halim ergul | Kocaeli University (original) (raw)

Papers by halim ergul

9TH INTERNATIONAL PHYSICS CONFERENCE OF THE BALKAN PHYSICAL UNION (BPU-9), 2016

In order to determine the radioactivity level at Izmit Bay Marmara Sea, marine sediment samples w... more In order to determine the radioactivity level at Izmit Bay Marmara Sea, marine sediment samples were collected from five different locations. The radioactivity concentrations of naturally occurring 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K isotopes and also that of an artificial isotope 137 Cs were measured by using gamma-ray spectroscopy. Preliminary results show that the radioactivity concentrations of 238 U and 232 Th isotopes are lower than the average worldwide values while the radioactivity concentrations of the 40 K are higher than the average worldwide value. A small amount of 137 Cs contamination, which might be caused by the Chernobyl accident, was also detected.

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Feb 1, 2023

Biomonitoring, Nov 27, 2017

The macrophyte plant distribution in some aquatic habitats and their availability for monitoring ... more The macrophyte plant distribution in some aquatic habitats and their availability for monitoring the PAH contamination were investigated in Kocaeli Province of Turkey. Alisma plantago-aquatica L. was collected to evaluate polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination in four aquatic habitats located nearby or distant to the industrial facilities and populated city center. Concentrations of eight PAH congeners were measured in A. plantagoaquatica leaves using gas chromatography. PAH sources were estimated using the following ratios, Fluoranthene / (Fluoranthene + Pyrene), Benzo(a)anthracene / (Benzo(a) anthracene + Chrysene) and Anthracene / (Anthracene + Phenanthrene) and were found to be pyrogenic-sourced in all stations. Since the ratios of congeners indicate the pyrogenic contamination, atmospheric deposition can be considered as the main pathway for PAH transportation. The highest ∑PAH concentration (798 µg kg-1) was measured in the nearest station (Bıçkıdere Dam) to the city center and highway, while the lowest concentration (183 µg kg-1) was determined in the Tahtalı Dam, which is relatively distant from the industrial facilities, dense population and motorways. Present results indicate that incomplete combustion of grass, wood and coal, as well as recreational and agricultural implementations and vehicular emissions, may cause pyrogenic PAH contamination. Also, broad basal leaves of A. plantago-aquatica can be considered as sampling material in further biomonitoring studies.

Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, Feb 15, 2000

The cytogenetic effects of the wastes of copper mine were investigated using root tip cells of Al... more The cytogenetic effects of the wastes of copper mine were investigated using root tip cells of Allium cepa L. The roots were treated with 10, 75 and 100 percent of copper wastes at 36 hour. Copper wastes caused some chromosomal abnormalities in root tip cells. It was found that copper wastes have a marked mitodepressive action on mitosis.

Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, 2009

Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn, Pb, As, and Sb were determined in sediment trap... more Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Fe, Mn, Pb, As, and Sb were determined in sediment trap and bottom sediment samples collected seasonally from a station on the eastern Turkish coast of the Black Sea. Cd, Pb and Mn concentrations were highest in the sediment trap samples except during the summer period, whereas Co, Ni, Zn and Fe levels were much lower than corresponding levels found in the surface sediments. Cu, Cr, As and Sb levels showed no definite trend with sediment type. In general, with the exception of Cr, relatively lower metal concentrations in the sediment trap material were determined in the summer period. The highest mass flux, 56.5 g m À2 day À1 , was measured during autumn. The highest flux of heavy metals also occurred during autumn and was strongly dependent on particle mass flux. Based on these results, we suggest that the downward vertical transport of particulate heavy metals in this region is related to the high degree of land erosion and the resultant particulate flux dynamics, which occur here. It was noteworthy that the highest concentrations of Cd, Cu, Co, Zn, Fe and Sb in particles were measured during winter a finding which suggests that enhanced fossil fuel combustion, which occurs during this period in adjacent urban and industrial areas plays an important role in the metal composition of sinking particles in nearshore waters.

