Iranian Journal of Health and Environment

Determining the concentration of Ag, Pb and Zn elements in some indigenous plant species grown in Zarshouran mining area, northwestern Iran

Samaneh Torbati

Background and Objective: Phytoremediation is one of the eco-friendly treatment methods that can play important role in removing heavy metals. In the present research that was done in 2021, the potential of 20 plant species for treatment of silver, lead, and zinc elements from the soil of Zarshouran mine area was evaluated.
Materials and Methods: Sampling of the soil and plants were done following the selection of 20 sampling points. After preparing the samples, the amount of the studied elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Metal pollution levels in the soil were assessed using the enrichment factor (EF). Moreover, the enrichment coefficient of root (ECR) and shoot (ECS), translocation factor (TF) and metal accumulation index (MAI) were calculated.

Results: A high contamination of Ag, Pb and Zn elements were determined in the soil of the studied area. Two plant species Astragalus rostratus and Prangos ferulacea had ECS and TF higher than one for Ag. Also, only Eryngium billaridieri and Scrozonera latifolia had ECS/ECR >1 and TF <1 for the three elements. The highest amount of MAI in root and shoot belonged to E. billardieri with values of 29.7 and 16.2, respectively.

Conclusion: A. rostratus and P. ferulacea had the potential for phytoextraction of Ag from the soil. Also, only two species E. billaridieri and S. latifolia were able to phytostabilization all three elements. Based on MAI values, E. billardieri had the greatest ability to bioaccumulate Ag, Pb and Zn elements.

Identification and determination of amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the surface soil of Nuruddin Abad in Garmsar

Zahra Lotfi

Background and Objective: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants with teratogenic, mutagenic and carcinogenic potential, which can pose potential risks to the environment and human health. Therefore, this study was conducted for the analysis of PAHs compounds content in surface soil samples of the disposal site of the wastes resulting from the activity of oil refining units (Nuruddin Abad, Garmsar) in 2022.
Materials and Methods: In this research, surface soil samples were collected from 8 sampling sites in the study area. After the extraction of analytes based on the soxhlet method, the gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC-FID) method was used for the determination of PAHs compounds in the samples. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software.
Results: The results showed that the concentrations of Naphthalene (Nap), Acenaphthene (Ace), Benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), Dibenz[a,h]anthracen (DBA), Benzo[g,h,i]perylene (BP) and Indeno[1,2,3‐c,d]pyren (Ind) were less than the quantification limit of the measurement method <0.01 mg/kg. total concentrations of 16 PAHs compounds ranged from 56.55 to 92.06 mg/kg.
Conclusion: The results showed that the concentrations of Acenaphthylene (Acy), Fluorene (Flu), Phenanthrene (Phen), Anthracene (Ant), Fluoranthene (Flt), Pyrene (Pyr), Chrysene (Chr), Benz[a]anthracene (BaA), Benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) were higher than MPC established by the Iranian Department of Environment. Also, the concentrations of Acy, Flu, Phen, Ant, Pyr, Chr, BaA, BkF, and BaP were higher than MPC established by MHWS. As the mean contents of some PAHs were higher than the MPC, therefore, periodic monitoring of soil contamination with PAHs is recommended for the environmental and human health aspects.

Optimization of catalytic sono-praxone hybrid process in the presence of iron oxide-zinc oxide catalyst for the treatment of petroleum wastewater by central composite design

Amirhesam Hasani

Background and Objective: Based on its unique characteristics, oil industry wastewater must be treated before discharging into the environment. The study aimed to optimize the catalytic sonopraxone process in the treatment of petroleum wastewater using a statistical method.
Materials and Methods: The synthesis of Iron Oxide-Zinc Oxide was carried out by air oxidation and layer-by-layer self-assembly method. XRD, SEM, EDAX, FT-IR, BET, DRS, VSM and TGA techniques were used to investigate the structure. In this study, applied CCD method optimization of pH parameters, reaction time, ozone gas concentration, hydrogen peroxide concentration and catalyst amount in the process. In optimal conditions, BOD₅ and TPH removal values, reaction kinetics and synergistic effect of mechanisms were studied. COD, TPH and BOD₅ were measured by spectrophotometer (DR6000), GC-FID and incubator, respectively.
Results: The results indicated that the Fe₃O₄@ZnO structure is well formed. A quadratic model was proposed to model the process based on the correlation coefficient. Based on ANOVA analysis and p and f indices, the proposed model was reported to be significant. Optimum conditions include pH 6.4, ozone concentration 1.3 mg/L.min, hydrogen peroxide concentration 2.5 mL/L, reaction time 51 min and catalyst amount equal to 0.64 g/L. In these conditions, the amount of COD reduction was 82.3 and 70% theoretically and experimentally, respectively. Also, in optimal conditions, BOD₅ and TPH removal rates were 90.5% and 85.8%, respectively. The kinetics of the process follows the kinetics of the first order (R²=0.98) and the presence of different mechanisms together causes a synergistic effect and increases the efficiency of the process.
Conclusion: This process can improve the quality of oil effluent based on COD, BOD₅, and TPH removal.

