Important Invention of ITU Academicians Against Oil Pollution

by Ali İzzet Cengiz | Dec 14, 2023

ITU Environmental Engineering Department faculty member Prof. Dr. Orhan İnce, together with the members of the Microbial Ecology Group (www.meg.boun.edu.tr), which he chairs, made an important discovery against oil pollution.

ITU continues to undertake important work to produce permanent solutions to global problems in 2023, which it declared as the year of sustainability. Prof. Dr. Orhan İnce, Faculty Member of ITU Environmental Engineering Department and Head of Microbial Ecology Group (MEG); MEG member Prof. Dr. Bahar İnce, Prof. Dr. Sevcan Aydin and Dr. Together with Aiyoub Shahi, they achieved great success by patenting the invention titled "An Economical Method for Biological Remediation of Oil-Contaminated Soils".

Invention That Enables the Remediation of Oil-Contaminated Lands

Due to their structure, petroleum residues cannot be degraded in nature. Their molecular weights, structural configurations, solubility, aromatic chain numbers, volatility, retention coefficients, etc. Various organic compounds that differ in terms of properties are called petroleum wastes.

The invention, which enables the biological recovery (bioremediation) of oil-polluted soils, is important in the effective fight against environmental pollution. The invention also provides the opportunity for rapid determination for biobreeding control with an effective genetic method developed through biomarkers.

The invention provides a solution to soil pollution caused by oil and oil-derived waste by using two different fungus species, Bjerkandera adusta and Trametes versicolor. Bioaugmentation method is used to improve the soil.

The effect of the fungal species used within the scope of the invention on the functional genes (biomarkers) alkB, phnAc and nah found in the native microbial community in the soil was determined. An effective genetic method has been developed that allows rapid determination of biomarkers for bioremediation control of soils.

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A Sustainable and Clean Environment

Pollution of soil with oil waste is one of the persistent problems that have an important place worldwide. Environmental disasters due to oil spills in pipelines, tankers and drilling platforms remain fresh in the worn memories of the past. Controlling oil-contaminated lands through economic reclamation is important for a sustainable civilization.

İTÜ Faculty of Civil Engineering

It can be accepted that the history of ITU Civil Engineering Faculty was commenced in 1727 by the establishment of Humbarahane during the era of Damat İbrahim Paşa. However, this attempt was to no avail due to the martyrization of the studwents of this school by the Janissaries.

In 1734, during the grand viziership of Topal Osman Paşa, classes related to Civil Engineering was being taught in Hendesehane, which was founded in Üsküdar. Similarly, this school was also closed after three years due to the opposition of the Janissaries. The reasons of the tragedy that occured in Battle of Chesma, 1770 were inadequacy of the ships and the ignorance of the Ottoman Navy.

Although the Atlantic Map (1513) and the Map of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea (1523) by Piri Reis were the leading pieces of the era, Ottoman viziers were so ignorant that they claimed it was impossible for the Russian Baltic Fleet to reach the Mediterranean Sea assuming that there were no sea connection. With the proposal from Gazi Hasan Paşa and Baron de Tott, Mühendishane-i Bahri-i Humayun was established during the time of Sultan Mustafa III, aiming to train naval construction engineers. Since Ottoman Empire did not have any engineering schools at the time, military engineering classes were taught by French engineers beginning from 1784. French lecturers had to return to their country in 1788 with the increasing suppression from Austria and Russia, which were unwilling for the development and thriving of Ottoman Empire. In 1759, during the Grand Viziership of Koca Ragıp Paşa, Humbarahane was reopened in Karaağaç, Haliç (Golden Horn) and continued to teach even though it was incompetent. In 1792, Lağımcı Ocağı and Humbaracı Ocağı (Guild of Sappers) were established.