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Abstract There is an increasing concern about the health effects of exposure to a mixture of pollutants. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between serum levels of heavy/essential metals ([Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), and Zinc (Zn)]) and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Data were collected from 450 participants (150 with CVDs, 150 with T2D, and 150 healthy subjects) randomly selected from the Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort in Western Iran, covering the years 2018–2023. Trace element levels in the serum samples were assayed using ICP-MS. Logistic regression was performed to estimate the adjusted risk of exposure to single and multi-metals and CVD/T2D. Odds ratios were adjusted for age, sex, education, residential areas, hypertension, and BMI. The mixture effect of exposure to multi-metals and CVD/T2D was obtained using Quantile G-computation (QGC). In the logistic regression model, chromium, nickel, and zinc levels were associated with CVD, and significant trends were observed for these chemical quartiles (P

Microplastics (MPs) pollution represents a nascent environmental contaminant that has recently infiltrated human life and the food chain. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the presence of MPs in different brands of Iranian sausages. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of MPs particles were conducted using stereo- and fluorescent microscopy, FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), and SEM-EDS (Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) techniques. Samples were collected from the most commonly consumed sausage brands in Iranian markets. The findings showed that the various sausage brands contained an average abundance of 25.7 ± 21.68 (range 10–70) and 55.45 ± 45.5 (range 10–175) particles/kg based on optical and fluorescent microscopy analyses, respectively. Predominantly, MPs were identified in fiber form (77–89 %), with a smaller proportion present in fragmented form (11–23 %). Polymer analysis using FT-IR identified polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) as the primary constituents. Furthermore, the estimated annual intake (EAI) of MPs was calculated at 804 and 3517 particles/kg bw/year for adults and children, respectively, based on optical microscopy observations. In comparison, fluorescent microscopy indicated an intake of 1734 and 7589 particles/kg bw/year for the respective age groups. These results emphasize the potential of MPs contamination to penetrate into different food products including sausages through processing routes, which can threaten human health.

Abstract Microplastics (MPs) as an emerging pollutant can affect aquatic organisms through physical ingestion, chemical problems and possible creation of biological layers on their surfaces in the environment. One of the significant ways for MPs to enter the aquatic environment is through the effluent discharge of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). In this study, first, the concentration and characteristics of MPs in secondary wastewater effluent, and the influential variables related to the coagulation process, for MPs removal were identified using systematic reviews of previous studies. Then, the most proper MPs characterization and coagulation variables were chosen by experts’ opinions using a fuzzy Delphi method. Therefore, the experiment tested in conditions close to the full-scale wastewater treatments. Finally, in the laboratory removal of MPs by coagulation of polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene (PE),

Background: Vermicomposting has recently been recognized as one of the most appropriate methods to stabilize organic waste. In terms of a system for waste management, vermicomposting is sustainable, economically viable, and without detrimental effects to human health or to the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the process of vermicomposting using an indigenous species of earthworms (Eisenia fetida) on a small domestic scale as a system for waste management. Results: This study was carried out as an experiment using the following procedure: a plastic container was prepared for vermicomposting; then, a bed was prepared in a ready container with a layer of initial bedding, sieved garden soil, and compostable waste. It was inoculated with Eisenia fetida earthworms. Samples were taken after 30 and 90 days of vermicomposting, and measurements were taken for the following parameters: percentage of organic matter, phosphorus, total carbon, total nitrogen, moisture content, ash, electrical conductivity, and pH. Results for percentage of organic matter, phosphorous, ash, total carbon, total nitrogen, carbon/nitrogen ratio, electrical conductivity, moisture content, and pH of mature compost after 90 days were 42 ± 2.8, 53 ± 0.17, 22 ± 0.170, 1.12 ± 0.003, 20 ± 0.25, 2.8 ± 0.6, 1, 200 ± 200 cSu, 56 ± 5.5%, 8.3 ± 0.2, respectively, and all these parameters except moisture content were compared with the standards. Conclusion: According to these results, vermicomposting of municipal biodegradable waste by homeowners can be recommended as the best and most suitable method for solid waste disposal. This determines small-scale domestic vermicomposting as a suitable method for solid waste management. Reducing domestic waste at the source is an effective way to implement the main priorities of a waste management system in terms of its economy and its impact on the environment.

Background and Objective: Toluene is one of the most important volatile organic compounds that threaten human health and introduce many environmental problems. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the performance of a biofilter based on pine cones/compost to remove toluene vapors from polluted air streams. Materials and Methods: In this research, a biofilter with a volume of 19.468 L was designed and built. The biofilter bed consisted of two parts 26 cm in height and packed with a mixture of compost and pine cones in 1:1 volumetric ratio. After inoculating the bed with sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and making it compatible with toluene, the performance of the biofilter in different parts of the bed was investigated at the inlet toluene concentrations of 2.5-5.5 g/m3 and Empty Bed Retention Times (EBRTs) of 1.3, 1.7, and 2.43 min. Also, the results were analyzed statistically. Results: At EBRT of 2.43 min and different inlet toluene concentrations of 2.5-5.5 g/m3, the removal efficiency reached 100 percent. Also, the removal efficiency decreased with the reduction of EBRT. The results showed that removal efficiency was higher in the first part of the biofilter bed relate to the second part. At an inlet toluene concentration of 2.62 g/m3 and EBRT of 1.7 min, the maximum elimination capacity (ECmax) of 2.74 g/m3.min was obtained. Conclusion: In all experimental conditions the outlet concentration of pine-cone/compost biofilter was below the WHO standard (260 µg/m3). Also, the high elimination capacity of biofilter verified its capability toward toluene removal from polluted gas streams.

