Iranian Journal of

Background and Objectives: Water complexes including Jacuzzi are among the most popular water recreation centers that noncompliance with health standards can lead to increased microbial growth in water and thus the risk of infection. This study aimed at comprehensive study of jacuzzis water in Yazd city and comparing the results with national and international standards. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive - analytical study that statistical society included all Jacuzzis of Yazd city. Sampling of jacuzzis was performed every two weakes for 3 months (Summer 2011). We tested the water samples for parameters such as temperature, pH, amount of residual chlorine, turbidity, alkalinity, hardness, the population of heterotrophic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, fecal streptococci, and fecal coliforms accordance with standard methods. The SPSS software and ANOVA, T-test statistical tests, and/or Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney were used for description of data and the obtained results were analyzed by comparing with standards. Results: we found that the mean of residual free and combined chlorine was equal to 0.628 and 0.337 mg/l respectively. The alkalinityand hardness were 141.928 and 275 mg/lCaCo₃ respectively. Mean of pH, turbidity and temperature were equal to 7.88, 0.457 NTU and 38.121˙C respectively.Moreover, the mean population of fecal streptococci bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and fecal coliforms were 20465.7, 120.77, 209.91 and 7131.4 in 100 ml respectively. Statistical analysis of data showed that there is a direct relationship between water turbidity and pH (Pvalue=0.018) however, population of heterotraphic bacteria and residual free chlorine had indirectl relationship (Pvalue= 0.026). Conclusion: According to the results achieved, the parameters of heterotrophic bacteria population and alkalinity had the least compliance with the standard indicating the need for continuous monitoring of physical, chemical, and microbial parameters of Jacuzzi water and control of the number and density of people using Jacuzzi and continuous monitoring of Jacuzzi water filtration and chlorination process performance.

Background and Objectives: The presence of industrial workshops has increased urban pollution. This study aimed to investigate the heavy metal pollutants of Yazd battery repairing workshops and to identify the ecological and environmental effects resulted.

Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Yazd. In this regard, the city was divided into three parts on the basis of geographical features. Then, 30 workshops were selected from each part through stratified random sampling method. Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn) in the floor were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The impacts assessment of heavy metals was evaluated using environmental potential risk index (RI), cumulative pollution index (IPI), pollution coefficient factor (Cf), and the degree of modified contamination (mC_d) and Pearson’s correlation statistical test.

Results: The trend of heavy metals concentrations in floor dust particles of workshops was as Fe>Cu>Pb>Zn>Mn>Cr>Cd. Therefore, the average concentrations of Fe and Cd in the samples were 27011.52 ±4721.05 and 78.25±21.07 mg/kg respectively. The results of the RI showed that heavy metal of floor dust had very high danger (2816.29). The mCd value was as 63.35 indicating these workshops were at severe contamination class. The value of Cf was as 304.17 revealing that these workshops were at very severe contamination class.

Conclusions: This research showed that the high concentration of heavy metals in battery repairing workshops is due to the interaction of heavy metals of industrial wastes components, including electrical wastes and battery with the dust having mankind origin.

Background and Objective: Dewatered sewage sludge is a by-product of wastewater treatment process which can cause health and environmental problems if not properly managed. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of composting of Yazd WWT dewatered sludge with windrow method using different treatments.

Materials and Methods: In this study, the dewatered sewage sludge was mixed with two treatments of agricultural wastes (straw) and green waste (leaves), respectively. The mixture was done based on weight ratio of 20:1 and 10:1 (agricultural waste: dewatered sludge, and green waste: dewatered sludge) to achieve a ratio of C/N:20. The windrows were built with a length of 2 m, width of 75 cm and height of 1.5 m. Composting process was controlled by measuring the temperature, humidity, volatile solids, ash, pH, EC, organic carbon and estimating the C/N ratio. The results were compared with those of the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran.

Results: After 100 days of composting, C/N ratio was 13.08±6.25 in the treatment with green waste and reached to 15.46±5.35 in the treatment with agricultural waste. The amount of volatile solids decreased to 19.8±14.01% and 20.71±16.06% in the treatments with green waste and agricultural waste, respectively. The amount of EC had an increasing trend in both treatments.

Conclusion: composting with both treatments was led to an improvement in indicators of organic fertilizers in dewatered sewage. However, the windrow containing green waste reached to the mature compost standards sooner than the windrow containing agricultural waste.

Background and Objective: Urban traffic, while affecting human health, causes physiological and biochemical changes in plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the bioaccumulation potential of Pb and Cd and assess air pollution tolerance index for a number of plants grown high traffic areas of Yazd.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was performed in both control and high traffic areas of Yazd city by random sampling of trees, shrub and herb species. After transferring the samples to laboratory, relative water content, pH of leaf extract, total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content (the factors for calculating APTI) in plants were measured using standard methods. Furtheremore, Pb and Cd concentrations were measured to find their relation with APTI index in plants. All statistical analysis, including Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, ANOVA, Duncan test and Pearson correlation coefficient between the studied parameters, were performed in SPSS software version 22.

Conclusion: According to the classification of air pollution tolerance index, two species of Rosa damascena and Ligustrum vulgar exhibited moderately tolerant to traffic pollutant. Therefore, based on ecological requirements of these two species, they can be used to develop green spaces in high-traffic areas of Yazd.  This study showed that Pb increased physiological response of the studied plants, while the plants did not exhibit a significant physiological response to the Cd element. The results also showed that the relative water content and ascorbic acid were more important in the air pollution tolerance index than other factors.