hourieh fallah

Heavy metals (HMs) in the environment threaten food safety and human health. In this study, the health risks of HMs caused by the consumption of commonly consumed vegetables in the central part of Mazandaran province were evaluated.

In this study, 42 vegetable samples were analyzed for concentration of HMs, and estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotients (THQ), hazard index (HI), and target carcinogenic risk (TCR) were calculated.

The mean content of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn) in the studied areas were obtained 28.45, 0.26, and 79.20 mg/kg, respectively. The concentration of Pb, Cd, and Zn in the studied vegetables was found to be 1.76 ± 0.2, 0.09 ± 0.07, and 11.53 ± 1.20 mg/kg, respectively. The EDI average of Pb, Cd, and Zn in adults was 0.0064, 0.0003, and 0.0412 mg/kg day−1; and in children were 0.0099, 0.0005, and 0.0686 mg/kg day−1, respectively. The present study showed that the THQ for Pb in all vegetables consumed by children faces much higher risks than adults. The TCR for Pb in total vegetables was less than 10-4 and for Cd was identified as more than 10-4 in some vegetables in the adults and the children’s population.

The concentration of Cd and Zn in the soil and related vegetables is less than the permissible limit, but the amount of Pb in the vegetables is higher than the permissible limit. Therefore, continuous care and monitoring of agricultural soils in these areas, such as the proper use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and treated wastewater sludge, is necessary.

Leachate contains toxic and non-biodegradable substances that are not easily treated by conventional treatment methods. This study investigated the effect of pH, current density, and reaction time parameters on the removal of cyanide (CN-), nitrate (NO3-), turbidity, and chemical oxygen
demand (COD) from leachate by electrocoagulation process.

This study was an experimental one with direct current using four parallel bipolar aluminum electrodes with 90% purity. The length, width, and thickness of the electrodes were 5 cm, 10 cm, and 2 mm, respectively. There were 6 holes with a diameter of 0.7 cm on each of the electrodes. The samples were prepared from the old leachate of solid waste landfill in Ghaemshahr, Iran.

In this study, at a current density of 33 mA/cm2 and a time of 60 minutes, the optimum removal efficiency of cyanide (100 %) was obtained at pH 5.5 and pH 10. Moreover, the maximum removal of nitrate (99.65 %) and turbidity (86.41 %) were at pH 5.5 and pH 8.3, respectively and the highest removal efficiency of COD (83.14 %) was obtained at pH 10.

The results showed that the removal of cyanide, nitrate, turbidity, and COD increases with increasing current density and reaction time. Due to the proper removal of nitrate and cyanide from leachate by electrocoagulation, nitrate and cyanide amounts were less than the allowable contamination level. Based on the results, electrocoagulation is considered an efficient and effective method for removing nitrate and cyanide from old leachate of municipal solid wastes.

Nowadays, uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture is one of the reasons for the entry of heavy metals into the environment. In this study, the heavy metals contamination of the soils enriched with compost and chemical fertilizers in the North of Iran and its ecological risk assessment
were evaluated.

In this study, 108 soil samples were collected from agricultural soils of some places of Babol in Mazandaran province. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer (PG-990) was used to determine the concentrations of lead, cadmium, and zinc in the soil samples. The assessment of soil contamination was performed by the contamination factor, degree of contamination indices, and the potential ecological risk of the heavy metals. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive and chi-square tests were used to compare the mean with existing standards. Significant level was considered at P < 0.05.

The highest lead concentration (35.7 ± 9.5 mg/kg) was observed at 5-cm depth, and the maximum cadmium (1.1 ± 0.2 mg/kg) and zinc (88 ± 22.6 mg/kg) concentrations were observed at 15-cm depth. The results showed that lead, cadmium, and zinc concentrations in the agricultural soils enriched with compost fertilizers were acceptable, but agricultural soils enriched with chemical fertilizers indicated higher content than those enriched with compost fertilizers and higher than the maximum allowable concentration. The maximum contamination degree, pollution index, and potential ecological risk in the agricultural soils enriched with the chemical fertilizers were 15.77, 1.97, and 293.48, respectively, and these soils had low potential pollution and moderate ecological risks.

According to the results, it is necessary to use compost fertilizers for the agricultural soils enrichment.

Background & One of the major factors in the quality of drinking water is corrosion and scaling. The aim of the present study was to evaluate corrosion and scaling potential of drinking water supply network in Juybar (A city in Iran).
60 samples of drinking water in distribution network were collected randomly in summer and autumn seasons and transferred into laboratory. Some parameters including temperature, TDS, pH, total alkalinity and hardness and calcium hardness were measured based on the standard methods. The corrosion and scaling potential of water have been evaluated by Langelier, Ryznar, Puckorius and aggressive indices. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
The mean values of pH, TDS, total alkalinity and calcium hardness in summer were 7.6, 637.5, 300, and 120 mg/l, respectively; and in autumn were 7.5, 646.5, 301, and 118 mg/l, respectively. The Langelier index in summer and autumn were 0.57 and 0.5, respectively, which showed that water had a potential for scaling. The Ryznar index in summer and autumn were 6.42 and 6.53, respectively indicating that water samples had neither scaling, nor corrosive potential. The Puckorius index in water samples was also determined to be 5.83 and 5.92 in summer and autumn, respectively, which showed that the samples were depositing water. Based on the aggressive index, the water samples in summer and autumn were 12.65 and 12.59, respectively, showing that water was mild scaling.
This study showed that the drinking water of Juybar city has tendency to scaling.

Background & Aims of the Study: Corrosion and scaling play undesirable effects on transmission and distribution system of drinking water. The aim of this study was to assess the corrosion and scaling potential of drinking water resources in Babol city, Iran.
Totally, 54 water samples were collected from 27 wells in spring and autumn. Calcium hardness, pH, total alkalinity, total dissolved solids, and temperature were measured, using standard methods. The Langelier, Rayzner, Puckhorius, Larson and aggressive indices were calculated and data were analyzed by SPSS 19. To compare the mean values of each index, the results were analyzed using t-test.
The range of temperature, pH, TDS, total alkalinity and calcium hardness were 16-24°c; 6.8-7.89; 445-1331 mg/l; 322.9-396 mg/l and 250.50-490 mg/l, respectively. The mean of Langelier and Ryznar indices in drinking water samples in spring and autumn was 0.14, 0.15; 7.28 and 7.35, respectively. The mean of Puckhorius and Larson indices in these seasons was 11.9, 11.95 and 0.95 and 0.93, respectively. The mean of aggressive index was 6.17 and 6.27, respectively. Overall, 82.2%, 100%, 94.6%, 100% and 85.7% of water samples were corrosive based on the Langelier, Ryznar, Puckhorius, Larson and aggressive indices, respectively.
According to these results, drinking water of Babol city has corrosion potential. Therefore, the water quality should be controlled based on pH, alkalinity and hardness parameters, along with the use of corrosion resisting materials and pipes in drinking water distribution systems.

Disposal of hospital wates is a significant environemtal concerns, particularly in develoing regions of the world. Addressing this challenge relies on availability of detailed data on the current status of wate management. Mazandaran Province is located in southern coast of the Caspian Sea and thus its environmental status may directly influence the environment of this Sea. The present study aimed to characterize the situation of hospital solid wate management in this province.
The solid waste management of 40 hospitals of various types were surveyed. Data were collected by a researcher-made questionnaire and summarized using descriptive statistical methods.
Findings: Mean per capita of infectious, general, sharp, and total wastes, was fround to be 0.95, 1.59, 0.06, and 2.61 kg/bed/day, respectively. A total of 36.1% of all waste is hazardous waste (infectious and sharp wastes). The distance between the temporary place of waste and the nearest hospital ward is 100 m in 20% of the hospitals. This time of wast residence is A large volume of the total hospital waste is hazardous waste. Desposal of waste in more than half of the hospitals take one day or more. The environmental and health risk associated with this situation calls for appropriate measures. More than half of the surveyed hospitals treat their wast by incineration which may release considerable amounts of air pluants. Equipping these hospitals with autoclave and hydro-clave devices is thus significant to protection of the environment.

Considering the importance of medical waste recognition by health centers staffs and its role on maintenance and improvement of social and environmental health, this study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of hospital staffs regarding to medical waste management. Instrument & The current descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional research was carried out on the staffs of the Ayatollah Rohani Hospital of Babol City, Iran, in 2013. 130 employees were selected by stratified sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire (accessible as an attachment) containing 4 parts of demographic information, knowledge (15 questions), attitude (6 questions) and practices (6 questions) was used for data gathering. The data was analyzed by SPSS 17 software using Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The participants mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were 10.7±1.6 (out of 15), 5.5±0.8 (out of 6), and 4.5±1.5 (out of 6), respectively. 12% (16 people) of the participants had low, 72% (93 people) of the participants had medium, and 16% (21 people) of them had high knowledge toward hospital waste management. 16% (21 people) of the participants had medium and 84% (109 people) of them had high attitude toward hospital waste management. 4% (5 people), 46% (60 people) and 50% (65 people) of the participants had low, medium and high practice, respectively. The level of knowledge, attitude and practice of the Ayatollah Rohani Hospital of Babol City, Iran, regarding hospital waste management is acceptable.

