Iranian Journal of

Background and Objective: Lead is a dangerous heavy metal for human health. This research was conducted to study the potential of a new Iranian corn (Maxima CV.) and white clover in monoculture and mixed culture for phytoremediation of Pb in a Pb polluted soil.
Materials and Methods: The experimental treatments consisted of corn and white clover in a mixed culture (with 10 and 20 plant density) and either corn or white clover in a monoculture system (with 10 and 20 plant density) in a Pb polluted soil (800 mg Pb (kg soil)^‌-1) at 60 and 90 days of  experiment. Plant and soil Pb concentration were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy.
Results: Root and shoot Pb concentration of corn and white clover were significantly increased in a mixed culture system relative to mono culture system. In addition, the increase of white clover density from 10 to 20 in a mixed culture system caused a significant increased Pb concentration in root and shoot of corn and white clover. The highest Pb translocation factor (TF) and shoot Pb concentration were observed in white clover in a mixed culture of corn and white clover (with 20 plants density).
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the Pb concentration of corns shoot in a mixed culture system with corn and white clover (20 densities) was three times higher than that of the monoculture system.
 

Background and Objective: Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi, which can have very dangerous consequences for human health in addition to spoiling food and changing organoleptic properties. Aflatoxin entering the body and targeting the liver as the main organ involved can cause liver and blood cancer. Hence, the aim of the present study is to measure aflatoxin B1 in corn flour and wheat flour supplied in Shahrekord using ELISA method in 2022.
Materials and Methods: In this study, 40 samples of flour, including 20 samples of corn flour and 20 samples of wheat flour, were randomly sampled from the supply centers and sent to the food hygiene laboratory to track and determine the amount of aflatoxin B1.
Results: The results showed that all samples of wheat flour and corn flour contained aflatoxin 1B. The average of aflatoxin B1 in wheat flour and corn flour was calculated as 2.58 ± 0.95 and 3.47 ± 2.07 (µg/kg) of the sample, respectively; Among the 20 examined samples of corn flour, the concentration of aflatoxin B1 ranged from 3.4 (µg/kg) to 1.9 (µg/kg) and in 20 samples of wheat flour (µg/kg) from 7.90 to (µg/kg) was 1.4; Therefore, the concentration of none of the samples was higher than the Iranian standard.
Conclusion: The occurrence of aflatoxin B1 in all the samples examined in the current study is lower than the risk range determined by the Iranian standard, so in this case, its aasociated high risk does not threaten the health of consumers.