SUMMARY The radionuclides ( 137 Cs, 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K) and heavy metal concentrations (Cd, P... more SUMMARY The radionuclides ( 137 Cs, 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K) and heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn) were determined in macro algae, mussel, fish and sediment samples collected from two stations at the eastern Turkish coast of the Black Sea. The measured 137 Cs, 238 U, 232 Th and 40 K concentrations are within the range of the values cited in previous works concerning the Turkish Black Sea coast. However, the radionuclide concentrations in the sediment fraction < 63 µm are significantly higher. Regarding the influence of the collection sites on the accumulation of the heavy metals in biota, Rize is generally more polluted. At the same time, Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn concentrations in Rize sediment are also higher than in Pazar sediment of similar grain size. In general, the heavy metal concentrations in the present study are not higher than previously results. However, Pb and Cu levels increased in biota and sediment in the Turkish area of the Black Sea during the years investigated.

The body weight and condition index (CI) effect on concentrations of Pb, Zn, Mn and Fe were inves... more The body weight and condition index (CI) effect on concentrations of Pb, Zn, Mn and Fe were investigated in Mytilus galloprovincialis soft tissue at two different locations in the Izmit Bay. A negative correlation between soft tissue dry weight and metal concentrations was clear in Mn and Fe. On the other hand, Zn and Pb levels decreased with increasing CI value.

Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment, 2014

Abstract Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are presently dedicated to science and peace. Even tho... more Abstract Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are presently dedicated to science and peace. Even though Turkey signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1995, it has not conducted any scientific study there until today. The First Turkish Antarctic Science Program Road Map Workshop was held on 18-19 November 2013 in Istanbul with the participation of national stakeholders and international experts from various countries to discuss the Turkish initiative for Antarctic research. The present paper summarizes the outcome of this workshop.

Sustainability

Sediment, notothenioid fish, and moss samples were collected from the vicinity of Galindez Island... more Sediment, notothenioid fish, and moss samples were collected from the vicinity of Galindez Island, Antarctic Peninsula during the austral autumn of 2016 and 2017. Pesticide, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH), and dioxin-like Polychlorinated Biphenyl (dl-PCB) concentrations were measured using High-Resolution Gas and Liquid Chromatography. Pollutant concentrations were below detection limits in sediment and moss samples. However, pesticides, PAH, and dl-PCB congeners were detected in the muscle tissue of fishes. Pesticide concentrations varied between 0.46 and 12.2 ng/g-dw, and Mecarbam was the dominant compound. Kresoxim-methyl, Mecarbam, Procymidone, Pyridaben, and Quinoxyfen were reported in the muscle tissue of the fishes, for the first time from the Antarctic. PCB-118, PCB-105, and PCB-156 were dominant dl-PCBs. The ∑12-dl-PCB concentration was 160,929 pg/g-dw, and WHO-TEQ-total dl-PCB was 8.30 pg/g-dw in Trematomus bernachii, over the consumable limit in fishes according to...

Western Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest warming areas on Earth and coastal areas of the... more Western Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest warming areas on Earth and coastal areas of the region are foremost affected. Here we present the state of coastal plankton assemblages of the Galindez Island and Neumayer Channel, Western Antarctic Peninsula in austral autumn (April 2016). Surface water temperatures were ranged between -0.12 °C and -0.97 °C and average chlorophyll-a concentrations were 0.65 µg/l. A total of 50 phytoplankton and 24 zooplankton taxa (15 copepods and 9 meroplanktonic species) were identified during the sampling period. Diatom species (78%) predominated phytoplankton and the highest abundance was 820 cells l-1, while the highest number of phytoplankton species was 42. Zooplankton was prevailed by the dominance of copepods, except contribution of meroplankton at the Neumayer channel. Highest zooplankton abundance was 101 ind.m-3. The sampling season was the transition period from the productive spring-summer to dormant winter conditions, which explains t...

