Using Acer platanoides annual rings to monitor the amount of heavy metals accumulated in air

The Easily Overlooked Effect of Global Warming: Diffusion of Heavy Metals

Since industrialization, global temperatures have continued to rise. Human activities have resulted in heavy metals being freed from their original, fixed locations. Because of global warming, glaciers are melting, carbon dioxide concentrations are increasing, weather patterns are shifting, and various environmental forces are at play, resulting in the movement of heavy metals and alteration of their forms. In this general context, the impact of heavy metals on ecosystems and organisms has changed accordingly. For most ecosystems, the levels of heavy metals are on the rise, and this rise can have a negative impact on the ecosystem as a whole. Numerous studies have been conducted to analyze the combined impacts of climate change and heavy metals. However, the summary of the current studies is not perfect. Therefore, this review discusses how heavy metals affect ecosystems during the process of climate change from multiple perspectives, providing some references for addressing the impact of climate warming on environmental heavy metals.

Interconnected environmental challenges: heavy metal-drug interactions and their impacts on ecosystems

Industrial expansion and inadequate environmental safety measures are major contributors to environmental contamination, with heavy metals (HMs) and pharmaceutical waste playing crucial roles. Their negative effects are most noticeable in aquatic species and vegetation, where they accumulate in tissues and cause harmful results. Interactions between HMs and pharmaceutical molecules result in the production of metal-drug complexes (MDCs), which have the potential to disturb diverse ecosystems and their interdependence. However, present studies frequently focus on individual pollutants and their effects on specific environmental parameters, leaving out the cumulative effects of pollutants and their processes across several environmental domains. To address this gap, this review emphasizes the environmental sources of HMs, elucidates their emission pathways during anthropogenic activities, investigates the interactions between HMs and pharmaceutical substances, and defines the mechanisms underlying the formation of MDCs across various ecosystems. Furthermore, this review underscores the simultaneous occurrence of HMs and pharmaceutical waste across diverse ecosystems, including the atmosphere, soil, and water resources, and their incorporation into biotic organisms across trophic levels. It is important to note that these complex compounds represent a higher risk than individual contaminants.

Usability of biomonitors in monitoring the change of tin concentration in the air

Air pollution, a pressing global issue, encompasses various harmful elements, with heavy metals being particularly significant pollutants affecting all forms of life. Effective monitoring and regulation of heavy metal concentrations, especially in the atmosphere, is pivotal. Employing trees as biomonitors emerges as a potent tool, particularly in retrospectively assessing long-term heavy metal contamination trends. This study aims to furnish insights into both tin (Sn) pollutants and the most suitable species for monitoring and mitigating such pollution. Within this study's ambit, samples were collected from Pinus pinaster, Cupressus arizonica, Picea orientalis, Cedrus atlantica, and Pseudotsuga menziesii species in Duzce Province. This area, ranked as the fourth-most air-polluted in Europe according to the World Air Pollution Report, was examined to discern changes in Sn concentration across species, organs, orientations, and age groups over the last four decades. The findings revealed varying potentials for Sn accumulation among the species. Specifically, Pinus pinaster and Picea orientalis were identified as suitable species for monitoring Sn pollution, while Cupressus arizonica, Cedrus atlantica, and Pseudotsuga menziesii exhibited potential for reducing Sn pollution.

Probabilistic Risk Characterization of Heavy Metals in Peruvian Coffee: Implications of Variety, Region and Processing

Heavy metals are chemical contaminants, toxic, potentially carcinogenic and/or mutagenic, stable, persistent and are of concern in the food chain. The risk to the consumer of the presence of inorganic arsenic (iAs), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) in five varieties (Bourbon, Típica, Catimor, Caturra and Pache) of parchment coffee from five regions (Amazonas, Cajamarca, Cusco, Huánuco and San Martín) was investigated in this study. A predictive model of the stages of coffee bean hulling, roasting and infusion was built to simulate the process. The results by region showed significant differences in which San Martín had the highest iAs, Cr and Pb values. The variety was only significant for Cr, of which Pache presented the highest concentration. The Cd and Hg values were below the detection limits. The hazard index (HI) was less than 1 for iAs, Cd, Cr and Hg and the combination of margin of exposure and the probability of exceedance (MOE-POE) for Pb indicated that an adverse health effect was not likely. The cancer risk (CR) for iAs and Pb in the 95th percentile was considered as both high and acceptable, respectively.

