In this study, the concentration and spatial distribution of potentially toxic metals(PTMs), including arsenic(As), cadmium(Cd), chromium(Cr), lead(Pb), copper(Cu), iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), and magnesium(Mg) in 23 wel...In this study, the concentration and spatial distribution of potentially toxic metals(PTMs), including arsenic(As), cadmium(Cd), chromium(Cr), lead(Pb), copper(Cu), iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), and magnesium(Mg) in 23 wells and drinking groundwater distribution networks of Rafsanjan, located in southeast Iran were evaluated. Moreover, the assessment of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation(MCS). The results showed that the concentrations of As and Pb in more than 99% and 23.46% of the study area, respectively, were higher than the maximum concentration level(10 μg/L). The mean concentration of other metals, including Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, and Mn in all drinking water resources was within the WHO standard level. The mean hazard quotient(HQ) for As in the age group of children was 9.246 and adults 2.972, indicating high non-carcinogenic risk of As in the study area. The lifetime cancer risk(LTCR) of As was 1.36 E-3 for adults and 1.52 E-2 for children, indicating high non-carcinogenic risk of As. The level of HQ and LTCR for Pb in both age groups was in the acceptable range. The results of sensitivity analysis showed that the most effective variables were pollutant concentration and body weight(BW), respectively. Finally, it can be concluded that exposure to PTMs, especially As through drinking water in the study area can have significant effects on people’s health living in the area;therefore, it is necessary to treat and remove As from groundwater resources before drinking or using for domestic purpose.展开更多
Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the concentration of potentially toxic elements(PTEs)such as arsenic(As),cadmium(Cd),mercury(Hg),and lead(Pb)in fruit samples collected from Markazi Province,Iran.A proba...Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the concentration of potentially toxic elements(PTEs)such as arsenic(As),cadmium(Cd),mercury(Hg),and lead(Pb)in fruit samples collected from Markazi Province,Iran.A probabilistic health risk assessment due to ingestion of PTEs through the consumption of these fruits was also conducted.Methods The concentration of PTEs in 90 samples of five types of fruits(n=3)collected from six geographic regions in Markazi Province was measured.The potential health risk was evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulation model.Results A significant difference was observed in the concentration of PTEs between fruits as well as soil and water samples collected from different regions in Markazi Province.The order of PTE concentration in the soil and water samples was as follows:Pb>As>Hg>Cd.Furthermore,the highest level of transfer factor for Cd and Hg correlated with the grape.The estimated daily intake for adults and children was lower than the recommended tolerable daily intake.Conclusion The population in Markazi Province,Iran,is not at considerable noncarcinogenic or carcinogenic risk due to the ingestion of PTEs through the consumption of the examined fruits.展开更多
Background: Preterm labor is one of the most public health problems related to neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Poor knowledge among mothers about the care requirements of a preterm neonate is...Background: Preterm labor is one of the most public health problems related to neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Poor knowledge among mothers about the care requirements of a preterm neonate is immediate cause for post-discharge medical problems in premature and neonates readmission to NICU. Hence, this study aims to evaluate mothers’ knowledge of caring for premature infants post-discharge from Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the Gaza strip. Methods: A Quantitative-based cross-sectional designs study was used to survey 120 mothers of preterm neonates at the time of preterm neonates discharge by face-to-face interview at Al-Shifa medical complex and Nasser hospital between February and June 2018. Results: The results showed that only about 58.4% of mothers of premature babies had good knowledge about health care needed for premature infants after discharge from NICU. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference between the level of knowledge and mother’s sociodemographic characteristics (P-values > 0.05). Conclusion: Mothers’ knowledge of premature infants care was not at the optimal level, which might put the newborns at risk. Therefore, the study emphasizes the necessity of thoughtful exchange of health information between team members and mothers and establishing pre- and post-discharge plans with mothers to start their healthy transition of preterm neonate to home and to ameliorate family concerns.展开更多
The widespread mobile station’s antennas and the continued increase in the number of mobile phones users throughout the Gaza strip causing great panic in the population relating the debate overexposure to electromagn...The widespread mobile station’s antennas and the continued increase in the number of mobile phones users throughout the Gaza strip causing great panic in the population relating the debate overexposure to electromagnetic radiation EMR emitted from the antennas of mobile base stations. Therefore, this study was conducted to measure the levels of electromagnetic radiation emitted from the antennas of cellular base stations in Gaza governorate as well as to evaluate the citizen’s awareness and practices regarding potential health risks and mitigation methods of exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted from cellular base stations, respectively. Fifty cellular base stations out of 197 stations were selected depending on the criteria of selecting one site per kilometer using Global Positioning System (GPS). Electromagnetic power density, electric field strength, and the magnetic field strength emitted from cellular base stations were measured using Narda-550. Assessment tool for observation was used to collect operational information of each station. A structured questionnaire with four-level Likert rating scale was used to survey 384 mobile phone users from the areas surrounding the selected cellular base stations. The results showed that the electromagnetic radiation levels of all stations were low and less than the national and international acceptable limits. Furthermore, the awareness of participant about health risks that could result from exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted from cellular base stations and mobile phones was low. Nevertheless, the participant’s practices in mitigating the adverse impacts of electromagnetic radiation emitted from cellular base stations and mobile phones on their health were good.展开更多