The present study was carried out in the two phases of systematic review and experimental research. First, for the systematic review phase, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed as electronic databases were utilized to find research articles distributed up to March 5, 2021, related to the removal of microplastics by coagulation. In total, 104 publications were found, of which 14 were reviewed for deriving the variables and research design. Then, in the experimental phase, the experiment was carried out based on the variables derived from the systematic phase for three microplastic types (polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyamide) and five coagulants (polyaluminum chloride (PAC), ferric chloride (FeCl3), aluminum chloride (AlCl3), alum (Al(OH)3) and aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3)) in bench scale study. The differences between removal efficiencies in terms of type, shape, concentration, and size of microplastics within the looked into article was analyzed utilizing ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis test (for parametric or nonparametric analysis, respectively). The results of experimental phase show that the removal efficiency of different microplastics was significantly different, and it was equal to 65, 22, and 12% on average for PA, PS, and PE, respectively. These averages are much lower than the average removal efficiency calculated in the reviewed articles (78 and 52% for PS and PE, respectively). The removal efficiency of microplastics types by coagulants was not significantly different. As a result, a coagulant that has the lowest dose can be selected as the most suitable coagulant, which is Al(OH)3 in this study.

Background and Objective: It is important to determine the quality of the compost to use compost properly. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mixing ratio of bulking agent on stability and maturity indices in poultry waste compost. Materials and Methods: Two piles of sawdust mixture with poultry wastes and volume ratios of 1:1 (W1) and 2:1 (W2) were prepared by Windrow method and a pile containing poultry manure was used as control (W0). In order to determine the stability and maturity indices in compost, the most important physicochemical and biological parameters were studied. Results: The thermophilic phase lasted about 7 weeks for W1 and about 4 weeks for W2. The initial C/N ratios in the W0, W1 and W2 were 27.10, 31.40 and 56.24, respectively, which eventually reached less than 20. The reduction of organic matter in the three piles was 8.30%, 62.59% and 85.53%, respectively. The thermophilic phase caused a sharp decrease in the population of indicator and pathogenic microorganisms in all piles. The highest dehydrogenase activity in W1 pile was 2.95 mgTPF/gDW.h and by decreasing temperature until the last day, its value decreased to 0.29 mgTPF/gDW.h. Conclusion: The best ratio for mixing sawdust with poultry manure was 1:1 (v:v). Microbial and enzymatic activities are useful parameters for monitoring poultry composting process and determining the rate of compost stability, and the use of this compost in agriculture will improve soil quality.

Summary: Background: More than 3 billion people do not have access to clean energy and primarily use solid fuels to cook. Use of solid fuels generates household air pollution, which was associated with more than 2 million deaths in 2019. Although local patterns in cooking vary systematically, subnational trends in use of solid fuels have yet to be comprehensively analysed. We estimated the prevalence of solid-fuel use with high spatial resolution to explore subnational inequalities, assess local progress, and assess the effects on health in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) without universal access to clean fuels. Methods: We did a geospatial modelling study to map the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking at a 5 km × 5 km resolution in 98 LMICs based on 2·1 million household observations of the primary cooking fuel used from 663 population-based household surveys over the years 2000 to 2018. We use observed temporal patterns to forecast household air pollution in 2030 and to assess the probability of attaining the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target indicator for clean cooking. We aligned our estimates of household air pollution to geospatial estimates of ambient air pollution to establish the risk transition occurring in LMICs. Finally, we quantified the effect of residual primary solid-fuel use for cooking on child health by doing a counterfactual risk assessment to estimate the proportion of deaths from lower respiratory tract infections in children younger than 5 years that could be associated with household air pollution. Findings: Although primary reliance on solid-fuel use for cooking has declined globally, it remains widespread. 593 million people live in districts where the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking exceeds 95%. 66% of people in LMICs live in districts that are not on track to meet the SDG target for universal access to clean energy by 2030. Household air pollution continues to be a major contributor to particulate exposure in LMICs, and rising ambient air pollution is undermining potential gains from reductions in the prevalence of solid-fuel use for cooking in many countries. We estimated that, in 2018, 205 000 (95% uncertainty interval 147 000–257 000) children younger than 5 years died from lower respiratory tract infections that could be attributed to household air pollution. Interpretation: Efforts to accelerate the adoption of clean cooking fuels need to be substantially increased and recalibrated to account for subnational inequalities, because there are substantial opportunities to improve air quality and avert child mortality associated with household air pollution. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Recently, we showed that pre-treatment with ultrasound/ozone (US/O3) could remarkably enhance the performance of coagulation in removing natural organic matter (NOM) and turbidity from surface waters. In the present study another of our aims was to investigate whether pretreatment with coagulation combined with post-oxidation (US/O3) can also remove NOM, turbidity and coliform from the same water resources. NOM and turbidity removal were measured by UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) and a turbidimeter, respectively. Aluminum sulfate (alum), ferric chloride (FC), and poly aluminum chloride (PACl) were tested as coagulants. The disinfection potential of the US/O3 process was evaluated by measuring coliform counts. The effects of different input variables including ozone dose, power intensity, ultrasound frequency, reaction time, coagulant type, dose of coagulant and coagulant aid were examined on the process performance. Design of experiments (DoE) and surface response methodology (RSM) techniques were employed to optimize the operating parameters. Individual coagulation process with ferric chloride decreased NOM and turbidity up to 33% and 15%, however pre-coagulation with ferric chloride combined with US/O3 decreased NOM and turbidity 75% and 32%, respectively. PACL was the best coagulant in the sole coagulation, but in pre-coagulation combined with US/O3 process, FC exhibited the best performance. Treatment with US/O3 following pre-coagulation decreased the amount of coagulant and coagulant aid needed for the treatment. Pre-coagulation followed by US/O3 improves the NOM, turbidity and coliform removal, and so could be considered as a potential method for removing NOM, turbidity and coliform. HIGHLIGHTS Pre-coagulation combined with ultrasound/ozone (US/O3) improved NOM and turbidity removal.; The optimal coagulant type and concentration in the individual coagulation process were different from and higher than in the combination treatment.; Among the experimental parameters of the US/O3 process, the intensity was the most effective one for turbidity and NOM removal.; US/O3 post-oxidation process is a potential disinfection technique.;