Assessment of Carcinogenic and Non-carcinogenic Risk of Exposure to Metals via Consumption of Coffee, Tea, and Herbal Tea in Iranians

In the current study, we assessed health risk posed to Iranian consumers through exposure to metals via oral consumption of coffee, tea, and herbal tea of various trademarks collected from Iran market. Level of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Ni, and Pb in 243 samples was quantified by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The metal levels in coffee samples from different trademarks of a specific country had statistically similar levels of metals; however, metal levels differed significantly among brand names form different countries. Metal levels in tea samples differed significantly between domestic and imported products, while different trademarks of similar countries did not show significant variations in this respect. Metal level in herbal tea samples did not show significant variations among different trademarks. Nevertheless, it should be highlighted that mean concentrations of metals statistically differed among different herbal tea samples. Deterministic hazard quotients (HQs) were <1.0 for all non-carcinogenic metals and total hazard index (HI) values indicated no risk; however, probabilistic assessment calculated HI values >1. In both deterministic and probabilistic scenarios, carcinogenic metals As and Ni had an estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of medium level while that of Pb indicated no cancer risk. Sensitivity analysis showed that the concentration of metals had the most significant effect on non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks.

The change in biocomfort zones in the area of Muğla province in near future due to the global climate change scenarios

It is inevitable that the global climate change, which has important effects on the climate throughout the world, would have significant effects on the biocomfort zones. Hence, how global climate change will change the biocomfort zones should be determined and the data to be obtained should be used in urban planning projects. In the current study, SSPs 245 and SSPs 585 scenarios were taken as a basis, and the potential effects of global climate change on the biocomfort zones in Muğla province, Türkiye were investigated. Within the scope of the present study, the current status of biocomfort zones in Muğla and their possible conditions in years 2040, 2060, 2080, and 2100 were compared using DI and ETv methods. At the end of the study, it was estimated that, according DI method, 14.13% of Muğla province are in cold zone, 31.96% in cool zone, and 53.71% in comfortable zone. According to the SSPs 585 scenario, together with the increase in temperature, the cold and cool zones will totally disappear in year 2100, comfortable zones will decrease to 31.22%, and approx. 68.78% of the province will be in hot zone. According to the calculations made using ETv method, Muğla province currently consists of moderately cold zones by 2%, quite cold zones by 13.16%, slightly cold zones by 57.06%, and mild zones by 27.79%. Based on the SSPs 585 scenario for the year 2100, it is projected that Muğla will consist of slightly cool zones by 1.41%, mild zones by 14.42%, and comfortable zones by 68.06%, besides warm zones by 16.11% which are not present at this moment. This finding suggests that especially the cooling costs will increase and the air-conditioning systems to be used will negatively affect the global climate change through the energy consumption and the gases used.

Variation of Al concentrations depending on the growing environment in some indoor plants that used in architectural designs

Today, most of people's time is spent indoors. Air pollution indoors is much higher than outdoors. Therefore, the effect of indoor air on human health is much more than the outside air. One of the most effective methods of reducing indoor air pollution is the use of plants. However, in order for the plants to be used effectively for this purpose, it is first necessary to determine which plants are the most effective in reducing which pollutants. Within the scope of this study, the Al accumulation potential of seven ornamental plants, which are frequently used in interior architectural designs, was evaluated. Within the scope of the study, the variation of Al concentrations on the basis of species and environment was determined in plants grown in control, smoking environment, and traffic environment. As a result of the study, it was determined that Al concentrations changed statistically significantly both on the basis of environment and species, and the species with the highest Al accumulation potential was difenbahya.