Environmental impact prediction is an important step in many environmental studies. A wide variety of methods have been developed in this concern. During this study, remote sensing images were used for environmental i...Environmental impact prediction is an important step in many environmental studies. A wide variety of methods have been developed in this concern. During this study, remote sensing images were used for environmental impact prediction in Ro-batkarim area, Iran, during the years of 2005～2007. It was assumed that environmental impact could be predicted using time series satellite imageries. Natural vegetation cover was chosen as a main environmental element and a case study. Environmental impacts of the regional development on natural vegetation of the area were investigated considering the changes occurred on the extent of natural vegetation cover and the amount of biomass. Vegetation data, land use and land cover classes (as activity factors) within several years were prepared using satellite images. The amount of biomass was measured by Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) based on satellite images. The resulted biomass estimates were tested by the paired samples t-test method. No significant difference was observed between the average biomass of estimated and control samples at the 5% significance level. Finally, regression models were used for the environmental impacts prediction. All obtained regression models for prediction of impacts on natural vegetation cover show values over 0.9 for both correlation coefficient and R-squared. According to the resulted methodology, the prediction models of projects and plans impacts can also be developed for other environmental elements which may be derived using time series remote sensing images.展开更多
Regulatory and technological solutions to ensure safe drinking water are not keeping up with the scope and severity of drinking water quality problems. Drinking water resources are degrading as a result of agricultura...Regulatory and technological solutions to ensure safe drinking water are not keeping up with the scope and severity of drinking water quality problems. Drinking water resources are degrading as a result of agricultural runoff, wastewater effluents, illegal dumping of chemicals, atmospheric deposition as well as algae blooms.展开更多
A MnFe_(2)O_(4)@SiO_(2)@NH_(2)coupled with acylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes(AMWCNTS)was prepared using an easy one-step modification approach and applied for the visible light-assisted removal of ciprofloxacin(C...A MnFe_(2)O_(4)@SiO_(2)@NH_(2)coupled with acylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes(AMWCNTS)was prepared using an easy one-step modification approach and applied for the visible light-assisted removal of ciprofloxacin(CIP).FT-IR,XRD,VSM,Raman spectrum,FE-SEM,BJH/BET,UV-Vis,and band gap analysis were used to characterize nanocomposites.In terms of CIP removal,the nanocomposites outperformed both AMWCNTS and MnFe_(2)O_(4)@SiO_(2)@NH_(2)nanoparticles.At a pH of 7,an initial CIP concentration of 25 mg·L^(-1),a reaction time of 40 min,and a catalyst dose of 0.8 g·L^(-1),all of the CIP was degraded.The ratios of BOD5/COD(5-day biological oxygen demand/chemical oxygen demand)and BOD5/TOC(5-day biological oxygen demand/total organic carbon)at the beginning of the process were 0.22 and 0.71,respectively,and reached 0.755 and 1.21 at the end of the process,which signposts the conversion of non-biodegradable wastewater into biodegradable wastewater.Scavenger studies disclosed that hydroxyl radicals and holes had the greatest effect on the degradation of CIP.The toxicity of the final effluent was also investigated with E.coli bacteria,and the results showed a very good effect of the process in the field of effluent sterilization.Equilibrium data fully followed first-order kinetics,with a reaction rate constant of 0.109 min^(-1).Also,the half-life for the complete degradation of CIP was equal to 6.8 min.The CIP removal efficiency still remained at 9.4%in the five cycles.MnFe_(2)O_(4)@SiO_(2)@NH_(2)@AMWCNTS gave a pronounced potential for eliminating CIP from aqueous environment.展开更多
Ambient air pollution is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for heart failure;however,its effects on cardiac biomarkers remain unclear.This scoping review assessed the existing evidence on the association ...Ambient air pollution is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for heart failure;however,its effects on cardiac biomarkers remain unclear.This scoping review assessed the existing evidence on the association between air pollution and cardiac biomarkers in heart failure,described the key concepts,synthesized data,and identified research gaps.Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines,PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,and CNKI databases were searched for studies on air pollution,heart failure,and biomarkers.A total of 765 records were screened,and 81 full texts were assessed for eligibility,resulting in 15 studies.The results showed that the exposure to particulate matter was associated with elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and troponin levels.Several studies have linked particulate matter exposure to a higher cardiovascular risk and heart failure biomarkers.Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers were consistently elevated across studies,supporting the biological relevance of these associations.However,few studies have focused specifically on populations with heart failure or clinically relevant biomarkers,and the evidence for gaseous pollutants remains inconclusive.These findings highlight the need to integrate environmental risk assessment into heart failure care and inform policy efforts to reduce the pollutionrelated cardiovascular burden.Further research should address these gaps through improved exposure assessments and the integration of mechanistic evidence.展开更多
Qidong(Jiangsu, China) has been of interest to cancer epidemiologists and biologists because, until recently, it was an endemic area for liver cancer, having amongst the highest incidence rates in the world. The estab...Qidong(Jiangsu, China) has been of interest to cancer epidemiologists and biologists because, until recently, it was an endemic area for liver cancer, having amongst the highest incidence rates in the world. The establishment of the Qidong Cancer Registry together with the Qidong Liver Cancer Institute in 1972 has charted the patterns of liver cancer incidence and mortality in a stable population throughout a period of enormous economic, social, and environmental changes as well as of improvements in health care delivery. Updated incidence trends in Qidong are described. Notably, the China age-standardized incidence rate for liver cancer has dropped by over 50% in the past several decades. Molecular epidemiologic and genomic deep sequencing studies have affirmed that infection with hepatitis B virus as well as dietary exposure to aflatoxins through contamination of dietary staples such as corn, and to microcystins–blue-green algal toxins found in ditch and pond water – were likely important etiologic factors that account for the high incidence of liver cancer in this region. Public health initiatives to facilitate universal vaccination of newborns against HBV and to improve drinking water sources in this rural area, as well as economic and social mandates serendipitously facilitating dietary diversity, have led to precipitous declines in exposures to these etiologic factors, concomitantly driving substantive declines in the liver cancer incidence seen now in Qidong. In this regard, Qidong serves as a template for the global impact that a package of intervention strategies may exert on cancer burden.展开更多
