Investigation of asbestos-related environmental risks using GIS and remote sensing in Southeastern Anatolia, Türkiye

IF 2.8 4区环境科学与生态学 Q3 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Environmental Earth Sciences Pub Date : 2025-08-20 DOI:10.1007/s12665-025-12489-6

Abdullah İzzeddin Karabulut, Mehmet İrfan Yeşilnacar

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Asbestos, a fibrous silicate mineral, has been epidemiologically linked to severe health outcomes such as pleural calcification, pulmonary fibrosis, malignant mesothelioma (MM), and peritoneal carcinogenesis, primarily through inhalation of airborne particulate matter. Due to its respirable fibrous morphology and widespread environmental presence, asbestos represents a critical concern within health geography, warranting spatially explicit investigations to delineate its geomedical risk profile. This study applies a health geography framework to assess the environmental footprint of asbestos in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye by integrating advanced geospatial technologies, including Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The objectives are to spatially delineate asbestos distribution using integrated RS-GIS methodologies, evaluate associated environmental and public health implications, and provide a replicable geospatial risk modeling approach. A geomedical risk atlas was developed by synthesizing digital geological maps from the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) of Türkiye with satellite-derived spectral indices, validated through extensive field surveys that enabled precise identification of asbestos emission hotspots. Mineralogical analyses confirmed elevated concentrations of chrysotile and tremolite, minerals implicated in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Spatial epidemiology identified four high-risk districts—Ergani, Çermik, Çüngüş, and Gerger—where 56% of MPM cases were localized within a 1 km radius of these hotspots, and 70% within 4 km. The study underscores the suggests a potential effectiveness of RS-GIS integration for geospatial risk assessment, offering a paradigm to inform targeted public health interventions and environmental management aimed at mitigating asbestos-related morbidity in affected regions.

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使用地理信息系统和遥感对安纳托利亚东南部石棉相关环境风险的调查， rkiye

石棉是一种纤维硅酸盐矿物，在流行病学上与严重的健康后果有关，如胸膜钙化、肺纤维化、恶性间皮瘤（MM）和腹膜癌，主要通过吸入空气中的颗粒物。由于其可呼吸的纤维形态和广泛的环境存在，石棉在健康地理学中是一个关键问题，需要在空间上进行明确的调查，以描绘其地质医学风险概况。本研究采用健康地理学框架，通过整合包括遥感（RS）和地理信息系统（GIS）在内的先进地理空间技术，评估了 rkiye省安纳托利亚东南部地区石棉的环境足迹。目标是利用综合RS-GIS方法在空间上描绘石棉分布，评估相关的环境和公共卫生影响，并提供可复制的地理空间风险建模方法。通过综合 rkiye矿产研究和勘探总局（MTA）的数字地质图和卫星衍生的光谱指数，开发了地质医学风险地图集，并通过广泛的实地调查进行了验证，从而能够精确识别石棉排放热点。矿物学分析证实温石棉和透闪石浓度升高，这些矿物与恶性胸膜间皮瘤（MPM）有关。空间流行病学确定了四个高危区——ergani、Çermik、Çüngüş和gerger，其中56%的MPM病例集中在这些热点半径1公里范围内，70%集中在4公里范围内。该研究强调了RS-GIS集成用于地理空间风险评估的潜在有效性，提供了一个范例，为有针对性的公共卫生干预和环境管理提供信息，旨在减轻受影响地区与石棉有关的发病率。

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来源期刊

Environmental Earth Sciences 环境科学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

5.10

自引率

3.60%

发文量

494

审稿时长

8.3 months

期刊介绍： Environmental Earth Sciences is an international multidisciplinary journal concerned with all aspects of interaction between humans, natural resources, ecosystems, special climates or unique geographic zones, and the earth: Water and soil contamination caused by waste management and disposal practices Environmental problems associated with transportation by land, air, or water Geological processes that may impact biosystems or humans Man-made or naturally occurring geological or hydrological hazards Environmental problems associated with the recovery of materials from the earth Environmental problems caused by extraction of minerals, coal, and ores, as well as oil and gas, water and alternative energy sources Environmental impacts of exploration and recultivation – Environmental impacts of hazardous materials Management of environmental data and information in data banks and information systems Dissemination of knowledge on techniques, methods, approaches and experiences to improve and remediate the environment In pursuit of these topics, the geoscientific disciplines are invited to contribute their knowledge and experience. Major disciplines include: hydrogeology, hydrochemistry, geochemistry, geophysics, engineering geology, remediation science, natural resources management, environmental climatology and biota, environmental geography, soil science and geomicrobiology.