Yazar "Birgul, Askin" seçeneğine göre listele
Listeleniyor 1 - 16 / 16
Sayfa Başına Sonuç
Sıralama seçenekleri
Öğe Air monitoring of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in Bursa Türkiye: Levels, temporal trends and risk assessment(Elsevier B.V., 2024) Birgul, Askin; Kurt-Karakus, Perihan BinnurMonitoring concentration levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is required to evaluate the effectiveness of international regulations to minimize the emissions of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) into the environment. In this manner, we evaluated the spatial and temporal variations of 22 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) using polyurethane foam passive air samplers at ten stations in Bursa in 2017 and 2018. The highest concentration value for ?22OCPs was detected in Ağaköy (775 pg/m3) and Demirtaş (678 pg/m3) sampling sites, while the lowest value was observed in Uludağ University Campus (UUC, 284 pg/m3) site. HCB, ?-HCH, Endo I, and Mirex were the most frequently detected OCPs, which shows their persistence. Diagnostic ratios of ??/(? + ?)-HCH have pointed to historical and possible illegal OCP usage in the study area. The seasonality of air concentrations (with spring and summer concentrations higher than winter and autumn concentrations) was well exhibited by ?-HCH, ?-HCH, ?-HCH, HCB, Endo I, and Mirex but not aldrin, dieldrin, and ?-chlordane (CC). Levels of OCPs detected in ambient air in the current study were relatively similar to or lower than those reported in previous studies conducted in Türkiye. Back trajectory analysis was applied to identify the possible sources of OCPs detected in the sampling regions. The Clausius-Clapeyron approach was used to investigate the temperature dependence of OCP gas-phase atmospheric concentrations. The data showed that long-range atmospheric transport affects ambient air OCP concentrations in the study area. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.Öğe Ambient air concentrations and risk assessment of selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) across five Middle Eastern countries(Oae Publishing Inc, 2022) Gevao, Bondi; Kurt-Karakus, Perihan Binnur; Birgul, Askin; Martinez-Guijarro, Karell; Sukhn, Carol; Krishnan, Divya; Orif, Mohamed. I.This paper presents data obtained from concurrently deployed polyurethane foam disk passive samplers in Kuwait, Turkey, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Oman between January and October 2018. The study's main goal was to initiate a passive air sampling network across the Middle East to generate comparable data, which will help report obligations of the various countries and be used in protocol discussions. The & sum;24OCP concentrations were highest in the samples collected from Kartaba in Lebanon (7780 pgm(-3)), and the lowest concentration was recorded at the BUTAL site in the Bursa province of Turkey (7.27 pgm(-3)). The mean ambient & sum;24OCP concentrations on a country-specific basis over consecutive sampling campaigns were: Lebanon (1680 pgm(-3)) > Bursa (Turkey) (78.7 pgm(-3)) > Oman (55 pgm(-3)) > Kuwait (42 pgm(-3)) > Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (19.1 pgm(-3)). The results show no cancer risk due to inhalation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in ambient air. This study provides the first reliable measurements of the spatial variability in the atmospheric concentrations of OCPs across several Middle Eastern countries, providing a baseline for assessing time trends in air, one of the core matrices for the effectiveness evaluation of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.Öğe Assessing heavy metal contamination and health risks in playground dust near cement factory: exposure levels in children(Springer, 2024) Birgul, AskinHeavy metals pose significant threats to human health, particularly children. This study aimed to assess heavy metal pollution in children's playgrounds using surface dust as an indicator and to ascertain the associated exposure levels and health risks. A total of one hundred twenty dust samples were collected from the surface of playground toys in areas surrounding the cement factory in Bursa, T & uuml;rkiye, on precipitation-free days. The heavy metal content of the samples was analyzed using ICP-MS. The average total concentration of heavy metals ranged from 2401 to 6832 mg/kg across the sampling sites, with the highest values observed at PG4, PG3, PG2, and PG1, respectively. The most commonly detected heavy metals in the samples included Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, As, and Ni. Statistical analysis revealed significant positive correlations (p < 0.01) among Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Pb, As, and Ni, with Cu and Pb also showing correlation (p < 0.05). PCA analysis identified three principal components explaining 79.905% of the total variance. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index values for heavy metals were found to be below the safe threshold (HQ < 1). Quantitative techniques such as the geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor are used to determine pollution levels at the sampling sites. Overall, the results indicate that cement factories significantly contribute to heavy metal pollution, with observed values varying based on proximity to the emission source.Öğe Assessment of Ambient Air Pollution from Current-Use Pesticides (CUPs) Using Sorbent Impregnated Passive Air Samplers (SIP-PAS) in Bursa: Spatial and Temporal Variations, Source Identification, and Health Risk Evaluation(Springer, 2025) Birgul, Askin; Guzel, Evsen; Daglioglu, Nebile; Karakus, Perihan Binnur KurtThis study investigates airborne concentrations of six insecticides widely used on crops grown in agricultural, semi-urban, and rural areas of Bursa Province, T & uuml;rkiye. Sorbent-impregnated passive air samplers (SIP-PASs), consisting of polyurethane foam (PUF) disks impregnated with XAD-2 resin, were deployed at ten strategically selected sites representing diverse agricultural and demographic profiles within the province. Analytes were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for depuration compounds and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for target insecticides. Although this study focused solely on insecticides, future research should expand monitoring to include herbicides and fungicides-especially those applied to fruit crops-to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of airborne pesticide exposure. Spatial and temporal concentration patterns were analyzed, alongside Clausius-Clapeyron and back-trajectory analyses to assess temperature-driven volatilization and potential source regions. Health risks were evaluated for various age groups, with emphasis on children. The results offer new insights into CUP behavior and associated inhalation risks in intensively farmed regions. Average CUP concentrations were three times higher in agricultural areas than semirural, and nine times higher than rural zones, with peak levels in A & gbreve;ak & ouml;y, Kestel, Demirta & scedil;, and Mudanya. Concentrations were significantly elevated during warm periods. Temperature effects were evaluated using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, while cluster analysis indicated long-range transport. Inhalation risk assessment showed hazard quotients below 1 and most lifetime cancer risk values under 10(-)6, indicating low health risks.Öğe Atmospheric aggravation potential of a wastewater treatment plant concerning organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ether emissions(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Sanli, Busra; Gedik, Kadir; Birgul, Askin; Akcetin, Merve Ozkaleli; Kurt-Karakus, Perihan BinnurThe pollution potential of a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Bursa, Türkiye, in terms of organochlorine pesticides (?22OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (?46PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (?14PBDEs), was investigated in air samples. Concentrations were determined using polyurethane foam disk samplers at key processes, such as the aeration tank (AT) and settling chamber (SC) of the WWTP and the background area (BA) at an urban site. Atmospheric concentration levels of PBDEs at the SC are 1.3 times higher than at the AT site. PCBs concentration levels are listed as SC > BA > AT from high to low. The highest OCPs concentration levels were detected at the BA site while the lowest concentration levels were obtained for the SC site. Compared to organochlorine pollutants (PCBs and OCPs), PBDEs levels were higher by two orders of magnitude ranging from 0.2 to 54.3 ng/g. While the presence of OCPs was not significant, an unusual abundance of mirex was observed. HCB, HCHs (excluding ?