Survey of water quality in Moradbeik river basis on WQI index by GIS

Background: Survey of pollution and evaluation of water quality in rivers with Oregon Water Quality Index [OWQI] and GIS are effective tools for management of the impact of environmental water resources. The information in calculating the WQI of Moradbeik river allowed us to take our tests results and make a scientific conclusion about the quality of water. GIS can be a powerful tool for developing solutions for water resources problems for assessing water quality, determining water availability, preventing flooding, understanding the natural environment, and managing water resources on a local or regional scale

Methods: The WQI of Moradbeik river consists of nine tests: Fecal Coliform [FC], Biochemical Oxygen Demand [BOD[5]], Nitrates [NO[3]], Total Phosphate [PO[4]], pH, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen [DO], turbidity, and Total Solid [TS]. Water quality of Moradbeik river was investigated for 12 months. Concentrations of these nine variables were normalized on a scale from 0 to 100 and translated into statements of water quality [excellent, good, regular, fair, and poor]. Also this data were analyzed with WQI index, and then river basis on water quality was zoning by GIS

Results: The average of WQI was 61.62, which corresponded to ''medium'' quality water at the sampling point 1 [best station] and decreased to around 26.41 [bad quality] at sampling point 6. The association between sampling points and water quality indexes was statistically significant [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Based on physical, chemical and biological agent monitoring and also with control of water quality indexes of these points, we observed wastewater and other river pollutants

Prediction the groundwater level of Hamadan-Bahar Plain, west of Iran using support vector machines

Water is considered as the main source of life but water resources are limited and nonrenewable. Different factors have caused groundwater to decrease. Therefore, modeling and predicting groundwater level is of great importance. Monthly groundwater level data of about 20 years [October 1991 to February 2012] from the Hamadan-Bahar Plain, west of Iran were used based on peizometric height related to hydrologic years. The support vector machine [SVM], a new nonlinear regression technique, was used to predict groundwater level. The performance of the SVM model was assessed by using criteria of R[2], root mean square error [RMSE], means absolute error [MAE], means absolute percentage error [MAPE], correlation coefficient and efficiency coefficient [E] and was then com-pared with the classic time series model. The SVM model had greater R[2] [=0.933], E [=0.950] and Correlation [=0.965]. Moreo-ver, SVM had lower RMSE [=0.120], MAPE [=0.140] and MAE [=0.124]. There was no signifi-cant difference between the estimated values using two models and the observed value. The SVM outperforms classic time series model in predicting groundwater level. Therefore using the SVM model is reasonable for modeling and predicting fluctuations of groundwater level in Hamadan-Bahar Plain.

Catalytic ozonation of phenol using copper coated pumice and zeolite as catalysts

Catalytic ozonation has recently been applied as a new method of contaminant removal from water and wastewater. In this study, copper coated pumice and zeolite were used to catalyze the ozonation of phenol as a target pollutant from aqueous solutions. The pumice and zeolite stone were modified by CuSO4 [1N]. Modified pumice and zeolite were characterized by Adsorption/Desorption Porosimetry [BET] and Scanning Electron Microscope analyses. Ozonation and catalytic ozonation experiments were performed in a 1 L semi-batch reactor containing a prepared phenol solution. The efficiency of catalytic ozonation was investigated by different variables: pH value, contact time, initial phenol concentration, catalyst dose, and radical scavenger. Experimental data indicated that as the pH solution increased, phenol removal increased. pH = 8 was measured as the optimum pH. The removal efficiency in single ozonation process [SOP] was 32% and in the catalytic ozonation process [COP] using modified zeolite and pumice was 51% and 63%, respectively. Moreover, these processes showed a great ability to mineralize phenol [up to 30%]. Using the radical scavenger determined the indirect oxidation as the main pathway of phenol removal in both catalytic processes. The copper modified zeolite and pumice had good performance to remove phenol through catalytic ozonation method.

Educational, psycho mental and socio economical needs of an Iranian cohort with multiple sclerosis

Multi-dimentional problems of MS patients require emergent and scientific approach to be followed. This present study was carried out in 2009 to ascertain educational needs of MS patients in relation to their psycho mental and socio economic status. 174 patients referred to Iran's MS Society were included in this study. Samples were chosen using a simple randomized method from patients that fulfill the inclusion criteria. A questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire covered 4 main areas: 1] demographic data, 2] patient tendency for education, 3] patient's need for training about the nature of the disease and 4] educational need in 2 aspects of psycho mental and socio economical. The age of the study group ranged between 32-39 years. 71.3% of the patients were female and 59.8% were married. 27.7% of the patients had an MS history of less than 3years. The results showed that 39.1% of the patients needed a high level of education. 0.6% of the patients expressed their need to get more information about the nature of MS. While 54.62% required education to decrease their depression and 61.5% needed education for anxiety control. 61.5% of patients required education about drugs procuring and 58% needed education for their professional difficulties. Further analysis indicated that there was a significant relationship between the need for training in the psycho mental category and education level [p=0.0035], as well as the acceptance of the disease by the patients [p>0.001]. Educational needs of patients within socio economic groups showed no significant correlation with other factors which were investigated in this study. The findings revealed some specific characteristics which necessitate the need for more training for patients experiencing psycho mental problems than patients experiencing socioeconomic problems. This indicates that additional attention is to be followed for delivering education for patients having psycho mental complications

Association between asthma and body mass index in children

Obesity has been reported to be associated with an increase in asthma in children. If there is any association, it could be attributed to an effect of obesity on lung volume and thus airway's obstruction. Data from 2413 children aged 7-12 years in Isfahan were analyzed. The subjects were included in this study if data were available for: height, weight, age, lung volume, and any measure of asthma, including history of diagnosed asthma, wheeze, chronic cough, and medication as obtained by questionnaire. Body mass index [BMI] percentiles, divided into quintiles per year age, were used as a measure of standardized weight. After adjusting for, sex, age, smoking and family history, BMI was a significant risk factor for wheeze ever [p = 0.000] and asthma ever [p = 0.000], diagnosed asthma [P=0.000] and current asthma [p = 0.000]. There was no significant correlation between BMI and obstructive spirometry. Increased BMI was significantly associated with an increased airway resistance. Despite the fact that higher BMI is a risk factor for, wheeze ever, wheeze and dyspnea in the last 12 months, and diagnosed asthma, higher BMI is not a risk factor for obstructive pattern in pulmonary function test