Evren Tunca

Chromium(VI) Biosorption and Bioaccumulation by Live and Acid-Modified Biomass of a Novel Morganella morganii Isolate

Conventional methods of chromium removal are often insufficient for the remediation of chromium-contaminated natural environments, necessitating the development of alternative strategies. In this paper, we report the isolation of a novel Morganella morganii strain capable of reducing hexavalent chromium to its less-toxic and less-soluble trivalent form. Cr(VI) reduction by this strain was evaluated in both acidic environments and conditions reflecting natural freshwater sources. The isolate achieved equilibrium within 3 h and displayed a specific uptake rate of 24.30 ± 1.67 mg Cr(VI)/g biomass following HCl treatment. Without acid treatment, a reduction of over 90% was recorded within 72 h for an initial Cr(VI) concentration 20 mg/L, corresponding to a Cr(VI) removal capacity of 19.36 ± 1.89 mg/g. Absorption data of acid-treated STB5 biomass most closely followed the Toth and Langmuir models. FTIR results indicate that hydroxyl groups and extracellular or cell membrane polysaccharides may be potential adsorption sites for hexavalent chromium. Our results suggest that the isolate may be used in situ for treatment of polluted freshwater environments.

DECREASE AND INCREASE PROFILE OF CU, CR AND PB DURING STABLE PHASE OF REMOVAL BY DUCKWEED (LEMNA MINOR L.)

The present work details the decrease-increase profiles of Cu, Cr, and Pb by the aquatic plant Lemna minor. A mixture of these metals were utilized at different concentrations. Removal profiles of each metal was determined with water samples taken every 24 h for a 144 h period after the 48 h mark and was examined with correlation analysis. Removal profiles of Cr and Pb by L. minor from the mixture were observed to be highly similar with each other (r = 0.943). High proportion of Cr and Pb were removed compared to Cu and removal equations were defined with the aid of regression analysis.

Interactions between metals accumulated in the narrow-clawed crayfish Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) in Dikilitaş Lake, Turkey

The accumulations of Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn in the exoskeleton, gills, hepatopancreas and abdominal muscles of crayfish Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) were determined. The strongest correlation observed was between Cr and Ni in the gills (r = 0.904); moderate to strong correlations between Al, Cr, Fe, Ni and Cu were also observed in gill tissue. Disregarding the gills, the strongest correlation was found between Cu and Zn in the hepatopancreas (r = 0.808); the correlation between these two metals might have been a result of metallothionein activity. The accumulation of Pb was found to correlate with that of Cd in the exoskeleton, Cd and Zn in the gills, Zn and Cu in the hepatopancreas and Cu in the abdominal muscle. None of these correlations were present in lakewater and sediment samples, suggesting that the crayfish metabolism may be responsible for the co-accumulation of metal–metal pairs. As all correlations in non-gill tissues are observed between divalent metals, a shared transporter such as divalent metal transporter 1 might be involved in the accumulation of these metals.

An ecological risk investigation of marine sediment from the northern Mediterranean coasts (Aegean Sea) using multiple methods of pollution determination

The aim of this study is an assessment of metal pollution levels in Aegean Sea sediment. Sediment samples collected from 7 different locations (Yeniköy, Edremit, Ayvalık, Dikili, Aliağa, Hekimadası, and Ildır) along the northern Mediterranean region of Turkey were investigated for 11 elements (Cu, Fe, Zn, V, Cd, Ni, As, Pb, Mn, Co, and Cr). Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (GFAAS) and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS) were used for elemental analysis. The findings were evaluated with sediment assessment methods by taking two different values as a reference and then investigating the adverse biological effects of elemental profiles on living organisms. Pb, Mn, As, Cd, and Cr concentrations were within a moderate to significant range in terms of contamination factor (Cfi

Effects of anthropological factors on the metal accumulation profiles of sea cucumbers in near industrial and residential coastlines of İzmir, Turkey

