Organochlorine pesticide residues and their toxic effects on the environment and organisms in Turkey

Persistent toxic substances (PTSs) appear in most urbanized coastal areas of the world, accumulating in water, sediments, and biota, where they cannot be eliminated efficiently, and their derivatives can be highly toxic. Like many other countries, Turkey is also facing problems concerning pesticides and other PTS residues. BHC and alpha, beta, gamma and delta isomers of HCH were determined in 16 samples of surface and ground waters and mussels in the Middle Black Sea Region, and the concentrations of PCB and organochlorine (OC) pesticide residues were analysed in the eastern Aegean Sea water and fish samples. PCBs were not detected in Mullus barbatus living in the Aegean Sea, and its derivatives were detected in low levels. Thirteen OC pesticides were determined in water, sediment, fish, and water birds in the Goksu Delta. Thirteen OC pesticides were analysed in the Sariyar Dam Lake, in Sakarya basin, five lakes in Central Anatolia, and the Meric, Delta in water sediment and fish samples. Some of these pesticides were found in more or less all of the samples. Micro- organisms in soil and some saprophyte fungi detoxify chlorinated hydrocarbons by dechlorinating them. The toxicity of degraded metabolites of these insecticides, for which the Cl amounts have been reduced, decreased consequently, and toxic effects also reduced in mice when Cl was removed. Mixed cultures of micro-organisms isolated from agricultural soils were used to degrade endosulphan, carbaryl, and malathion. This result indicates that these chemicals break down in soil, resulting in a significant decrease in its toxic effects. Toxic substances cause acute, sub-chronic, and chronic effects in the environment on biota. The hermit ibises, an endemic migratory bird species, no longer visit the Birecik district. In Turkey, the reason for this is also thought to be the usage of organochlorine pesticide sprays in agricultural areas of the district. In recent years, studies have been conducted on the activation of PTSs and Cyt P450 mono-oxygenase enzymes in indicator fish species. One of these studies has been conducted on the bottom-feeding fish that live in Izmir Bay. The outcomes showed a significant decrease in the EROD activity in fish ( mullet and the benthic fish common sole are used as biomonitors for PAHs and PCB-type pollutants) that have been harvested from six different stations along the Bay from the city borders towards the inner parts of the Aegean Sea. The effects of OCPs have been determined by other studies in Sariyar Dam Lake and Meric, Delta. An increase in the EROD activity has been determined in fish living in these environments

Protective effect of Anzer honey against ethanol-induced increased vascular permeability in the rat stomach

The purpose of this study was to determine the protective effect of Anzer honey on ethanol-induced increased vascular permeability in rats. Evan's Blue (EB) dye, administered intracardiacly and extravasation of EB into the stomach, served as an indicator of vascular permeability following exposure to alcohol. Ethanol was given orally to the ethanol group for 90 days, and N-etylmaleimide (NEM) was given subcutaneously to the NEM group, and we observed increased extravasation of EB in the stomach in both groups. For this reason, we used NEM as a positive control for ethanol. Anzer honey, which contains 25.44 mg/g ascorbic acid, was given to the honey + ethanol group orally 30 min before beginning the 90-day ethanol administration. The mean amount of EB that leaked into the stomach of rats in the ethanol group and the NEM group was higher than that of the control group. Furthermore, if compared to the control, EB values in the stomachs were significantly reduced when receiving honey before administration of ethanol in rats. Histopathologically, the incidence and severity of gastric mucosal congestion were significantly reduced in the honey + ethanol group when compared to the ethanol group. These result indicate that Anzer honey is able to protect the stomach of the rat against ethanol-induced increased vascular permeability, which may be correlated with the ascorbic acid content. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved