فصلنامه محیط شناسی
سال سی و هفتم شماره 3 (پیاپی 59، پاییز 1390)

The major sources of PAHs are anthropogenic. These may be generated by pyrolytic and petrogenic processes. Low molecular weight PAHs come into the aquatic system through the accidentally leakage of oil spills. Incomplete combustion at high temperature will release high molecular weight PAHs by products of pyrolytic processes. The methods for assigning sources of PAHs include paired isomeric ratios. In this study, the ratios of Low Molecular Weight/High Molecular Weight, Phenanthrene /Anthracene, Fluoranthene/pyrene and Benzo(a)anthracene/Chrysene were used to recognize the sources of PAHs. So in October 2009, 3 locations were selected from Mousa Inlet in the Persian Gulf (Jafari, Ghanam and Ahmadi). Sampling of sea water, phytoplanktons, zooplanktons, and two types of fish, mullet (Liza abu), and sea bream (Acanthopagrus latus) were done. Samples were analysed by High Performance Liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with UV detector. The ratios showed that PAHs in this area originated from both pyrolytic and petrogenic inputs, predominantly from pyrolytic origin.

The present work has been performed to eliminate sewage dry sludge of Alborze city wastewater treatment plant by using them as fine aggregate in concrete. On this basis, at first the selected dry sludge was analyzed for XRD and XRF for crystalline phases and chemical composition, respectively. The results showed that more than 50% of the sludge is formed of SiO2 and it had more than 20% organic materials. The presence of organic materials can potentially decrease the performance of concrte, so, the dry sludge exposed to heating process. The crystalline phases of the sludge were evaluated after heating using XRF analysis. The results revealed the remove of organic materials and some changes in crystalline phases. Due to changes in crystals, formation of pozzolanic activity was measured using TGA analysis. To study the effects of dry sludge on concrete mechanical properties (compressive strength) two mix designs with water to cement ratios of 0.55 and 0.45 was produced. The sludge amount used in concrete was 0, 5, 10, 20 and 30%. The compressive strength was studied as an important factor in durability studies. Results showed that 90 days cured specimens containing 5, 10 and 20% dry sludge had 4, 8 and 22% decrease in compressive strength in comparison to control specimens.

Ammonia (NH3) and nitrite (NO2) toxic chemicals which resulted from fish culture, especially in intensive fish culture systems. To evaluate the efficiency of green algae Scenedesmus quadricauda in ammonia and nitrite removal from intensive fish farm effluent and also its application as suitable culture medium for S. quadricauda, effluent water samples were collected from rainbow trout farm. Six different treatments including diluted effluent with and without BBM, raw effluent with and without BBM, and concentrated effluent with and without BBM were prepared from fish farm effluent as culture medium for S. quadricauda. Results showed that S. quadricauda could growth and reproduce well in examined treatments of fish farm effluent and ammonia and nitrite rates decreased in high levels (approximately 90 %).The maximum obtained biomass (0.99 g/L), number of algal cell (90.4 x 105 cell/mL), chlorophyll a (2.89 mg/L), removal percentage of ammonia (89.57 %) and nitrite (89.53 %) were obtained in diluted effluent with BBM (L+BBM).On the base of results of this research it seems that this algae could be used for ammonia and nitrite removal as well as algal biomass production for treatment of fish farm effluent before entering to natural environment. In addition, fish farm effluent could be used as suitable medium for algal mass culture.

Due to extension of human life consumer, groundwater resources in recent decades have been increasingly intruded by contaminants. Nowadays, the great challenges facing engineers and experts are groundwater protection against contamination inputs and reduction of specific pollutants of these resources. Therefore, monitoring and evaluation of aquifer with a view to quantity and quality can play a significant role for preservation and management of water resources. The Sia-Mansoor aquifer that is located between Dez and Galal –e-Konak Rivers in the east of Dezful city is one such area where looked to be susceptible to pollution. With attention to industry, agriculture and biologic pollutants in the area, the Sia-Mansor aquifer was evaluated to identify its probable contamination. Therefore, 16 samples from drinking and agricultural wells and 6 samples from surface waters in wet and dry seasons were collected. The concentration of major ions (Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+, HCO3, SO4-2 and Cl-), were measured and total coli form, fecal coli form and bacteria such as salmonella paratyphoid, shigella dysenteries, proteus valgaris, campylobacter jejuni, staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus epidermis, entrobacter, citrobacter, E.coli, rota and entero virus were also detected. The results indicated that in adjacent to Ajirob stream (west of the area) quality of groundwater is better with respect to other parts and at present the area is not facing nitrate problem. But the outcome of investigation has depicted intensive bacteria contamination of the area and at least in each sampling station one bacterial contamination was found. The main factors for aquifer contamination include: 1) vicinity of exploitation wells to toilet wells, 2) villages swage output and 3) animal manure. It is to be noted that high vulnerability potential of the aqufer facilitates contamination problem.

