Iranian Journal of Health and Environment

Evaluation of risk and pollution load of heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Mn, and Mo) in surface soil of Al-Qasim city, Babylon governate, Iraq

Atefeh Chamani

Background and Objective: The pollution of trace elements in urban soil has attracted wide attention due to its detrimental environmental and health effects. Therefore, this research was conducted to evaluate of the content, pollution levels, and health risks associated with trace elements (Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Mn, and Mo) in the surface soil of Al-Qasim City in Babylon Governate in 2024.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study involved, a total of 50 surface soil samples from a depth of 0-20 cm. The elemental content of the samples was determined using inductively coupled plasma optical spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Additionally,, the enrichment factor (EF), pollution index (PI), pollution load index (PLI), hazard index (HI), and carcinogenic risk (CR) were calculated. Statistical data analyses were done using SPSS software.
Results: The average concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cd, Cu, Mn, and Mo in the soil were 27240, 62.7, 0.302, 33.8, 570 and 0.999 mg/kg, respectively. The highest average concentrations of Fe (30,331 mg/kg), Cu (37.3 mg/kg), Mn (639 mg/kg), and Mo (1.08 mg/kg) were found in downtown areasm whilefor the highest concentrations of Zn (65.3 mg/kg) and Cd (0.332 mg/kg) were observed in rural and midtown areas.
Conclusion: The results of this research demonstrate the impact of urban activities—such astraffic, industry, and agriculture—on the trace element pollution in the soil of Al-Qasim City. Therefore, regular monitoring of trace element concentrations and identification of their pollution sources are recommended to reduce and manage associated environmental and health risks.

Ecological and human risk assessment of some heavy metals in the dust of elementary schools in selected areas of Mashhad city

Hassan Malvandi

Background and Objective: Dust particles in urban environments are often contaminated with heavy metals, posing significant health risks, particularly to children. Schools are one of the environments where children are exposed to dust particles. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the concentration of heavy metals in the dust collected from Mashhad schools and to assess the associated health risks.
Materials and Methods: Dust samples were collected from 27 schools in the fall of 2022 using a brush. The values of various indices were estimated, including the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), enrichment index (EF), potential ecological risk index (PERI), and health risk indices such as hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI).
Results: The average concentrations of cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), and barium (Ba) were 9.63, 18538.58, 84017.79, 11270.42, 32.07 and 111.56 µg/g, respectively. The Igeo values ranged from -3.69 to 1.51, while the CF values ranged from 0.16 to 4.26. The results of the pollution indices indicated that most of the studied elements were at the first level of pollution, suggesting that the degree of pollution was negligible or low. Additionally, the HQ and HI values were both less than 1.
Conclusion: Overall, the concentrations of the studied elements were not a concern, remaining at uncontaminated levels, and there was no potential health risk associated with exposure to these elements.

Developing a decision support system to provide environmentally and economically optimized scenarios for waste management: a case study application

Mazaher Moeinaddini

Background and Objective: Identiying the most optimal solution has long been an significant challenge for waste management decision-makers. This study aims to develop a decision support system to identify optimal environmental and economic scenarios for waste management.
Materials and Methods: This study presents the development and application of a decision support system that estimates the environmental burden and cost of waste using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost (LCC) tools. The system then identifies optimal environmental and economic scenarios for waste management through a linear programming model. Data from the Karaj waste management system were utilized to apply and validate the decision support system.
Results: The outputs of the linear programming model in this system included one scenario based on minimizing environmental impacts and two scenarios based on minimizing costs imposed on the Karaj waste management system (MSWS). In both the environmental and second economic scenarios, incineration contributed the most to waste management, whereas composting was the dominant method in the first economic scenario. Additionally, recycling the maximum possible amount of recyclable materials was a common feature in all three scenarios, due to its environmental and economic benefits.
Conclusion: The result of this study demonstrate that the current Decision Support System can provide optimal environmental and economic scenarios for waste management to the decision-makers in the field. This is achieved by considering the inherent differences in the types of waste produced, the technologies employed, and the processing costs associated with each waste management system.