Golin river water quality assessment in Kermanshah province using water quality index and river pollution index

Houshang Ghamarnia

Background and Objective: Increasing the productivity of surface water, the unsustainable development of agriculture in the boundaries of rivers, and human sewage have reduced the quality of these water resources. Therefore, investigating the amount of pollution and its sources is very necessary for regional planning. This study aimed to evaluate the water quality of the Golin River using WQI and Liou indexes.
Materials and Methods: Sampling of Golin river water was performed to check water quality based on (WQI) and (Liou) indices in Najjar village station for one year from April 2019 to March 2020.
Results: Water quality, according to the Liou index, during the research period in the sampling station in September and March, was in a good category and other months were slightly polluted. According to the results of the WQI index, water quality in September and March were in the excellent descriptive category, with values of 47.82 and 49.74, respectively, but in other months it was in a good category. In September and March, water quality improved compared to other months because of lower BOD5 due to reduced agricultural activities, and both indicators showed these quality changes well.
Conclusion: Due to the lack of stable conditions in water quality affected by seasonal changes and its departure from the category of high-quality water according to the results of the WQI index and also a little water pollution according to the Liou index, the direct use of Golin River water for drinking purposes is recommended and for this purpose, regular purification should be done and accurate and continuous evaluations of water quality in Golin River are necessary.

Investigation of visual pollution caused by jobs and urban workshops and negative impacts on the people: a case study in the city of Qom

Akbar Eskandari

Background and Objective: Visual pollution is one of the important components of the man-made environment in urban spaces. The purpose of this research was to investigate the visual pollution of workshops in Qom city using Expert Choice software and then the occupational ranking was done in terms of visual pollution.
Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study conducted in 670 trade units associated with 67 urban trade unions. The data collection tools were local visits, database preparation and completion of a questionnaire based on urban-environmental aesthetic criteria. The purpose of this study was to investigate the visual pollution caused by the occupations and workshops of Qom.
Results: The results showed that, in terms of total visual pollution, the units of oil changes with a total score of 1, materials and construction materials with 0.988, Smoothies with 0.980, Mechanics with 0.973, ceramic makers with 0.944, Chips and grills with 0.933, mosaics with 0.914, carwash with 0.885, stones cutting with 0.872, carpet with 0.870, trowel and blacksmiths with 0.857, burners with 0.830, battery makers with 0.825, iron manufacturers with 0.872 and manufacturers of general blinds and blinds with 0.753 were inadequate.
Conclusions: In order to reduce the number of visually impaired businesses in the short term, continuous inspections of businesses must be undertaken and, in the long run, by organizing the program, the polluting industries must be transferred out of the city.

Development of ILGAM model to predict generation and methane emission from landfill

Mazaher Moeinaddini

Background and Objective: Various models have been developed to predict methane generation and emissions from landfills. Due to their simplicity, the minimum number of required data, and the accuracy of the outputs, First-order decay are the most common models to predict methane generation in landfill,. Three important parameters in modeling landfill gas generation using a first-order model are the total weight of waste buried in the landfill, the methane generation potential, and the methane generation rate constant. The purpose of this research was to accurately estimate the parameters of the first-order model and to optimize it for estimating methane generation in the landfill and also to develop the ILGAM software.
Materials and Methods: ILGAM model consists of two submodels: 1) the gas generation sub-model and 2) the methane oxidation sub-model. The methane oxidation sub-model is based on the MOT model. The gas generation sub-model is based on a first-order equation with an emphasis on the contribution of the aerobic process in the estimation of the ultimate methane potential of waste. The parameters of the equation were modeled using the latest available results in the literature. To evaluate the model, the actual methane emission and methane oxidation were measured in the Karaj landfill. The results of the model, along with a few common models, were compared with actual data obtained from the Karaj landfill.
Results: The ILGAM model predicted the gas emission from the Karaj landfill with an error of 5.8%. In contrast, LandGem, IPCC and CLEEN models predicted the methane gas emission from the Karaj landfill with an error of 74.4%, 40.2%, and 27.1%, respectively.
Conclusion: When compared to other models, the ILGAM model estimated the closest values to actual measurements for methane emission and methane oxidation in the Karaj landfill. Owing to its user-friend Graphical User Interface (GUI), the model can be easily executed in a wide range of landfills by entering a few easy-to-measure data in the field.