Impact of irrigation with contaminated water on soil properties ....

Summary: Background: Universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities is an essential human right, recognised in the Sustainable Development Goals as crucial for preventing disease and improving human wellbeing. Comprehensive, high-resolution estimates are important to inform progress towards achieving this goal. We aimed to produce high-resolution geospatial estimates of access to drinking water and sanitation facilities. Methods: We used a Bayesian geostatistical model and data from 600 sources across more than 88 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) to estimate access to drinking water and sanitation facilities on continuous continent-wide surfaces from 2000 to 2017, and aggregated results to policy-relevant administrative units. We estimated mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive subcategories of facilities for drinking water (piped water on or off premises, other improved facilities, unimproved, and surface water) and sanitation facilities (septic or sewer sanitation, other improved, unimproved, and open defecation) with use of ordinal regression. We also estimated the number of diarrhoeal deaths in children younger than 5 years attributed to unsafe facilities and estimated deaths that were averted by increased access to safe facilities in 2017, and analysed geographical inequality in access within LMICs. Findings: Across LMICs, access to both piped water and improved water overall increased between 2000 and 2017, with progress varying spatially. For piped water, the safest water facility type, access increased from 40·0% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 39·4–40·7) to 50·3% (50·0–50·5), but was lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, where access to piped water was mostly concentrated in urban centres. Access to both sewer or septic sanitation and improved sanitation overall also increased across all LMICs during the study period. For sewer or septic sanitation, access was 46·3% (95% UI 46·1–46·5) in 2017, compared with 28·7% (28·5–29·0) in 2000. Although some units improved access to the safest drinking water or sanitation facilities since 2000, a large absolute number of people continued to not have access in several units with high access to such facilities (>80%) in 2017. More than 253 000 people did not have access to sewer or septic sanitation facilities in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe, despite 88·6% (95% UI 87·2–89·7) access overall. Many units were able to transition from the least safe facilities in 2000 to safe facilities by 2017; for units in which populations primarily practised open defecation in 2000, 686 (95% UI 664–711) of the 1830 (1797–1863) units transitioned to the use of improved sanitation. Geographical disparities in access to improved water across units decreased in 76·1% (95% UI 71·6–80·7) of countries from 2000 to 2017, and in 53·9% (50·6–59·6) of countries for access to improved sanitation, but remained evident subnationally in most countries in 2017. Interpretation: Our estimates, combined with geospatial trends in diarrhoeal burden, identify where efforts to increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities are most needed. By highlighting areas with successful approaches or in need of targeted interventions, our estimates can enable precision public health to effectively progress towards universal access to safe water and sanitation. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Summary: Background: Lymphatic filariasis is a neglected tropical disease that can cause permanent disability through disruption of the lymphatic system. This disease is caused by parasitic filarial worms that are transmitted by mosquitos. Mass drug administration (MDA) of antihelmintics is recommended by WHO to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. This study aims to produce the first geospatial estimates of the global prevalence of lymphatic filariasis infection over time, to quantify progress towards elimination, and to identify geographical variation in distribution of infection. Methods: A global dataset of georeferenced surveyed locations was used to model annual 2000–18 lymphatic filariasis prevalence for 73 current or previously endemic countries. We applied Bayesian model-based geostatistics and time series methods to generate spatially continuous estimates of global all-age 2000–18 prevalence of lymphatic filariasis infection mapped at a resolution of 5 km2 and aggregated to estimate total number of individuals infected. Findings: We used 14 927 datapoints to fit the geospatial models. An estimated 199 million total individuals (95% uncertainty interval 174–234 million) worldwide were infected with lymphatic filariasis in 2000, with totals for WHO regions ranging from 3·1 million (1·6–5·7 million) in the region of the Americas to 107 million (91–134 million) in the South-East Asia region. By 2018, an estimated 51 million individuals (43–63 million) were infected. Broad declines in prevalence are observed globally, but focal areas in Africa and southeast Asia remain less likely to have attained infection prevalence thresholds proposed to achieve local elimination. Interpretation: Although the prevalence of lymphatic filariasis infection has declined since 2000, MDA is still necessary across large populations in Africa and Asia. Our mapped estimates can be used to identify areas where the probability of meeting infection thresholds is low, and when coupled with large uncertainty in the predictions, indicate additional data collection or intervention might be warranted before MDA programmes cease. