Civil Engineering / İnşaat Mühendisliği
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11147/13
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Conference Object An Integrated Assessment of Water Quality in an Arsenic Containing Aquifer: Milestones From Hydrogeology To Public Health(American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 2012) Gündüz, Orhan; Şimşek, Celalettin; Elçi, Alper; Baba, Alper; Bakar, Çoşkun; Gürleyük, Hakan; Çakır, A.; Mutlu, MerdiyeA multi-disciplinary research is being conducted in Simav Plain, Turkey where an arsenic containing aquifer is at the center of attention. The study is not only aimed to understand the sources and mechanisms of the presence of high arsenic levels in groundwater but also to determine the associated consequences with regards to human health. The high arsenic levels in most groundwater (N=33, avg. 162 ppb), surface water (N=9, avg. 76.6 ppb) and geothermal water (N=3, avg. 406 ppb) samples are strongly related to high occurrences of arsenic in rocks and soils of the plain, which range between 7.1 and 833.9 ppm with an average of 49 ppm. These values correspond to several orders of magnitude higher than international standards and world averages in water and soil, respectively. With this motivation, this research also focuses on human health in the study area associated with exposure to these high arsenic levels via numerous pathways. Consequently, more than 1000 individuals were personally surveyed by public health specialists to determine an inventory of diseases in the area. Furthermore, a verbal autopsy study was also conducted with relatives of the deceased, which were further verified with hospital records, to understand the underlying death cause. As a result, certain cancer rates were found to exceed national averages and the results statistically demonstrated a potential link with high arsenic levels mainly through oral exposure.Article The Relation of Geogenic and Antrophogenic Factors With Blood and Hair Lead and Arsenic Levels in Women Living in Çan and Bayramiç Districts of Çanakkale Province(Nobelmedicus, 2019) Baba, Alper; Gündüz, Orhan; Bakar, Çoşkun; Sülün, Serdar; Save, DilşadObjective: Mining areas and associated industrial activities carry considerable risks for human health due to multi-pathway exposure of heavy metals such as arsenic and lead. The objective of this study was to compare arsenic and lead levels in human blood and hair samples in an industrial mining area in northwestern Turkey with that of a non-exposed group demonstrating similar sociocultural characteristics. Material and Method: The population of the study consisted of 674 nonsmoker women over the age of 40 who were selected on a random basis from mine region and control area. Venous blood samples were taken and analyzed for blood lead and arsenic levels in all participants. Hair samples were later collected from 108 women with high levels in blood samples. Results: The results showed that the highest prevalence of occurrences was found in district centers whereas relatively lower values were observed in the villages. Hair arsenic and lead levels were comparably higher in the industrialized area (Çan Region) where low-quality coal combustion used in power generation and residential heating were dominant. Conclusion: Although high correlations were not found, blood and hair arsenic and lead levels in individuals living in industrial and agricultural areas were found to be high at levels influencing the human health. On the other hand, these results should be further supported and verified with advanced and long duration monitoring activities.
