Iranian Journal of

Backgrounds and Objectives:Today, due to health, environmental and economical problems, of chlorine application, UV radiation is better option than chlorine for disinfection of effluent. The aim of this study was disinfection of secondary effluent with UV radiation.
Materials and Methods: Two types of UV disinfection system including low pressure (LP) and medium pressure (MP) was used to disinfection of Isfahan North Wastewater Treatment Plant (INWWTP) effluent without pretreatment. Single and combined lamps were operated to evaluate the removal of total and fecal coliforms (TC and FC), and fecal streptococcus (FS). TSS, iron, hardness, UV absorption and transmittance were analyzed in order to observe the fouling of the quartz sleeves.
Results: After using LP lamp with dose of 161 mws/cm2, TC and FC content was declined to standard level (1000 TC, and 400 FC/100ml). In addition, disinfection with MP lamp was led to FS content of 400 MPN/100 mL. Combination of LP and MP, with dose of 460 mws/cm2 could be met the environmental requirements of TC & FC, and the FS count was reached to 400 MPN/100 mL with dose of 237 mws/cm2. Maximum photo-reactivation percentage of coliforms after LP and MP lamps were appeared 15 and 3 percent respectively, while it was not observed for FS.
Conclusion: High fluctuation in secondary effluent quality of INWWTP mainly TSS concentration was caused to decline of the UVT value. Therefore, disinfection of effluent by LP, MP and even combined both systems are not applicable in conventional UV dose. Hence, using advanced process unit before UV disinfection system is necessary for removal of TSS.

Background & Objectives: Listeria bacterium resists to the sludge digestion conditions and Listeria monocytogenes is the most important of them. Sludge produced in the north Isfahan wastewater treatment plant is stabilized by anaerobic digesters and is used for fertilizing agricultural lands after drying in the sludge drying beds. Based on the importance of the subject, the objective of this study was evaluation of sludge processing units efficiency, particularly anaerobic sludge digestion for reduction or removal of Listeria. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, samples were collected weekly from sludge processing units 13 times in north Isfahan wastewater treatment plant according to standard methods over three months. Listeria bacteria were enumerated and isolated by triple-tube fermentation method and U.S Department of Agriculture method respectively. Isolated Listeria were confirmed by phenotypic method and then bacterial species were diagnosed differentially by biochemical carbohydrate fermentation and CAMP test. Results: Contamination of raw, stabilized and dried sludge at least to one of L. Monocytogenes, L. Innocua and L. Seeligeri species was 100, 92.3 and 53.8 percent respectively. Anaerobic sludge digesters efficiency to remove L. Monocytogenes, L. Innocua and L. Seeligeri species was determined 64.7, 39.72, and 100 percent while the efficiency of drying sludge beds for L. monocytogenes and L.innocua species removal was 73.4 and 96.68 percent respectively. Conclusion: Listeria monocytogenes is more resistant than other identified species against the sludge processing conditions. Thus, the use of sludge as fertilizer can cause the spread of this bacterium in the environment and agricultural products pollution.

Background and Objective: The contamination of agricultural crops with heavy metals due to soil and atmospheric contamination is a potential threat for their quality and their safety. Heavy metals such as Cd and Pb have been reported for their carcinogenic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the lead and cadmium concentration in some of crops grown in Isfahan province, Iran. Materials and Methods: During two seasons (spring and summer), 80 samples of four different crops (20 samples from each crop) were randomly harvested from some of the agricultural lands of Isfahan province. After sample preparation, lead and cadmium contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results: The average concentration of Pb and Cd were different in different crops. A significant difference (p<0.05) was observed between mean concentration of lead in beetroot with onion and also cabbage whereas no significant difference was observed for lead between beetroot and lettuce (p>0.05). Means comparison showed a significant difference for cadmium between beetroot and cabbage and also beetroot and onion (p<0.001). Results showed that the concentration of Pb and Cd in most of the samples was higher than the standard limits reported by Iran (maximum tolerance of heavy metal in lettuce, cabbage, rootbeet and onion is 0.2, 0.3, 0.1, and 0.1 for lead and 0.1, 0.05, 0.05 and 0.05 UNIT for cadmium respectively) and FAO-WHO. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that although most of the sampling plants were contaminated with lead and cadmium, the estimated daily intake of each metal (EDI) showed that except lead in lettuce, other crops have EDI below the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) recommended by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran. In order to better management, preventing pollution and also finding the origin of elements, analyzing heavy metals content in soil, water, and dust of this region is recommended.

Background and Objective: Predicting municipal solid waste generation has an important role in solid waste management. The aim of this study was to predict municipal solid waste generation in Isfahan through time series method and system dynamics modeling.

Materials and Methods: Verified data of solid waste generation was collected from Waste Management Organization and population information was collected from the National Statistics Center, Iran for the period 1996-2011. Next, the effect of   factors on solid waste generation such as population, urbanization, gross domestic product was investigated. Moreover, the relationship between each of these factors was identified using generalized estimating equation  model. Finally, the quantity of the solid waste generated in Isfahan city was predicted using system dynamics modeling by Vensim software and time series method by ARMA technique.

Results: It was found that population and gross domestic product have a significant relationship with the amount of solid waste with P value 0.026 and 0 respectively. The annual average of municipal solid waste generation would be 1501.4 ton/day in 2021 estimated by the time series method and 1436 ton/day estimated by the system dynamics modeling. In addition, average annual growth rate achieved was 3.44%.

Conclusion: According to the results obtained, population and gross domestic product have a significant effect on MSW generation. Municipal solid waste generation will increase in future. Increasing solid waste is not the same in different areas and methods. The prediction of the time series method by ARMA technique gives precise results compared with other methods.