Mercury in scarletina bolete mushroom (Neoboletus luridiformis): Intake, spatial distribution in the fruiting body, accumulation ability and health risk assessment

In the present work, we focused on two aspects of mercury (Hg) bioconcentration in the above-ground parts of Neoboletus luridiformis. In the first part, we monitored the bioconcentration potential of individual anatomical parts of a particular fruiting body and evaluated the obtained data by the spline interpolation method. In the second part, we focused on assessing the mercury content in 378 samples of N. luridiformis and associated samples of substrates from 38 localities with different levels of Hg content in Slovakia. From the obtained data of Hg content in samples of substrate and fungi, we evaluated ecological indicators (geoaccumulation index - Igeo, contamination factor - Cf a potential ecological risk - PER), bioconcentration indicators (bioconcentration factor - BCF; cap/stipe quotient - Qc/s) and health indicators (percentage of provisional tolerable weekly intake - %PTWI a target hazard quotient - THQ). Based on the Hg distribution results, the highest Hg content was found in the tubes & pores (3.86 mg/kg DW), followed by the flesh of cap (1.82 mg/kg DW). The lowest Hg content was in the stipe (1.23 mg/kg DW). The results of the BCF values indicate that the studied species can be included in the category of mercury accumulators. The results of the ecological indices representing the state of soil pollution pointed out that two localities (Malachov and Nižná Slaná) stood apart from all monitored localities and showed a state of an extremely disturbed environment. This fact was also reflected in the values of Hg content in the fruiting bodies of the studied mushroom species. In the case of the consumption of mushrooms from these localities, it can be stated that long-term and regular consumption could have a negative non-carcinogenic effect on the health of consumers. It was confirmed by the %PTWI (Malachov: 57.8%; Nižná Slaná: 53.2%) and THQ (Malachov: 1.11 Nižná Slaná: 1.02). The locality Čačín-Jelšovec is interesting from the bioconcentration characteristics point of view, where the level of environmental pollution was the lowest (Hg content in the soil was below the background value) compared to other localities, however, the THQ value was the highest (1.29).

Periodical and regional change of particulate matter and CO2 concentration in Misurata

Today, environmental pollution, air pollution in particular, is among the most important problems in the world. Air pollution, which has become a global issue, is estimated to cause the death of around 1 in 8 people worldwide. Due to the significance of air pollution, all components of air pollution are of great importance for human health, and thus the studies on air pollution are highly important, especially in areas with high population density. In this study, it was aimed to determine the regional and periodic change of CO₂ and particulate matter pollution in the city of Misurata, one of the important cities of Libya. The study was conducted in the city centre of Misurata, and the measurements were made once in every three days between November and February at 7 different locations selected in the city centre. As a result of the measurements made, the changes in the pollution parameters were evaluated on the basis of zones and months. As a result of the study, the cleanest areas were found to be the industrial area (B3) located in the east of the city and the zone (B4), where the Al-Swehli farm was located, while the dirtiest areas were found to be the main street (B1 and B2) in the city centre and the city centre, in general. In terms of months, the lowest CO₂ values were obtained in January, and the highest value was in February, whereas the lowest particulate matter values were obtained in January and the highest values in December.

The potential of using Cedrus atlantica as a biomonitor in the concentrations of Cr and Mn

Air pollution is becoming increasingly dangerous which is quite a significant issue of today's world, especially air pollution from heavy metal, whose emission increases with industrial and traffic activities. This is of great importance in terms of environmental pollution and human health. Heavy metals do not deteriorate and disappear easily on earth. They are liable to bioaccumulate within cells in organisms. Most of them demonstrate harmful effects in addition as a result of advanced accumulation, and thus they emerge as toxic and carcinogenic. Therefore, it is of great importance to observe the changes in heavy metal concentrations in the air. One of the most effective techniques for monitoring the change of heavy metal concentrations in the atmosphere is the use of annual rings of trees as biomonitors. In this study, in the annual rings of the Cedrus atlantica Manetti tree cut at the Kastamonu province at the end of 2019, the variation of the concentrations of some of the heavy metals most associated with traffic density was tried to be determined. Within the scope of the study, Cr and Mn concentration in the outer bark and the inner bark was compared with the direction and wood for the variation of heavy metal concentrations. Also, variance analysis and Duncan test were applied and evaluated. As a result of the study, while the highest values in many heavy metals are generally obtained in the outer bark, the transfer of metals in the wood is limited, and some heavy metal concentrations change significantly depending on the direction, especially in the wood. This change is related to the traffic density, so Cedrus atlantica Manetti annual rings are very suitable as biomonitors for air pollution control.

