Papers in 2024
Development of a unique integrated bioreactor for simultaneous desalination and bioenergy and biohydrogen production
Due to increasing population and industrialization, the global demand for energy is rising. Consequently, attention has shifted towards exploring alternative energy sources, prompted by the detrimental effects of fossil fuels, their susceptibility to price fluctuations, and their adverse impacts on sustainable development. For instance, studies such as sustainable biodiesel production by utilizing wastes and algae are attracting considerable interest. Moreover, hydrogen (H2) has emerged as a pivotal environmentally friendly fuel option, owing to its remarkable energy density and an annual production volume of 55 million tons. However, the commercialization of these types of fuels is hindered by issues related to their transportation and storage; and the fact that the use of fossil fuels is still essential in most sectors and processes in the industry. In this context, biohydrogen (bioH2) has attracted more attention among biofuels due to many benefits including cost-effectiveness, ease of production, efficiency, and its status as an environmentally friendly energy source. Furthermore, organic materials and microorganisms present in wastes and wastewater can become a valuable source of sustainable and renewable energy.
Our department’s Research Assistant Dr. A. Yagmur Gören Kara’s research paper on the treatment of wastewater and hydrogen production using an integrated electro-biomembrane reactor developed with researchers from Ontario Tech University, has been published in the Chemical Engineering Journal.
Soil contamination by Metals/Metalloids around an Industrial Region and Associated Human Health Risk Assessment
Our faculty member Dr. Hale Demirtepe’s article titled “Soil Contamination by Metals/Metalloids around an Industrial Region and Associated Human Health Risk Assessment” has been published in the “Journal of Advanced Research in Natural and Applied Sciences” by Çanakkale 18 Mart University.
Metals and metalloids are significant pollutants caused by industrial activities. Particularly in regions affected by such activities, soil pollution should be monitored, and the potential health risk associated with pollution for the local residents should be identified. In this valuable study conducted by Dr. Hale Demirtepe, soil metal and metalloid levels were investigated in Izmir Aliaga, which is one of the significant industrial regions in the area, and a health risk assessment was carried out. Although the health risk due to soil pollution is found to be at an acceptable level, a more comprehensive risk assessment is recommended for the people living in this region.
A novel land surface temperature reconstruction method and its application for downscaling surface soil moisture with machine learning
The research article titled “A novel land surface temperature reconstruction method and its application for downscaling surface soil moisture with machine learning”, prepared by our Department’s Faculty Member Prof. Dr. Orhan Gündüz and Doctoral Student Onur Güngör Şahin from the International Water Resources Department, has been published in the “Journal of Hydrology”.
The satellite observation of soil moisture in an area for hydrological, agricultural, etc. purposes in high resolution is an important issue. One of the common methods used for this objective is downscaling with machine learning. The land surface temperature (LST) is used as the main parameter in performing a more detailed surface analysis with the downscaling process. However, during the LST mapping, spatial and temporal gaps occur when there is cloud density in the sky. In this study, a practical and applicable method that allows different data sets to be used simultaneously has been proposed to eliminate these gaps and deficiencies. Then, high-resolution daily moisture maps for the Western Anatolia Basins were produced using this method.
Indoor Air Quality in Residences
The exposure to pollutants depends on two factors: Concentration and time. People largely spend their time indoors. Considering the places they occupy throughout the day, the majority of this time is spent at home. Due to various indoor sources, concentrations of some pollutants in residences can be high either generally or episodically, depending on the activities performed. Therefore, indoor air quality in residences is of great importance for human health.
The first volume of the book “INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN RESIDENCES”, of which our Department Head Prof. Dr. Sait Cemil Sofuoğlu is one of the authors, has been published by the Mechanical Engineers Association.
Recovery of Metals from Leach Liquors: Biosorption versus Metal Sulfide Precipitation
The book chapter titled “Recovery of Metals from Leach Liquors: Biosorption versus Metal Sulfide Precipitation” authored by our faculty member, Dr. Ing. Mehmet Ali Küçüker, has been published in the book “Biotechnological Innovations in the Mineral-Metal Industry” which is part of the “Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation” book series by Springer Publishing.
This study discusses the process of extracting metals from primary and secondary sources using leaching methods, which involve acids or microorganisms. After metal suspension is achieved, recovery from the resulting solutions is essential and often involves additional treatment processes. The study specifically overviews and discusses biosorption and metal sulfide precipitation. While each technique has its pros and cons, sometimes a combination of recovery methods is necessary for effective metal recovery. The study also highlights the need for more research on the environmental impact of these processes.
Renewable-based treatment solution of Reactive Blue 21 dye on fly ash as low-cos and sustainable adsorbent
The research article covering the study of R.A. Dr. A. Yagmur Gören Kara and researchers from Ontario Tech University related to newly developed electro-biomembrane reactor for simultaneous desalination of salt waters and green hydrogen production, has been published in the Process Safety and Environmental Protection Journal.
Renewable-based treatment solution of Reactive Blue 21 dye on fly ash as low-cos and sustainable adsorbent
The research article integrating the concepts of sustainable and low-cost treatment of textile wastewater and solid waste management, which is conducted by our Research Assistant Dr. A. Yagmur Gören Kara along with researchers from Gebze Technical University and Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, has been published in “the Journal of Chromatography A”.