We investigated the environmental impact of trout farm discharge on Zayandeh-Rud River. Three farms with different production capacities; 250, 25 and 70 tones were assigned to this study. Five sampling sites were designated to each farm. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected in autumn, winter, and spring using the quantitative techniques. A total of 11 classes, 16 orders and 53 familie's of macroinvertebrates were identified. Information on macroinvertebrates of each site was used to calculate the biological monitoring working party (BMWP). BMWP index was significantly (p < 0.01) low at farm effluents especially when the production capacity was high. At these locations, abundance of tolerant taxa (e.g. Chironomidae, Simulidae, Oligochaeta families) increased, but sensitive taxa (Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera) declined in number. The BMWP index values were closely related to production rate and the lowest values (6.03±1.17) was recorded at the farm with the highest production. Although, BMWP index at site 50 m after the outfall showed low or no recovery of water quality and community structure, however, at site 1 km after the outfall BMWP values exhibited a partial downstream spatial recovery of community structure so that no significant difference with upstream site was observed. We concluded that self-purification capacity and the high water flow of the river dilutes effluents so that biotic index showed no alarming condition at the farthest downstream station.

City parks play an important role in the welfare of metropolitan people. Higher species richness of birds can be considered as a reflection of the health of the park and may satisfy visitors to a higher extent being in a more natural environment. We studied the influence of area and shape of city parks on bird species richness and diversity. 13 parks from among the 35 main city parks in Isfahan were randomly selected and within each park bird species richness and abundance were quantified. 24 species of birds were identified within the studied parks. House sparrow Passer domesticus and carrion crow Corvus corone constituted 62% and 21% of the observed species respectively and were observed in all the studied parks. Barn swallows Hirundo rustica (4.2%); Raven Corvus corax (3.6%), laughing dove Streptopelia senegalensis (2.2%) and Magpie Pica pica (1.8%) were also relatively abundant. We also examined the effect of park crowdedness on bird species richness. A significant positive association between bird species richness and area of the parks was obtained, while the relationship of the park edge with bird species richness was significantly negative. The impact of disturbance on bird species richness was significantly negative. These findings have management implications for attracting more bird species to city park particularly at the planning stage.

This study is based on a survey for study the importance of Ghale Shadab Prohibited Hunting Area (GSPHA), 3o km north of Dezful in Khuzestan Province, in perspective of stakeholders with emphasis on tourism. All of the stakeholders divided in three group including tourists, local communities and organizations. A total of 750 respondents were interviewed representing different socio-economic and occupational groups. The respondents were selected randomly to avoid serious bias. Descriptive statistics were derived to summarize the property of the dataset; while analytical methods (correlation and chi-squared test) were used to analyze the data and test their differences (at 95% level of significance).The results revealed that the tourists are varied with age, sex, education, culture and occupation. The visitors belonged to more than 21 provinces of Iran country. Lake of Dez Dam, rivers and springs beauty, wilderness region and wildlife, Shadab historical castle and living methods of local communities were important factors of attraction of tourists. The majority of local communities believed that their dependence to GSPHA is high and very high. Also, more than 90% of stakeholders believed that conservation of environment and wildlife in the GSPHA is very important for them. The majority of the stakeholders (94 %<) told that using of this region should be base on a sustainable use. Environmental Education was most important method of environment conservation according to the majority (85 %<) of stakeholders.