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Summary: Background: Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a form of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhoea that has the potential to drastically reduce child mortality; yet, according to UNICEF estimates, less than half of children younger than 5 years with diarrhoea in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) received ORS in 2016. A variety of recommended home fluids (RHF) exist as alternative forms of ORT; however, it is unclear whether RHF prevent child mortality. Previous studies have shown considerable variation between countries in ORS and RHF use, but subnational variation is unknown. This study aims to produce high-resolution geospatial estimates of relative and absolute coverage of ORS, RHF, and ORT (use of either ORS or RHF) in LMICs. Methods: We used a Bayesian geostatistical model including 15 spatial covariates and data from 385 household surveys across 94 LMICs to estimate annual proportions of children younger than 5 years of age with diarrhoea who received ORS or RHF (or both) on continuous continent-wide surfaces in 2000–17, and aggregated results to policy-relevant administrative units. Additionally, we analysed geographical inequality in coverage across administrative units and estimated the number of diarrhoeal deaths averted by increased coverage over the study period. Uncertainty in the mean coverage estimates was calculated by taking 250 draws from the posterior joint distribution of the model and creating uncertainty intervals (UIs) with the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles of those 250 draws. Findings: While ORS use among children with diarrhoea increased in some countries from 2000 to 2017, coverage remained below 50% in the majority (62·6%; 12 417 of 19 823) of second administrative-level units and an estimated 6 519 000 children (95% UI 5 254 000–7 733 000) with diarrhoea were not treated with any form of ORT in 2017. Increases in ORS use corresponded with declines in RHF in many locations, resulting in relatively constant overall ORT coverage from 2000 to 2017. Although ORS was uniformly distributed subnationally in some countries, within-country geographical inequalities persisted in others; 11 countries had at least a 50% difference in one of their units compared with the country mean. Increases in ORS use over time were correlated with declines in RHF use and in diarrhoeal mortality in many locations, and an estimated 52 230 diarrhoeal deaths (36 910–68 860) were averted by scaling up of ORS coverage between 2000 and 2017. Finally, we identified key subnational areas in Colombia, Nigeria, and Sudan as examples of where diarrhoeal mortality remains higher than average, while ORS coverage remains lower than average. Interpretation: To our knowledge, this study is the first to produce and map subnational estimates of ORS, RHF, and ORT coverage and attributable child diarrhoeal deaths across LMICs from 2000 to 2017, allowing for tracking progress over time. Our novel results, combined with detailed subnational estimates of diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality, can support subnational needs assessments aimed at furthering policy makers' understanding of within-country disparities. Over 50 years after the discovery that led to this simple, cheap, and life-saving therapy, large gains in reducing mortality could still be made by reducing geographical inequalities in ORS coverage. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the relationship between indoor radon and thoron concentrations, geological and meteorological parameters. The radon and thoron concentrations were determined in three hospitals in Kermanshah, the west part of Iran, using the RTM-1688-2 radon meter. Also, the type and porosity of the underlying soil and the meteorological parameters such as temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, rainfall and wind speed were studied and the obtained results analyzed using STATA-Ver.8. In this study the obtained radon concentration was furthered in buildings which constructed on the soil with clayey gravel and sand feature than the soil with clay characteristic and little pasty with a significant difference (P < 0.05). While the lower coefficient about 1.3 was obtained in measured the thoron concentration and a significant difference was not observed. So the soil porosity can extremely effect on the indoor radon amount. Among all studied meteorological parameters, temperature has been determined as the most important meteorological parameter, influence the indoor radon and thoron concentrations. Keywords: Indoor radon, Indoor thoron, Geology, Meteorological parameters, Kermanshah, Iran

This study was aimed to investigate the distribution of various species of fecal coliform in urban, rural and private drinking water sources of Kermanshah, in the west of Iran. For this study, data of ten years period (2006–2016) assessments of microbial quality regarding various species of Fecal coliforms was taken from health centers associated with urban, rural and private resources of Kermanshah city. A total number of 8643 samples were taken, 1851 samples from rural, 365 from urban and 4834 from private resources. The results showed that Fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli (E. coli) had the widest distribution in all urban, rural and private water resources (22.3%, 45.9% and 34%, respectively). Moreover, E. coli (47.5%) and Klebsiella (0.4%) had, respectively, the highest and lowest distribution in all months considered. Based on the results, E.coli exists mostly in water resources; it is therefore of particular importance in the monitoring of water resources. Keywords: Fecal coliforms, Distribution, Drinking water sources, Kermanshah

