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Background and Aim: over the past decades, air pollution in the urban areas has shown an increasing trend. Air pollutants have resulted in different diseases. The aim of this study was to study the air quality in Sanandaj City in 2015 and 2016 and investigate its potential relationship with cardio-respiratory disorders and premature birth
Material and Method: this was a cross-sectional [descriptive-analytic] study, in which air pollutants data [Particulate Matter [PM10], ozone, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide] were collected from Department of Environmental Protection, Kurdistan Province. Data about cardio-respiratory diseases and preterm births were obtained from Tohid, Besat, and Tamin-e-Ejtemaee hospitals. Time series analysis was used to analyze the data
Result: the results showed that the levels of all air pollutants except particulate matters of less than 10 microns were lower than the annual allowed limit. Associated risk analysis showed relationship of particulate matters with increased mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases. However, time series analysis showed that none of the air pollutants had statistically significant associtation with the mortality rate of cardiovascular diseases and number of premature births
Conclusion: the results of this study showed PM10 as the only pollutants in Sanandaj air which was outside the standard limits and showed no significant relationship with mortality rate of cardio-respiratory diseases
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Introduction: Arsenic contamination of surface and groundwater has been categorizd among high profile environmental problems around the world. The matter is of most concern where unsafe water is used for drinking. Sahand region reservoir in northwest of Iran supplies water for drinking, industrial and agricultural purposes through irrigation of 11000 hectares of lands
Materials and Methods: The hydrochemistry status of Sahand dam basin and arsenic plume distribution in water recourse was evaluated by analyzing 308 water samples from surface and ground water according to the standard methods. In addition, geological features information of basin were obtained based on recent site studies and field investigations
Results: Elevated concentrations of arsenic [range = 0-1440 ppb, mean = 171.68 ppb] were detected in water basin and dam. According to the delineating evidences, regional geological background and volcanic activities can be considered as the main sources of the natural genesis of arsenic in the study area
Conclusion: Notable amounts of arsenic sulfide were recorded in seams, gaps, fractures of limestone, marl, sandstone and an overlying ferruginous conglomerate. Concentrations of arsenic varied seasonally highlighting the maximum concentration observed in autumn and early winter [December]. Seasonal fluctuations can be probably attributed to changes in geochemical conditions in sediments at the bottom of reservoir
Subject(s)
Water , Groundwater , Hydrology , Volcanic EruptionsABSTRACT
Introduction: Due to more than 1.7 million population, many vehicles and large industries around Isfahan, it has become one of the most polluted cities in Iran. The aim of this study was a spatial analysis of the concentrations of air pollutants and the air quality index [AQI]
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive and evaluative study, the air quality data of 7 monitoring stations in 2012 were taken from the Isfahan Department of Environment. The calculation of AQI was done as per the EPA guidelines. The zoning pollutant concentrations and AQI in the study area was determined with the use of the Arc map software, version 10.1
Results: The results showed that the highest concentrations of pollutants and the AQI were related to the Ahmadabad station. Moreover, the air quality in Isfahan in 2012 was 4.38% [4 days] in good conditions, 12.7% [47 days] in moderate conditions, 42.56% [156 days] in unhealthy conditions for sensitive groups, 39.49% [144 day] in unhealthy conditions, 2.8% [10 days] in a very unhealthy and 1.2% [4 days] in dangerous conditions, respectively
Conclusion: It was found that particulate matter was the main cause of Isfahan air pollution while Ahmadabad is the most polluted point in Isfahan. According to the calculations, during 314 days of the year 2012, the air quality of Isfahan was in unhealthy conditions and only 4 days was in good conditions. This is one of the biggest health challenges in this city
Subject(s)
Geographic Information Systems/statistics & numerical data , Seasons , Air Pollution , Orientation, Spatial , Evaluation StudyABSTRACT
Background: Nitrate is an acute and well-known hazardous contaminant, and its contamination of water sources has been a growing concern worldwide in recent years. This study evaluated the feasibility of nitrate removal from water using the traditional coagulants alum and ferric chloride with lower concentrations than those used in the conventional coagulation process