This study was carried out in Sorkhdeh rangeland in Semnan province in order to determine the ecological species groups and their relationships with environmental factors as a tool for better management. Vegetation sampling was performed in 230 plots under equal random classification method and soil samples were taken in 0-15 depth. Climatic and topographic data were extracted by overlaying sampling locations maps on maps of topographic and climatic variables. In vegetation 15 sub-communities were identified using cluster analysis. Effect of environmental factors on vegetation sub-communities was determined using unbalanced ANOVA. Then environmental factors with significant effect were compared by Duncan method. Except percentage of relative moisture, total of studied environmental factors consist of EC, pH, CaCO3, Organic Carbon, P, N and percentage of clay, silt and sand, annual average of precipitation, annual average of temperature and annual average of relative humidity, aspect, slope and elevation had significant effect on vegetation. In total the studied environmental factors were able to distinguish the ecological species groups in the study area.

Selection cutting using skidding system often causes physical damage to residual stand through felling and skidding resulting decline of bole quality and tree value. This research evaluated logging damage using skidding system on residual trees and stand regeneration in uneven aged hardwood forest of Asalem, were selection cutting was practiced. In this regard, systematic sampling method was used and also 30 round shaped sample plots with 1000m2 area were collected in parcel 238 (34 ha.) of district 2 Nav watershed. Characteristics of trees and stand regeneration (species, dbh, growing stage, safe, damaged and destroyed) and trees bole wounds (location, intensity and size) were measured in sample plots. Results showed cutting and extracting of 7.5 trees per hectare 14.1% of residual trees were damaged and 0.63% of those were destroyed. So, about 5.6 percent of stand regeneration were damaged and 8 percent were destroyed. Diameter at breast height in destroyed trees was lower than 22.5 cm and most of those observed in 10 cm diameter class. 29% of wounds were occurred on the crown area, 60% on the bole and 11% on the both crown and bole. More of wounds on the bole of trees were occurred with superficial intensity, size of >50 cm2 and lower than 1m from ground. Reforming of cutting, winching and skidding methods of signed trees can be reducing logging damages on remaining stand.

Tehran has been facing water shortage challenge for decades and it has not hesitated to exploit neighboring watersheds. Rising demand and limited resources might make water crisis a strong possibility in the near future. An accurate and applied analysis of Tehran's urban water system (UWS) would be the first step to be taken to prevent such a crisis. This research is an effort to make an assessment of different aspects of urban water systems and to determine sustainability level of Tehran's UWS, based on the concept of “sustainable urban development” as a new viewpoint in urban development. A systematic analysis of sustainability of the system with a series of quantitative and qualitative criteria and corresponding indices thereof is necessary to assess sustainability level of Tehran's UWS as a whole and as distinct basins. A basic definition of sustainable urban water system is proposed, which is used along with index study in sustainable development and expert-suggested criteria to establish a set of sustainability assessment criteria. A combination of analytic hierarchy processes and Likert scale is, then, used to analyse the data collected through matrices and questionnaires. A series of indices are used to increase compatibility of the matrices or to control accuracy of expert's opinion. The analysis shows the absolute hierarchical weight of Tehran's UWS to be 0.592 (of 1), i.e. Tehran's UWS is in semi-sustainable state.

Life quality of all people in society has been the ultimate aim of development programs, thus, the present research deals with the spatial analysis and evaluation of inductor of development in township of Fars provinces. The quantitative- analytical method has been used in this research. The statistical society of the research included 24 township of Fars provinces in 1385 and 43inductor were under investigation. The result of using factor analysis technique has been the decrease of 43 variables to 6 final factor, this 6 factors explain and interprere 73.060 percent of variance. Due to a combination of indicators that factor scores obtained level scheme of Fars province has embarked on five levels, respectively, which include: Very Developed level: township of Shiraz; Developed level: Khrmbyd, Abadeh and Arsanjan; Partly developed level: Sepidan, Lamerd, Mamasani, Eghlid and Bavanat; Less developed level: Khonj, Lar, Jahrom and Estahban; Deprived level: Neyriz, Firouzabad, Kazeroun, Mehr, darab, Pasargadae, Fasa, Marvdasht, Ghir and karzyn, Frashbnd and zarin dasht. The results show that graded status indicators examined in the survey counties Persian has had inequality and imbalance. And consequently the city of Shiraz because of its excellence in the province of political centralism in the different dimensions of economic, social, cultural, etc. Consequently the result of using cluster analysis technique has been the grouping of township in Fars province into 5 homogeneous groups. Finally, the development level of each the cities for the planning, Strategies of development indicators are presented.

