Informal E -waste recycling in nine cities of Pakistan reveals significant impacts on local air and soil quality and associated health risks.

The global increase in electronic waste (e-waste) has led to a rise in informal recycling, emitting hazardous heavy metals (HMs) that threaten human health and ecosystems. This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of HM levels in dry deposition and soils at proximity of forty (40) informal e-waste recycling sites across Pakistan, between September 2020 to December 2021. Findings reveal that Zn (1410), Pb (410) and Mn (231) exhibited the higher mean deposition fluxes (μg/m.

Contamination of Soil by Obsolete Pesticide Stockpiles: A Case Study of Derince Province, Turkey.

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.

Global intercomparison of polyurethane foam passive air samplers evaluating sources of variability in SVOC measurements.

Polyurethane foam passive air samplers (PUF-PAS) are the most common type of passive air sampler used for a range of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), including regulated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and emerging contaminants (e.g., novel flame retardants, phthalates, current-use pesticides).

Existence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on ambient particulate matter samples: A nationwide study in Turkey.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has been affecting the world since the end of 2019. The disease led to significant mortality and morbidity in Turkey, since the first case was reported on March 11th, 2020. Studies suggest a positive association between air pollution and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Development of a New Passive Sampling Method for the Measurement of Atmospheric Linear and Cyclic Volatile Methyl Siloxanes.

A new passive sampling method was developed and characterized to measure atmospheric volatile methyl siloxanes (VMS). The infrastructure of a commercial passive air sampler (PAS) was used along with XAD-2 resin as the adsorbent. Experimental sampling rates (SR) determined using collocated active and passive samplers ranged between 0.

Measurement and Modeling the Phase Partitioning of Organophosphate Esters Using Their Temperature-Dependent Octanol-Air Partition Coefficients and Vapor Pressures.

Atmospheric concentrations of 11 organophosphate esters (OPEs) were measured in an urban area in Izmir, Turkey to explore their phase partitioning. Octanol-air partition coefficients () and vapor pressures () of the OPEs were also measured as a function of temperature. Average ΣOPE gas-phase concentrations were 1.

Organic chemical characterization of size segregated particulate matter samples collected from a thermal power plant area.

Kütahya city, a thermal power plant (TPPs) affected region of Turkey, has serious air quality problems like similar industrial regions of the world due to the emissions from three closely-located coal-fired TPPs, residential coal combustion along with the contribution of several industrial stacks. The organic chemical speciation of ambient size-segregated particulate matter (PM) was investigated during two seasons at two sites with different pollution characteristics (urban and rural). The ambient PM was collected using a high volume cascade impactor, with 6 stages: PM, PM, PM, PM, PM and PM.

A Comprehensive Characterization of Particulate Matter, Trace Elements, and Gaseous Emissions of Piston-Engine Aircraft.

The gaseous and PM emissions of a piston-engine aircraft during ground operations at different engine states (six engine speed points and three air/fuel mixtures) representing certain flight phases were concurrently measured from the exhaust duct. PM emissions were sampled on a 47 mm-diameter polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filter in order to be analyzed with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) to identify the presence and level of forty-eight elements. The most abundant element is found to be Pb (med = 4.

Source apportionment of biogenic and anthropogenic VOCs in Bolu plateau.

Total of 69 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including both biogenic (isoprene, monoterpenes and oxygenated compounds) and anthropogenic ones were investigated in Bolu plateau by passive sampling technique. The main objective of this study was to determine spatial distributions, seasonal variations and possible sources for a wide variety of VOCs. Two-week passive sampling campaigns were performed in the winter and summer of 2017.

Intraday and interday variations of 69 volatile organic compounds (BVOCs and AVOCs) and their source profiles at a semi-urban site.

To study the intraday and interday patterns and possible sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 6-h active sampling was performed in April, May, June, July, and August 2017 and in January 2018 in a semi-urban site in Bolu, Turkey. Totally 69 VOCs having biogenic (BVOCs, i.e.

Elemental characterization of general aviation aircraft emissions using moss bags.

In light of growing concern and insufficient knowledge on the negative impact of aircraft emissions on environmental health, this study strives to investigate the air burden of major and trace elements caused by general aviation, piston-engine, and turboprop aircraft, within the vicinity of Eskisehir Hasan Polatkan Airport (Eskisehir, Turkey). The levels of 57 elements were investigated, based on moss bag biomonitoring using Sphagnum sp., along with chemical analyses of lubrication oil and aviation gasoline fuel used in the aircraft's operations.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) pollution in soil of a highly industrialized region (Dilovasi) in Turkey: concentrations, spatial and temporal variations and possible sources.

In this study, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) levels in soil were studied for a whole year in highly industrialized region of Turkey (Dilovasi) at 23 sampling sites. ΣPBDE concentrations were between 0.15 and 286 μg kg and the overall average concentration was 14.

Investigation of spatial and temporal variation of particulate matter in vitro genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in relation to the elemental composition.

