Hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigation of the Kolan geothermal field, southeastern Turkey

The Kolan geothermal field is located 24 km northwest of the Karakoçan area of Elaz city in southeastern Turkey. The Keban crystallized limestone of Permo-Carboniferous age is the oldest unit in the area. This unit is overlain by the middle-upper Eocene Krkgeçit formation consisting of conglomerate, sandstone, limestone and marl alternations. The youngest unit in the area is the Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene Karabakr formation consisting of basalt, andesite and tuffs. Thermal Springs in the Kolan field issue along two major fault zones. The temperature of the hot springs is between 38°C and 45°C. Thermal waters in the area are heated by the geothermal gradient. The waters are classified as hot or very hot and as brackish waters. On the basis of International Association of Hydrogeologists Classification (IAH), waters are grouped as Ca–Na-HCO₃–CO₂-bearing thermal and mineral waters. Chemical analyses indicate a chemical composition of Ca>(Na+K)>Mg - HCO₃>SO₄>Cl. Saturation calculations reveal that the waters are oversaturated with respect to calcite, dolomite and aragonite while undersaturated with respect to gypsum, anhydrite and halite minerals. On the basis of ¹⁸O, ²H and ³H isotope data, Kolan waters are of meteoric origin, recharged from high elevations and then circulated deeply.     

Assessment of spatial distribution and possible sources of heavy metals in the soils of Sariseki-Dörtyol District in Hatay Province (Turkey)

In this study, total heavy metal content of soil and their spatial distribution in Sar?seki-Dörtyol district were analyzed and mapped. Variable distance grids (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 km) were established, with a total of 102 soil samples collected from two different soil depths (0–5 and 5–20 cm) at intersections of the grids (51 sampling point). Soil samples were analyzed for heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn, Fe, and Ni). The most proper variogram models for the contents of all heavy metal were spherical and exponential ones. The ranges of semivariograms were between 1.9 and 31.1 km. According to the calculated geoaccumulation (I _geo) values, samples from both soil depths were classified as partly to highly polluted with Cd and Ni and partly polluted with Cr and as partly polluted-to-not polluted with Pb and not polluted with Cu, Fe and Mn. Similar results were also obtained when evaluated by the enrichment factor. The contamination levels of the heavy metals were Ni > Cd > Cr > Pb > Zn > Cu > Co > Fe > Mn in decreasing order. The soils in the study area are contaminated predominantly by Cd and Ni, which may give rise to various health hazards or diseases. Cadmium pollution results primarily from industrial activities and, to a lesser extent, from vehicular traffic, whereas Ni contents in the study area result from parent material, phosphorus fertilizer, industries, and vehicles.     

Spatial distribution of climatic conditions from the Middle Eocene to Late Miocene based on palynoflora in Central,Eastern and Western Anatolia

The continental climatic evolution of Anatolia has been reconstructed quantitatively for the last 45 million years using the coexistence approach. Although there were some regional effects, the Anatolian Cenozoic continental climate record correlated with the European climatic condition and the global oxygen isotope record from marine environments. From middle Eocene to late Miocene, continental warming in Anatolia was pronounced for inferred winter temperature and mean annual temperature as in Europe. Generally, the palaeoclimatic property of Anatolia resembles the European climatic changing and marine temperature changing based on the oxygen isotope record; however, climatic values of the terrestrial area in Anatolia are higher from Lutetian to Aquitanian and these values are lower than European values from Aquitanian to Tortonian. Correspondingly, Cenozoic climatic cooling in Anatolia is directly associated with an increase of seasonality, palaeogeographic position and terrestrial condition. Furthermore, mean annual precipitation values of Anatolia remained relatively stable during the Eocene–Oligocene; however, these values indicated changing throughout middle–late Miocene. Moreover, in this study, decline of abundance and variables for the mangrove and back mangrove palaeocommunities during the last 45 million years is recorded because of the decreasing of humidity, temperature and increasing of terrestrial condition.