THE CROSS-SECTION VARIATIONS IN TURKISH PINE (Pinus brutia TEN.) NEEDLES AS AN INDICATOR OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION: GÖKOVA THERMAL POWER PLANTS

Eurasscience Journals Eurasian Journal of Forest Science (2015) 3(1): 29 - 36 THE CROSS-SECTION VARIATIONS IN TURKISH PINE (Pinus brutia TEN.) NEEDLES AS AN INDICATOR OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION: GÖKOVA THERMAL POWER PLANTS Yaşar NUHOĞLU1*, Yılmaz YILDIRIM2 and Murat DÜNDAR3 1* Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Yıldız Technical University, 34220 Davutpasa Campus, Esenler-Istanbul, Turkey, email: 2 Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Bulent Ecevit University, 67100 Zonguldak, Turkey. 3 Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Bartın University, 74200 Bartın, Turkey Abstract In this study, the anatomical and morphological anomalies in the cross-section of Turkish pine needles (Pinus brutia Ten.) caused by air pollutants that was emitted from the Kemerköy (Gökova) Thermal Power Plant (KTPP) were investigated with fieldworks and microscopic techniques. At the end of the land researches, it was found out that air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and fly ash had caused serious injury, and caused 3 year-old-needles fell very early. On the microscopic observation on the cross-sections of the needles, it was determined that the diameter of the main and especially subordinate resin canal dilated too and the number of resin canals increased. It was also observed that the endodermis layer in transmission corymbs and the cells in transfusion texture had become thin, and the intra-cellular material had disappeared owing to air pollutants. Key words: Thermal power plant, Turkish red pine, Needle, Cross-section anomaly. Özet Bu çalışmada Kemerköy (Gökova) Termik Santrali’nin (KTS) oluşturduğu hava kirleticilerin kızılçam iğne yaprak enkesitlerinde oluşturduğu anatomik ve morfolojik anomalilerin arazide ve mikroskobik çalışmalarla ortaya konulması hedeflenmiştir. Arazi çalışmaları sonucunda kükürt dioksit, azotoksit ve uçucu küllerin ibrelerde ciddi zararlar yarattığı ve 3 yaşındaki ibrelerin çok hızlı bir şekilde dökülmesine neden olduğu gözlemlenmiştir. Mikroskobik olarak yapılan gözlemlerde ise ana ve özellikle tali reçine kanallarında genişleme olduğu ve reçine kanalı sayısının arttığı tespit edilmiştir. İletim demetlerindeki endodermis tabakasında ve iletim demetlerinde incelmelerin meydana geldiği ve hücre içi dokuların kirlilikten ötürü zarar gördüğü gözlemlenmiştir. Anahtar kelimeler: Termik santral, Kızılçam, İğne yaprak, En kesit anomalisi. eurasscience.com 29 The Cross Section Variations in Turkish Pine Needles Nuhoğlu et al. 3(1): 29 - 36 (2015) INTRODUCTION Industrial development depends on commonly the combustion of fossil fuels for energy requirement and, by this aim, coal, lignite, fuel-oil, motor oil and natural gas are combusted. In Turkey, about 89.3 % of energy requirement is fossil fuels and it consist from 31.9 % natural gas, 14.1% lignite, 16.6% coal , 26.7 % petroleum, 4.1% hydrolic, 4.2% wood and litter and 2.4 % renewable and others Anonymous (2012). Lignite used thermal power plant has low calorific degree and high fly ash, moisture and combustible sulfur. For this reason, by combustion of lignite, thermal power plants too much emitted sulfur dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere. The well recognized air pollutants, generally released from TPP, are nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrogen fluoride, carbon dioxide and fly ash besides sulfur dioxide (Boubel et al. 1994, Nuhoğlu 2004). Particulate matter and about 99% of fly ash is trapped by cyclonic and electrostatic precipitators, but a considerable amount of fly ash escapes precipitation and is emitted into atmosphere. The elemental composition of fly ashes may vary widely, it usually contains plant nutrients besides toxic elements (Zerbe et al. 2001, Nuhoğlu and Bulbul 2003). Gaseous air pollutants enter plant leaves through stomata during gas exchange of respiration, and then pass into the intercellular spaces of mesophyll tissue causing various anomalies of anatomical, morphological and physiological structure (Pogorzelski 2014, Gupta and Ghouse 1986, Nuhoğlu et al. 1996, Nuhoğlu 1993). The leaf epidermis, being an effective barrier for gaseous exchange and the outer-most protective layer in plants, exhibits modifications and abnormalities in form, structure and function with the changes in surrounding environment, and such modifications are likely to serve as indicators of air pollution (Pogorzelski 2014, Petkovsek et al., 2008, Gupta and Ghouse 1986, Nuhoğlu 2005). The present research deals with the anatomical and morphological anomalies owing to air pollutants caused by the Kemerköy (Gökova) Thermal Power Plant on the cross-section of Turkish eurasscience.com pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) needles. Turkish pine forests are utilized for wood requirement of Turkey at 23% extend and covers 3 096 064 ha spreading area in the Mediterranean region (Saatçioğlu and Odabaşı 1979). The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of air pollutants emitted from Kemerköy thermal power plant on the cross-sections of Turkish pine needles. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Kemerköy thermal power plant and the surrounding flora The KTPP is in Gökova (Kerme) gulf (37º 02´ N, 27º 54´ E), 98 km far from Mugla in south extremity of the Aegean Region of Turkey (Fig. 1). Fig.1. The position of the KTPP and the research points. The KTPP was begun to operation in 1992. It is the third one of the triplet/thermal power plant complex in Mugla, is made up of three (and optional plus one) units having the power per unit of 210 MW, produces electricity by burning per unit 5000 t/d of lignite. The calorific degree of the lignite is 1550-2400 cal/g and it includes about 33% moisture, 32 % ash, 21.5 % carbon, 1.5 % hydrogen, 9.4% nitrogen+oxygen and 2.6% combustible sulfur (Anonymous 2000). The KTPP releases 106 m3/h chimney smoke per unit into the atmosphere. It consists of about 9000 mg/m3 sulfur dioxide, 800 mg/m3 nitrogen 30 Eurasian Journal of Forest Science 3(1): 29 - 36 (2015) oxides, 600 mg/m3 fly ash, 600 mg/m3 carbon monoxide, 12 % carbon dioxide, 5 % oxygen and others (Anonymous 2002). The desulfurization plant of the KTPP has been construction. The average age of natural Turkish pine forest is between 45-80 years old. Turkish pine is the dominant tree in the over storey of these areas. There are Platanus orientalis L., Salix alba L., Juglans regia L. and Ulmus minor L. in the valleys and the aside of streams. As an understorey characteristic scrubby (macchie) flora consists from more than 40 species. The part of these stands is classified as productive forest while the other part of them as protection. The soils are red-brown, brown and redzina. Soil depth is generally 30-300 cm. The forest is generally closed and rarely light as canopy closure (Saatçioğlu and Odabaşı 1979, Ceylan 1986). There are a number of villages and fields close to the forested areas. METHODS Ten different research point (...truncated)