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Abstract This study investigated batch-fed vermicomposting of cow manure, with a specific focus on assessing the effects of tylosin on the weight of earthworms and the overall quality of the resulting manure. Five reactors, including three concentrations of tylosin (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg) and two control reactors, were employed. Residual tylosin concentrations were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Quality parameters such as pH, temperature, volatile solids (VS), organic carbon content (OCC), electrical conductivity (EC), ash content, C/N ratio, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and microbial content were evaluated. The toxicity and maturity of vermicompost were assessed by determining the germination index (GI). The study also monitored variations in the earthworm’s weight. The results demonstrated a decreasing trend in VS, OCC, C/N, and fecal coliforms, along with increased pH, EC, ash content, and TKN during the vermicomposting process. Furthermore, investigations revealed significant reductions in the reactors with tylosin concentrations of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg, resulting in the removal of 98%, 90.48%, and 89.38% of the initial tylosin, respectively. This result confirms the faster removal of tylosin in reactors with lower concentrations. Degradation of tylosin also conforms to first-order kinetics. The findings showed a significant influence of tylosin on the weight of Eisenia fetida earthworms and the lowest antibiotic concentration led to the highest weight gain. Finally, the high percentage of germination index (90–100%) showed that the quality and maturity of vermicompost is by national and international standards.

Introduction: Special and infectious wastes are the most significant wastes generated in hospitals, health centers, and similar facilities. Reducing and recycling such wastes at the source pose significant challenges to waste management. Therefore, this study assesses the components of healthcare waste in terms of their recyclability, emphasizing different types of plastic. Materials and Methods: Data collection involved sampling normal and infectious waste in selected hospitals over three months using monthly checklists. The total waste generated in these hospitals was analyzed on a daily basis. Moreover, the average microbial load of infectious waste was determined through microbial strip tests and biological tests following patient companion. Tests were performed with the acceptable performance of safe hospital devices with the destruction of microorganisms. Results: Average waste composition in the selected hospitals included 65-70% general waste and 30-35% infectious waste. The most common generated infectious waste was polyethylene (PE) sets (800 kg/month), while the predominant general waste was nylon bags for polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) packaging (520 kg/month). Hospital 1 had the highest per capita production of recyclable waste, generating 7,900 kg and 2,550 kg of normal and infectious waste per month, respectively. The total revenue generated from selling normal and infectious plastic waste was 1.4 and 0.2, respectively. Conclusion: The mixing of waste can be prevented by properly segregating normal and infectious waste and adequate staff training. Given the escalating disposal costs of health-care waste (HCW) and the shrinking space in landfills, efforts to minimize waste generation are crucial for effective recycling and reuse processes.

COVID-19 pandemic has led to lifestyle changes. One of the consequences of these changes is seen in the management of municipal solid waste. Management of single-use plastics and personal protective equipment (PPE) as one of the common solid waste in the period is one of the important challenges in waste management. This research was conducted by studying the articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, plastic waste and PPE. The articles were selected based on a specific search protocol and selection criteria.:Because of inhabiting regulations for recycling, almost all produced waste was landfilled during early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. During a short while, developed countries started coping with waste-originated issues thank to their appropriate infrastructure. On the other hand, single-use plastics and unsafe disposed PPE has made health and economic problems in developing and low-middle income countries. There is an urgent need to make some corrections in waste management systems as well as public education to minimize the adverse effects of COVID-19 in developing countries.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a major global health concern, but current surveillance efforts primarily focus on healthcare settings, leaving a lack of understanding about AR across all sectors of the One Health approach. To bridge this gap, wastewater surveillance provides a cost-effective and efficient method for monitoring AR within a population. In this study, we implemented a surveillance program by monitoring the wastewater effluent from two large-scale municipal treatment plants situated in Isfahan, a central region of Iran. These treatment plants covered distinct catchment regions and served a combined population about two million of residents. Furthermore, the effect of physicochemical and microbial characteristics of wastewater effluent including biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), temperature, total coliforms and Escherichia coli concentration on the abundance of ARGs (blaCTX-M, tetW, sul1, cmlA, and ermB) and class 1 integron-integrase gene (intI1) were investigated. Sul1 and blaCTX-M were the most and least abundant ARGs in the two WWTPs, respectively. Principal Component Analysis showed that in both of the WWTPs all ARGs and intI1 gene abundance were positively correlated with effluent temperature, but all other effluent characteristics (BOD, COD, TSS, total coliforms and E. coli) showed no significant correlation with ARGs abundance. Temperature could affect the performance of conventional activated sludge process, which in turn could affect the abundance of ARGs. The results of this study suggest that other factors than BOD, COD and TSS may affect the ARGs abundance. The predicted AR could lead to development of effective interventions and policies to combat AR in the clinical settings. However, further research is needed to determine the relationship between the AR in wastewater and clinical settings as well as the effect of other influential factors on ARGs abundance.