Unpleasant taste or smell are more importantly constituents of drinking-water, lead to complaints from consumers. Dye and organic matter as well change in disinfection practice may generate taste and an odorous compound in treated water. According to low efficiency of conventional methods to remove taste and odor compounds, present study was aimed to evaluate the performance of air stripping tower- Poly Aluminum Chloride (PAC) integrated system to remove odor and taste, dye and organic materials from drinking water. Different air to water ratio and PAC doses were used to remove considered parameters in certain condition. The results of this study indicated that the maximum removal efficiency of 86.2, 76.47, 58.46 and 41.27% of taste and odor, dye, COD and TOC were achieved by the air stripping tower- PAC integrated system, respectively. However, the physico-chemical characteristics of water and adsorbent effect on the of substances removal efficiency considerably. It can be stated that the air striping tower - PAC integrated system is able to reduce the odor and taste-causing substances and organic matter to a level which is recommended by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran. Keywords: Air stripping tower, PAC, Odor and Taste, Dye, Organic materials, Drinking water, Saqqez city

Heavy metals are recognized as one of the most toxic groups. They enter the food chain through the waste disposal into the water and environment. This study was carried out with the aim of investigating cadmium ions removal from aqueous solution using conocarpus nanostructure. For this purpose, conocarpus was grinded to nano-size by the ball mill. The effect of experimental parameters such as pH, time, adsorbent dosage and initial concentration of cadmium were studied in batch system. The PSA, FTIR and SEM tests were used to determine the absorbent characteristics. The imaging of adsorbent indicated that surface of conocarpus had many deep pores, which represents the better adsorption of cadmium. 8.5% of adsorbent particles were in the range of nanoparticles and 91.5% of them were in the range of nanostructure. The results showed that optimum pH for cadmium adsorption is 6 and the maximum removal efficiency and adsorption capacity of cadmium are 80.9% and 0.86 mg/g., respectively. Comparing the adsorption isotherm and kinetics models showed that the Langmuir and Ho models, with R2 values of 0.998 and 0.990 respectively, had a better fitting and description of adsorption data than other models. The study showed that conocarpus nanostructure is an effective adsorbent for cadmium removal from aqueous solution.

The dataset presented in this article are related to the research article entitled âHybrid coagulation-UF processes for spent filter backwash water treatment: a comparison studies for PAFCl and FeCl3 as a pre-treatmentâ (Ebrahimi et al., 2017) [1]. This article reports the cost estimation for treating produced spent filter backwash water (SFBW) during water treatment in Isfahan- Iran by various methods including primary sedimentation, coagulation & flocculation, second clarification, ultra filtration (UF) and recirculation of settled SFBW to water treatment plant (WTP) entrance. Coagulation conducted by PAFCl and FeCl3 as pre polymerized and traditional coagulants. Cost estimation showed that contrary to expectations, the recirculation of settled SFBW to WTP entrance is more expensive than other method and it costs about $ 37,814,817.6. Versus the cheapest option related to separate primary sedimentation, coagulation & flocculation in WTP. This option cost about $ 4,757,200 and $ 950,213 when FeCl3 and PAFCl used as coagulant, respectively. Keywords: Spent filter backwash water, Water treatment, Coat estimation, Water reuse

Abstract The aim of the present study is to evaluate the application of high rate integrated anaerobic-aerobic/biogranular activated carbon sequencing batch reactor (IAnA-BioGACSBR) to treat raw strong leachate from open dumping of municipal solid waste. The influence of two important and effective independent variables, COD concentrations and volumetric filling rate with GAC, onto the leachate treatment were investigated. Three responses such as TKN, BOD and COD were considered for evaluating the interaction of parameters. The results showed that maximum BOD5 removal of 98.9% in anaerobic zone and 99% in aerobic zone was obtained at the highest values of COD (~30000 mg/L) and filling ratio (~50%). The highest values of COD removal efficiency were found to be 98.54% and 98%, at COD rate of 10000 mg/L and GAC of 35%, respectively. The highest removal values of TKN was 77.2% and 78.9% in anaerobic and aerobic zone, respectively. Under optimal conditions, compared with the SBR and the GAC-SBR performances, results reveal that the application of the GAC-SBR has shown better effluent characteristics. Based on the results, it can be asserted that the application of the high rate IAnA-BioGACSBR for the treatment of biodegradable landfill leachate was more effective.

