as a site representative of declining abalone populations where serious organotin contamination had been observed, each month from January 1998 to March 1999. Scores were given to the development stages of reproductive cells in the ovary and testis. The degree of sexual maturation was evaluated by calculating the mean value of a histogram of these scores for the reproductive cells of each abalone. The temporal variations in degree of sexual maturation showed that female and male abalone from Tsushima matured synchronously, while those from Jogashima did not, which were similar to results of the previous study during September 1995–November 1996. Approximately 19% of the female abalone from Jogashima were masculinized with an ovo-testis, which was also similar to the result of the previous study. The masculinization of female abalone is reported to be induced by tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT) from antifouling paints. Concentrations of the sum of butyltins (TBT, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT): ΣBTs) and the sum of phenyltins (TPhT, diphenyltin (DPhT) and monophenyltin (MPhT): ΣPhTs) in the muscle of abalone from Jogashima (n = 73) of 7.8 ± 9.0 ng/g wet wt. and 4.5 ± 6.8 ng/g wet wt., respectively, were significantly higher than those from Tsushima (n = 87) of 4.7 ± 4.9 ng/g wet wt. and 0.8 ± 1.7 ng/g wet wt., respectively (p < 0.05 for ΣBTs; p < 0.001 for ΣPhTs), although concentrations of TBT and TPhT in the muscle of abalone from Jogashima (n = 73) of 2.2 ± 2.5 ng/g wet wt. and 5.8 ± 5.1 ng/g wet wt., respectively, were insignificantly and significantly higher than those from Tsushima (n = 87) of 0.4 ± 0.6 ng/g wet wt. and 0.5 ± 0.9 ng/g wet wt., respectively, (p > 0.05 for TBT; p < 0.001 for TPhT). Thus, endocrine disruption as well as contamination by organotins in the giant abalone from Jogashima is still persisting.     

Usage of chromite wastes as aggregate in foam concrete production

The rapidly developing mining sector in recent years has also brought environmental problems together. At the beginning of these problems are mine process wastes produced in high quantities from mines every year. The waste material at 90% and the concentrate chromite at 10% are obtained in the chromite ore enrichment plants. This significant amount of waste creates pollution in nature visually and physically. The aim of the study is to determine the advantages of using foamed concrete as a building material, to reduce the production cost of foamed concrete, to produce alternative solutions for rehabilitation, and to eliminate environmental pollution. The chromite enrichment wastes obtained from Fethiye, Köyce?iz, Denizli and Burdur regions were used as aggregates in the production of foamed concrete. In this study, compressive strength experiments were carried out according to TS EN 1354, thermal conductivity experiments were carried out according to TS EN 12664. As a result, it has been observed that chromite waste (dunite) can be used in the production of foamed concrete under certain conditions.     

Upper crustal electrical resistivity structures in the vicinity of the Çatalca Fault, Istanbul, Turkey by magnetotelluric data

A magnetotelluric survey was performed at the Çatalca Region, west of Istanbul, Turkey with the aim of investigating geoelectrical properties of the upper crust near the Çatalca Fault and its vicinity. Broadband magnetotelluric data were collected at nine sites along a single southwest-northeast profile to image the electrical resistivity structure from surface to the 5 km depth. The dimensionality of the data was examined through tensor decompositions and highly two-dimensional behavior of the data is shown. Following the tensor decompositions, two-dimensional inversions were carried out where E-polarization, B-polarization and tipper data were utilized to construct electrical resistivity models. The results of the inversions suggest: a) the Çatalca Fault extends from surface to 5 km depth as a conductive zone dipping to southwest; b) the thickness of the sedimentary cover is increasing from SW to NE to 700 m with low resistivity values between 1–100 Ωm; c) the crystalline basement below the sedimentary unit is very resistive and varies between 2000–100000 Ωm; d) a SW-dipping resistivity boundary in the northeastern part of our profile may represent the West Black Sea Fault.     

Settling of Kaolinite in Different Aqueous Environment

Settling characteristics of soils carry great importance for geotechnical engineers since sediments properties are formed during the settling of soil particles in an aqueous environment. In this study, settling characteristics of kaolinite are investigated. Different ionic strengths of NaCl, CaCl₂ and AlCl₃ were considered as a function of pH in aqueous environment of varying solid concentrations. Factors affecting the settling characteristics and fabric of kaolinitic sediments have been identified. The results of the study reveal that kaolinite settles in either flocculated or dispersed forms depending on pH and ion concentration. Flocculated settling occurs in acidic pH due to formation of flocs in edge-to-face structure with increasing positive charges at the particle edges. Dispersed settling occurs in alkaline pHs when ionic strength is low. When ionic strength is increased in alkaline pHs, kaolinite particles settle in flocculated form. Furthermore, the results show that pH has a significant role on the final sediment thickness or void ratio of kaolinite. Densely packed structures in alkaline and loosely packed structures in acidic aqueous environments are formed depending on pH level. Results also show that as the solid concentration increases, the settling rate decreases due to buoyancy effect. Finally, the zeta potential of kaolinite is correlated with the final sediment thickness or void ratio of kaolinite as a function of pH. This correlation proves that there is a good agreement between zeta potential and the final sediment thickness or void ratio, especially when the soil is settled in a dispersed form.