Synthesized modified silica gel for extraction and pre-concentration process of ultra trace amounts of lead (II) ion in lettuce and water samples, using solid phase extraction method

Hamzeh Saghafi

Background and Objective: In recent decades, the issue of crop product safety has led to develop methods for analyzing pollutants in crops. In the present study, ultra-trace amounts of lead (II) ions were measured in lettuce and water samples collected from Shahmirzad, located in Semnan province, an area known for its lead-containing mineral mines.
Materials and Methods: After sampling and pre-preparation, the lead content in each sample was extracted using solid phase extraction with modified silica gel. The recovery percentage of lead was then determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy.
Results: Optimization of key parameters such as pH, adsorbent amount, analyte flow rate, and volume resulted in a recovery rate of 104%. The experiments also demonstrated a very low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.14 ng/mL, a concentration factor of 250, high analyte selectivity of the adsorbent in the presence of interfering ions, and a high adsorbent capacity of 2.93 μg/g.
Conclusion: The evaluation of experimental data indicates that the current study provides a highly selective method that can be applied to the extraction and recovery of various analytes from different sample types.

Determination of diazinon and cypermethrin levels in milk, cheese, and butter in Gonbad-Kavus city in 2021-2022

Mohammad Hosein Movassagh

Background and Objective: The presence of pesticides in milk and dairy products poses a potential risk to consumers. The current study aimed to determine the concentrations of diazinon and cypermethrin in milk, cheese, and butter distributed in Gonbad-Kavus City.
Materials and Methods: A total of 50 samples including raw milk, pasteurized milk, ultra-high-temperature milk, traditional cheese, and traditional butter, were randomly collected from supply centers in Gonbad-Kavus from between 2021 and March 2022. The concentrations of diazinon and cypermethrin in the samples were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
Results: The mean diazinon levels in raw milk, pasteurized milk, and ultra-high-temperature milk samples were 41.91 ± 9.68, 28.07 ± 5.86, and 40.21 ± 9.52 µg/kg, respectively. The mean cypermethrin levels in raw milk, pasteurized milk, and UHT milk samples were 34.06 ± 8.20, 22.63 ± 5.88, and 29.82 ± 8.09 µg/kg, respectively. Significant differences were observed among the sample types for both diazinon and cypermethrin levels. In cheese samples, the mean diazinon and cypermethrin levels were 57.23 ± 10.59 and 38.12 ± 8.69 µg/kg, respectively. In butter samples, the mean diazinon and cypermethrin levels were 16.77 ± 4.15 and 17.50 ± 6.47 µg/kg, respectively.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the various types of milk distributed across Gonbad-Kavus contain excessive diazinon residues, while the residual cypermethrin levels were below the allowable limit. Therefore, a codified program to reduce diazinon the residuals in milk, cheese, and butter distributed in Gonbad-Kavus should be implemented.

Effect of EDTA on soil quality and growth and nutrients characteristics of the medicinal plant Marrubium cuneatum under potentially toxic elements stress

Ali Tavili

Background and Objective: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is known as a synthetic chelating agent used for the remediation of soils contaminated with potentially toxic elements. Marrubium cuneatum is a medicinal plant with phytoremediation capabilities. This study investigated the effect of EDTA on the morph-physiological characteristics of this species and its rhizosphere soil.
Materials and Methods: Under greenhouse conditions, M. cuneatum was grown for six months in mine-contaminated soil with different levels of EDTA (0, 1, 3, 5 mmol/kg). Subsequently, its biomass, concentration of macro- and micronutrients, and soil biochemical properties—such as organic matter content, soil enzyme activity, and microbial biomass—were measured. Additionally, a regression model was established between EDTA concentration and shoot weight to predict the plant's growth response.
Results: A concentration of 5 mmol/kg EDTA decreased the dry weight of shoots and roots by 11% and 21.9%, respectively, compared to the control. The reduction in root macronutrient content was less pronounced with EDTA application compared to that of the shoots, with the greatest decrease observed for shoot potassium (40.70% compared to the control). The potassium-to-sodium ratio also decreased significantly. Despite improvements in some soil biochemical parameters at low EDTA levels, the 5 mmol/kg dose resulted in a 30% and 10% inhibition of urease and dehydrogenase activity, respectively. The regression relationship between EDTA concentration and shoot weight indicated that the maximum dry weight was obtained at a concentration of 2.4 mmol/kg.
Conclusion: Considering the adverse effects of EDTA at concentrations of 3 mmol/kg on soil and plants, as well as the predictive model of the growth response of M. cuneatum, it is suggested to investigate EDTA levels above 2.4 mmol/kg to determine the precise dose that initiates negative effects in soil and plants.