Gaseous toluene removal by pine-cone/compost biofilter: setup, performance, and optimization

Sara Kianpour

Background and Objective: Toluene is one of the most important volatile organic compounds that threaten human health and introduce many environmental problems. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the performance of a biofilter based on pine cones/compost to remove toluene vapors from polluted air streams.
Materials and Methods: In this research, a biofilter with a volume of 19.468 L was designed and built. The biofilter bed consisted of two parts 26 cm in height and packed with a mixture of compost and pine cones in 1:1 volumetric ratio. After inoculating the bed with sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and making it compatible with toluene, the performance of the biofilter in different parts of the bed was investigated at the inlet toluene concentrations of 2.5-5.5 g/m³ and Empty Bed Retention Times (EBRTs) of 1.3, 1.7, and 2.43 min. Also, the results were analyzed statistically.
Results: At EBRT of 2.43 min and different inlet toluene concentrations of 2.5-5.5 g/m³, the removal efficiency reached 100 percent. Also, the removal efficiency decreased with the reduction of EBRT. The results showed that removal efficiency was higher in the first part of the biofilter bed relate to the second part. At an inlet toluene concentration of 2.62 g/m³ and EBRT of 1.7 min, the maximum elimination capacity (EC_max) of 2.74 g/m³.min was obtained.
Conclusion: In all experimental conditions the outlet concentration of pine-cone/compost biofilter was below the WHO standard (260 µg/m³). Also, the high elimination capacity of biofilter verified its capability toward toluene removal from polluted gas streams.

Effects of exposure to volatile organic compounds on some clinical factors of exposed people: case study (Kermanshah national oil products distribution company)

Maryam Mohammadi Rouzbahani

Background and Objective: Today, oil and gas industries are important resources for obtaining energy and income. During the production of oil and gas, very complex compounds that include organic and inorganic substances, petroleum hydrocarbons and aromatic and aliphatic compounds are transferred to the environment. benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, which are called BTEX for short, are very important monoaromatic pollutants. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of exposure to BTEX on some clinical factors of the exposed people in the oil warehouse and office workers in Kermanshah National Oil Products Distribution Company.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018. The samples of this study include the personnel working in the oil warehouse and the office staff of the National Oil Products Distribution Company in Kermanshah. After completing the demographic information of the participants in terms of the inclusion criteria and after collecting the results of the physiological tests of the employees, SPSS19 software was used for statistical analysis.
Results: The results of the present study showed that the spirometric indices decreased in the workers exposed to BTEX compounds, but it was not statistically significant. Also, the number of red blood cells (6.73%) was significantly lower in non-administrative employees, as well as red white blood cells (6.61%), SGOT (10.14%) and SGPT (5.09%) in non-administrative employees. It has been more.
Conclusion: The number of platelets was higher in office workers. Considering the dangers of BTEX pollution for human health, it is recommended to use preventive measures such as using a special mask and a shift work system.

Identification of the driving forces influencing household waste generation in Tehran (with an emphasis on waste composition) in the next twenty years using the approach of futures studies

Farzam Babaei Semiromi

Background and Objective: The critical step of policymaking and planning for the local governments to select appropriate waste management methods, is comprehensive information on solid waste generation. Waste generation rate and composition may vary from year to year because many factors influence it. This research identified the most important factors influencing the future of household waste generation and composition in Tehran, and how these factors affect each other.
Materials and Methods: This research is based on future studies methods which are carried out using a combination of quantitative and qualitative models. Due to the nature of this research, structural analysis, Micmac software and Delphi survey were used.
Results: In this regard, after holding many meetings with 22 of the experts as the statistical population of the research, 14 effective factors were identified. The influential factors were then analyzed in the framework of the Cross-impact matrix in the Micmac software. The results showed that what can be understood from the state of the dispersion page of the variables indicated the system instability, with most of the variables dispersed around the diagonal axis of the screen.
Conclusion: Finally, considering the high scores received by direct and indirect influences, 10 key factors were identified. “Economic Growth”, “Digital Transformation and Technological Advances”, “Amendment of Existing laws, Enactment and Implementation of New and Specialized Laws”, and “Increased Awareness about waste and Attraction of Citizen Participation through Education and Provision of Information” were identified among these 10 factors as the driving forces influencing generation and composition, of household waste in Tehran in the Next Twenty Years.

