Showing 7 results for Heavy Metals
Monireh Khadem, Seyed Jamaleddin Shahtaheri, Farideh Golbabaei, Abbas Rahimi Foroushani, Mohammad Reza Ganj Alizadeh, Farnoush Faridbod,
Volume 12, Issue 4 (3-2015)
Abstract
Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to assess exposure of workers in a metal industry to nickel and lead.
Materials and Methods: Extraction was done using the solid-phase extraction on Chromosorb-102 resin to prepare, concentrate and purify biological samples of urine, hair and nails of workers working in metal industries. The variables influencing response (pH, loading flow rate, elution solvent, and amount of resins, elution volume, and sample volume) were examined and the procedure was optimized. The optimized procedure was, then, validated based on the “within-day” and “day-to-day” reproducibility experiments, using low, medium and high concentrations, leading to a satisfactory accuracy and precision. Finally, lead and nickel samples were taken from the workers and their concentrations determined voltammetrically.
Results: The optimum values for the examined parameters were as follows: pH = 9, ligand concentration = 0.05%, loading flow rate = 5 ml/min, elution solvent = 2M HNO3, amount of resins = 500 mg, elution volume = 15 ml, and sample volume up to 500 ml. A good reproducibility and repeatability was obtained for the optimized method under the existing conditions. Lead and nickel could be extracted with recoveries in the range of 94-100%. On the whole, the concentrations of nickel and lead in the workers’ biological samples were above the respective maximum permitted levels.
Conclusion: Solid-phase extraction procedure is a fast and simple method for preconcentrating and isolating analytes from biological samples. Considering the low concentrations of the analytes and presence of confounding factors in such samples, the procedure can be very effective for their preparation. The application of the developed method indicates that trace metal ions can be effectively purified and preconcentrated from different matrices like urine, hair and nail samples to assess occupational exposures.
Eisa Solgi, Faezeh Yar Ahmadi,
Volume 13, Issue 2 (9-2015)
Abstract
Background and Aim : Contamination of the surface soils of the urban ecosystem with heavy metals poses potential ecological risks. In this research, a preliminary investigation was carried out to evaluate the potential ecological risk of cadmium and lead contamination in urban park soils in Assadabed City, Iran.
Materials and Methods : Soil samples were taken from the urban parks of Asadabad city and analyzed for heavy metals using atomic absorption spectrometry. Based on the concentrations of Cd and Pb in the soils, contamination factor (CF), contamination degree (Cdeg) and potential ecological risks status (RI) of the soils were calculated.
Results : Preliminary results showed a low degree of contamination of urban parks of of Asadabad City. Assessment of the potential ecological risk index (RI) indicated that the cumulative heavy metal contents of the soil do not pose any significant ecological risks. In any case, further analysis of the data showed that the potential ecological risk posed by cadmium was higher than that by lead.
Conclusion : The findings indicate that although urban park soils may be polluted due to presence of certain heavy metals, on the whole their ecological risk is insignificant. These findings can help greatly environmental managers in planning, risk assessment and decision-making in the area.
Lida Varmazyar, Soheil Sobhan,
Volume 15, Issue 2 (9-2017)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Spices are likely to contain toxic heavy metals. The objective of this study was to assess the non-carcinogenic risk of consuming curry powder, turmeric and cardamom, marketed both in bulk and in packaged form, in Hamedan, Iran, as regards lead and cadmium in 2015.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive study, conducted in Hamedan, Iran, included nine samples of packaged and nine samples of bulked spices, the heavy metal contents of which were measured in triplicates, after acid digestion, by atomic absorption. The data were analyzed by SPSS, the statistical tests being one-way ANOVA, Shapiro-Wilks test, oOne-Sample T-Test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and the independent T-test.
Results: The maximum mean concentrations of lead and cadmium (mg/kg) were 5.48±0.95 and 0.13±0.20, respectively. The mean concentration of lead in turmeric samples was higher than the respective WHO standard. On the other hand, the health index (HI) of lead in the turmeric sample (mean =3/25×10-2, 1/5×10-1) and that of cadmium (222×10-3, 1/04×10-2) were less than one, that is, below the risk threshold for children and adults, respectively.
Conclusion: The findings based on health index show that consumption of spices does not pose any risk for the consumers. However, considering that the mean concentration of lead in the turmeric samples exceed the respective standard, as well as the non-biodegradability and bioaccumulation of heavy metals, if consumption of spices is not controlled, health problems in the long term are not unlikely to occur in the consumers. Therefore, regular periodic monitoring of chemical pollutants content of spices, especially heavy metals, is recommended for protection of consumers’ health.
Navid Ghanavati, Ahmad Nazarpour, Teymoor Babaenejad,
Volume 16, Issue 4 (3-2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Heavy metals in the surface soils of cities from various sources (traffic, industrial emissions, erosion from buildings, etc.) can accumulate through inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact in the human body and imperil health. The purpose of this study was to assess the ecological and human health risks caused by some heavy metals in roadside soil at the intersections of Ahvaz (Modares, Kharchar, Zargan, Behbahani, Golestan, Abadan, Khorramshahr, Susangerd and Andimeshk).
Materials and Methods: In this study, the concentration of heavy metals in roadside surface soils in intersections of Ahvaz in the summer of 2016 was investigated. The sampling at each intersection was carried out at specified intervals of 1, 10 and 30 meters on the sides of the main road (6 samples from each intersection) from the surface soil (depth 0 to 20 cm); the total number of samples was 54. The samples were transferred to the laboratory and dried at 60 ° C in an oven. After digestion of the samples with an acid mixture, concentrations of heavy metals Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd and As were measured by inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The contamination level was estimated based on potential ecological and human health risks of heavy metals.