Abstract Sustainable municipal solid waste leachate (MSWL) management requires a paradigm shift from removing contaminants to effectively recovering resources and decreasing contaminants simultaneously. In this study, two types of humic substances, fulvic acid (FA) and humic acid (HA) were extracted from MSWL. HA was extracted using HCl and NaOH solution, followed by FA using a column bed under diversified operations such as flow rate, input concentration, and bed height. Also, this work aims to evaluate efficiency of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Dynamic adsorption models in predicting FA. With the flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, bed height of 15.5 cm, and input concentration of 4.27 g/mL, the maximum capacity of FA was obtained at 23.03 mg/g. FTIR analysis in HA and FA revealed several oxygen-containing functional groups including carboxylic, phenolic, aliphatic, and ketone. The high correlation coefficient value (R2) and a lower mean squared error value (MSE) were obtained using the ANN, indicating the superior ability of ANN to predict adsorption capacity compared to traditional modeling.

Introduction: This study developed a strategic management plan for hospital waste in selected public hospitals using quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM) model. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted in three stages. First, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) matrix of waste management was extracted and scored in public hospitals in Yazd. Then, the matrix of internal and external factors along with the obtained strategies were developed using the SWOT model. Finally, using the QSPM model, the attractiveness table was prepared for weighting the prioritized strategies. Results: The final score of SWOT analysis showed that the studied hospitals were in a competitive position (WT strategy). According to the results, 14 prioritized strategies were proposed. According to the QSPM matrix, the strategy of "green management indicators improvement" was prioritized. Conclusion: The competitive position of the studied hospitals indicates a situation where hospitals should promote their strengths and reduce their weaknesses in order to take advantage of opportunities.

Purpose Microbial pathogens can lead to health problems and disease transmission. Present study aimed to evaluate the microbial quality and quantity of vermicompost production and to compare to the current Iranian standards to protect public health and environmental concerns. Method This is a pilot-scale experimental study conducted in the Public Health laboratory of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. The samples included organic municipal solid waste, cow manure and wastewater treatment plant sludge which are used for vermicompost production. The samples are mixed as cow manureâorganic waste and cow manureâsewage sludge in two reactors. Microbial tests such as fecal coliforms (FC) and parasite egg (Ascaris) were carried out during start, processing and curing time with duplication analysis in 56 days. Totally, a number of 128 samples was analyzed. Analyses were conducted according to standard methods. Data analysis was conducted through one-way ANOVA and Duncan tests. Results The results showed a significant reduction in number of FCs in cow manureâorganic waste so that the number of 350,000 MPN/g in the raw sample decreased to 800 MPN/g within 8-week period, also FC in the case of cow manureâsewage sludge was achieved to 2400 from 6,500,000 MPN/g. In two cocomposting cases, the parasite eggs were completely removed in the second week. Conclusion The results showed vermicomposting as a feasible method to convert waste into fertilizer humus in agriculture which also enables to achieve Iranian class A compost standard.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic affected various aspects of human life. Municipal waste management systems were affected by Covid-19 like other sectors. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare urban waste management before and after the Covid-19 pandemic in the form of a systematic review. For this purpose, the keywords were compiled based on the MeSH system and the components of the PICO formula. Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pubmed, and SID internal databases were searched in both English and Persian languages. The results showed that the Covid-19 pandemic had negative and sometimes positive effects on urban waste production. Also, despite the limitations of the pyrolysis method, this method is an effective technique for waste destruction in the time of Covid-19. Because it can be a suitable disposal method for plastic waste. Finally, to increase recycling, it is suggested that reusable masks and masks with the ability to change the filter are the most appropriate type, and it is recommended that their use be given priority during the time of Covid-19 and similar conditions.