Wastewater effluent in hospitals has been increasing during the recent decades due to developments in medical services and products.. This study aimed to investigate the qualitative parameters of effluent wastewater in hospitals affiliated to Babol University of Medical Sciences (BUMS).. Four hospitals were included and their wastewater effluent was studied. Ninety-six composited samples were collected and sent to the laboratory for determining pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorous (TP), heavy metals, total coliforms (TC) and total heterotrophic bacteria counts (THBC) based on standard methods.. Mean ± SD pH of the wastewater was 7.6 ± 0.4. Mean ± SD BOD5, COD, TSS, TKN and TP were 372 ± 173 mg/L, 687 ± 231 mg/L, 289 ± 132 mg/L and 15 ± 5.5 mg/L, respectively. Mean concentration of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Ni, Co, Hg, Fe and Cu were 26.5 (g/L), 2 (g/L), 429 (g/L), 34 (g/L), 30 (g/L), 3.7 (g/L), 7.5 (g/L), 2.1 mg/L and 49 (g/L), respectively. The total coliforms and heterotrophic bacteria were 5.4 × 108 MPN/100 mL and 2.6 × 1010 CFU/mL, respectively. Total wastewater quantity and its organic loading rate were 169 263 m3 and 62 966 kg in a year, respectively.. Most of the qualitative indices evaluated in wastewater effluent of hospitals of BUMS were higher than effluent discharge standards of Iran Environment Protection Agency (IEPA). These wastewaters are usually purified improperly by wastewater treatment plants of these hospitals and polluted effluents which empty to the Babol Rood River and Caspian Sea can potentially endanger public health, natural resources and wildlife..

Background and It is extremely important to recognize the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of this type of waste before any planning on them due to the lack of the prepared program in the field of household hazardous waste (HHW) management in the country. This research has been done in Babol, Iran, in order to achieve this important goal. The cross-sectional study was carried out on the basis of cluster samplingamong150families of Amirkola, Iran, to determine the per capita and percentage of different types of HHW. Training items in the form of pamphlets and special disposal bags were given to the families for being familiar with the types of waste and collection the waste, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of SPSS version19 and to signify of mean data was used with one-way analysis of variance. Average production of HHW was 75.6 kg a day, which contained almost 0.3% of municipal waste. The most important types of hazardous waste, including cleaners (60%), drugs (15.5%), toxic materials and chemicals (9.5%), electronics (8%), cosmetics (6.5%), sharp objects (1%), and pesticides (0.5%). This study showed that a high percentage of the amount of hazardous waste was allocated to the cleaners and medicines respectively. In this respect, the families were trained in order to reduce HHW in the source, to separate and recycle them. Moreover, it is also recommended to collect, transport and dispose of in accordance with health regulations.

Increase in pollution and growth of technology result in high material production and increase in the amount of solid wastes.. This research aimed at investigating the quality and quantity of municipal solid wastes in Babolsar city.. This study was a descriptive and cross-sectional that investigated quality and quantity of household and hospital solid wastes. Generation rate was determined and physical analysis was performed for solid waste samples collected from many places during 3 consecutive days of one week.. Mean generation rate of household solid wastes was 73608 ± 7483 kg per day and generation rate per person in one day was 1.2 kg. Average of total solid wastes, including general and infectious solid wastes, and sharps were 1.2 and 1.1 and 0.03 kg for each hospital bed in one day, respectively. The weight percentages of food waste, plastic, paper, glass, metals, textiles and other materials of household and hospital solid wastes were 69.3% and 45.3%, 7.8% and 11.6%, 9.4% and 13.6%, 3.3% and 6.9%, 3.5% and 6.2%, 3% and 6.7% and 3.7% and 8.3%, respectively. Means of weight percentage of plastic, textiles, paper, glass, metals and sharp objects in the infectious solid wastes were 37 %, 22 %, 16.5%, 4.48%, 12%, 7.5% and 5.1% respectively.. Considering the weight percentage of food wastes (70%), solid wastes of Babolsar city could be used for composting. Also as large quantities of infectious wastes were produced by hospitals of Babolsar, it is recommended that sterilization systems (Hydroclave) be used for decontamination of these hazardous wastes..