Variations of 222Rn concentrations over active fault system in Simav, Kütahya, Western Turkey: Possible causes for soil-gas 222Rn anomalies.

Soil-gas 222Rn concentrations were investigated on an active Simav Graben/Fault System in Western Turkey. Measurements to understand the causes of variations in soil-gas 222Rn were conducted in three distinct sections such that seven selected measurement points in each section lie on a line that is approximately perpendicular to the main fault line. It was found out in each section that values obtained at two adjacent points were abnormally higher than the rest. The corresponding concentrations were measured as 60.76-63.93 kBq/m3, 33.00-45.78 kBq/m3, and 56.20-84.69 kBq/m3 on the first, second, and third lines, respectively. These values, which differ significantly from measurements conducted on a similar line, are thought to be stemming from crustal stress caused by faulting or acidic-intrusive rocks in the region.

A deterministic and stochastic assessment for exposure and risk of arsenic via ingestion of edible crops.

Natural arsenic contamination is a critical problem for various places around the world. Simav Plain (Kutahya, Turkey) is one such area that was shown to have natural arsenic contamination in its waters and soils. Arsenic exposure through ingestion of edible crops cultivated in Simav Plain and associated health risks were assessed in this study. To achieve this objective, arsenic levels in 18 crop species were estimated based on measured soil arsenic concentrations. Individual and aggregate non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks associated with ingestion of arsenic-contaminated crops were then assessed with scenario-based deterministic point estimates and stochastic population estimates. Monte Carlo simulation was used for the estimation of population health risks. Accordingly, wheat was found as the highest-ranked crop specie for the both types of health risks, followed by tomato and potato, which are three of the most consumed crops in the region. The risk levels estimated in this study were relatively high, indicating consumption of crops grown in the plain may be posing significant health risks even at lower-bound estimates. Consuming wheat, tomato, potato, and their products from uncontaminated sources was found to reduce the aggregate risks up to 88% implicating the importance of proposing suitable management measures for similar risk-prone areas.

Statistical analysis of causes of death (2005-2010) in villages of Simav Plain, Turkey, with high arsenic levels in drinking water supplies.

The purpose of this research was to compare the causes of death in 5 villages situated in Simav Plain, Turkey, during 2005-2010 where different arsenic levels were detected in drinking water supplies. Since groundwater in Simav Plain had arsenic concentrations that ranged between 7.1 and 833.9 ppb, a two-phase research was formulated. In the first phase, public health surveys were conducted with 1,003 villagers to determine the distribution of diseases. In the second phase, verbal autopsy surveys and official death records were used to investigate the causes of death. In total, 402 death cases were found in the study area where cardiovascular system diseases (44%) and cancers (15.2%) were major causes. Cancers of lung (44.3%), prostate (9.8%), colon (9.8%), and stomach (8.2%) were comparably higher in villages with high arsenic levels in drinking water supplies. Furthermore, the majority of cases of liver, bladder, and stomach cancers were observed in villages with high arsenic levels.