The presence of Hg in the aqueous media is known to cause severe health issues in both humans and animals.Many technologies and especially adsorbents have been applied for its removal. In this study, a graphene oxide...The presence of Hg in the aqueous media is known to cause severe health issues in both humans and animals.Many technologies and especially adsorbents have been applied for its removal. In this study, a graphene oxide–carbon composite(GO–CC) as a new adsorbent was prepared by sol gel procedure and characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, BET and EDX. The effects of different variables including solution p H, contact time, adsorbent dose and GO ratio in adsorbent matrix on the removal capacity of Hg were studied. The isotherm data correlated well with the Langmuir isotherm model. Further analysis recommended that the Hg^(2+) adsorption process is governed by the intra-particle and external mass transfer, in which the film diffusion was the rate restrictive step. The presented composite has maximum absorption capacity, q_(max) of 68.8 mg·g^(-1), which is comparable with carbon based adsorbent reported in the previous publications.展开更多
This study reports the successful so nochemical synthesis of novel Fe3O4/SiO2/ZnO-Pr6O11(Fe/Si/Zn-Pr6O11) nanocomposites using fructose as a green capping agent.The influence of various parameters containing capping a...This study reports the successful so nochemical synthesis of novel Fe3O4/SiO2/ZnO-Pr6O11(Fe/Si/Zn-Pr6O11) nanocomposites using fructose as a green capping agent.The influence of various parameters containing capping agent,power and time of ultrasound irradiation was investigated to reach optimum morphology and size conditions.The products obtained were characterized by transmission electron microscopy(TEM),UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy(DRS),Fourier transform infrared spectra(FT-IR),vibration sample magnetometer(VSM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis(EDS) and X-ray diffraction(XRD).The Fe3O4/SiO2/ZnO-Pr6O11 nanocomposites display remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity towards rhodamine b degradation(89.6%)and Congo red(84.7%) under UV irradiation compared with the other products.The results illustrate that the photocatalytic efficiency of magnetic nanocomposites is very much higher than pure Pr6O11nanostructures.Magnetic photocatalyst still has good stability after five successive runs.So,these recyclable nanocomposites can play a role in the treatment of both industrial and domestic contaminated water.展开更多
Air pollution is a major health problem in developing countries and has adverse effects on human health and the environment. Non-thermal plasma is an effective air pollution treatment technology. In this research, the...Air pollution is a major health problem in developing countries and has adverse effects on human health and the environment. Non-thermal plasma is an effective air pollution treatment technology. In this research, the performance of a dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) plasma reactor packed with glass and ceramic pellets was evaluated in the removal of SO_2 as a major air pollutant from air in ambient temperature. The response surface methodology was used to evaluate the effect of three key parameters(concentration of gas, gas flow rate, and voltage) as well as their simultaneous effects and interactions on the SO2 removal process. Reduced cubic models were derived to predict the SO_2 removal efficiency(RE) and energy yield(EY). Analysis of variance results showed that the packed-bed reactors(PBRs) studied were more energy efficient and had a high SO2 RE which was at least four times more than that of the non-packed reactor. Moreover, the results showed that the performance of ceramic pellets was better than that of glass pellets in PBRs. This may be due to the porous surface of ceramic pellets which allows the formation of microdischarges in the fine cavities of a porous surface when placed in a plasma discharge zone. The maximum SO_2 RE and EY were obtained at 94% and 0.81 g kWh^(-1),respectively under the optimal conditions of a concentration of gas of 750 ppm, a gas flow rate of 2lmin^(-1), and a voltage of 18 kV, which were achieved by the DBD plasma packed with ceramic pellets. Finally, the results of the model's predictions and the experiments showed good agreement.展开更多
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of electrocoagulation technology using iron electrodes on phenol removal in aqueous solutions. The removal of phenol was investigated in terms of various parameters, n...The aim of this study was to determine the effect of electrocoagulation technology using iron electrodes on phenol removal in aqueous solutions. The removal of phenol was investigated in terms of various parameters, namely, current density, phenol and NaCl concentration, pH, and alginic acid concentration. The results showed that the removal efficiency of phenol increased with increasing the current density, pH and NaCl concentration, whereas it was inversely associated with initial concentration of phenol and alginic acid concentration. According to the results, electrocoagulation is a promising process for treatment of wastewater containing high concentration of phenol.展开更多
Narrow solar-light response range and rapid charges recombination are the main technical barriers in TiO_(2) photocatalysis technology.To overcome these restrictions,in this work we synthesized a novel binuclear gadol...Narrow solar-light response range and rapid charges recombination are the main technical barriers in TiO_(2) photocatalysis technology.To overcome these restrictions,in this work we synthesized a novel binuclear gadolinium(Ⅲ) coordination complex,[Gd_(2)(DPDB)_6(DMF)_6(H_(2)O_()2)](DPDB=[(4-dimethylamino)phenyldiazenyl] benzenesulfonate),which was used as an inorganic sensitizer for boosting the visible light-harvesting and quantum efficiency of TiO_(2) supported-reduced graphene oxide(rGO) nanocomposite.Crystal structure of [Gd_(2)(DPDB)_6(DMF)_6(H_(2)O)_(2)](Gd-CMP) was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data,which indicates three-dimensional(3D) supramolecular architecture through hydrogen bonding and CH…π_(ph) interactions.The prepared nanohybrid(Gd-CMP/TG) reveals significantly enhanced visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity for degradation of acetaminophen(ACT).The complete removal of 10 mg/L ACT is achieved over Gd-CMP/TG,and the corresponding rate constant of ACT degradation of nanohybrid is 40-fold higher than that of bare TiO_(2).In prepared ternary nanohybrid,metal-coordination sensitizer(Gd-CMP) acts as an electron donor,and at the same time,rGO serves as an electron acceptor,and the synergistic effect between them efficiently enhances charges separation and inhibits e/h pair recombination in the hybridized species.The radical scavenger tests indicate that the photo-induced O_(2)^(-·) radicals dominate ACT degradation.On the basis of the experimental results and calculated energy of electronic levels,a possible mechanism for the improved photocatalytic activity is discussed.展开更多
