Substance flow analysis of mercury in Turkey for policy decision support

---

Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Mühendislik Fakültesi, Çevre Mühendisliği Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2015

Öğrenci: DİDEM CİVANCIK

Danışman: ÜLKÜ YETİŞ

Özet:

Identification and quantification of mercury flows in Turkey is essential for better policy development regarding to the implementation of water-related legislation. To this end, in this study, substance flow analysis (SFA) of mercury in Turkey was conducted in order to identify and quantify mercury releases to different environmental compartments and help policy decision makers to better understand their options to reduce mercury flows. For the quantification of mercury flows, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Mercury Toolkit, which was develop by UNEP Chemicals Branch with the aim of assisting countries to develop their own mercury inventory, was used. Results of the study showed that a total of 34.61 tons of mercury is released annually from the activities in Turkey to different environmental compartments. It was found that the most of the mercury releases were to the atmosphere (74%) and relatively smaller amounts were to land (21%) and to water (5%). Mercury naturally found in the lithosphere was found to be responsible for most of the releases while intentional mercury uses have smaller shares and decreasing importance because of the phasing out of mercury.