-HCH), and p,p’-DDE resulting mainly from the settling tank indicate enhanced mass transfer from wastewater to air. Regarding PCBs, the level and detection frequency of dioxin-like PCBs (118, 123) in the aeration tank and the settling chamber were remarkable. The upper levels of PBDEs congeners 17, 85, 138, 153, and 154 resulting from the settling tank suggest an enhanced mass transfer from water to air as the source medium. Although the primary fate of trace organics in WWTPs is expected to be sorption to sludge, the present study has shown that WWTPs can be a non-negligible source of local atmospheric PCB and PBDE pollution. However, this study provides a snapshot of the levels of persistent organic pollutants and emissions, and there is no doubt that more detailed and long-term studies are needed. © 2024 Elsevier LtdÖğe Atmospheric wet deposition monitoring of PCDD/Fs in an urban site: Fluxes, rain concentrations and washout ratios?(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 2025) Noori, Abdul Alim; Gulegen, Berke; Birgul, Askin; Tasdemir, YuecelThe fate of atmospheric pollutants can partly be explained by deposition phenomena occurring either wet or dry. This investigation reported the wet deposition flux values of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) utilizing a wet deposition sampler (WDS) in a densely populated urban center in T & uuml;rkiye between June 2022 and July 2023. The particulate phase in precipitation was captured on a filter, while the dissolved phase was sorbed onto the XAD-2 resin in the WDS. The experimental findings revealed that the average total PCDD/F (& sum;17PCDD/F) wet deposition flux, measured on a monthly basis, exhibited values of 2030 f 660 pg/m2-day (n = 12) and 397 f 186 pg/m2-day (n = 11) for the particulate and dissolved phases, respectively. These results demonstrated that PCDD/Fs were significantly removed from the atmosphere through rainfall. Among the compounds, the most dominant congener was OCDD (744 f 463 pg/m2-day in particulate and 107 f 45 pg/m2-day dissolved phase). However, regarding TEQ units, the highest flux belonged to 2,3,7,8TCDD (3.9 f 1.2 pg I-TEQ/m2-day for particulate and 4.3 f 3.0 pg I-TEQ/m2-day for dissolved phase). Rainwater samples revealed that & sum;17PCDD/F concentrations in the particulate phase (68.5 f 44.3 pg/L) significantly exceeded those in the dissolved phase (12.4 f 5.7 pg/L). The washout ratios for particulate and dissolved phases were calculated using the rainwater and atmospheric concentrations of PCDD/Fs. These ratios ranged between 1.44 x 104 and 3.76 x 105 for particulate phases and from 8.41 x 103 to 8.75 x 105 for dissolved phases. Consequently, the washout rates of 4- and 5-chlorinated compounds were lower than those of 7- and 8-chlorinated compounds. During the winter months, an increase in the PCDD/F pollution level was observed, leading to higher detections of PCDD/Fs in wet deposition compared to other seasons. However, this situation was not mirrored in the concentrations found in rainwater. The frequency of precipitation and the high volume of rainwater during the colder months resulted in lower concentrations.Öğe BURSA İLİ’NDEN TOPLANAN YUMURTA ÖRNEKLERİNDEAĞIR METAL İÇERİĞİNİN BELİRLENMESİ VE RİSKDEĞERLENDİRMESİ(2020) Birgul, AskinBu çalışma, Bursa ilinden toplanan ve “organik yumurta ve/veya köy yumurtası” olarak satışa sunulan yumurta örneklerinde ağır metal konsantrasyon seviyelerinin belirlenmesi ve risk değerlendirmesi amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Yumurta örnekleri 7 farklı örnekleme noktasından toplanmıştır. Yumurtaların ak ve sarılarında ayrı ayrı Cd, Hg, Pb, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn ve As metallerine bakılmıştır. Analizler indüktif eşleşmiş plazma kütle spektrometre (ICP-MS) cihazı kullanılarak yapılmıştır. Toplanan yumurta örneklerinde tespit edilen ağır metallerin ortalama konsantrasyon seviyeleri ağır metalin türüne bağlı olarak yumurta sarısında 0,0012 ile 0,390 ?g/g arasında, yumurta beyazında ise 0,00123 ile 193 ?g/g arasında değiştiği tespit edilmiştir. Yapılan risk karakterizasyonu işlemi neticesinde toplanan yumurta örneklerinin THQ değerlerinin yumurtanın sarı kısmı için 1,1x10-3ile 0,637 arasında, yumurtanın beyaz kısmı için 1,91 x10-4ile 0,01438 arasında değişim gösterdiği ve herhangi bir risk oluşturmadığı tespit edilmiştir.