The usability of Cupressus arizonica annual rings in monitoring the changes in heavy metal concentration in air

Air pollution, which has been increasing in recent years, has reached significant dimensions and has become one of the most important agenda topics of present day. Among air pollution components, heavy metals are of particular importance, since they are not easily decomposed, they tend to bioaccumulate, and some of them have toxic or carcinogenic effects even at low concentrations. Therefore, it is an extremely important subject to monitor the changes in heavy metal concentrations found in air. The most preferred method in determining the changes in heavy metal concentrations in the atmosphere is the use of biomonitors. From past to present, trees have been good biomonitors in determining the increase in heavy metal concentrations in the atmosphere. Particularly, with the help of the annual growth rings of trees, vital information can be obtained on the changes in heavy metal concentrations in air. In this study, after the annual rings were determined on the log taken from the main body of the cypress (Cupressus arizonica) tree cut from the Kisla park located in Kastamonu province, the concentrations of Bi, Cd, and Ni in the outer bark, inner bark, and wood were compared in the inward-facing and road-facing parts of these sections. Also, the changes in heavy metal concentrations in the annual rings were evaluated on a yearly basis. As a result of the study, it was found that the element concentrations in the outer bark of the road-facing part were generally at a higher level, and that the changes in the elements on a yearly basis generally followed a fluctuating course, but there had been a general increase in the Cd and Ni concentrations in recent years.

Using Cedrus atlantica's annual rings as a biomonitor in observing the changes of Ni and Co concentrations in the atmosphere

Among the environmental pollution elements, one of the most important problems of the world today, air pollution and heavy metal pollution that have gradually increased after the industrial activities, are of significant importance. Heavy metals are not easily dissolved in nature. Moreover, they tend to bioaccumulate in living organisms, and some of them have a toxic or carcinogenic effect even at low concentrations. For this reason, it is crucial to monitor the heavy metal concentration in the air and monitor the changes. One of the efficient methods in observing the change of heavy metal concentrations in the air is the use of annual rings of trees as a biomonitor. The present study aimed to determine the annual change of Ni and Co concentrations, which are among the heavy metals related to traffic volume at most, in annual rings of Cedrus atlantica harvested in Kastamonu in late 2019. Within the scope of this study, the heavy metal concentrations in the inner and outer bark were compared to the heavy metal concentration in wood and the change of concentration in terms of direction was also analyzed. As a result of the present study, the highest concentrations in both heavy metals were found in the outer bark, whereas the transmission of metals within the wood was limited. It was found that Ni concentration significantly changed directionally in woods, and this change was related to the traffic volume. Thus, it was concluded that the annual rings of Cedrus atlantica were very suitable biomonitors to monitor Ni concentration change.

The effects of increased exposure time to UV-B radiation on germination and seedling development of Anatolian black pine seeds

Exhaustion of stratospheric ozone found at a height of 10-30 km around the world causes the solar UV-B (280-320 nm) radiation to penetrate through the atmosphere more, and thus to reach the Earth's surface quicker. The protective ozone layer gets damaged by human activities constantly, and the increasing levels of UV radiation present threats to all life forms, plants, animals, and even microorganisms. However, the studies conducted on the effects of UV radiation on plants, and especially forest trees, are rather limited. In this study, it was aimed to identify the effects of UV-B radiation on some germination and seedling characteristics of Anatolian black pine seeds. Within the scope of the study, seeds were exposed to UV-B radiation for 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min for germination experiments; and the germination speed (GS) was calculated as the ratio of the germinated seeds to the solid seeds at the end of the 7th day, whereas the germination percentage (GP) was calculated as the ratio of the germinated seeds to the solid seeds at the end of the 35th day. The seeds reserved for the seedling experiment were exposed to UV-B radiation for 1, 3, 5, and 7 h. With the measurements made at the end of the day, the seedling length (SL), the terminal bud length (TBL), the branch number (BN), the root collar diameter (RCD), the stem fresh weight (SFW), the root fresh weight (RFW), the stem dry weight (SDW) and the root dry weight (RDW), and the rooting percentage (RP) were determined. Variance analysis and Duncan test were applied to the obtained data with the help of SPSS package program. The study results revealed that the exposure time to increased UV-B radiation significantly affected all characters; the least affected character was RP, and that the most affected characters were RDW, SDW, and RCD. As a result of the study, it was found that even the applications with the lowest intensity took effect in most of the characters, that the seedling development decreased by more than 80% in terms of some characters at the end of 7-h application, and that even the decrease in the RP character, which was the least affected by the 7-h UV-B application, was above 50%.