Effectiveness of recovered sludge from Kermanshah water treatment plant as a low-cost and effective coagulant in wastewater treatment

Seyyed Alireza Mousavi

Background and Objective: The consequence of using coagulant materials such as aluminum sulfate and ferric chloride in the coagulation unit of conventional water treatment plants can generate plenty of sludge that contains large amounts of coagulant, which in addition to environmental risks, will also possess disposal costs. Today, intending to preserve the environment and reduce treatment costs, researchers emphasize the recovery and reuse of coagulants from sludge. In this regard, the present study was proposed and implemented to recover and reuse water treatment plant sludge as a low-cost coagulant in wastewater treatment.
Materials and Methods: This research is an experimental-laboratory study. In order to recover the coagulant from the collected sludge, acid hydrolysis method was used. The physicochemical characteristics of the recovered sludge were also determined using FTIR, FE-SEM, and BET analysis. Moreover, the efficiency of recovered sludge in different doses (50 to 300 mg/L) on wastewater treatability in terms of COD, TSS, VSS, turbidity, phosphorus, and coliform indices was compared with aluminum sulfate, ferric chloride coagulants, also the results of the study were analyzed and presented using Excel software (version, 2016).
Results: According to the results, the prepared sludge had no crystalline structure with amorphous morphology. In addition, recovered coagulant from water treatment sludge has demonstrated high efficiency for wastewater treatment, so 66.6%, 82.49%, 79.66%, 80%, 65 %, 99.18% of COD, turbidity, TSS, VSS, phosphorus, total coliform were removed at the highest dosage of recovered coagulant (300 mg/L), respectively. Furthermore, the recovered coagulant dosage had a significant effect on the performance of the coagulation and flocculation process in wastewater treatment.
Conclusion: The results showed that recovered coagulant from the sludge of the water treatment plant can be considered an acceptable option with appropriate effectiveness in the wastewater treatment processes.

Development of a quantitative model for performance assessment of urban green buildings: exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis

Nabiollah Mansouri

Background and Objective: This study aims to develop a quantitative model for the performance evaluation of urban green buildings using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis.
Materials and Methods: Criteria and sub-criteria related to green building were collected, then to content validity and reliability of the primary questionnaire were confirmed by a panel of 11 experts. The final questionnaire with 8 main criteria and 26 sub-criteria was provided to 295 green building users to model the performance of the green buildings. Content validity and Cronbach's alpha were used for validity and reliability of the initial questionnaire, Expletory Factor Analysis was employed to identify factor structure and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was utilized to examine factor loadings and goodness of fit.
Results: The final questionnaire included 8 main criteria and 26 secondary criteria. The internal consistency of the test was adequate (alpha>0.6); the chi-square test for EFI analysis was equal to 0.09 and RMSEA<0.05 and the CFI index was equal to =0.98.
Conclusion: The results showed the designed 8-factor model could predict the impact of green building performance by 81.64%. EFI and CFI analysis confirmed the fitting of the model too.

Workers’ knowledge, attitude and performance of a waste recycling center in Tehran metropolis regarding health aspects during the spread of Covid-19

Mahdi Farzadkia

Background and Objective: Today, the issue of health aspects in urban waste management, especially recycling, has received a lot of attention during Covid-19 around the world. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and performance of workers of one of the waste recycling centers in Tehran metropolis regarding health aspects during the spread of Covid-19.
Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study and the study population was all workers working in one of the recycling centers of Tehran Municipality. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with validity and reliability in four sections: demographic, knowledge, attitude, and practice of workers toward Covid-19 and solid waste.
Results: Findings of the study showed that the highest number of workers employed were in the age group of 20 to 40 years (60 percent). The level of knowledge was about 80 percent and the lack of awareness was 20 percent. The level of workers' positive attitude, negative attitude, and lack of attitude were 79.71, 14.56, and 5.72 percent, respectively. The level of positive practice among workers was about 67.43 percent and the negative practice was 32.57 percent.
Conclusion: The results clarified that in order to succeed in waste management programs in recycling centers, municipal waste managers should pay more attention to educational aspects, especially through the focus on programs and their development and adaptation for different age groups, especially 20 to 40 years.