Öğe Contamination of Soil by Obsolete Pesticide Stockpiles: A Case Study of Derince Province, Turkey(Springer, 2024) Kurt-Karakus, Perihan Binnur; Odabaşı, Mustafa; Birgul, Askin; Yaman, Barış; Gunel, Ersan; Dumanoğlu, Yetkin; Jantunen, L. M.M.The areal distributions of the soil organochlorine pesticide (OCP) levels were investigated at adjacent and surrounding sites of the obsolete pesticide stockpile warehouse in Kocaeli, Türkiye. OCP levels in soil at neighboring sampling locations (positioned at 0.4 to 3 km from the stockpile) varied from 0.4 to 9 µg/kg and 4.2 to 2226 µg/kg (dry weight) for ?HCHs and ?DDXs, respectively. Levels at adjacent locations (positioned within 20 m from the stockpile) were considerably higher, varying from 74 to 39,619 µg/kg and 1592 to 30,419 µg/kg for ?HCHs and ?DDXs, respectively. Levels of OCPs dropped abruptly with the horizontal distance from the stockpile and had different transect profiles. The enantiomer fractions (EFs) near the stockpile range from 0.494 to 0.521, 0.454 to 0.515, and 0.483 to 0.533 for ?-HCH, o,p?-DDT, and o,p?-DDD, respectively. These near-racemic EFs suggested that observed soil OCP levels were mainly influenced by recent emissions from the stockpile. A comparison of OCP compositions observed in the soil at the present study with the technical HCHs and DDTs revealed that the material in the stockpile primarily contains byproducts that were discarded during DDT and Lindane production at the adjacent plant instead of their technical mixtures. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.Öğe Evaluation of the concentrations of current use pesticides (CUPs) in urban air and rainfall, and their wet deposition flux in a metropolitan environment(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Birgul, Askin; Yavuz-Guzel, Evsen; Da?lio?lu, Nebile; Taşdemir, Yücel; Cindoruk, Sabahattin Siddik; Kurt-Karakus, Perihan BinnurThis study assesses the wet deposition fluxes and washout ratios of current-use pesticides (CUPs) in Bursa, Turkey, to better understand their environmental impact. It investigates the temporal and spatial fluctuations of these compounds, particularly focusing on CUPs like benomyl, dichlorvos, dimethoate, imidacloprid, monochrotophos, and pymetrozine. The concentrations of CUPs in both ambient air and precipitation showed seasonal variations, with peaks in spring and summer due to increased agricultural activities. Precipitation concentrations of CUPs also varied, when the detection rates based on CUP congeners are analyzed, benomyl (70 %) and pymetrozine (66 %) are the most frequently detected congeners in the collected samples, particularly during the peak agricultural season. Wet deposition fluxes were highest in spring and summer, while dry deposition fluxes peaked in autumn and winter. Benomyl, dichlorvos, dimethoate, and imidacloprid were determined the most abundant CUP congeners in both phase (gas and particle phase). The dry deposition velocities ranged from 0.001 to 2.26 cm/s, and washout ratios varied between 1.35 × 10?4 and 1.18 × 10?6, depending on the CUP congeners. These findings underscore the need for ongoing monitoring, enhanced measurement techniques, and interdisciplinary collaboration to better understand CUP distribution and its environmental and health impacts, while developing effective management strategies. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.Öğe Formal E-waste facilities as a source of mercury to air and soil in Turkiye(Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, 2025) Kurt-Karakus, Perihan Binnur; Akcetin, Merve Ozkaleli; Birgul, Askin; Kara, Melik; Dumanoglu, Yetkin; Yaman, Baris; Odabasi, MustafaSpatio-temporal variations of mercury concentrations in air and soil were measured near 20 formal e-waste recycling facilities and 8 background locations in 8 provinces in Turkiye between June 2021 and May 2022. Annual average Gaseous Elemental Mercury (GEM) concentrations in air at the studied formal e-waste facilities averaged 34 ng/m(3) (range from 2.2 to 273 ng/m(3)), exceeding by more than an order of magnitude average levels of 