Methods: In this research, two coagulants, alum and ferric chloride, were compared for their efficiency in removing nitrate in a conventional water treatment system. The removal process was done in a batch system [jar test] to examine the effects of coagulant dosages and determine the conditions required to achieve optimum results
Results: The results revealed that ferric chloride at an initial dose rate of 4 mg/L reduced nitrate concentration from 70 mg/L to less than the World Health Organization [WHO] guideline value [50 mg/L N-NO[3]]. However, the removal efficiency of alum was not salient to significant nitrate reduction
Conclusion: In conclusion, ferric chloride was more effective than alumin removing NO[3], even in common dosage range, and can be considered a cost-effective and worthy treatment option to remediate nitrate-polluted water. Furthermore, the removal of nitrate by coagulation can be simple and more economical than other treatment alternatives
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Introduction: Expensive chemical tests are usually applied to control the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants. However, the cost of measuring these parameters is one of the challenges of the wastewater treatment plants. Using statistical methods has been evaluated for possibility of calculating expensive parameters by measuring the inexpensive parameters in this study
Methods: Initial sample number in this study was 87 cases, that were collected from SBR effluent treatment plants of Yazd as a routine sampling for two years in March 2013 to March 2015. TSS and turbidity parameters were defined as independent variables and twelve parameters including BOD[5], COD, TKN, NH[3], NO[3], NO[2], TP, TH, Ca, Mn, alkalinity, and color were the dependent variables
Spearrman test was used to investigate the significant relationship between independent and dependent variables.Linear regression analysis was used to determine the linear equation between TSS and turbidity as independent variables with BOD[5], COD, TKN, NH[3], NO[2], TP and color as dependent variables
Results: The results of the regression equations in relation to turbidity and TSS with independent variables showed that the R value for color, TKN, NH3, BOD[5], COD TP, and NO2 were 0.942, 0.931 ,0.91, 0.905, 0.874, 0. 872 and 0.86respectively from the highest to the lowest
Conclusion: The measured values of BOD[5], COD, TKN, TP, NO[2], NH[3], and color in laboratory were very close to those predicted through regression equations. Therefore, regression equations created in this study can be used to calculate expensive parameters
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Introduction: Today, have been approved scientifically relationship between presence of asbestos fibers in the human respiratory area and malignant diseases such as lung advanced fibrosis [Asbestosis], gastrointestinal, lung and Laryngeal cancers. The aim of this study was the determination of asbestos fibers concentration in Yazd city's air in the summer of 2015
Methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study in which 13 high-traffic points of Yazd city were selected for asbestos sampling. Sampling was conducted in the summer in two stages using SKC pump. In total was collected 26 samples from the high traffic points of Yazd city. Also for the counting of asbestos fibers was used scanning electron microscopy [SEM]
Results: In the current research, the highest and the lowest concentration of asbestos fibers were related to Shohadaye mehrab square [0.02131 fiber/ml] and Azad Shahr [0.00112 fiber/ml] respectively. Qualitative analysis of asbestos fibers by SEM showed that 75% of the samples were asbestos fibers and the other was non-asbestos fibers
Conclusion: The present study showed that the average of asbestos fibers concentration in total sampling stations [0.0848 fiber/ml] was higher than WHO guidelines [2.2x10[-3] fiber/ml]. The main reason for the presence of these fibers in the air of Yazd city can be attributed to brake pad, clutch and automobile gasket adhesive
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beta-lactoglobulin [Coded by the beta-lg gene] is the major milk whey protein in ruminants. Studies have shown that this protein is polymorphic in many breeds of sheep as a result of a single base pair substitution in the beta-lg gene that also gives rise to RsaI restriction fragment length polymorphism [RFLP]. Blood samples were collected from 391 animals belonging to 5 Iranian and 6 Russian sheep breeds. BLg5 and BLg3 primers amplified a 452 bp fragment from exon II of the ovine beta-lg gene. RsaI enzyme was used for restriction analysis of PCR products. Overall, the frequency of alleles A and B in the studied breeds were stimated as 0.65 and 0.35, respectively. The genotype BB was not seen in the Iranian and Russian Karakul, except in the Afshari and Finnish Landrace, other populations were in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium