Iranian Journal of

Background and Objectives:Fanavaran petrochemical company is located on the shore of Persian Gulf on west south of Iran, Imam Khomeini Bandar, petrochemical special economic zone with of 25 hectares area. Two units of this company, methanol unit with production capacity 1000000 tons/years and monoxide carbon unit with 140000 tons/years were studied for determination and emission factories of SO2, CO2, CO, NO, NO2, NOx Gases.
Materials and methods: With attention to project goals, for implementation of this project 14 months took into from April 2008 till June2009.For goals provide of mentioned research on this basis,case sampling were done from 3 emission sources by using of direct reading device of gas concentration according to standard methods of United State Environmental Protection Agency.
Results: Results of the study indicate that concentration of issued pollutant gases from these units is in the level lower than Iran department of environment standard level. The total amount of emission Factory of SO2, CO2, CO, NO, NO2, NOx gases diffused from these units are11.7×10-6 , 81/8×10-6, 0.14×10-6, 431.5×10-6, 19.2×10-6 , 681.2×10-6kg /tons million production in a year respectively.
Conclusion:Parameters which optimization is performed in accordance with them, include of additional air percentage, exit air temperature from pre heater, and fuel type, in fact with regarding these 3 factors. effects, the work is done in a manner that the amount of pollutants diffusion is near to minimum and the selected best fuel.

Background and Objectives: Wastewater contains various pathogens including viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc. These microorganisms can easily become airborne during normal operations of wastewater treatment plant and contaminate the neighborhood environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the type and density of bioaerosols in a petrochemical wastewater treatment plant in Iran.
Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study, bioaerosols density was measured in different units of a petrochemical wastewater treatment plant according to the NIOSH 0800 method and the values measured were compared with background level (control area). For this purpose, air samples were collected on blood agar and dextro agar in Andersen single-stage sampler with air flow of 28.3 l/min for 10 minutes. Samples collected were shipped to the laboratory immediately and were incubated for 48 hours. Then, incubated samples were counted for colonies concentration.
 Results: Average concentration of bacteria and fungi bioaerosols measured were 731.70±185.49 and 28.43±10.58 (M±SD) CFU/m3 respectively throughout the wastewater treatment plant units. These values were 35 and 1.45 times higher than background level (Control area). The differences between average concentrations of bacteria in all units of wastewater treatment plant with control area were statistically significant.
Conclusions: Generally, it was found that the density of bioaerosols, especially bacteria was much higher than the background level. The maximum density was measured at aeration chamber, where the emission of bioaerosols could be reduced through replacing nozzle diffused aeration system.

Background & Objectives: Human environment is surrounded bychemicals that could directly or indirectly endanger human health. Some statistics of WHO is indicative of the fact that four million people are employed in the chemical industry throughout the world and one million people die or become disabled annually due to contact with chemicals. Moreover, 1-4 Millions chemical toxicity occur annually. The purpose of this study was to understand the risks involved in chemicals in the workplace, to assess the task risk, and to propose appropriate control measures in order to eliminate or reduce risk in the petrochemical industry. Materials & Methods: In this study, the chemicals were identified in Arak Petrochemical and features that are indicative of hazardous materials were identified and using TOPSIS, The hazard rate were determined. Then the job duties of employees and employee exposure rate with chemicals were calculated and finally, a risk rate for exposure to chemicals in job duties was determined. Results: It was found that chemicals do not have too high risk to employees however, but the high risky chemicals were five chemicals including naphtha, ammonia, acetic acid, chlorine, and methanol for operational staff and two chemicals, i.e. ammonia and chlorine for operation and maintenance staffs . Conclusion: It is better to have an alternative for the materials that their risk rang is high and very high, and their production is suggested to be avoided.

Background and Objective: During the past few decades, air pollution has been the focus of international attention due to an increase in deaths from air pollution. In this study, Volatile Organic Hydrocarbons (VOCs) and Total Hydrocarbons (THCs) in ambient air of a Petrochemical Complex, Iran, was measured. Also, the relationship between these pollutants and some of their urinary metabolites was evaluated in the petrochemical complex workers.

Materials and Methods: These pollutants were measured in two stages, in spring (40 samples) and summer (40 samples), in ambient air of the different units of the complex. Urinary metabolites were measured in accordance with the NIOSH standard method using a GC-FID and TD/GC-MS.

Results: Total average of THCs in the spring and summer was 14.06 and 15.85 ppm, respectively; this amount was 14.09 and 16 ppm for VOCs. In summer, the highest values of VOCs (48.19 ppm) and THCs (47.63 ppm) were measured in Recovery unit. Total average of the urinary metabolites including Phenol, Phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA) and Mandelic Acid (MA) was 16.67, 34.8, and 67.24 mg/g creatinine respectively; in spring, it was 15.34, 57.34, 30.5 mg/g creatinine respectively

Conclusion: Background variables such as age, weight, and smoking habit had different impacts on the level of metabolites. The values of measured pollutants were lower than the guideline values proposed by the American Association of Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). In addition, the values of measured metabolites in urine were less than the biological exposure index (BEI) provided by ACGIH.