title: The effects of a coal power plant on the environment and wildlife in southeastern Turkey.
abstract: This study was carried out to determine the possible effects of the Afsin-Elbistan Coal Power Plant (AECPP) on the environment.. The soil and plant samples were collected, based on the dominant wind direction, which is from northeast to southwest and we defined the northeast part of the plant as the less contaminated direction (LCD) and the southwest part as the more contaminated direction (MCD). The results indicated that the AECPP created environmental problems and caused contaminations especially in the MCD. The results of the statistical analysis for the measured attributes between the LCD and the MCD showed that there were significant differences for pH, SO4(-2)-S, Ni and Pb. Significant correlations were found between the distance from the AECPP and some of the measured soil and plant parameters in the MCD. The concentrations of SO4(-2)-S, Ni and Pb decreased as the distance increased. The discharge water carries a potential risk for the aquatic life and soil health in the area. The honey quality was also affected negatively by fly ash and emission.
authors.affiliation: Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Faculty of Agriculture, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. kyilmaz@ksu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Selcuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inac
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dikici
authors.forename: Ayse Can
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Reyhanli
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D003031:Coal; D060729:Coal Ash; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006722:Honey / Q000032:analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D011210:Power Plants; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis*; D013455:Sulfur / Q000032:analysis; D014421:Turkey; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D003031:Coal; D060729:Coal Ash; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D013455:Sulfur; D002244:Carbon; D012964:Sodium