Results: The average concentrations of Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Cr, Cd and As were 116.61 ± 49.42, 284.02 ± 166.91, 25.53 ± 4.47, 220.63 ± 87.75, 137.21 ± 84.80, 3.44 ± 3.23 and 8.65 ± 3.8 mg/kg, respectively. Isotope ratios indicated that emissions from automobiles/traffic and industrial emissions were the most important sources of lead in the samples studied. The average value of potential ecological risk (RI) in Andimeshk, Golestan and Susangerd intersections was low; that in Modarres, Behbahani and Zergan intersections was medium; and that in Chaharsir, Abadan and Khorramshahr intersections was high. Cr poses the highest risk of cancer in both children and adults, although the risk of carcinogenesis in children is higher than in adults.
Conclusion: The results show that the source of contamination with the metals studied is anthropogenic, including road traffic and industrial activities, in the area investigated.
Mohammad Velayatzadeh, Azita Koshafar,
Volume 17, Issue 2 (9-2019)
Abstract
Background and Aim:This research was conducted of determining and comparing the heavy metals of zinc, iron, manganese, copper, nickel and vanadium in summer in waters and sediments of Naseri wetland in Khuzestan province, 2017.
Material and Methods:Sampling of water and sediments from three areas of north, central and southern Naseri wetland was carried out in summer. In order to measure heavy elements, the ICP-OES model Varian 710-ES was used to measure the induction plasma (ICP) and its composition by mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Results:The average concentration of heavy metals in Naseri wetland water was obtained at station 3 above the first and second stations. Zinc, iron, copper and vanadium were lower in the wetland water than national and international standards, but higher levels of manganese and nickel were obtained. The average of the concentrations of the studied metals except the nickel in the surface sediments of the wetland in the second station was higher than the first and third stations. Ni was found higher in the sediments of the third station.
Conclusion:The results of calculating the contamination factor showed that heavy metals were zinc, iron, manganese, nickel, vanadium and copper in low pollution levels. The degree of contamination of the studied metals also showed that pollution of Nasseri wetland sediments was low. The degree of contamination of modified heavy metals indicates very low contamination of sediments of Naseri wetland. The ecological risk of zinc, iron, manganese, nickel, vanadium, and copper was in the low-risk category. The total ecological risk of heavy metals at the stations was also classified as low risk.
Saeid Shojaee Barjoee , Hamid Reza Azimzadeh, Asghar Mosleh Arani,
Volume 18, Issue 1 (5-2020)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI), as a criterion for assessing plants' resistance to air pollution, is one of the important tools for managing air quality around industrial complex buildings. The aim of this study was to determine air quality and the APTI of native plants grown around the Industrial Complex of Glass, Khak-e-chini, Tile and Ceramics and Glass in Ardakan, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study. First, the concentration of air pollutants in the industrial area was assessed. Then, APTI was determined as follows: measuring the pH of leaf extracts, relative water content, total chlorophyll and ascorbic acid contents of leaves in samples of native plant leaves. In addition, the concentrations of lead, chromium and cadmium were measured in plants by atomic absorption using the dry digestion method. For statistical analysis of the data the SPSS software version 22 was used.
Results: The mean plant concentrations of Co, O3, NO2, SO2 and PM10 in the industrial are were 2.06 ppm, 7.75 ppm, 3.28 ppm, 33.94 ppb and 70.55 µg/m3, respectively; these concentrations were all below the respective standards, as were those of lead, cadmium and chromium. The tolerance index of plants around the Industrial Complex was measured in the floor/parts sensitive to air pollution, proportional to low air quality pollutant and heavy metal concentrations in plants. Among the rangeland, tree and shrubs species, the following had the highest air pollution tolerance index, respectively: Boiss.fortuynia (8.49), Punica granatum (16.80) and Albizia lebbeck (9.37).
Conclusion: Based on the Air Pollution Tolerance Index it is suggested that the nonproductive species Punica granatum be used as a more tolerant species and Artemisia species as a biomarker for the expansion of green space.
Hossein Rashnoud, Davood Jalili Naghan,
Volume 20, Issue 4 (3-2023)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Dust storms have negative effects on public health, social economy and environment and, thus, lead to many damages in human resources, health sector and agriculture. Iran is one of the areas affected by particulate matter, with serious damages annually. For these reasons particulate matter increases should receive particular attention in Iran.
Materials and Methods: This research was conducted on solid/mineral section of dust fall in Poldokhtar, Lorestan Province, Iran. Sampling of the particles was done in nine spots in three stages during three months to measue heavy metals, cations and anions. Analysis of the samples for cations and anions was done using the Ic Metrohm system and that for heavy metals using the Icp OES-arcoss system.
Results: Sampling of dust fall was done in February, March and April 2019. Data analysis showed the most highly concentrated cation and anion were SO4 and F, respectively, while the concentrations of Fe and Al were the highest among heavy metals.
Conclusion: The highest amounts of dust fall were found to occur in February 2019, followed by that in March 2019, and the lowest occurring in April 2019. Due to the fact that compounds/elements with both natural and unnatural origins were found in this study, it can be concluded that the origins of the compounds/elements observed could be both natural and unnatural.