Airborne particulate matter(PM) with an aerodynamic size cutoff of 10 μm(PM_(10)) has been collected using a high volume air sampler at two locations(urban and residential) in the city of Ahvaz, Iran, for sixteen 24-...Airborne particulate matter(PM) with an aerodynamic size cutoff of 10 μm(PM_(10)) has been collected using a high volume air sampler at two locations(urban and residential) in the city of Ahvaz, Iran, for sixteen 24-hour periods over four months(late summer to early winter).Microplastics(MPs) in the PM were isolated after sample digestion and were subsequently characterised by established techniques. All MPs sampled(n = 322) were of a fibrous nature,with polyethylene terephthalate, nylon and polypropylene being the dominant polymers and consistent with textiles and fabrics as the principal source. Despite a distinct seasonality(temperature and wind) over the study period, the abundance, size and colour of the fibres exhibited no clear temporal trend, and no clear differences were observed between the two sites. Concentrations of MPs ranged from none detected to about 0.017/m^(3)(median = 0.0065/m^(3)) and are at the low end of ranges reported in the recent literature for various urban and remote locations. While some MPs may have a local origin, the weathering of other MPs and their acquisition of extraneous geosolids and salts suggests that long-range transport is also important. Back-trajectory calculations indicate that regional sources are mainly to the north and west of Ahvaz, but a southerly, maritime source is also possible in late autumn. Although concentrations of MPs in the atmosphere are well below those encountered in indoor air, further studies are required to elucidate their potential ecological impacts.展开更多
The used water for human consumption must be free of microorganisms and chemicals that cause risk in the human health. In this study, water quality of 18 rural area of Abarkouh was determined and compared the conventi...The used water for human consumption must be free of microorganisms and chemicals that cause risk in the human health. In this study, water quality of 18 rural area of Abarkouh was determined and compared the conventional monitoring method (According to ISIR (Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran), 1053 and 4208) and use of electronic system method (Patent in industrial property general office of Iran, 77815). Free chlorine monitoring and pH test done by health workers in the conventional method and the results will be sent to the Health Network monthly. Sampling for microbiological testing is done monthly based on population (According to ISIR, 4208). On the electronic system, the procedure is also done by health workers, but the result will be sent to the receiver device by using a cell phone. According to the chlorine test results if the free chlorine residual reported zero, microbiological sampling was done by a health expert. Finally, the number of chlorine test and microbiological sampling and the results of these experiments collected in the both methods and recorded in SPSS 22 then were analyzed by using chi-square test and Fisher exact test. The result of microbiological experiments shows that the sampling rate decreased 29% in using of electronic system method in comparison to the conventional monitoring method while the number of microbial defect detection increased 19% in drinking water networks monitoring by electronic system. Using of electronic system monitoring can reduce the rate and cost of microbiological sampling and its experiments and increase accuracy of these tests, in this way it will increase the quality and safety of drinking water in distribution network in small and dispersed rural communities.展开更多
A double stage AC/DC sequential high voltage reactor has been developed to study the decomposition of benzene in the air stream at atmospheric pressure. The removal efficiency was measured as a function of ozonation, ...A double stage AC/DC sequential high voltage reactor has been developed to study the decomposition of benzene in the air stream at atmospheric pressure. The removal efficiency was measured as a function of ozonation, flow recycling, and flow recirculation. Ozonation in the inlet, and recycling of the exhaust stream increased the removal of benzene, also with increasing of specific input energy(J l^-1) the effect of inlet flow ozonation on benzene decomposition was enhanced. The highest removal efficiency was obtained up to >99% in recirculation six times,while CO2 selectivity reached 99.9% and energy efficiency was 0.59 g kWh^-1. O3 production/decomposition > production of OH radicals > electronic and ionic collisions were indicated as the main mechanisms influencing benzene abatement in this research.展开更多
Over the past few years, the presence of steroid estrogens in the environment has become a major concern. In this study, the concentrations of estrone （El）, 17β-estradinl （E2）, and 17α-ethinyl estradiol （EE2） ...Over the past few years, the presence of steroid estrogens in the environment has become a major concern. In this study, the concentrations of estrone （El）, 17β-estradinl （E2）, and 17α-ethinyl estradiol （EE2） were measured in some wastewater treatment plants （WWTPs） in lran. These samples were collected from the municipal, rural, livestock, commercial, and hospital WWTPs, extracted by dispersive liquid-liquid micro extraction （DLLME） technique, derivatized, and detected by GC/MS. In these treatment plants, various processes including conven- tional activated sludge （CAS）, aerated lagoon （AL）, moving bed biofilm reactor （MBBR）, and activated sludge with wetland （AS ＋ WL） are used. The highest concentration of hormones was observed in the influents and effluents of livestock, municipal, commercial, and hospital WWTPs, respectively. The maximum elimination rate was obtained in MBBR followed by AS ＋ WL CAS and AL The biodegradation and adsorption rates along with adsorption coefficients of 1g kd and 1g koc were measured for all target compounds.展开更多
Objective Accumulation of estrogenic compounds and other carcinogens in normal breast tissues contributes to unpredictable breast cancer incidence during adolescence and throughout life.To assess the role of parabens ...Objective Accumulation of estrogenic compounds and other carcinogens in normal breast tissues contributes to unpredictable breast cancer incidence during adolescence and throughout life.To assess the role of parabens in this phenomenon,the paraben content of adjacent normal-malignant breast tissues is measured in women with breast cancer living in Isfahan Province,Iran.Methods Adjacent normal-malignant breast tissue samples were obtained from 53 subjects.The parabens including methyl-paraben(Me PB),ethyl-paraben(Et PB),propyl-paraben(Pr PB),and butylparaben(Bu PB)were extracted from the sample supernatant and then subjected to gas chromatography analysis.Results Some risk factors for breast cancer were stimulated by parabens in adjacent malignant-normal breast tissues among young and middle-aged women with breast cancer.We observed a significant association for dose-response pattern of Me PB[OR=98.34(11.43–185.2),P=0.027]for both ER+and PR+women and Me PB[OR=164.3(CI:112.3–216.3),P<0.001]for HER2+women than women with negative receptors.The risk of 95-fold increase in Me PB dose and 164-fold increase in∑PBs dose were significant for women with hereditary breast cancer in first-degree relatives.Conclusions These results may promote future epidemiology studies and strategies to improve women's lifestyle and consume paraben-free products.展开更多
