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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has been affecting the world since the end of 2019. The disease led to significant mortality and morbidity in Turkey, since the first case was reported on March 11 th , 2020. Studies suggest a positive association between air pollution and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of ambient particulate matters (PM), as potential carriers for SARS-CoV-2. Ambient PM samples in various size ranges were collected from 13 sites including urban and urban-background locations and hospital gardens in 10 cities across Turkey between 13th of May and 14th of June 2020 to investigate the possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on ambient PM. A total of 203 daily samples (TSP, n=80; PM 2.5 n=33; PM 2.5-10 , n=23; PM 10 μm, n=19; and 6 size segregated PM, n=48) were collected using various samplers. The N1 gene and RdRP gene expressions were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to real time (RT)-PCR and three-dimensional digital (3D-d) PCR analysis, dual RdRP and N1 gene positivity were detected in 20 (9.8 %) samples. Ambient PM-bound SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed quantitatively and the air concentrations of the virus ranged from 0.1 copies/m 3 to 23 copies/m 3 . The highest percentages of virus detection on PM samples were from hospital gardens in Tekirdağ, Zonguldak, and Istanbul, especially in PM 2.5 mode. Findings of this study have suggested that SARS-CoV-2 may be transported by ambient particles, especially at sites close to the infection hot-spots. However, whether this has an impact on the spread of the virus infection remains to be determined.

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The number of environmentally conscious individuals in society can be raised by increasing environmental education quality in primary schools. Starting studies about environment in the childhood years is very important. In this study, the knowledge and skill levels of primary school students in Zonguldak about waste recycling was determined, and the participation levels of theirs into recycling activities was measured. For this aim, the third and fourth grade primary school students were identified as a target group of the study, and a questionnaire assessing the impact of the parents' socio-economic structures and education status on environmental awareness of theirs was prepared. The results were evaluated to determine the strengths and weaknesses of environmental education of the students, statistically. The questionnaire was conducted in three elementary schools having different social and economic levels. Questions in the first, second and last parts of the questionnaire relate with the demographic characteristics of students families, the environmental awareness of the students, and the participation of students into recycling activities, respectively. The survey reviews were carried out with a statistical program and differences between the schools were determined by using one way ANOVA test.