2.2 ng/m(3) (range from 1.6 to 2.6 ng/m(3)) at background sites. Total mercury concentration (THg) concentration in soils near formal e-waste processing facilities of 0.88 mg/kg dw (range from 0.17 and 12 mg/kg dw) similarly exceeded levels of 0.053 mg/kg dw (range from 0.01 to 0.11 mg/kg dw) in background soils. No clear seasonality in air or soil mercury concentrations were observed, possibly due to variations in the magnitude of recycling operations and in the type of consumer products being recycled in different seasons. Indices such as Enhancement Factor (EF) and Geoaccumulation Index (I-geo) used to define pollution degree/classification in studied areas. EF and I-geo values showed that 25 % and 5 % of air and soil samples taken near formal e-waste facilities, respectively, are very strongly polluted (EF and I-geo are > 3). Based on the overall mean I-geo index, 33.75 % of these soil samples are moderately to extremely contaminated (I-geo is greater than 1). Formal e-waste recycling facilities in Turkiye clearly are a source of mercury to the surrounding environment.Öğe Gaseous elemental mercury emissions from informal E-Waste recycling facilities in Pakistan(Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, 2023) Kazim, Mureed; Syed, Jabir Hussain; Kurt-Karakus, Perihan Binnur; Akcetin, Merve Ozkaleli; Akram, Sumaira; Birgul, Askin; Wania, FrankDetrimental effects of mercury (Hg) on ecosystems and human health have been well-documented. Whereas emissions of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) from e-waste recycling have been reported in developed countries, much less is known about the situation in the Global South. Using a total of 132 passive air samplers, seasonally resolved concentrations of GEM in air were measured continuously at 32 informal e-waste recycling facilities and background location in Pakistan for a period of one year between September 2020 and December 2021. Annual average GEM concentrations at the studied locations ranged from 1.8 to 92 ng m- 3. Among the studied cities, higher concentrations were measured in Karachi (mean +/- s.d: 17 +/- 22, range: 4.2-92 ng m-3), Lahore (16 +/- 4.2, 8.2-22 ng m-3) and Peshawar (15 +/- 17, 4.9-80 ng m-3), while lower levels were measured in Hyderabad (6.9 +/- 6.2, 3.1-25 ng m-3), consistent with a higher rate of informal recycling activities in metropolitan areas. Seasonally, higher GEM levels occurred during autumn (15 +/- 16: 3.3-92 ng m-3) and summer (13 +/- 8.7: 1.8-80 ng m-3) than in winter (12 +/- 8.4: 2.5-49 ng m-3) and spring (9.2 +/- 7.3: 1.8-80 ng m-3), possibly reflecting enhanced volatilization at higher temperatures and/or varying magnitude of recycling operations in different seasons. Policies and strict regulations related to e-waste management should be developed and implemented urgently in the country.Öğe Gaseous Elemental Mercury Emissons from Selected E-Waste Processing Facilities in Turkey(Mehmet Sinan Bilgili, 2022) Kurt-Karakus, Perihan Binnur; Odabasi, Mustafa; Akcetin, Merve Ozkaleli; Birgul, Askin; Kara, Melik; Dumanoglu, Yetkin; Wania, FrankThe amount of mercury contained in each unit of electrical and electronic waste (WEEE) is low (about 2-10 mg per equipment). However, it is estimated that all the mercury in the annually produced WEEE accounts for about 22% of the world mercury consumption. Facilities focusing on WEEE recycling have grown enormously in recent years and unfortunately some of this e-waste contains mercury or mercury compounds. The mercury may be released into the environment from consumer products during the recycling processes. Additionally, the recyclers themselves face the possibility of mercury exposure. Environmentally sound management of WEEE needs to involve the informal recycling industry which plays an important part in waste management. The global Minamata Convention on Mercury (Hg), created recently through the United Nations Environmental Programme, requires its signatories to perform improved atmospheric Hg monitoring and characterization of Hg sources. In this study, we evaluate the gaseous mercury emissions from selected licensed WEEE facilities to the atmosphere in different provinces of Turkey by employing a passive air sampling technique.