Spatial-temporal variability of metal pollution across an industrial district, evidencing the environmental inequality in São Paulo

Although air pollution decreased in some cities that shifted from an industrial to a service-based economy, and vehicular emission regulation became more restrictive, it is still a major risk factor for mortality worldwide. In central São Paulo, Brazil, air quality monitoring stations and tree-ring analyses revealed a decreasing trend in the concentrations of particulate matter and metals. Such trends, however, may not be observed in industrial districts located in the urban periphery, where the usual mobile sources may be combined with local stationary sources. To evaluate environmental pollution in an industrial district in southeastern São Paulo, we assessed its spatial variability, by measuring magnetic properties and concentrations of Al, Ba, Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, S, Sr, Zn in the bark of 62 trees, and its temporal trends, by measuring Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn in tree rings of three trees. Source apportionment analysis based on tree barks revealed two clusters with high concentrations of metals, one related to vehicular and industrial emissions (Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, Zn) in the east side of the industrial cluster, and the other related to soil resuspension (Cu, Zn, Mn) in its west side. These patterns are also supported by the magnetic properties of bark associated with iron oxides and titanium-iron alloy concentrations. Dendrochemical analyses revealed that only the concentrations of Pb consistently decreased over the last four decades. The concentrations of Cd, Cu, Ni, V, and Zn did not significantly decrease over time, in contrast with their negative trends previously reported in central São Paulo. This combined biomonitoring approach revealed spatial clusters of metal concentration in the vicinity of this industrial cluster and showed that the local population has not benefited from the decreasing polluting metal concentrations in the last decades.

The possibility of using Scots pine needles as biomonitor in determination of heavy metal accumulation

One of the biggest problems of modern world is the air pollution which causes the death of millions of people every year. The heavy metals included in the component of air pollution occupy an important position in human health since they could remain intact in nature for a long time and build bioaccumulation, and also some of them are toxic or carcinogenic even at some low concentrations. Even the heavy metals functioning as micronutrient element could create toxic effect for human beings at the high concentrations. For this reason, the determination of the heavy metal concentration has an important role in terms of the detection of risky regions and risky level. One of the primary sources of heavy metals is industrial plants where the heavy metal ores are processed. Those regions might have risks at high level in terms of particular heavy metals. Consequently, it is significant to find out in which level they influence the area around these plants and to what extent the heavy metal pollution is effective. In this study, Ba, Zn, Cd, K, and Na concentrations are determined by analyzing the samples which are taken from 1- and 2-year-old needles of Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in 1 km, 3 km, 10 km and 25 km distances around a processing and mining of magnesite ore in Russia. In the end of the study, it is concluded that generally, the concentrations of heavy metals subject to the study are increasing depending upon the distance, and this increase is quite apparent in some elements, and finally in many points, the concentrations determined in 2-year-old needles have higher levels than 1-year-old needles.

Ca, Cu, and Li in washed and unwashed specimens of needles, bark, and branches of the blue spruce (Picea pungens) in the city of Ankara

The use of certain types of plants to determine the accumulation of HMs (heavy metals) has yielded quite consistent results in the research fields. Many researches have focused on particular types of HMs due to their common presence in the air (Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, Cr to name a few). However, it is equally as important to shed light on other types of HMs and the scale of their existence in our atmosphere, hence this paper. Blue spruce (Picea pungens) tree organs were used in an experiment to calculate the recent concentration of HMs. The research concentrates on Ca, Cu, and Li elements in the washed and unwashed needles, branches, and barks, and these organs were evaluated depending on the organ age. The study results showed that the concentration of the elements subjected to the research changed depending on the organ, washing status and organ age, and that the lowest concentrations of Ca and Cu elements were obtained in the barks in general. In relation to the organ age, it was found that there was an increase in the concentration of Ca with age, and that the concentration of Li element was inversely proportional to age.