基金the result of a research project with code 97361 approved by the Workplace Research Center of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences with the ethics code IR.RUMS.REC.1398.021 from the Vice Chancellor for Research of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciencesowed to Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences for its supports。
文摘In this study, the concentration and spatial distribution of potentially toxic metals(PTMs), including arsenic(As), cadmium(Cd), chromium(Cr), lead(Pb), copper(Cu), iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), and magnesium(Mg) in 23 wells and drinking groundwater distribution networks of Rafsanjan, located in southeast Iran were evaluated. Moreover, the assessment of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation(MCS). The results showed that the concentrations of As and Pb in more than 99% and 23.46% of the study area, respectively, were higher than the maximum concentration level(10 μg/L). The mean concentration of other metals, including Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, and Mn in all drinking water resources was within the WHO standard level. The mean hazard quotient(HQ) for As in the age group of children was 9.246 and adults 2.972, indicating high non-carcinogenic risk of As in the study area. The lifetime cancer risk(LTCR) of As was 1.36 E-3 for adults and 1.52 E-2 for children, indicating high non-carcinogenic risk of As. The level of HQ and LTCR for Pb in both age groups was in the acceptable range. The results of sensitivity analysis showed that the most effective variables were pollutant concentration and body weight(BW), respectively. Finally, it can be concluded that exposure to PTMs, especially As through drinking water in the study area can have significant effects on people’s health living in the area;therefore, it is necessary to treat and remove As from groundwater resources before drinking or using for domestic purpose.
基金supported by the Payame Noor University (PNU), Tehran, Iran
文摘Objective This study was conducted to evaluate the concentration of potentially toxic elements(PTEs)such as arsenic(As),cadmium(Cd),mercury(Hg),and lead(Pb)in fruit samples collected from Markazi Province,Iran.A probabilistic health risk assessment due to ingestion of PTEs through the consumption of these fruits was also conducted.Methods The concentration of PTEs in 90 samples of five types of fruits(n=3)collected from six geographic regions in Markazi Province was measured.The potential health risk was evaluated using a Monte Carlo simulation model.Results A significant difference was observed in the concentration of PTEs between fruits as well as soil and water samples collected from different regions in Markazi Province.The order of PTE concentration in the soil and water samples was as follows:Pb>As>Hg>Cd.Furthermore,the highest level of transfer factor for Cd and Hg correlated with the grape.The estimated daily intake for adults and children was lower than the recommended tolerable daily intake.Conclusion The population in Markazi Province,Iran,is not at considerable noncarcinogenic or carcinogenic risk due to the ingestion of PTEs through the consumption of the examined fruits.
文摘Background: Preterm labor is one of the most public health problems related to neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Poor knowledge among mothers about the care requirements of a preterm neonate is immediate cause for post-discharge medical problems in premature and neonates readmission to NICU. Hence, this study aims to evaluate mothers’ knowledge of caring for premature infants post-discharge from Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the Gaza strip. Methods: A Quantitative-based cross-sectional designs study was used to survey 120 mothers of preterm neonates at the time of preterm neonates discharge by face-to-face interview at Al-Shifa medical complex and Nasser hospital between February and June 2018. Results: The results showed that only about 58.4% of mothers of premature babies had good knowledge about health care needed for premature infants after discharge from NICU. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference between the level of knowledge and mother’s sociodemographic characteristics (P-values > 0.05). Conclusion: Mothers’ knowledge of premature infants care was not at the optimal level, which might put the newborns at risk. Therefore, the study emphasizes the necessity of thoughtful exchange of health information between team members and mothers and establishing pre- and post-discharge plans with mothers to start their healthy transition of preterm neonate to home and to ameliorate family concerns.
文摘The widespread mobile station’s antennas and the continued increase in the number of mobile phones users throughout the Gaza strip causing great panic in the population relating the debate overexposure to electromagnetic radiation EMR emitted from the antennas of mobile base stations. Therefore, this study was conducted to measure the levels of electromagnetic radiation emitted from the antennas of cellular base stations in Gaza governorate as well as to evaluate the citizen’s awareness and practices regarding potential health risks and mitigation methods of exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted from cellular base stations, respectively. Fifty cellular base stations out of 197 stations were selected depending on the criteria of selecting one site per kilometer using Global Positioning System (GPS). Electromagnetic power density, electric field strength, and the magnetic field strength emitted from cellular base stations were measured using Narda-550. Assessment tool for observation was used to collect operational information of each station. A structured questionnaire with four-level Likert rating scale was used to survey 384 mobile phone users from the areas surrounding the selected cellular base stations. The results showed that the electromagnetic radiation levels of all stations were low and less than the national and international acceptable limits. Furthermore, the awareness of participant about health risks that could result from exposure to electromagnetic radiation emitted from cellular base stations and mobile phones was low. Nevertheless, the participant’s practices in mitigating the adverse impacts of electromagnetic radiation emitted from cellular base stations and mobile phones on their health were good.
