Physical and Mechanical Properties of Serpentinized Ultrabasic Rocks in NW Turkey

Serpentinized ultrabasic rocks crop out at various places in the northwestern part of Turkey. They are the foundation rocks of some architecture and the ground under road bases in many areas. They are also frequently used for indoor work such as tables, shafts, pilasters, jambs for chimney pieces and ornaments of different kinds. Owing to their economic importance, in situ geophysical and geotechnical studies were conducted to determine their dynamic engineering parameters such as: P- and S-wave velocities, Poisson’s ratio, rigidity modulus, elasticity modulus, bulk modulus, natural period, safe bearing capacity, and bearing coefficient. Geophysical and geotechnical laboratory tests were performed on cylindrical specimens cored across and along the foliation planes: ultrasonic measurements of compressional pulse velocity (UPV), uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), point load index (Is₍₅₀₎), and static elasticity modulus (Es); effective porosity (n), dry unit weight (DUW), and saturated unit weight (?_s) sets of the rock specimens were determined. Finally, statistical correlations were performed by regression analysis to evaluate the relationships between UCS and Is₍₅₀₎, UPV, Es; UPV and Is₍₅₀₎, DUW, ?_s, n, and Es.     

Biogeographical distribution and diversity of bacterial and archaeal communities within highly polluted anoxic marine sediments from the marmara sea

Physicochemical and microbiological characterization of anoxic sediments taken from seven highly polluted sites of the Marmara Sea was carried out. The 16S rRNA based microbial community structure analyses were performed using domain-specific PCR followed by denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing of characteristic bands. The results showed that the microbial communities in these sediments were diverse and evenly distributed. Relating the prokaryotic and geochemical variables through statistical tools revealed that the microbial diversity in the sediments significantly related to depth, and S, Mn and Fe content of the sediments. Fermentative bacteria, denitrifying bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens were dominant whereas sulfate reducing bacteria were absent in the DGGE patterns. This unusual microbial community structure implied that the newly discovered anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification process may occur in these subseafloor environments.     

Efficiency of compost in the removal of heavy metals from the industrial wastewater

Authorities have been applying very strict regulations for the treatment of industrial wastewater recently because of the threatening level of the environmental pollution faced. Industrial wastewater containing heavy metals is a threat to the public health because of the accumulation of the heavy metals in the aquatic life which is transferred to human bodies through the food chain. Therefore, recently, researchers have been oriented toward the practical use of adsorbents for the treatment of wastewater polluted by heavy metals. The aim of this research was to determine the retention capacity of compost for copper, zinc, nickel and chromium. For this purpose, experiments in batch-mixing reactors with initial metal concentrations ranging from 100 to 1,000 mg/l were carried. It was also observed that compost could repeatedly be used in metal sorption processes. The experiments conducted indicated that compost has high retention capacities for copper, zinc and nickel, but not for chromium. Thus, compost has been approved as a potential sorbent for copper, zinc and nickel and may find place in industrial applications. Thus, solid waste which is another source of significant environmental pollution will be reduced by being converted into a beneficial product compost.     

Triple systems showing apsidal motion

Binary systems showing both apsidal motion and light travel time (LTT) effects which cause orbital period changes in close binaries were studied. 15 triple systems showing apsidal motion were found by searching the literature, and a table including the important parameters of these systems was constructed. Six of the systems given in this table were selected and observed photometrically. Existence of both apsidal motion and LTT effects in all selected systems was investigated by means of the analysis of their eclipse times. The mean observed internal structure constants,  log = k _2,obs  , and contributions to the apsidal motion from the theory of General Relativity and the third/fourth bodies were calculated. The masses of the third/fourth bodies and some characteristics of their orbits were also calculated.     

Exploring the use of alternative groundwater models to understand the hydrogeological flow processes in an alluvial context (Tiber River, Rome, Italy)

The first step of the application of a groundwater model to a specific site is the identification of the conceptual model. In this paper, a methodology to compare different conceptual models is proposed. Such a method consists in the parallel run of simple groundwater models, based on different conceptual models and in the evaluation of each model fitting. The case study proposed to illustrate this approach belongs to the alluvial series of the Tiber River (Rome, Italy).     

Precipitation in the Anatolian Peninsula: sensitivity to increased SSTs in the surrounding seas

Effects of the increased sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the surrounding seas of the Anatolian Peninsula on the precipitation it receives are investigated through sensitivity simulations using a state-of-the-art regional climate model, RegCM3. The sensitivity simulations involve 2-K increases to the SSTs of the Aegean, eastern Mediterranean and Black seas individually as well as collectively. All the simulations are integrated over a 10-year period between 1990 and 2000. The model simulations of this study indicate that the precipitation of the peninsula is sensitive to the variations of the SSTs of the surrounding seas. In general, increased SSTs lead to increases in the precipitation of the peninsula as well as that of the seas considered. The statistically significant increases at 95% confidence levels largely occur along the coastal areas of the peninsula that are in the downwind side of the seas. Significant increases do also take place in the interior areas of the peninsula, especially in the eastern Anatolia in winter. The simulations reveal that eastern Mediterranean Sea has the biggest potential to affect the precipitation in the peninsula. They also demonstrate that taking all three seas into account simultaneously enhances the effect of SSTs on the peninsula’s precipitation, and extends the areas with statistically significant increases.     

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Turkish River and Drinking Water Samples by Different PCR and LAMP Methods

In this study, we investigated the occurence of Toxoplasma gondii and checked the sequencing in 56 samples collected from in the Ordu province, Middle Black Sea, Turkey. The samples were collected from drinking and river water and DNA was extracted from all samples. After DNA isolation, the 18S rRNA target gene and B1 gene of T. gondii were amplified by conventional PCR, nested PCR, and loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, respectively. Twenty out of 56 samples (35.7%) were Toxoplasma positive by LAMP. The conventional PCR and nested PCR confirmed that 12 and 16 out of 56 samples (21.42 and 28.57%) were positive for Toxoplasma, respectively. All drinking water samples were negative by all three methods. Thirteen Toxoplasma nested PCR products were successfully sequenced. This study achieved detection and sequencing of Toxoplasma from water supplies in the Middle Black sea area in Turkey.     

Structural evolution of the Gediz Graben,SW Turkey: temporal and spatial variation of the graben basin

The structural evolution of the Miocene to Recent Gediz Graben is intimately related to the evolution of its southern margin. This margin is shaped by a time‐transgressive, composite structure that possesses flat‐ramp geometry with three separate dip domains: a low‐angle shallow segment; a steeper middle segment; and a low‐angle deeper segment. This geometry was probably produced by one of two mechanisms, which operated perpendicular to the general trend of the graben, resulting in gradual back‐rotation followed by abandonment of the shallow segment as it was dissected by the high‐angle normal fault(s). The geometry of the southern margin structure is not simple along‐strike. It includes broad undulations and discrete fault segments, developed by large‐scale fault growth processes through segment linkage. The along‐strike growth of the southern margin‐bounding structure is responsible for the composite character of the Gediz Graben and controls the observed stratigraphic variability. Two sub‐basins aligned with the major segments of the southern graben margin structure have been investigated. The Salihli and Ala?ehir sub‐basins comprising 3000 m sedimentary thickness are separated by an intervening basement high, that is covered by a thin veneer of post‐Miocene sediments. The two sub‐basins, which evolved as isolated basins during most of the graben history, amalgamated during post‐Miocene time to form the composite configuration of the graben. There is a general east to west trend of growth for the Gediz Graben.