Changes in heavy metal accumulation in some edible landscape plants depending on traffic density

Food scarcity is one of global issues that our world faces today. A significant portion of the world's population has no access to adequate food, and it is stated that approximately 830 million people suffer from chronic famine. This predicament is estimated to grow even further. Many attempts have been made to solve the food problem. Some examples are using new resources which have not been used for dietary purposes up to this point, planting new areas to produce food products, and increasing the potential harvest per an area unit. One of the solution proposals, which has come up recently within this scope, is the term of "edible landscaping", which means the use of edible plants in the landscaping works, and thus maximizing the potential for food security. However, edible landscaping poses a considerable risk. Heavy metal accumulation in plants grown in urban centers can reach to high levels, and consuming these plants will allow these heavy metals a direct access into the human body and wreak havoc to the public health. But since this subject has not been sufficiently studied yet, the extent of such a risk is not accurately determined yet. This study aims to determine the changes of Ni, Co and Mn concentrations depending on traffic density in the leaves, branches, barks and fruits of cherry, plum, mulberry and apple trees growing in areas with dense traffic, low-density traffic and no-traffic zones in Kastamonu province. The results showed that the concentrations of Ni and Co elements increased in many organelles depending on traffic density, and that the heavy metal concentrations in fruits could be very high. This situation indicates that fruit and vegetables grown in industrial zones and urban centers, where heavy metal pollution may be high, can be harmful to the public health if consumed as crops.

Determination of Pb and Mg accumulation in some of the landscape plants in shrub forms

Heavy metals have a separate precaution in the air pollution components as they are not easily deteriorated in nature, they tend to bioaccumulate, they are carcinogenic or poisonous, and they can be toxic even at low concentrations. Therefore, monitoring of heavy metal pollution is of great importance. Plants are frequently used as biomonitors to monitor the heavy metal pollution. However, the heavy metal accumulation capacities of plants can vary considerably depending on the plant species, as well as on the organelle basis and the amount of particulate matter in the environment. It is also very important to determine how much of the heavy metal concentrations found in plants are derived from the plant species and how much from the particulate matter on the organ. In this study, it was aimed to determine the change of heavy metal accumulation in some landscape plants grown in the city center of Kastamonu depending on plant type, plant organism, washing status, and traffic density. For this purpose, leaf and branch samples were collected from individuals of Ligustrum vulgare L., Euonymus japonica Thunb., Biota orientalis L., Juniperus sabina L., Berberis thunbergii DC, Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh) Nutt., and Buxus sempervirens L., which are frequently used in urban landscape designs growing in areas with heavy, low dense, and no traffic. Some of the collected samples were washed, and heavy metal analyses were conducted to determine the amount of Pb and Mg concentrations. It was remarkable that Pb concentration was higher in branches than in the leaves for all the species. And the alteration depending on traffic density on the base of the factors studied was in different proportion depending on the metals.

Analyzing of usability of tree-rings as biomonitors for monitoring heavy metal accumulation in the atmosphere in urban area: a case study of cedar tree (Cedrus sp.)

It is important to monitor the heavy metal pollution in order to identify risk zones and to determine the change in the heavy metal concentration of the atmosphere within the process. For this, it is necessary to carry out measurements for many years; however, this is not possible. Especially from past to present, one of the most effective methods to determine the changes of heavy metal concentrations in the atmosphere is to use the annual tree rings as biomonitors. Perennial plants growing in our country create annual rings, and it is possible to gain information regarding the changes of heavy metal concentrations in that region by determining the heavy metal concentrations in these rings. In this study, it was aimed to determine the annual changes of Pb, Co, and Fe elements' concentrations in these sections by determining the annual rings on the logs taken from the main stem of the cedar tree (Cedrus sp.), which was cut by the end of 2016, in December, 2016, in Kastamonu province. Within the scope of the study, the element concentrations were also determined in the inner and outer bark. As a result of the study, it was found that the heavy metal values in the organelles taken from the road-facing part, especially the heavy metal concentrations in the outer bark were higher than the metal concentrations in the inward-facing part, and that the concentrations changed significantly on organelle and year basis.