Abstract The present study aimed at synthesizing chromium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (Cr:ZnO NPs) under mild hydrothermal conditions (temperature ~100 °C, p = autogenous and time ~12 hr). Chromium oxide and n-butylamine were used as dopant and surface modifier, respectively. The characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles were determined through conducting specialized experiments including powder XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, and UV-VIS spectroscopy. Then, the Cr:ZnO NPs were immobilized on a sandblasted glass through thermal method. The photocatalytic degradation of aniline was conducted in a continuous reactor with a volume of 1.5 liters. Before and after photocatalytic degradation, the immobilized Cr:ZnO NPs were characterized for SEM and EDX to determine the degree of stability of immobilized nanoparticles as well as the influence of the current applied on them. The photodegradation operational parameters investigated were aniline initial concentration (150, 200, and 250 mg/L), pH (5, 7, 6, and 12), and reaction time (2, 4, and 6 hours) under sunlight illumination. The characterization results indicated high purity of the Cr:ZnO NPs and no change in morphology or composition even after the immobilization and photo-oxidation process. Finally, it was found that the optimum conditions for 93% removal of aniline under sunlight illumination was about 6 hours retention time at pH 9.

Access to safe drinking water is an important means of safeguarding public health. This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the performance of electrocoagulation in the treatment of surface waters. For this purpose, water samples were taken from the intake to the Soleymanshah-Songhor Dam. Treatment was carried out in a reactor operating in the batch mode. Experiment runs were designed using the Design Expert Software (Stat-Ease Inc., Version 6.0.6) to investigate the effects of voltage (5-25), reaction time (20-60), temperature (10-30Ċ), and rapid mixing (200-400) on the Mn (II), Fe (II), hardness, alkalinity, and turbidity removal efficiencies as a result of treatment with aluminum electrodes. After the treatment process, the study parameters and the dissolved metal content due to the dissolution of the anode electrode were measured. Maximum removal efficiencies for Fe (II), Mn (II), hardness, and alkalinity were 96.2%, 94.6%, 26.6%, and 12.2%, respectively, while turbidity reduced from 0.6 to 0.15 NTU. Moreover, the dissolved Al content in the treated sample was found to be higher than the standard limit allowed for drinking water. Thus, the electrocoagulation process seems to be effective in the removal of the investigated contaminants from surface waters. However, the factor limiting the use of this method under maximum efficiency conditions is the dissolved metal content due to the dissolution of the anode electrode, which is a significant concern for the public health. In contrast, the electrocoagulation process seems to be an efficient and safe pretreatment method using aluminum electrodes if operated for achieving optimum efficiencies.

In this study, ozone combination with a sequencing batch reactor was tested in laboratory scale for treating a soft drink wastewater characterized by high concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD). A bench scale aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) is carried out by two stages. The system was operated under three different mixed liquid suspended solids (MLSS) concentrations (3000, 4500, 6000 mg/l). The results show that the integrated ozonation with biological process was able to achieve high removal efficiencies for chemical oxygen demand (COD), with residual concentrations much lower than the current discharge limits. Also, the process was characterized by a very low MLSS concentration. Hence, the ratio between ozone dose and the COD removal was 0.72, indicating that the removed COD was higher than the dosed ozone. Artificial neural networks (ANN) was also employed to model the COD data obtained. A network consisting of two layers of five neurons in the hidden layer was considered. Regression coefficient between experimental data and data predicted by neural networks and root mean square error (R2, RMSE) obtained 0.991, 80.36, respectively. Very low error in the network estimation confirmed validity of the obtained networks for further analysis and optimization.

Due to the present water shortage and environmental problems associated with industrial effluent, investigation of novel treatment technologies is an essential approach. Being a highly toxic chemical of asphyxiating characteristics, cyanide is seen as a major environmental pollutant in a wide range of industrial effluents. The present study aimed to address the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of cyanide using activated fly ash and TiO2/UV. To investigate the removal efficiency of cyanide, two sets of experiments were designed. First, cyanide was absorbed by activated fly ash and degraded via a photocatalytic process, individually. Second, simultaneous adsorption and degradation was examined. The removal efficiency of cyanide by modified fly ash (MFA), TiO2/UV, and their combination (MFA-TiO2/UV) was 76.1%, 81%, and 86.6%, respectively. Optimal conditions for the combination of activated fly ash AFA-TiO2/UV were contact time of 6 hours, temperature of 100 °C, and AFA: TiO2 ratio (w/w) of 1:1. Under these conditions, a maximum removal rate of 92.4% was obtained when 1.2 g of MFA/TiO2 was used with a pH value of 3 in the presence of UV light. Based on the results of cyanide removal, it can be concluded that the combination of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation with MFA-TiO2/UV can be utilized to improve the removal of cyanide from wastewater.

