Particle-phase dry deposition and air–soil gas exchange of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Izmir, Turkey

Ambient air and dry deposition samples were collected at suburban and urban sites in Izmir, Turkey. Atmospheric total (particle + gas) 14PAHs concentrations were 36±39 and 144±163 ngm−3 for suburban and urban sites, respectively. Phenanthrene was the most abundant compound at all sites, and all samples were dominated by low molecular weight PAHs. Average particulate 14PAH dry deposition fluxes were 8160±5024 and 4286±2782 ngm−2 day−1 and overall average particulate dry deposition velocities were 1.5±2.4 and 1.0±2.3cms−1 for suburban and urban sites, respectively. Soil samples were collected at suburban site. Average soil concentration for 14PAH was 55.9±14.4 ng g−1 dry weight. Calculated gas-phase air–soil exchange fluxes indicated that fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and carbazole were deposited to soil in winter while they were volatilized in summer. Other compounds (fluoranthene-benzo[g,h,i]perylene) were deposited to soil in both periods. Annual average fluxes of PAHs representing soil to air (i.e., gas volatilization) and air to soil transfer (i.e., gas absorption, dry deposition, and wet deposition) processes were also compared. All processes were comparable for 14PAHs however their input was dominated by gas absorption. Gas absorption dominated for lower molecular weight PAHs, however dry deposition dominated for higher molecular weight PAHs. The results have suggested that for fluorene, soil and air may be approaching a steady state condition. For the remaining compounds, there was a net accumulation into the soil.The Research grant (ICTAGC033) from the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)

Atmospheric concentrations and phase partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Izmir, Turkey

Ambient air polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) samples were collected at a suburban (n=63) and at an urban site (n=14) in Izmir, Turkey. Average gas-phase total PAH (∑ 14PAH) concentrations were 23.5ngm -3 for suburban and 109.7ngm -3 for urban sites while average particle-phase total PAH concentrations were 12.3 and 34.5ngm -3 for suburban and urban sites, respectively. Higher ambient PAH concentrations were measured in the gas-phase and ∑ 14PAH concentrations were dominated by lower molecular weight PAHs. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the meteorological parameters were effective on ambient PAH concentrations. Emission sources of particle-phase PAHs were investigated using a diagnostic plot of fluorene (FLN)/(fluorine+pyrene; PY) versus indeno[1,2,3-cd]PY/(indeno[1,2,3-cd]PY+benzo[g,h,i]perylene) and several diagnostic ratios. These approaches have indicated that traffic emissions (petroleum combustion) were the dominant PAH sources at both sites for summer and winter seasons. Experimental gas-particle partition coefficients (K P) were compared to the predictions of octanol-air (K OA) and soot-air (K SA) partition coefficient models. The correlations between experimental and modeled K P values were significant (r 2=0.79 and 0.94 for suburban and urban sites, respectively, p<0.01). Octanol-based absorptive partitioning model predicted lower partition coefficients especially for relatively volatile PAHs. However, overall there was a relatively good agreement between the measured K P and soot-based model predictions. Ambient air polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) samples were collected at a suburban and at an urban site in Izmir, Turkey. The multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the meteorological parameters were effective on the measured ambient PAH concentrations. The results indicated that traffic emissions were the dominant PAH sources at both sites for summer and winter seasons

Air-water exchange of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) at a coastal site in Izmir Bay, Turkey

The air-water exchange of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were investigated using paired air-water samples (n = 16) collected in July and February-March, 2005 from Guzelyali Port in Izmir Bay, Turkey. Atmospheric PCBs and OCPs were mainly in gas-phase in both periods. However, their dissolved and particle-phase water concentrations were comparable. For PCBs, 3 and 4-Cl congeners were dominant while chlorpyrifos, endosulfans and HCHs were the most abundant OCPs for all samples. Especially in summer, calculated net gas-exchange PCB fluxes were mainly volatilization from the water ranging from - 0.2 (volatilization, PCB-101) to - 30.0 (volatilization, PCB-31) ng m- 2 day- 1. For OCPs, net flux ranged from - 0.03 (volatilization, cis-nonachlor) to 1568 (deposition, endosulfan I) ng m- 2 day- 1 and they have seasonal variations with generally deposition in winter and volatilization in summer. However, endosulfan I, II, endosulfan sulfate, α- and γ-HCH deposited in both periods. The calculated residence times of PCBs and OCPs in the water column indicated that the gas-exchange in the Bay is at least as or a more important mechanism than advection. Annual gaseous absorption and volatilization fluxes were calculated and were used along with the estimated dry deposition fluxes and wet deposition fluxes measured recently at a suburban site in Izmir to determine the relative contributions of different atmospheric mechanisms to the pollutant inventory of the Bay water column. Results suggested that the relative contributions of all studied mechanisms to the water column PCB and OCP inventories were significant.Dokuz Eylul University (Project No:03.KB.FEN.101); TÜBİTAK (Project no. ICTAG-C033), and İzmir Institute of Technology (Project no. IYTE-20