Base alteration of some heavy metal concentrations on local and seasonal in Bartin River

Fresh water resources have always been an extremely invaluable economic and strategic resource in the world. There are about 1.4 billion people who have no access to pure water resources mainly due to the discharge of 95% of unpurified wastewater and 70% of industrial wastes into water resources in underdeveloped and developing countries. More than half of the world's rivers are contaminated. Eighty percent of diseases are caused by contaminated waters in developing countries. Among the pollutants in these streams, heavy metals are of particular significance, as heavy metals do not dissolve and degenerate easily in nature. They also tend to bio-accumulate. This is why determining heavy metal concentrations is of great importance because it can help detect risk zones and risk levels. This study aims to determine the alteration of some heavy metal concentrations during a year in Bartin River on a point and seasonal base. Within the scope of the study, samples were collected from 5 chosen locations on Bartin River during a year and the alteration of Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Pb concentration amounts were determined monthly. As a result of the study, it was determined that there were various rates of contamination with heavy metals at all stations, and that the amount of all studied heavy metal concentrations decreased depending on seasonal alteration when precipitation and hence the flow rates were high, and the highest concentrations were calculated in samples that were collected from L3 and L5 stations. Results shows that some of the toxic metals' accumulations are higher than the suggestion of value, which recommended that the Bartin River is to some extent a toxic metal polluted river and that animals are not totally safe. Since this study constitutes a sample, all international samples should be controlled especially in the Organized Industrial Zone and foundation areas and the wastewater entering the river should be controlled and the pollution source should be determined and precautions should be taken. According to the results of the study, it also shows the water quality of the rivers in general. Pollution levels of rivers should be taken into account in the use of river water and care should be taken to use river water directly or indirectly in agricultural activities that may cause harm to human health. The results of this study can be a guide for identifying suitable areas to use the water of rivers. In future river planning, these studies will have an important guide value.

Heavy metal accumulation in rosemary leaves and stems exposed to traffic-related pollution near Adana-İskenderun Highway (Hatay, Turkey)

Pollution has become a problem on a global scale and poses a significant risk in terms of human health and natural ecosystems. Generally, the biggest sources of pollution are municipal and industrial facilities. However, traffic-related air pollution cannot be overlooked as a dangerous source either. There have been various methods of interventions to measure and reduce the risk and effects of traffic-related pollution. In the case of measuring, the use of certain plant species that can accumulate pollutants in their tissues is considered a practical solution. In this study, the aim is to find out the metals that are accumulated in rosemary leaves and stems and the rosemary leaves. In other words, the leaves and the stems are to be used as a biomonitors to reveal the rate of metal pollution along the highway. We try to identify the accumulation ability of traffic-related heavy metals (Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) of the Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) which is used in the refuge and slopes along the highway connecting Adana with İskenderun (Hatay). Our findings concluded that the rosemary could have a decent capacity to accumulate Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn in both leaves and stem. We therefore believe that R. officinalis is a great tool in determining the amount of traffic-related pollution in urban areas.

Vehicular traffic noise prediction and propagation modelling using neural networks and geospatial information system

This study proposes a neural network (NN) model to predict and simulate the propagation of vehicular traffic noise in a dense residential area at the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) in Shah Alam, Malaysia. The proposed model comprises of two main simulation steps: that is, the prediction of vehicular traffic noise using NN and the simulation of the propagation of traffic noise emission using a mathematical model. First, the NN model was developed with the following selected noise predictors: the number of motorbikes, the sum of vehicles, car ratio, heavy vehicle ratio (e.g. truck, lorry and bus), highway density and a light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-derived digital surface model (DSM). Subsequently, NN and its hyperparameters were optimised by a systematic optimisation procedure based on a grid search approach. The noise propagation model was then developed in a geographic information system (GIS) using five variables, namely road geometry, barriers, distance, interaction of air particles and weather parameters. The noise measurement was conducted continuously at 15-min intervals and the data were analysed by taking the minimum, maximum and average values recorded during the day. The measurement was performed four times a day (i.e. morning, afternoon, evening, and midnight) over two days of the week (i.e. Sunday and Monday). An optimal radial basis function NN was used with 17 hidden layers. The learning rate and momentum values were 0.05 and 0.9, respectively. Finally, the accuracy of the proposed method achieved 78.4% with less than 4.02 dB (A) error in noise prediction. Overall, the proposed models were found to be promising tools for traffic noise assessment in dense urban areas.