Development of pollution indices for the middle section of the Lower Seyhan Basin (Turkey)

2013-06-01
GÖLGE, Mehmet
YENİLMEZ, Firdes
Aksoy, Ayşegül
Pollution indices aggregate concentrations of several water or air quality parameters into a single quantity to indicate the general status of pollution in a region. Several pollution index models are present in literature. However, their application for different cases may require modifications based on implementation goals and available data. In this study, modified pollution indices were used to evaluate the pollution status in the middle section of the Lower Seyhan River Basin by employing a geographical information system (GIS) software (ArcGIS 9.3) for data processing, estimations and evaluations. Air quality index (AQI) and water quality index (WQI) were utilized to evaluate air and water pollution levels, respectively. Moreover, a composite air-water quality index (AWQI) was developed to perform a general assessment about the overall pollution status. The WQI and AQI were calculated for 2004-2010 and 2007-2010, respectively. The AWQI was developed for the period of 2007-2010. Results indicated that for the available data and time frame considered in the study, air and water qualities were in good conditions (low pollution), in general. Yet, precautions could still be taken for improvement. Results also indicated the need for improvement of monitoring network for better assessment of the environmental quality in the whole basin. In general, GIS tools were very helpful in the development of the indices.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS

Suggestions

Development of gis based trajectory statistical analysis method to identify potential sources of regional air pollution
Yıkmaz, Rıza Fikret; Tuncel, Süleyman Gürdal; Department of Geodetic and Geographical Information Technologies (2010)
Apportionment of source regions affecting a certain receptor in the regional scale is necessary information for air quality management and development of national policy for exchange of air pollutants with other countries. Source region apportionment can be studied either through numerical modeling or by using trajectory statistics that is a hybrid methodology of modeling and measurements. Each of these approaches has their advantages and disadvantages. In this study treatment of back-trajectory segments in...
Development of water quality management strategies for the proposed Isikli reservoir
Gunduz, O; Soyupak, S; Yurteri, C (1998-01-01)
A two-dimensional laterally averaged hydrodynamic and water quality model (CE-QUAL-WS) is used to simulate the water quality behavior in the proposed Isikli Reservoir of the Ankara Water Supply System to determine appropriate strategies for the management of water quality.
Determination of environmental quality standard -based discharge limits and mixing zones for tersakan sub-basin of Yeşilirmak river
Çelebi, Sarp; Ünlü, Kahraman; Department of Environmental Engineering (2019)
The control of point source discharges to rivers has become more elaborate since the establishment of environmental quality standards (EQSs). Many countries including Turkey have set EQS values for various contaminants of concern (CoCs) i.e. maximum concentration limits that would not cause detrimental effects on the health of the human-beings or the overall environment. One important challenge of achieving these EQSs is to reconcile the effluent limits that are technically and economically achievable with ...
Implementation of the European Union's Nitrates Directive in Turkey
Yetiş, Ülkü; Valatka, Simonas; Girgin, Serkan; Semeniene, Daiva; Kerestecioglu, Merih; Jacobsen, Micheal (Informa UK Limited, 2013-05-01)
The European Union (EU)'s Nitrates Directive (ND) (91/676/EEC) aims to reduce water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources and to prevent further such pollution. Turkey being a candidate country to EU requires heavy cost investments in achieving approximation with EU Environmental Acquis. This study provides a description of the technical measures and investment cost assessment related to the implementation of the ND in Turkey. As Turkey has not yet designated nitrate vulnerable z...
Investigating the Relationship between Urban Environment, Air Quality and Childhood Asthma: the Case of Ankara
Aydın, Neşe; Severcan, Yücel Can; Department of City and Regional Planning (2023-1-25)
Urban environment characteristics have a crucial role in air quality. The geographic location of the city, the natural features and factors brought by this location, and different solid/void relationships, building densities, levels of greenery, street connectivities, land-use mixes and traffic densities affect air quality. Some urban environment characteristics can cause more air pollution than the others. Current research shows that children are more affected by air pollution than adults because they brea...
Citation Formats
M. GÖLGE, F. YENİLMEZ, and A. Aksoy, “Development of pollution indices for the middle section of the Lower Seyhan Basin (Turkey),” ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS, pp. 6–17, 2013, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/34628.