Eagle Ford Formation has significant heterogeneity due to the existence of marl and interbedded limestone layers. The objective of this paper is to study the elastic properties of different layers in the Eagle Ford Formation. To achieve the goal, the relationships between compressional and shear velocities in marl and limestone layers were investigated in two representative Eagle Ford wells. These empirical equations can be used to estimate the shear velocity in Eagle Ford wells without sufficient well log data. Moreover, correlations between elastic properties and GR were obtained. Among all layers in the Eagle Ford Formation, marl layers of the lower Eagle Ford have the lowest averaged values of compressional velocity, shear velocity and dynamic Young’s modulus, while the limestone layers of the upper Eagle Ford have the highest averaged values of these three elastic parameters. In addition, the effect of elastic properties of shale layers on the aspect ratio of unconfined and confined fractures were evaluated. The influence of Young’s modulus contrast of shale layers on the aspect ratio of confined fractures was remarkable.

Introduction: Exposure to pesticides in greenhouse workers is associated with several health outcomes, such as cognitive impairment. This study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to pesticides and cognitive function in Yazd city greenhouse workers and those living in the proximity of the greenhouses. Materials and Methods: In this study, three groups of participants were selected, including the greenhouse workers, the residents in the proximity of the greenhouses, and the control group. A semi-quantitative assessment of pesticide exposure was used to calculate the subjects’ cumulative pesticide exposure as a proxy for long-term exposure to pesticides. Blood level of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was measured as a biomarker of effect. Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and Mini–mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to assess cognitive functions (including memory, executive functions, attention, visual, and verbal functions). Results: Mean cholinesterase activity in the greenhouse workers (average = 7009.3 U/L) was lower than the two other groups. The results of the cognitive function score for both FAB and MMSE tests did not show a significant difference between the direct exposure and indirect exposure groups, although the cognitive function score in the pesticide applicators was lower than the two other study groups (e.g. for FAB score: 13.89, 14.55, and 15.4 for the greenhouse workers, the residents in the proximity of greenhouses, and the control group). The results also showed that in the direct exposure group, those with lower levels of cholinesterase activity also had a lower cognitive function. Conclusion: The findings indicated that there is a potential link between impaired cognitive function and exposure to pesticides in the greenhouse workers.

Considering high concentrations of multidrug-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater, agricultural reuse of treated wastewater may be a public health threat due to ARG dissemination in different environmental compartments, including soil and edible parts of crops. We investigated the presence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli as an indicator bacterium from secondary treated wastewater (STWW), water- or wastewater-irrigated soil and crop samples. ARGs including blaCTX-m-32, blaOXA-23, tet-W, sul1, cml-A, erm-B, along with intI1 gene in E. coli isolates were detected via molecular methods. The most prevalent ARGs in 78 E. coli isolates were sul1 (42%), followed by blaCTX-m-32 (19%), and erm-B (17%). IntI1 as a class 1 integrons gene was detected in 46% of the isolates. Cml-A was detected in STWW isolates but no E. coli isolate from wastewater-irrigated soil and crop samples contained this gene. The results also showed no detection of E. coli in water-irrigated soil and crop samples. Statistical analysis showed a correlation between sul1 and cml-A with intI1. The results suggest that agricultural reuse of wastewater may contribute to the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to soil and crop. Further research is needed to determine the potential risk of ARB associated with the consumption of wastewater-irrigated crops. HIGHLIGHTS Antibiotic-resistant E. coli presented different abundance in STWW, irrigated soil and crops.; Antibiotic resistance genes were detected in high numbers of E. coli isolates.; sul1 was the most abundant ARG in the E. coli isolates.; Wastewater irrigation could aggravate antibiotic resistance in soil and crops.;