Even though the outdoor air pollution and its major component Particulate Matter (PM) are recently classified as human carcinogen, attempts to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of PM toxicity are still crucial and continuing with in vitro approaches in various environmental circumstances. Present study investigated the genotoxicity (Comet assay) and the cytotoxicity (lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and the water-soluble tetrazolium (WST-1) assays) of 30 daily PM samples collected in the Kütahya province, to address their daily variability in effects with season (i.e.

Spatio-temporal variations of atmospheric and soil polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in highly industrialized region of Dilovasi.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were investigated in ambient air of a highly industrialized region at 23 different sampling sites for 12 months. Total concentrations of 8 PBDE congeners (ΣPBDE) were found to be between 5.73 and 520 pg m (94.

Determination of real-world emission factors of trace metals, EC, OC, BTEX, and semivolatile organic compounds (PAHs, PCBs and PCNs) in a rural tunnel in Bilecik, Turkey.

A field study was performed in a rural tunnel to determine pollutant concentrations, sources and on road vehicle emission factors (EFs) of particulate matter, trace metals, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylenes (BTEX), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Emission factors (EFs) for polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were also determined. A 12-day extensive sampling campaign during morning and afternoon periods at inlet and exit stations of the tunnel was conducted.

Spatial variation of PAHs and PCBs in coastal air, seawater, and sediments in a heavily industrialized region.

Concurrent coastal seawater (n = 22), sediment (n = 22), and atmospheric samples (n = 10) were collected in the Aliaga industrial region, Turkey, to explore the spatial variation, sources, and air-seawater exchange of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Seawater ΣPAH concentrations (particle + dissolved) ranged between 5107 and 294,624 pg L, while ΣPCB concentrations were in the range of 880-50,829 pg L. Levels in sediments were highly variable ranging between 35.

Spatial and seasonal variations, sources, air-soil exchange, and carcinogenic risk assessment for PAHs and PCBs in air and soil of Kutahya, Turkey, the province of thermal power plants.

Atmospheric and concurrent soil samples were collected during winter and summer of 2014 at 41 sites in Kutahya, Turkey to investigate spatial and seasonal variations, sources, air-soil exchange, and associated carcinogenic risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The highest atmospheric and soil concentrations were observed near power plants and residential areas, and the wintertime concentrations were generally higher than ones measured in summer. Spatial distribution of measured ambient concentrations and results of the factor analysis showed that the major contributing PAH sources in Kutahya region were the coal combustion for power generation and residential heating (48.

Polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) emissions from scrap processing steel plants with electric-arc furnaces.

Polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) emissions of scrap iron processing steel plants were explored by measuring concentrations in stack gases of five plants, in the atmosphere (n=11) at a site close to those plants, and in soil at several sites in the region (n=40) in Aliaga, Izmir, Turkey. Observed stack-gas ΣPCN levels from the plants without scrap preheating (189±157ngNm, average±SD, n=4) showed that they are substantial PCN emitting sources. Stack-gas ΣPCN level for the plant with scrap preheating was considerably higher (1262ngNm).

POPs in a major conurbation in Turkey: ambient air concentrations, seasonal variation, inhalation and dermal exposure, and associated carcinogenic risks.

Semi-volatile organic compounds were monitored over a whole year, by collection of gas and particle phases every sixth day at a suburban site in Izmir, Turkey. Annual mean concentrations of 32 polychlorinated biphenyls (∑PCBs) and 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (∑PAHs) were 348 pg/m and 36 ng/m, respectively, while it was 273 pg/m for endosulfan, the dominant compound among 23 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Monte Carlo simulation was applied to the USEPA exposure-risk models for the estimation of the population exposure and carcinogenic risk probability distributions for heating and non-heating periods.

Investigation of spatial distributions and sources of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in a heavily polluted industrial region using tree components.

Spatial distributions of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were investigated in Iskenderun industrial region in Turkey. POP concentrations were measured in different tree components (i.e.

Investigation of spatial and historical variations of air pollution around an industrial region using trace and macro elements in tree components.

Several trace and macro elements (n=48) were measured in pine needle, branch, bark, tree ring, litter, and soil samples collected at 27 sites (21 industrial, 6 background) to investigate their spatial and historical variation in Aliaga industrial region in Turkey. Concentrations generally decreased with distance from the sources and the lowest ones were measured at background sites far from major sources. Spatial distribution of anthropogenic trace elements indicated that their major sources in the region are the iron-steel plants, ship-breaking activities and the petroleum refinery.

Wet deposition of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Izmir, Turkey.

Concentrations of several polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in precipitation (n = 33) at a suburban site in Izmir, Turkey. Total (dissolved + particle) volume weighted mean (VWM) concentrations for Σ16PAHs, Σ18PCBs, Σ17OCPs, and Σ7PBDEs were 785, 19.2, 50.

Biomonitoring the spatial and historical variations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in an industrial region.

Several persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in needle, branch, bark, and tree ring samples in pine samples collected at 27 sites (21 industrial, 6 background) in Aliaga industrial region in Turkey. Soil, litter, and air samples were also collected to investigate the relationships between the air and soil, litter, and tree components. Concentrations decreased with distance from the sources and the lowest ones were measured at background sites.