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Effect of wildfire on soil element concentrations in Mediterranean Türkiye

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Abstract

The effect of the North Adrasan, Kumluca wildfire in 2016 on soil element concentrations has been evaluated. Samples were analyzed by neutron activation analysis for As, Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, V, and Zn. The main findings of this study were as follows: (1) Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, and Zn were higher in burned soils, (2) Cr (up to 9000 mg kg−1) and Ni (up to 3440 mg kg−1) were the elements that increased the most noticeably in burned soils. The results proposed that wildfires could potentially operate as a source of environmental contamination.

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Acknowledgements

This study was a part of the Istanbul Technical University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (BAP) (TGA-2019-41755) and part of this study was realized in the framework of the FLNP JINR User Program at the REGATA facility. In addition, the authors would like to thank Prof. Dr. Kadir Eriş for the property analysis of soil samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Energy Institute, Istanbul Technical University, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul, Türkiye

    Ayse Nur Esen, Sevilay Haciyakupoglu & Sema Erenturk

  2. Department of Nuclear Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie Str., 6, Dubna, Russia, 1419890

    Nikita Yushin, Dmitrii Grozdov & Inga Zinicovscaia

  3. Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences, Istanbul Technical University, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul, Türkiye

    Cihan Yıldız & Tolga Gorum

  4. Department of Nuclear Physics, Horia Hulubei National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 30 Reactorului Str. MG-6, Magurele, Bucharest, Romania

    Inga Zinicovscaia

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  1. Ayse Nur Esen
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Correspondence to Ayse Nur Esen.

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Esen, A.N., Yushin, N., Grozdov, D. et al. Effect of wildfire on soil element concentrations in Mediterranean Türkiye. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 332, 4667–4676 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-08894-5

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