文摘Environmental impact prediction is an important step in many environmental studies. A wide variety of methods have been developed in this concern. During this study, remote sensing images were used for environmental impact prediction in Ro-batkarim area, Iran, during the years of 2005～2007. It was assumed that environmental impact could be predicted using time series satellite imageries. Natural vegetation cover was chosen as a main environmental element and a case study. Environmental impacts of the regional development on natural vegetation of the area were investigated considering the changes occurred on the extent of natural vegetation cover and the amount of biomass. Vegetation data, land use and land cover classes (as activity factors) within several years were prepared using satellite images. The amount of biomass was measured by Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) based on satellite images. The resulted biomass estimates were tested by the paired samples t-test method. No significant difference was observed between the average biomass of estimated and control samples at the 5% significance level. Finally, regression models were used for the environmental impacts prediction. All obtained regression models for prediction of impacts on natural vegetation cover show values over 0.9 for both correlation coefficient and R-squared. According to the resulted methodology, the prediction models of projects and plans impacts can also be developed for other environmental elements which may be derived using time series remote sensing images.
文摘Regulatory and technological solutions to ensure safe drinking water are not keeping up with the scope and severity of drinking water quality problems. Drinking water resources are degrading as a result of agricultural runoff, wastewater effluents, illegal dumping of chemicals, atmospheric deposition as well as algae blooms.
基金support provided by Zahedan University of Medical Sciences(Iran),making this study possible(IR.ZAUMS.REC.1401.442).
文摘A MnFe_(2)O_(4)@SiO_(2)@NH_(2)coupled with acylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes(AMWCNTS)was prepared using an easy one-step modification approach and applied for the visible light-assisted removal of ciprofloxacin(CIP).FT-IR,XRD,VSM,Raman spectrum,FE-SEM,BJH/BET,UV-Vis,and band gap analysis were used to characterize nanocomposites.In terms of CIP removal,the nanocomposites outperformed both AMWCNTS and MnFe_(2)O_(4)@SiO_(2)@NH_(2)nanoparticles.At a pH of 7,an initial CIP concentration of 25 mg·L^(-1),a reaction time of 40 min,and a catalyst dose of 0.8 g·L^(-1),all of the CIP was degraded.The ratios of BOD5/COD(5-day biological oxygen demand/chemical oxygen demand)and BOD5/TOC(5-day biological oxygen demand/total organic carbon)at the beginning of the process were 0.22 and 0.71,respectively,and reached 0.755 and 1.21 at the end of the process,which signposts the conversion of non-biodegradable wastewater into biodegradable wastewater.Scavenger studies disclosed that hydroxyl radicals and holes had the greatest effect on the degradation of CIP.The toxicity of the final effluent was also investigated with E.coli bacteria,and the results showed a very good effect of the process in the field of effluent sterilization.Equilibrium data fully followed first-order kinetics,with a reaction rate constant of 0.109 min^(-1).Also,the half-life for the complete degradation of CIP was equal to 6.8 min.The CIP removal efficiency still remained at 9.4%in the five cycles.MnFe_(2)O_(4)@SiO_(2)@NH_(2)@AMWCNTS gave a pronounced potential for eliminating CIP from aqueous environment.
文摘Ambient air pollution is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for heart failure;however,its effects on cardiac biomarkers remain unclear.This scoping review assessed the existing evidence on the association between air pollution and cardiac biomarkers in heart failure,described the key concepts,synthesized data,and identified research gaps.Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines,PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,and CNKI databases were searched for studies on air pollution,heart failure,and biomarkers.A total of 765 records were screened,and 81 full texts were assessed for eligibility,resulting in 15 studies.The results showed that the exposure to particulate matter was associated with elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and troponin levels.Several studies have linked particulate matter exposure to a higher cardiovascular risk and heart failure biomarkers.Inflammatory and oxidative stress markers were consistently elevated across studies,supporting the biological relevance of these associations.However,few studies have focused specifically on populations with heart failure or clinically relevant biomarkers,and the evidence for gaseous pollutants remains inconclusive.These findings highlight the need to integrate environmental risk assessment into heart failure care and inform policy efforts to reduce the pollutionrelated cardiovascular burden.Further research should address these gaps through improved exposure assessments and the integration of mechanistic evidence.
基金supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (Grant No. R01 CA196610 and R35 CA197222)Chinese National Key Projects (Grant No. 2008ZX10002-015, 2008ZX10002-017, 2012ZX10002009, 2018ZX10732202-001)
文摘Qidong(Jiangsu, China) has been of interest to cancer epidemiologists and biologists because, until recently, it was an endemic area for liver cancer, having amongst the highest incidence rates in the world. The establishment of the Qidong Cancer Registry together with the Qidong Liver Cancer Institute in 1972 has charted the patterns of liver cancer incidence and mortality in a stable population throughout a period of enormous economic, social, and environmental changes as well as of improvements in health care delivery. Updated incidence trends in Qidong are described. Notably, the China age-standardized incidence rate for liver cancer has dropped by over 50% in the past several decades. Molecular epidemiologic and genomic deep sequencing studies have affirmed that infection with hepatitis B virus as well as dietary exposure to aflatoxins through contamination of dietary staples such as corn, and to microcystins–blue-green algal toxins found in ditch and pond water – were likely important etiologic factors that account for the high incidence of liver cancer in this region. Public health initiatives to facilitate universal vaccination of newborns against HBV and to improve drinking water sources in this rural area, as well as economic and social mandates serendipitously facilitating dietary diversity, have led to precipitous declines in exposures to these etiologic factors, concomitantly driving substantive declines in the liver cancer incidence seen now in Qidong. In this regard, Qidong serves as a template for the global impact that a package of intervention strategies may exert on cancer burden.