Öğe Kabak Tatlısı Üretiminde Sönmemiş Kireç Uygulaması Üzerine Ultrason Uygulamasının Etkileri(2024) Oral, Rasim Alper; Birgul, Askin; Yıldız, Gökçen; Yılmaz, Esma Nur; Demırcan, Hüseyın; Cesur, NurbanuKabak tatlısı, ülkemizin özellikle Hatay kentinde, geleneksel yöntem ile sönmemiş kireç uygulanılarak Türk mutfağı kültüründe hem çok tüketilen hem de tercih edilen bir tatlı olarak kendisine yer edinmiştir. Bu proje çalışmasında, sönmemiş kireç uygulamasındaki bazı parametrelerin kabak tatlısı üzerine etkileri ve sönmemiş kirecin ağır metal içerikleri araştırılmıştır. Geleneksel bal kabağı tatlısı elde etmek için Cucurbita maxima türü bal kabağı kullanılmıştır. Bu türün dış yüzeyi dilimli, pürtüklü veya düz, kirli sarı ya da yeşilimtırak renklidir. Etli kısmı sarı-turuncu renkte olup, genellikle tatlı yapımı için tercih edilmektedir. İki farklı kalınlıkta (13 mm, 6.5 mm) dilimlenen taze kabaklar pişirilmeden önce %0.5?lik (w/v) doygun kalsiyum oksit (CaO, Mersin, Türkiye) çözeltisi içinde iki farklı ultrasonik güç (200 W, 400 W) ve iki farklı süre (15 dakika, 30 dakika) parametreleri göz önünde bulundurularak kontrollü bir ön işlem uygulanmıştır. Proje kapsamında uygulanan duyusal analiz ile kabak tatlısı ürünü değerlendirilmiştir. Panelistler geleneksel olarak yapılan bal kabağı tatlısı ve ultrason destekli sönmemiş kireç ile yapılmış bal kabağı tatlısını 7 puanlı Hedonik Skala kullanarak değerlendirmişlerdir. Duyusal analiz verileri incelendiğinde, 13 mm, 30 dakika, 400 W ultrasonik güç uygulanan örneğin en çok genel beğeni topladığı gözlemlenmiştir. Ağır metal tayini için asitle yakma yöntemiyle hazırlanan sönmemiş kireç örnekleri, Agilent 7700 model ICP-MS cihazı kullanılarak ağır metal içerikleri belirlenmiştir. Çalışmamız sonucunda elde edilen ağır metal verilerine göre, kullanmış olduğumuz sönmemiş kireç numunesinin ağır metal açısından güvenliği olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bal kabağı örneklerinin tekstürel özellikleri incelendiğinde en yüksek sertlik değeri geleneksel-13 numunesinde 1785,73±54,32 N değeridir. Proje kapsamında geleneksel olan çıtır kabak tatlısının sert tekstürünü ultrason desteği ile daha kısa süre sönmemiş kireç çözeltisinde bekleterek elde edilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu kapsamda geleneksel üretime en yakın sonuç 400W-6.5-30 numunesinde 734,03±41,99 N olarak bulunmuştur. Aynı zamanda proseste sönmemiş kireç kullanımının kabak meyvesi içeriğindeki fenolik ve antioksidan özellikler üzerine etkisini araştırmak amaçlanmıştır. Toplam fenol, toplam flavonoid, toplam karetenoid analizi ve DPPH analiz yo?ntemleri kullanılarak fenolik ve antioksidan o?zellikler ortaya konmuştur.Öğe Quantifying the Impact of Soiling and Thermal Stress on Rooftop PV Performance: Seasonal Analysis from an Industrial Urban Region in Türkiye(Mdpi, 2025) Uykan, Okan; Celik, Guray; Birgul, AskinThis study presents a novel framework to assess the combined impact of soiling and thermal effects on rooftop PV systems through multi-seasonal, multi-site field campaigns in an industrial-urban environment. This work addresses key research gaps by providing a high-resolution, site-specific analysis that captures the synergistic effect of particulate accumulation and thermal stress on PV performance in an industrial-urban environment-a setting distinct from the well-studied arid climates. The study further bridges a gap by employing controlled pre- and post-cleaning performance tests across multiple sites to isolate and quantify soiling losses, offering insights crucial for developing targeted maintenance strategies in pollution-prone urban areas. Unlike previous work, it integrates gravimetric soiling measurements with high-resolution electrical (I-V), thermal, and environmental monitoring, complemented by PVSYST simulation benchmarking. Field data were collected from five rooftop plants in Bursa, T & uuml;rkiye, during summer and winter, capturing seasonal variations in particulate deposition, module temperature, and PV output, alongside irradiance, wind speed, and airborne particulates. Soiling nearly doubled in winter (0.098 g/m2) compared to summer (0.051 g/m2), but lower winter temperatures (mean 19.8 degrees C) partially offset performance losses seen under hot summer conditions (mean 42.1 degrees C). Isc correlated negatively with both soiling (r = -0.68) and temperature (r = -0.72), with regression analysis showing soiling as the dominant factor (R2 = 0.71). Energy yield analysis revealed that high summer irradiance did not always increase output due to thermal losses, while winter often yielded comparable or higher energy. Soiling-induced losses ranged 5-17%, with SPP-2 worst affected in winter, and seasonal PR declines averaged 10.8%. The results highlight the need for integrated strategies combining cleaning, thermal management, and environmental monitoring to maintain PV efficiency in particulate-prone regions, offering practical guidance for operators and supporting renewable energy goals in challenging environments.Öğe Stockholm Convention Flame Retardant Emissons from Selected E-Waste Processing Facilities in Turkey(Mehmet Sinan Bilgili, 2022) Odabasi, Mustafa; Kurt-Karakus, Perihan Binnur; Birgul, Askin; Dumanoglu, Yetkin; Kara, Melik; Akcetin, Merve Ozkaleli; Syed, JabirE-waste processing facilities are hot spots for several chemicals to the environment including flame retardants. The current study investigates certain brominated flame retardants (FRs) emissions to air from selected waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) processing facilities in Turkey by employing passive air sampling technique. As WEEE has been recognized as a potential source of contaminants including flame retardants to the environment, severe environmental pollution and human health problems may arise from these sites if such wastes are not recycled properly. Researches conducted in other parts of the world reported extremely high concentrations of PBDEs in soil, dust, air and biological samples collected nearby WEEE processing facilities. As a signatory to the Stockholm Convention, which is an international agreement to protect human and environmental health from the adverse effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including certain brominated flame retardants, Turkey is obliged to perform improved monitoring and characterization of POPs sources to the environment. As the turnover of WEEE in waste management facilities has grown rapidly in recent years, we think such facilities may act as hot spots of FRs emissions to air. To the authors' best knowledge, the current study aiming to determine the emissions of selected organic brominated FRs to the air from licensed WEEE processing facilities is the first study in Turkey to investigate such an environmental pollution status.Öğe The effect of military conflict zone in the Middle East on atmospheric persistent organic pollutant contamination in its north(Elsevier, 2023) Ayri, Ilknur; Genisoglu, Mesut; Sofuoglu, Aysun; Kurt-Karakus, Perihan B.; Birgul, Askin; Sofuoglu, Sait C.This study aimed to investigate long-range atmospheric transport of selected POPs released due to the effects of mili-tary conflicts in regions to the south of Turkey's borders. Ten locations were selected to deploy passive air samplers at varying distances to the border on a southeast-west transect of the country, proximity-grouped as close, middle, and far. Sampling campaign included winter and transition months when desert dust transport events occur. Hypothesis of the study was that a decreasing trend would be observed with increasing distance to the border. Group comparisons based on statistical testing showed that PBDE-183, E45PCB, and dieldrin in winter; PBDE-28, PBDE-99, PBDE-154, p,p '-DDE, E14PBDE, and E25OCP in the transition period; and PBDE-28, PBDE-85, PBDE-99, PBDE-154, PBDE-190, PCB-52, E45PCB, p,p '-DDE, and E25OCP over the whole campaign had a decreasing trend on the transect. An analysis of concen-tration ratio to the background showed that long-range atmospheric transport impacted the study sites, especially those of close group in comparison to the local sources. Back-trajectory analyses indicated that there was transport from the conflict areas to sites in the close-proximity group, while farther sampling locations mostly received air masses from Europe, Russia, and former Soviet Union countries, followed by North Africa, rather than the military con-flict areas. In consequence, decrease in concentrations with distance and its relation to molecular weight through pro-portions, diagnostic ratios, analysis of concentration ratio to the background, and back-trajectory analyses support the effect of transport from the military-conflict area to its north.