Assessment of efficient photocatalytic fenitrothion elimination from aqueous solution using magnetic graphene oxide functionalized with cerium dioxide nanocomposite

Bahareh Lorestani

Background and Objective: Fenitrothion is a phosphorus-based pesticide that enters water resources through various sources,including industrial wastewater and agricultural effluent. its non-biodegradability, which results from the formation of strong chemical complexes, advanced oxidation methods are required to remove it from environmental matrices. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a magnetic graphene oxide nanocomposite functionalized with cerium dioxide in the removal fenitrothion from aqueous solution.
Materials and Methods: In this applied research, GO@Fe₃O₄@CeO₂ was synthesized and subsequently used as a photocatalyst for the removal of Fenitrothion from aqueous solutions. Characterization of GO@Fe₃O₄@CeO₂ was conducted using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), SEM-EDX elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) methods. The effects of various parameters, including pH (2-9), photocatalyst dosage (10-40 mg), and contact time (0-90 min), were assessed to determine their influence on fenitrothion removal efficiency.
Results: The results demonstrated that the removal efficiency increased up to 60 min contact time, 20 mg of photocatalyst. The optimal pH for fenitrothion removal was found to be 4. Additionally, kinetic analysis of the photocatalytic removal process indicated that it followed a pseudo first-order (PFO) model.
Conclusion: The GO@Fe₃O₄@CeO₂ nanocomposite proved to be an effective and accessible photocatalyst for the removal of fenitrothion from industrial wastewater under UV light.

Evaluation of ambient air quality in Arak with emphasis on aggregate and health risk-based indices

Mohsen Heidari

Background and Objective: The air quality index (AQI) does not account the interaction of multiple pollutants, meaning the high concentration and health risk of one pollutant may amplify the effects of others. The main aim of this study was to characterize the ambient air quality of Arak by assessing the combined effects and health risks associated with criteria air pollutants.
Materials and Methods: This study evaluated the ambient air quality of Arak for the year 1401 on the Persian Calendar, using the concentrations of criteria air pollutants averaged over appropriate timeframes. Additionally, the AQI, aggregate air quality index (AAQI), and health risk-based air quality index (HAQI) were calculated.
Results: Findings showed that the 1-hour concentrations of NO₂, SO₂, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5 exceeded national standards in 0.05%, 0.2%, 12.1%, and 35.5% of hours, respectively. The AQI, AAQI and HAQI values were above 100 in 54.4%, 77.3%, and 56.2% of hours, respectively. PM_2.5 was the major pollutant in over 99% of cases.
Conclusion: The results indicated that AAQI and HAQI, in comparison to AQI, characterized the air quality as more polluted. This stricter assessment by AAQI and HAQI may encourage more precautionary measures by authorities and the public. Thus, it is recommended that the decision-makers in Iran’s air quality monitoring in consider adopting these indices.

Investigating the concentration and health risks of particulate-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Isfahan’s ambient air

Mahnaz Nikaeen

Background and Objective: The adverse health effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have received significant attention in recent years. This study aimed to measure the concentration of PAHs associated with fine particles and assess the health risks posed by these compounds.
Materials and Methods: A total of 38 air samples were collected from the central part of Isfahan city using a particle sampler equipped with an inlet to capture particles smaller than 2.5 µm (PM_2.5). The samples were analyzed using GC-MS, and molecular ratios were used to identify potential sources of PAHs. Additionally, a Monte Carlo simulation was employed to perform a probabilistic risk assessment of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of PAHs for two groups: children and adults.
Results: Out of the 16 priority PAH compounds, seven compounds were identified, with average concentrations ranging from 0.003 to 17.8 ng/m³. Molecular ratios indicated that pyrogenic sources were the main contributors to PAHs in the air. The median carcinogenic risk for children and adults was estimated to be 3.1×10^-8 and 5.99×10^-8, respectively. The median non-carcinogenic risk for PAH compounds was estimated at 3.08×10^-1.
Conclusion: The probabilistic risk assessment revealed that the PAHs concentrations associated with fine particles do not pose a significant risk to exposed individuals. However, it is important to note that this study focused solely on the risk assessment of PAHs associated with fine particles. A comprehensive risk assessment of all PAHs present in the atmosphere is, therefore, recommended.

