TÜBİTAK 1002-A Support for GTU Academic

December 16, 2025 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
 

The research project prepared by the Department of Environmental Engineering at Gebze Technical University (GTU), which addresses the environmental risks of agricultural chemicals from a scientific perspective, receives support from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK).

Prepared within the scope of the doctoral dissertation of Research Assistant İrem Öztürk-Ufuk from the Department of Environmental Engineering at GTU and carried out under her leadership, the project titled “Ecotoxicological Effects of Herbicide–Metal Mixtures: Interactions of Trevistar and Metals on Enchytraeus crypticus and Soil Microbiota” has been deemed eligible for support under TÜBİTAK’s 1002-A Rapid Support Module. The project will be supervised by Assoc. Prof. Emel Topuz, a faculty member of the Department of Environmental Engineering at GTU.

The project aims to comprehensively examine the ecotoxicological effects of mixtures formed by Trevistar, a commercially formulated herbicide widely used in agricultural areas today, and heavy metals that are frequently present together in soil environments.

Taking realistic environmental exposure scenarios into account, the study will evaluate the effects of herbicide–metal mixtures on Enchytraeus crypticus (soil worms) and soil microbiota, two critical components of the soil ecosystem.

Scientific Contribution to Sustainable Agriculture Policies

The scientific findings to be obtained are expected to contribute to a more accurate assessment of the environmental risks posed by agricultural chemicals. At the same time, these data are anticipated to provide a scientific basis for the development of sustainable management strategies aimed at protecting soil health.

The project’s alignment with the European Green Deal, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and sustainable agriculture policies further enhances its strategic importance. The study is expected to deliver significant outcomes for both the scientific literature and the field of applied environmental management.