Nowadays, Sustainable Development (SD) has become one of the most important paradigms of the contemporary societies and all programs in various disciplines should coordinate their aims and approaches with its principles. But determining the degree of sustainability in different contexts has been one of the more challenging issues. According to the relative nature of sustainability, evaluation of sustainability needs to a set of Sustainable Development Indicators (SDIs) in order to achieving more realistic judgment. Preparing this set of indicators is one of the best methods of environmental assessment, which their comparison helps us to evaluate the actual situation and/or future's one. In this paper, after effectuating the above mentioned step on a residential apartmentin Isfahan through HQE® method, a set of indicators in two categories containing four groups of fourteen objectives are defined and then investigated. The results showed that only in the group of hygienic objectives the building reach hardly the note over the average and concerning other three groups of indicators the note is not satisfying. This type of evaluation firstly increases our awareness and sensitivity about the existing projects and helps us considerably to understand and analyze the actual situation. This is also a very important factor for any future intervention according to our objectives and aims.

Increasing urban network has both positive (accessibility) and negative (air pollution) impacts. In this research air quality is chosen as key elements with respect to their critical roles in quality of life and urban health. The overall objective of this study is to develop a mathematical model to plan appropriate locations for residential land uses and urban transportation network development to address one issue- air quality. Arak, a developing city in Iran has been chosen as a case study. Methodology of this study helps to select suitable sites for development of urban transportation network and residential zones. GIS as a powerful tool is applied for layers overlaying and interpretation of several scenarios. The results show the mathematical model, with acceptable accuracy, can be applied for the establishment of urban transportation network in proportion to residential zones. Based on the suitability maps, approximately around all main roads, there are non-suitable residential zones located in potential polluted areas. It will be dangerous for human health of residents. This research has successfully managed development of a scientific approach for current and future model development that can be employed in transportation planning and residential land use suitability assessment at both the local and national structure plan levels.

In many developing countries like Iran, priority of economic issues to environmental issues, have caused ignoring the environmental cost in making the policies. In the present study, effort has been given to use the economical- environmental input - output technique to intervention strategies to environmental considerations during the trade policy of export development. Therefore the amount of the five types of air pollutants gas (CO2. SPM, CH, NOX, SO2) in the eighteen economic sector and common input- output data tables of the last data table in this area in the country, have been used. Research findings show the negative consequences on the environment caused by expanding exports in services, commerce, agriculture, food industry, wood and paper industry and construction sectors, are less than their positive economic consequences. The pollution to value added per capita and pollution to employment per capita in these sectors are less than other production sectors. The electricity is the least efficient sector in providing the simultaneously economic and environmental aims during the export sectoral development. Due to direct pollutant nature of the electricity sector and its role in indirect pollutant production in other sectors, the use of alternative clean fuel such as renewable energies and changing the production style have been recommended.

Iran with 2500 years ancient culture has been the witness of many changes during the history.The natural context of these habitats has been the victim of some changes during the years, which have roots in people beliefs in each period. But the point which we understand by studding the context of different cultures in Iran is, despite the changes in dominions and religions along the history Iran has a long history in sanctify natural elements which in some points as result of this sacredness many special species, watersheds, landscapes has been protected and it is still valuable to natives. this landscapes are highly valuable in ecological prospects and various in physical features, they still keep their physical elements and original shape and they have a great role in maintain landscape mosaic. One of these landscapes is Seydan, a Marvdasht region in Fars province which is very rich in all of spoken aspects. From another side the remainders of ancient Achaemanian culture like fire altar and some parts of a palace from that period of time made this aria into special landscape with many sentimental and sacred characteristic down the ages.The methods of this study are research in sacred meanings in conjunction with natural landscape; regenerate it in historical documents, chasing it in taboos with interviewing the natives. Physical and natural characteristics had been studied at the same time with satellite processed data and aerial photos. As result of these two processes is a holistic view which causes finding the connections and conjunction of cultural and natural contexts.