Evaluation of the amount of acrylamide formation in crackers and wafers

Seyed-Ahmad Shahidi

Background and Objective: Healthy food consists of beneficial components for health consumer and is free of harmful substances. Acrylamide (2-propenamide), a known carcinogen, is one such harmful substance. Foods like wafers and crackers can become contaminated with acrylamide during the cooking process. The aim of the present study was to measure acrylamide formation in crackers and wafers.
Materials and Methods: In this study, 64 wafer and cracker samples were prepared (in duplicate), and evaluated for acrylamide content using a GC-MS device.
Results: According to the results, the mean ± SD (minimum-maximum) acrylamide concentration in the samples was 2.648 ± 1.814 (0.132-4.505) mg/kg. The mean ± SD (minimum-maximum) concentration of acrylamide in wafer samples was 3.369 ± 1.735 (0.320-4.505) mg/kg, while in cracker samples, it was 1.446 ± 1.161 (0.132-2.955) mg/kg (p =0.001). Cocoa wafer with cocoa cream had the highest level of contamination among wafers (4.505 ± 0.73 mg/kg), and crispy salty cracker had the highest level of contamination among cracker samples (2.955 ± 0.63 mg/kg).
Conclusion: Since the average concentration of acrylamide exceeded European Union standards, further studies are warranted. Additionally, regulatory standards should be established in Iran to ensure factories adhere to stricter guidelines in this area.

Investigating methods of estimating and measuring methane emissions in municipal solid waste landfills: a systematic review

Fatemeh Momeniha

Background and Objective: The initial step in managing methane emissions is quantification. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the methods for estimating and measuring methane gas emissions in municipal solid waste landfills.
Materials and Methods: This systematic review includes studies published in English and Farsi between January 2005 and May 2023. English-language articles were included from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, while Persian-language articles were included from SID, Majiran and Google Scholar.
Results: After evaluating the studies, 90 studies providing information on methods for measuring and estimating methane gas emissions in urban landfills were selected. The results showed that emission estimates based on widely used models like LandGEM and IPCC, despite being lower in cost and providing faster results, are often associated with relatively high uncertainty. Therefore, quantitative and qualitative methods of direct measurement are preferred for accurately determining methane emissions from landfills. The most commonly used methods for measuring greenhouse gases, especially methane from landfills, include direct reading equipment and closed flux determination chambers.
Conclusion: Estimating greenhouse gas emissions from primary sources allows responsible authorities to understand the current status of methane emissions and to formulate reduction strategies. The findings of estimated methane emissions from landfills can differ significantly from the actual measurements in some situations. Therefore, while these estimation methods are useful, fast and cost-effective tools, their inherent uncertainties should be considered when using them.

Effects investigation of seawater concentrate discharge into the sea and discharge modification by modeling: systematic review

Amir Hossein Javid

Background and Objective: The discharge of seawater concentrate from desalination plants into the sea causes irreparable effects on the environment. The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of this discharge, model methods for optimizing it, and design an effective outlet that minimizes environmental impacts and costs.

Materials and Methods: This study discusses impacts of seawater concentrate discharged into the sea, numerical modeling of diffusion, and outlet design based on discharge standards.A review of articles and sources from databases such as Google Scholar, Academia, Scopus, Civilica and Irandak was conducted using keywords such as “brine discharge”, “numerical modeling”, and “outlet design.” Out of 132 reviewed articles, 45 articles were consistent with the objectives of the study.

Results: The effects of seawater discharge can be observed in the discharge area and at greater distances. Numerical modeling is employed to predict pollutant concentrations at various distances and to determine the optimal discharge point while considering established standards. The design of the diffuser and the use of multiple nozzles at an angle of 60 degrees result in the greatest dilution at the discharge point.

Conclusion: The use of desalination systems necessitates addressing the effects of climate change. Appropriate modeling and design of the outlet are essential for complying with environmental standards and optimizing costs. Further research in this field is needed.