Iranian Journal of

Background and Objectives: Microbial quality, particularly parasitic characteristics in terms of effluent reuse in agriculture is one of the most important indices. The aim of this study is determination of removal efficiency of Kermanshah wastewater treatment(conventional activated sludge) and Gilangharb wastewater treatment plants (stabilization ponds) for cyst and parasitic eggs.
Material and Methods: In this study research samples were taken once in five days from both inlet and outlet of wastewater Plants within a period of five months. The identification and counting of cyst and parasitic eggs were carried out by Mac master slide according to Bailenger method.
Results: The findings shows that mean of parasitic eggs and protozoan cysts in effluent of Kermanshah wastewater treatment plant were 0.99±0.42 and 0.90±0.25 per liter respectively, indeed removal efficiency for parasitic eggs and cysts are %98.42±3 and %97.5±4.5 respectively, but, any parasitic eggs and protozoan cysts in Gilangharb wastewater treatment plant was not observed and removal efficiency of these tow parameters was %100. Ascaris lumbricoides eggs had most number in influent and effluent of both plants.
Conclusion: As results show, removal efficiency for cysts and parasitic eggs in both above mentioned are desirable, and the quality of effluent treatment plant of both the rate of nematode eggs Anglbrg index (number of nematode eggs: 1 " number per liter) is consistent.

Background and Objectives: Dust phenomenon has adverse effects on the health of the population.Due to the increasing concentration of Kermanshah dust phenomenon in recent years, The aim of this study was to measure the concentration of the sensitivity coefficients between dust phenomenon hospitalization and mortality rates for heart and respiratory.

Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study in which we studied the sensitivity coefficient of hospitalization and mortality rates for heart disease and respiratory to changes of dust concentration.. The study duration was during March-September 2010 and 2011. We collected the dust phenomenon data from Kermanshah Province Environmental Protection Department. The admissions and mortality of the cardiovascular and respiratory sufferers was collected from the Imam Ali, Imam Reza, and Imam Khomeini governmental hosiptals in Kermanshah.

Results: 1% increase in air pollution caused by the dust phenomenon will result in increasing about 0.5 % of the respiratory patients, 1% cardiac patients, and about 0.3% of the heart disease mortality. The relationship between dust phenomenon and respiratory sufferers was statistically not significant.

Conclusions: We found that respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admission has a high sensitivity to dust phenomenon. This sensitivity has increased from 2010 to 2011. This sensitivity was greater for males than females. At least, during March-September 2010, for every 100% increase in the concentration of dust phenomenon, cardiovascular mortality increased by 29%.

Background and Objectives: Rivers are the most important resources supplying drinking, agricultural, and industrial water demand. Their quality fluctuates frequently due to crossing from different regions and beds as well as their direct relationship with their peripheral environments. Thus, it is essential to be considered the surveying and predicating changes in the water qualitative parameters in a river. In this study, in order to estimate some of the qualitative parameters (Total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity and sodium absorption rate) for Tehran Jajroud and Kermanshah Gharasu rivers, we used wavelet-artificial neural network (W-ANN) hybrid model during a statistical period of 24 years. Methods: We compared W-ANN model with ANN model in order to evaluate its capability in detecting signals and separating error signals for estimating water quality parameters of the abovementioned rivers. The evaluation of both models was performed by the statistical criteria including correlation coefficient, the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (NS), the root mean square error (RMSE) and the mean absolute error (MAE). Results: The results showed that the optimized W-ANN with correlation coefficient of 0.9 has high capability to estimate SAR parameter in the stations studied. Moreover, we found that W-ANN had less error and higher accuracy in the case of EC and TDS parameters rather than ANN model. Conclusion: W-ANN proved high efficiency in forecasting of the water quality parameters of rivers, therefore, it can be used for decision making and assurance of monitoring results and optimizing the monitoring costs.

Background and Objectives: Money as a common tool is exchanged between people all over the world. Thus, it can be a source of chemical and biological contaminations causing serious diseases. The purpose of this research was to determine bacterial contamination of the currency notes and coins collected in Kermanshah.

Materials and Methods: 160 currency notes and 96 coins were randomly chosen from different jobs and parts of the city. Total count experiment was done and bacteria were identified and isolated through standard methods.

Results: Average total count in 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, and 20000 Rials currency notes were 147.6, 147.8, 148.5, 96.3, and 87.9 and in 500, 1000, and 2000 Rials coins were 104.66, 77.66, and 96.56 CFU/cm², respectively. The research showed that currency notes carries more bacterial load than coins (P<0.05). Additionally, contamination to E. coli on money (13.7 %) and on coins (3.9%) were at maximum levels while Pseudomonas on currency notes was at the minimum level (1.6%) and coins contained 0.2% Enterobacter that was at the lowest amount.

Conclusion: In summary, the most important microorganisms isolated from currency notes and coins (E.coli and Staphylococcus aureus) were pathogenic, causing serious food poisoning and gastroenteritis infectious. Therefore, preventing food from cross contamination with money is necessary.