Aerobic treatment processes with fixed growths exhibit a high efficiency not only in the removal of organic materials and phosphorus but also in the nitrification process (conversion of ammonium to nitrate) in wastewater. The present study aims to evaluate the performance of activated sludge with a submerged fixed bed in the removal of phosphorus and nitrogen compounds from wastewater. For this purpose, a reactor was initially constructed and commissioned before the activated sludge with a submerged fixed bed was loaded. A total number of 225 samples were collected from the wastewater treatment plant at Farabi General Hospital in Kermanshah to evaluate the removal efficiency of ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate over three different retention times (2.9 hours of aerobic and 1.1 hours of anaerobic operation; 3.6 hours ofaerobic and 1.4 hours of anaerobic operation; and 4 hours of aerobic and 1.5 hours of anaerobic operation). Phosphorus, ammonia nitrogen, nitrite, and nitrate measurements were performed according to the Standard methods 4500-P, 4500-NH3, 4500-NO2, and 4500-NO3, respectively. Results showed that the highest phosphorus removal (53%) was achieved with Phase III of the system (i.e., 4 hours of aerobic plus 1.5 hours of anaerobic operation) while the highest ammonia nitrogen removal (97%) and TKN (96%) were achieved in Phase II of the system (i.e., 3.6 hours of aerobic and 1.4 hours of anaerobic operation). Significant differences (Pvalue

Electrocoagulation is an electrochemical method for the treatment of water and wastewater. The present cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the removal efficiency of total coliform and heterotrophic bacteria from surface water using the process. For this purpose, water samples were taken from the drinking water intake at Suleiman-Shahsonghur Dam. The electrocoagulation process was carried out in a Plexiglas reactor in the batch mode with Al and Fe used electrodes. The experiment design was carried out using the Design Expert Software (Stat-Ease Inc., Ver. 6.0.6). After each run, the values of metals dissolved due to anode electrode dissolution were measured using the Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and the results were analyzed using the RSM model. Results revealed maximum removal efficiencies of 100% and 89.1% for total coliform and heterotrophic bacteria using the Al electrode, respectively. Also, maximum removal efficiencies using the Fe electrode for the same pollutants were 100% and 76.1%. The measurements clearly indicate that the quantities of Al and Fe released in water were higher than the recommended values. While the electrocoagulation process showed to be effective in removing microbial agents from surface waters, the high concentrations of dissolved metals due to the dissolution of the anode electrode seem to remain a health problem that requires optimal conditions to be determined for acheiving standard concentrations of the dissolved metals.

The present study explored the quality of PM10, over a four-year period in the western part of Iran. A total of 1334 samples were collected from air pollution measurement stations in Kermanshah. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SPSS ver.14. The results showed that the total percent change in PM10 over a period of 4 years was 10.04%, 59.2%, 26.4%, 0.7% and 3.3%. The highest and the lowest frequencies of PM10 occurred in February with 37.7%, June and July with 0%; winter and summer months with 21.96 and 4.81%, respectively. The results are depicted that the air quality in July, the summer months and 2008 was worst in terms of PM10 concentration, which was mainly due to the fluctuations and acute entrance of dust particles into western Iran. Hence, the reduction in such emissions is indispensable and requires extensive and considerable cooperation between the government of Iran and the neighbouring countries.

In this study the efficiency of anaerobic stabilization pond for treating oil refinery wastewater at different concentrations of phenol is investigated. The anaerobic stabilization pond (ASP) was built from fiberglass plats (0.2m×1m×1m and 6mm thickness). The experimental apparatus was performed at HRT (2d) with hydraulic loading rate 95L/day. After inoculation of the biomass, reactor was run at different concentrations of phenol (100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/L). Sampling is carried out from effluent after achievement of steady state condition at all experimental tests. The samples for the determination of NH3, PO4 and Phenol, were analyzed using a spectrophotometer (Varian, UV-120-02). In addition, other parameters such as TCOD, SCOD, TBOD, SBOD, and pH were determined using standard methods. The results showed that the efficiency of system reduced at phenol concentrations of 100, 200, 300, 400 mg/L. The maximum and minimum removal rates of BOD and COD were 71.75±8.14; 76.07± 10.94 and 53.5±6.03, 55.63±3.47 by the system respectively at phenol concentrations of 100 and 400 mg/l. The optimum condition for phenol removal (89.82% and 55.86%) was determined with phenol concentrations of 100 mg/L and 400 mg/L, respectively. This study showed a comprehensive efficiency of anaerobic stabilization pond as a promising system to eliminate different concentrations of Phenol, COD and BOD, however increase of Phenol concentration to 400 mg/L was decreasing of system efficiency due to phenol toxicity for biomass.

Nowadays treated effluent reuse is very important due to the water shortage problem. The aim of this study was comparison the quality of Mashhad Aolang treatment effluent plant with wells water on that area for irrigation purpose and their effects on wheat production. In this study a total number of 24 well water and 24 treated Wastewater samples were taken, weekly within the period of six months. Totally eight wheat farms were selected at the end of wheat growing season which four wheat farms among them were irrigated with treated wastewater and the other four farms were irrigated with wells water. Heavy metals (Cd, Ni, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn and Co) and pH, EC, BOD5, COD, TSS, nitrate, nitrite, PO42-, alkalinity, Na%, RSC, ESP, SAR in all samples were measured according to standard methods. Results indicated that the quality of all measured parameters in treated effluent were consistent with the agricultural irrigation standard. In comparison, irrigated with treated wastewater was more productive than well water on wheat production. In conclusion, replacing treated wastewater with continuous monitoring with well water for irrigation purposes is recommended.