Short-term variation in ambient concentrations and gas/particle partitioning of organochlorine pesticides in Izmir, Turkey

Twenty successive daytime and nighttime air samples were collected and analyzed for 23 currently used and/banned organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) between 14 and 23 May 2003 in Izmir, Turkey. Average individual OCP concentrations ranged from 5±4pgm-3 (p,p′- dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane) to 391±306pgm-3 (chlorpyrifos) and they were within the ranges previously measured at different sites. Most of the OCPs did not exhibit strong diurnal cycling. The temperature dependence of gas-phase atmospheric concentrations of OCPs investigated using Clausius-Clapeyron plots was statistically significant for β-HCH and endosulfan sulfate (p<0.1) and was not significant for other compounds (0-21% of the variability in their gas-phase concentrations). In addition to temperature, the effect of wind speed and direction was also investigated using multiple linear regression analysis and these three parameters together explained the 2% (aldrin) to 72% (endosulfan II) of the variability in gas-phase OCP concentrations. Results of the multiple regression analysis indicated that wind speed was a statistically significant factor for most of the OCPs and wind direction was important for some compounds. The temperature-dependent diurnal cycling of most OCPs was probably masked by the higher wind speeds observed during daytime periods with high temperatures, different source sectors and ongoing sources. The lack of correlation for heptachlor, aldrin, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p-p′-DDE), and p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p-p′-DDT) with temperature, wind speed and direction suggested that their concentrations were affected by long-range transport. The partitioning of OCPs between particle and gas phases was investigated and compared to KOA (octanol/air partition coefficient) absorption model. The overall agreement between experimental and modeled logKp (gas/particle partition coefficient) values was good (p<0.01, slope=0.94). Prediction of absorption model for particulate percentages was excellent for β-HCH, endosulfan I, and p-p′-DDT. However, the model underpredicted the particulate percentages for α,γ-HCHs, chlorpyrifos, and dieldrin, and overpredicted those for p-p′-DDE.TÜBİTAK: Project No. ICTAG-C033; Izmir Institute of Technology:Project No.IYTE-2

Initial experience with laparoscopic gastrectomy in a low-volume center

Objective: Today, minimal invasive surgery has gained wide acceptance by general surgeons, even in complex oncological procedures. Despite the increased experience on laparoscopic distal gastrectomy, limited number of surgeons prefer laparoscopic total gastrectomy for proximal or middle-third gastric cancer, due to the concern of technical difficulties which can alter the quality of oncological outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed gastric cancer patients who underwent curative intent laparoscopic gastrectomy by single surgeon from October 2013 to April 2014. Five total gastrectomy + D2 (-No 10 and 11d) and 1 distal gastrectomy + D2 lymphadenectomy were analyzed for patient demographics, pathological characteristics, morbidity and in-hospital mortality. Results: The mean operating time was 255,8±37.2 minutes. The mean blood loss was 121.6±20.4 ml. In all patients, R0 resection were performed. The mean number of harvested lymph nodes were 22.6±7.3. The median number of metastatic lymph nodes was 16 (0-23). In one patient, less than 15 lymph nodes were retrieved. Complication rate was 33.3% (n=2). In one patient, who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy, afferent loop syndrome developed. In another patient, who underwent total gastrectomy plus splenectomy a massive pulmoner embolism developed. The median hospital stay was 10 (6-18) days. Conclusion: With increased experience in advanced laparoscopic procedures, laparoscopic total gastrectomy may be considered as the first line treatment approach for gastric cancer patient even in a low-volume center