İbn-i Sina Tıp Dergisi, 2003

Biological Communications, 2021

In this study, the Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers (IBMR) method and physicochemical measu... more In this study, the Macrophyte Biological Index for Rivers (IBMR) method and physicochemical measurements were used to assess the trophic status of the Sakarya River Basin in Turkey. The most abundant macrophytes were Phragmites australis, Thypa latifolia, Juncus sp., and Paspalum distichum. The IBMR values varied between 6.00 and 13.00 in spring, and between 6.714 and 14.40 in the fall season. The sampling stations, which are under the influence of agricultural runoffs, domestic effluents, and industrial discharges, had hypoxia accompanied by eutrophic and/or hypertrophic conditions at least in one season. The individual trophy levels of the sampling sites in the basin have been assessed as mesotrophic to eutrophic. However, considering the average IBMR value of all stations, the general trophy level of the basin was close to eutrophic. The results indicate that the physicochemical parameters are affected by various effluents discharged to the basin as observed during field studies,...

TURKISH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, 2017

Peninsula, 74 humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in 24 sightings and 11 Antarctic minke wha... more Peninsula, 74 humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in 24 sightings and 11 Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) in 6 sightings were recorded. The overall encounter rate (number of sightings/survey effort in nautical miles) was 0.333 (0.266 for humpback whale, 0.066 for Antarctic minke whale). According to the sighting distribution, the Lemaire Channel and Penola Strait are important migration and feeding habitats for whales. Five humpback whales were photo-identified individually by natural features on their flukes; one of them had a match in the Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue. The matched individual was first recorded on 30 August 2007 at Salinas, Ecuador.

Vertical and horizontal gradient of temperature, salinity, density, chlorophyll-a, dissolved oxyg... more Vertical and horizontal gradient of temperature, salinity, density, chlorophyll-a, dissolved oxygen and pH were monitored seasonally between summer 2008 and spring 2010 in the eastern, central and western basins of Izmit Bay (Marmara Sea). Surface seawater temperature ranged from 7.5 to 26 °C during the study period. Thermal stratification was found to be significant in winter and summer. Surface water salinity ranged from 20.9 to 24.0 ‰ in summer 2008 and 2009 and reached up to 36.1 ‰ below halocline layer. Permanent pycnocline and a two-layered stratification were observed throughout the study. Sigma-t seasonally varied between 13.5 and 18.4 in the upper layer and increased up to 27.2 by increasing depth below the intermediate layer. Average seasonal Chl-a concentrations ranged from 1.5 in summer 2008 to 9.6 μg L-1 in spring 2010. The highest average Chl-a concentrations was found in the eastern basin during the study, whereas the maximum Chl-a level was measured as 18 μg L-1 in t...

The concentrations of trace metals were determined in mussel and sediment samples collected from ... more The concentrations of trace metals were determined in mussel and sediment samples collected from Yomra at the southeastern coast of the Black Sea. In mussel samples besides of some major elements, As, Zn, Cd, and Se values were higher than sediment samples. The levels of the Mn, Fe, As, Co, Al, Hg and Sc were slight higher at 50 m depth than 200 m depth sediment. On the other hand, the concentrations of the Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Sr, Cr, Mg and Ba are high at the 200 m depth sediment.

The heavy metal concentrations were reviewed in marine algae species collected from Turkish marin... more The heavy metal concentrations were reviewed in marine algae species collected from Turkish marine environment and the new data also given in the marine algae samples at some stations at the Turkish coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Some data also reviewed at the neighbors countries of the Black Sea, Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

Regional Studies in Marine Science, 2020

The paper presents a mass balance modeling study on the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/ dibenz... more The paper presents a mass balance modeling study on the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/ dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) pollution around the Izmit Bay region, the most industrialized province of Turkey, based on the evaluation of PCDD/Fs input to the bay and measured concentrations in the surface sediments. The pollution map showed that PCDD/F levels in the central section are much higher than those in the eastern and western basins. The model showed that OCDD levels could be explained mainly by the effect of atmospheric deposition processes whereas other dominant congeners i.e., Octachlorodibenzofuran (OCDF) and 1,