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Morphometric aspects and growth modeling of exotic bivalve blood cockle Scapharca inaequivalvis from the Black Sea, Turkey

), albeit varying according to reference and location. The most problematic region and elements regarding the enrichment factor (EF) was Ayvalık and As, Ni, Cu, Pb, Co, and Cd. However, according to the EF, the anthropogenic effect was not at an alarming level. This was further supported by the results of the geoaccumulation index (Igeo). The findings of the modified degree of contamination (mCd) and the pollution load index (PLI) suggested that the accumulation was greatest in Ayvalık, and the least in Hekimadası and Ildır. The location with the highest elemental total toxic unit (ΣTU) was Edremit. The effect of the existing element profile on organisms was 21% in this location when the mean effect range–median quotient (m-ERM-q) was considered. As and Ni concentrations in all stations were found to be higher than threshold effect level (TEL) and Effect Range Low (ERL). Ni levels in Edremit exceeded the probable effect level (PEL) and Effect Range Median (ERM). Toxic unit (TU) values of these two elements in all stations ranged from 59.30 to 80.43%.

Spatial distribution of some elements and elemental contamination in the sediments of Köyceğiz Lake (SW Turkey)

This study was conducted on Holothuria polii, Holothuria tubulosa, and Holothuria mammata collected from five stations with different depths in the Northern Mediterranean Sea. The body walls and guts of these holothurians were examined in terms of interactions of 10 metals (iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), vanadium (V), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb)) and one metalloid (arsenic (As)) using a multivariate analysis, and interspecies differences were determined. The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed significant differences between the species in terms of metal(loid) accumulations. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed a more association between H. tubulosa and H. polii with regard to the accumulation. The cluster analysis (CA) located Pb concentrations of the guts to the farthest place from all elements regardless of the species. A correlation analysis displayed that the element concentrations of the guts were more closely related to each other compared with those of the walls. The most inconsistent element in terms of correlations was the gut Fe contents. Accordingly, while Fe concentrations of H. mammata and H. tubulosa were correlated with all elements (except Pb) in divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) (divalent cation transporter 1 (DCT1) or natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 2 (NRAMP2)) belonging to the NRAM protein family, this was not the case in H. polii. Consequently, significant relationships between accumulated metal(loid)s that changed by tissues and sea cucumber species were observed.

Bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated medium using Lemna minor, Daphnia magna and their consortium

ABSTRACT This study details the metal and metalloid accumulation profiles of three species of sea cucumbers (Holothuriamammata, Holothuriapolii and Holothuriatubulosa) native to Aliağa and Ildır (İzmir, Turkey), two regions that are representative of industrial and residential districts, respectively. A total of 11 elements were analysed (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Cr, Co, V, Ni, Cd, Pb and As) from gut and body wall tissues of holothurians and in sediment samples. The Mann–Whitney U analysis revealed statistical difference between locations and tissues. Accumulations of Aliağa samples were significantly higher than Ildır samples with respect to Zn, V, Mn, Cr, Fe and Co while accumulations were significantly higher in the gut than body wall regardless of the region for all elements tested. The correlation analysis showed more and stronger correlations in the gut than in the body wall. In addition, metal(loid) concentrations in the sediment were found to correlate strongly with these in the sea cucumber gut. The cluster analysis displayed totally different element accumulation pattern for Aliağa and Ildır in the both tissues which indicate that anthropogenic effects start to alter the bioaccumulation of metal(loids). Biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAF) and metal contamination index were calculated to determine the extent of metal(loid) uptake and to compare total elemental accumulation at each region. Gut tissue elemental BSAF is higher than body wall for all elements at both areas. Cd has the highest value with 5.582 (gut tissue) and the lowest are Ni, V and Cr with 0.001 (body wall tissue). In addition, sediment results were compared with previous studies and sediment quality guidelines and found to exceed the lowest effect level (LEL) values for As and Ni.