文摘The presence of Hg in the aqueous media is known to cause severe health issues in both humans and animals.Many technologies and especially adsorbents have been applied for its removal. In this study, a graphene oxide–carbon composite(GO–CC) as a new adsorbent was prepared by sol gel procedure and characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, BET and EDX. The effects of different variables including solution p H, contact time, adsorbent dose and GO ratio in adsorbent matrix on the removal capacity of Hg were studied. The isotherm data correlated well with the Langmuir isotherm model. Further analysis recommended that the Hg^(2+) adsorption process is governed by the intra-particle and external mass transfer, in which the film diffusion was the rate restrictive step. The presented composite has maximum absorption capacity, q_(max) of 68.8 mg·g^(-1), which is comparable with carbon based adsorbent reported in the previous publications.
基金the financial support from Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences,Iran
文摘This study reports the successful so nochemical synthesis of novel Fe3O4/SiO2/ZnO-Pr6O11(Fe/Si/Zn-Pr6O11) nanocomposites using fructose as a green capping agent.The influence of various parameters containing capping agent,power and time of ultrasound irradiation was investigated to reach optimum morphology and size conditions.The products obtained were characterized by transmission electron microscopy(TEM),UV/Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy(DRS),Fourier transform infrared spectra(FT-IR),vibration sample magnetometer(VSM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis(EDS) and X-ray diffraction(XRD).The Fe3O4/SiO2/ZnO-Pr6O11 nanocomposites display remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity towards rhodamine b degradation(89.6%)and Congo red(84.7%) under UV irradiation compared with the other products.The results illustrate that the photocatalytic efficiency of magnetic nanocomposites is very much higher than pure Pr6O11nanostructures.Magnetic photocatalyst still has good stability after five successive runs.So,these recyclable nanocomposites can play a role in the treatment of both industrial and domestic contaminated water.
基金financially supported by the Tarbiat Modares University of Tehran。
文摘Air pollution is a major health problem in developing countries and has adverse effects on human health and the environment. Non-thermal plasma is an effective air pollution treatment technology. In this research, the performance of a dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) plasma reactor packed with glass and ceramic pellets was evaluated in the removal of SO_2 as a major air pollutant from air in ambient temperature. The response surface methodology was used to evaluate the effect of three key parameters(concentration of gas, gas flow rate, and voltage) as well as their simultaneous effects and interactions on the SO2 removal process. Reduced cubic models were derived to predict the SO_2 removal efficiency(RE) and energy yield(EY). Analysis of variance results showed that the packed-bed reactors(PBRs) studied were more energy efficient and had a high SO2 RE which was at least four times more than that of the non-packed reactor. Moreover, the results showed that the performance of ceramic pellets was better than that of glass pellets in PBRs. This may be due to the porous surface of ceramic pellets which allows the formation of microdischarges in the fine cavities of a porous surface when placed in a plasma discharge zone. The maximum SO_2 RE and EY were obtained at 94% and 0.81 g kWh^(-1),respectively under the optimal conditions of a concentration of gas of 750 ppm, a gas flow rate of 2lmin^(-1), and a voltage of 18 kV, which were achieved by the DBD plasma packed with ceramic pellets. Finally, the results of the model's predictions and the experiments showed good agreement.
文摘The aim of this study was to determine the effect of electrocoagulation technology using iron electrodes on phenol removal in aqueous solutions. The removal of phenol was investigated in terms of various parameters, namely, current density, phenol and NaCl concentration, pH, and alginic acid concentration. The results showed that the removal efficiency of phenol increased with increasing the current density, pH and NaCl concentration, whereas it was inversely associated with initial concentration of phenol and alginic acid concentration. According to the results, electrocoagulation is a promising process for treatment of wastewater containing high concentration of phenol.
基金supported by grant No.98U587 from Abadan University of Medical Sciences。
文摘Narrow solar-light response range and rapid charges recombination are the main technical barriers in TiO_(2) photocatalysis technology.To overcome these restrictions,in this work we synthesized a novel binuclear gadolinium(Ⅲ) coordination complex,[Gd_(2)(DPDB)_6(DMF)_6(H_(2)O_()2)](DPDB=[(4-dimethylamino)phenyldiazenyl] benzenesulfonate),which was used as an inorganic sensitizer for boosting the visible light-harvesting and quantum efficiency of TiO_(2) supported-reduced graphene oxide(rGO) nanocomposite.Crystal structure of [Gd_(2)(DPDB)_6(DMF)_6(H_(2)O)_(2)](Gd-CMP) was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data,which indicates three-dimensional(3D) supramolecular architecture through hydrogen bonding and CH…π_(ph) interactions.The prepared nanohybrid(Gd-CMP/TG) reveals significantly enhanced visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity for degradation of acetaminophen(ACT).The complete removal of 10 mg/L ACT is achieved over Gd-CMP/TG,and the corresponding rate constant of ACT degradation of nanohybrid is 40-fold higher than that of bare TiO_(2).In prepared ternary nanohybrid,metal-coordination sensitizer(Gd-CMP) acts as an electron donor,and at the same time,rGO serves as an electron acceptor,and the synergistic effect between them efficiently enhances charges separation and inhibits e/h pair recombination in the hybridized species.The radical scavenger tests indicate that the photo-induced O_(2)^(-·) radicals dominate ACT degradation.On the basis of the experimental results and calculated energy of electronic levels,a possible mechanism for the improved photocatalytic activity is discussed.