This research work was carried out in lab scale using a Jar-test set up. In order to compare the performance of four inorganic coagulants (poly aluminum chloride, ferro sulfate, ferric chloride, aluminum sulfate) in removal of turbidity and color from water, three independent variables (turbidity, color and coagulants dosage) were investigated. The region of exploration for the process was taken as the area enclosed by turbidity (10, 20, 50 NTU), color (5, 10 TCU) and concentration of coagulants (5, 10, 15, 120, 25, 30 mg/l) boundaries. The rapid and slow mixing steps were provided by the rate of 80 rpm for 1 min and 30 rpm for 20 min, respectively. The samples were then remained for 30 min as settling stage. Four parameters including turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), pH and color were measured from the samples supernatant. Settling characteristics of the flocs formed were descriptively reported as poor, fair, good and excellent. From the results, poly aluminum chloride with concentration of 5 mg/l was found to be the best for the removal of turbidity (99-99.8 %) and color (100 %). However, fine flocs with very good settling velocity was observed at the condition with initial turbidity of 10, 20, 50 NTU. Increase in EC along with decrease in alkalinity was obtained as the coagulants concentrations were increased. The maximum and minimum amount of increase in EC and TDS were resulted from ferric chloride and poly aluminum chloride, respectively.

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background and Objectives: Phenol is one of the aromatic compounds, which due to its high toxicity and its presence in the industrial effluents, should be removed and prevented it, to the receiving water resources. The natural biological plant has been accepted as one of the most feasible, eco-friendly and cost-effective options for the treatment of pollutants such as Phenol. The aim of this study is efficiency evaluation of the anaerobic stabilization pond performance in removing phenol and other organic compounds from Kermanshah oil refinery wastewater. Materials and Methods: The method of study was experimental and analytical, a laboratory scale anaerobic stabilization pond, with dimensions of 1 × 1 × 0/2 m, using fiberglass sheet with a thickness of 6 mm was designed and built up. In this study The hydraulic retention time and hydraulic loading rate were expected 2 days and 95 liters per day respectively. Organic loading rate for anaerobic pond was 100 g/m3. After starting, seeding and biological stability, samples were taken. Initial phenol concentration was added about of 100 mg/l to pilot input, then the parameters such as NH3, PO4 and Phenol were measured by Varian spectrophotometer model UV-120-02 in the wavelength 425, 690, 500 nm respectively. TCOD, SCOD, TBOD, SBOD, pH and ORP were measured according to the standard methods of water and wastewater. Results: The results showed that the removal efficiency of NH3, PO4, phenol, TCOD, SCOD, TBOD, SBOD in the anaerobic pond were obtained 91.51%, 64.34%, 89.82% 74.99 % 73.34% 71.75%, 68.9% respectively. Conclusion: The results showed that the ability for phenol and other organic compounds removal in anaerobic pond using petroleum refinery wastewater is higher than the other systems which are expensive and complex. st1":*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Background and Objectives: 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid is a well-known herbicide which can be dangerous for both human and animal health in different ways such as its presence in drinking water. This study aimed at Performance of granular activated carbon to 2-4-D removal from aqueous solution and assessing the relationship between COD and 2-4-D concentration Materials and Methods: This study is a lab-scale study. Firstly, different 2-4-D concentrations were prepared from Stock solution (1000 mg/L), and then their CODs were measured. Optimum pH for 2-4-D removal was determined and its absorption rate at different concentrations was measured. Results: Results showed a clear relationship between COD and 2-4-D concentration. On the other hand, COD removal increased as time elapsed, so that maximum removal 90% and 84% at initial 2-4-D concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/L were observed at contact time of 50 min respectively. Optimum pH for all concentrations was determined as 6. Conclusion: According to present study it can be concluded that activated carbon have be up to 90% of 2-4-D removal from water environment. In addition, a significant relationship was observed between COD and 2-4-D concentration, so that direct measurement of COD can be used instead of 2-4-D measurement. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}

Dust pollution has become a serious environmental problem especially in recent decades. The present study aim was the investigation of the levels of PM10 concentration in Kermanshah, western Iran and also measured five important heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, Hg and Cr) in some samples during 2005 to 2011.A total 2277 samples were collected from air pollution measurement station belonging to the Department of Environment in Kermanshah. Furthermore, four samples were collected during dusty days to determine the selected heavy metals concentration. The samples were analyzed statistically using the SPSS Ver.16.The highest seasonal average concentration in spring was recorded in 2008 with 216.63μg/m(3), and the maximum values of 267.79 and 249.09μg/m(3) were observed in summer and winter in 2009, respectively. The maximum concentration of 127.1μg/m(3) was in autumn in 2010. The metals concentration (Pb, Cd, As, Hg and Cr) of samples were 42.32±5.40, 37.45±9.29, 3.51±2.07, 1.88±1.64 and 0μg/g in July, 2009, respectively.According to National Ambient Air Quality of USEPA guidelines, the most days with non-standard, warning, emergency and critical conditions were related to 2009 (120 days) while the least polluted days were recorded in 2006 (16 days). There are concerns about the increasing frequency and intensity trend of dust storms in recent years as a result of special condition in neighboring Western countries which it could endanger public health and environment. All measured heavy metals except mercury was higher than the standard level of WHO and USEPA.