文摘Airborne particulate matter(PM) with an aerodynamic size cutoff of 10 μm(PM_(10)) has been collected using a high volume air sampler at two locations(urban and residential) in the city of Ahvaz, Iran, for sixteen 24-hour periods over four months(late summer to early winter).Microplastics(MPs) in the PM were isolated after sample digestion and were subsequently characterised by established techniques. All MPs sampled(n = 322) were of a fibrous nature,with polyethylene terephthalate, nylon and polypropylene being the dominant polymers and consistent with textiles and fabrics as the principal source. Despite a distinct seasonality(temperature and wind) over the study period, the abundance, size and colour of the fibres exhibited no clear temporal trend, and no clear differences were observed between the two sites. Concentrations of MPs ranged from none detected to about 0.017/m^(3)(median = 0.0065/m^(3)) and are at the low end of ranges reported in the recent literature for various urban and remote locations. While some MPs may have a local origin, the weathering of other MPs and their acquisition of extraneous geosolids and salts suggests that long-range transport is also important. Back-trajectory calculations indicate that regional sources are mainly to the north and west of Ahvaz, but a southerly, maritime source is also possible in late autumn. Although concentrations of MPs in the atmosphere are well below those encountered in indoor air, further studies are required to elucidate their potential ecological impacts.
文摘The used water for human consumption must be free of microorganisms and chemicals that cause risk in the human health. In this study, water quality of 18 rural area of Abarkouh was determined and compared the conventional monitoring method (According to ISIR (Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran), 1053 and 4208) and use of electronic system method (Patent in industrial property general office of Iran, 77815). Free chlorine monitoring and pH test done by health workers in the conventional method and the results will be sent to the Health Network monthly. Sampling for microbiological testing is done monthly based on population (According to ISIR, 4208). On the electronic system, the procedure is also done by health workers, but the result will be sent to the receiver device by using a cell phone. According to the chlorine test results if the free chlorine residual reported zero, microbiological sampling was done by a health expert. Finally, the number of chlorine test and microbiological sampling and the results of these experiments collected in the both methods and recorded in SPSS 22 then were analyzed by using chi-square test and Fisher exact test. The result of microbiological experiments shows that the sampling rate decreased 29% in using of electronic system method in comparison to the conventional monitoring method while the number of microbial defect detection increased 19% in drinking water networks monitoring by electronic system. Using of electronic system monitoring can reduce the rate and cost of microbiological sampling and its experiments and increase accuracy of these tests, in this way it will increase the quality and safety of drinking water in distribution network in small and dispersed rural communities.
文摘A double stage AC/DC sequential high voltage reactor has been developed to study the decomposition of benzene in the air stream at atmospheric pressure. The removal efficiency was measured as a function of ozonation, flow recycling, and flow recirculation. Ozonation in the inlet, and recycling of the exhaust stream increased the removal of benzene, also with increasing of specific input energy(J l^-1) the effect of inlet flow ozonation on benzene decomposition was enhanced. The highest removal efficiency was obtained up to >99% in recirculation six times,while CO2 selectivity reached 99.9% and energy efficiency was 0.59 g kWh^-1. O3 production/decomposition > production of OH radicals > electronic and ionic collisions were indicated as the main mechanisms influencing benzene abatement in this research.
基金the Vice Chancellery of Research of IUMS for their financial support of the Research Project # 394774
文摘Over the past few years, the presence of steroid estrogens in the environment has become a major concern. In this study, the concentrations of estrone （El）, 17β-estradinl （E2）, and 17α-ethinyl estradiol （EE2） were measured in some wastewater treatment plants （WWTPs） in lran. These samples were collected from the municipal, rural, livestock, commercial, and hospital WWTPs, extracted by dispersive liquid-liquid micro extraction （DLLME） technique, derivatized, and detected by GC/MS. In these treatment plants, various processes including conven- tional activated sludge （CAS）, aerated lagoon （AL）, moving bed biofilm reactor （MBBR）, and activated sludge with wetland （AS ＋ WL） are used. The highest concentration of hormones was observed in the influents and effluents of livestock, municipal, commercial, and hospital WWTPs, respectively. The maximum elimination rate was obtained in MBBR followed by AS ＋ WL CAS and AL The biodegradation and adsorption rates along with adsorption coefficients of 1g kd and 1g koc were measured for all target compounds.
基金funded by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences,Isfahan,Iran [Research Project code:397158]
文摘Objective Accumulation of estrogenic compounds and other carcinogens in normal breast tissues contributes to unpredictable breast cancer incidence during adolescence and throughout life.To assess the role of parabens in this phenomenon,the paraben content of adjacent normal-malignant breast tissues is measured in women with breast cancer living in Isfahan Province,Iran.Methods Adjacent normal-malignant breast tissue samples were obtained from 53 subjects.The parabens including methyl-paraben(Me PB),ethyl-paraben(Et PB),propyl-paraben(Pr PB),and butylparaben(Bu PB)were extracted from the sample supernatant and then subjected to gas chromatography analysis.Results Some risk factors for breast cancer were stimulated by parabens in adjacent malignant-normal breast tissues among young and middle-aged women with breast cancer.We observed a significant association for dose-response pattern of Me PB[OR=98.34(11.43–185.2),P=0.027]for both ER+and PR+women and Me PB[OR=164.3(CI:112.3–216.3),P<0.001]for HER2+women than women with negative receptors.The risk of 95-fold increase in Me PB dose and 164-fold increase in∑PBs dose were significant for women with hereditary breast cancer in first-degree relatives.Conclusions These results may promote future epidemiology studies and strategies to improve women's lifestyle and consume paraben-free products.