Abstract This study was aimed to investigate the air pollutants impact on heart patient's hospital admission rates in Yazd for the first time. Modeling was done by time series, multivariate linear regression, and artificial neural network (ANN). During 5 years, the mean concentrations of PM10, SO2, O3, NO2, and CO were 98.48 μg m−3, 8.57 ppm, 19.66 ppm, 18.14 ppm, and 4.07 ppm, respectively. The total number of cardiovascular disease (CD) patients was 12,491, of which 57% and 43% were related to men and women, respectively. The maximum correlation of air pollutants was observed between CO and PM10 (R = 0.62). The presence of SO2 and NO2 can be dependent on meteorological parameters (R = 0.48). Despite there was a positive correlation between age and CD (p = 0.001), the highest correlation was detected between SO2 and CD (R = 0.4). The annual variation trend of SO2, NO2, and CO concentrations was more similar to the variations trend in meteorological parameters. Moreover, the temperature had also been an effective factor in the O3 variation rate at lag = 0. On the other hand, SO2 has been the most effective contaminant in CD patient admissions in hospitals (R = 0.45). In the monthly database classification, SO2 and NO2 were the most prominent factors in the CD (R = 0.5). The multivariate linear regression model also showed that CO and SO2 were significant contaminants in the number of hospital admissions (R = 0.46, p = 0.001) that both pollutants were a function of air temperature (p = 0.002). In the ANN nonlinear model, the 14, 12, 10, and 13 neurons in the hidden layer were formed the best structure for PM, NO2, O3, and SO2, respectively. Thus, the Rall rate for these structures was 0.78–0.83. In these structures, according to the autocorrelation of error in lag = 0, the series are stationary, which makes it possible to predict using this model. According to the results, the artificial neural network had a good ability to predict the relationship between the effect of air pollutants on the CD in a 5 years' time series.

Introduction: The increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has changed the global temperature and had a negative impact on global climate conditions. Landfill gas is one of the major GHG contributors. With the knowledge of GHG inventory, it is possible to carry out disaster prevention measures. Materials and Methods: In this study, tow Landfill Gas Emissions Modeling (LandGEM) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), were used to determine the GHG quantity of the Yazd county landfill sector using from 2000 to 2020. Results: During this period, by the IPCC model, the total level of methane emissions from the Yazd county landfill was 23.17 Giga gram/y (Gg/y), while based on the LandGEM model, the total value of methane emissions from the Yazd county landfill was 5.74 Gg/y. The total amount of CO2 in the Yazd county landfill of the years 2000–2020 is estimated to be 15.75 Gg/y in the LandGEM model. There is the potential to generate 11.88 MWh/year electricity for the Yazd county landfill in 2020. Conclusion: The results of the present study can be employed to plan and implement a system for collecting methane gas and control the emission of GHG to landfills.

Introduction: About 50 to 70 percent of the waste management total cost is spent on collection operations, so any little progress in reducing collection costs could significantly reduce total costs. This study aimed to analyze the collection and transportation of municipal solid waste cost in Yazd in the next 15 years. Materials and Methods: The study location (five areas) was different urban areas of Yazd city. To analyze the collection and transportation of normal waste cost in Yazd, WAGS software was used. To obtain demographic information, the Statistical Center of Iran data, information about the location of the area, equipment, costs, and taxes related to waste were obtained in cooperation with Yazd Municipality, Recycling Organization, Labor, and Social Affairs Office and field surveys. Apart from WAGS, the ARIMA time series method (1, 1, 0) was also used with SPSS 24. Results: The highest costs of waste collection belonged to the human resources sector, and personnel costs were 75.24%, machinery supply capital was 13.85%, repair costs were 6.15%, fuel costs were 4.59%, and the costs of the other parts of the total cost of the waste collection were 0.14%. Conclusion: The total collection and transfer of waste costs were estimated at 10414000 USD to collect and transfer municipal solid waste in Yazd in the next 15 years. Waste generation projection by time series method with the ARIMA model (1, 1, 0) showed more accurate results than waste generation projection with WAGS.

Introduction: Today, disinfection of surfaces by using antimicrobial agents is critical for the prevention and control of pathogens and reduction of infection in hospital. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of two disinfectants against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the NICU of Shahid Sadoughi Hospital of Yazd in 2017. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross sectional study, bacterial culture of samples collected from different surfaces of the NICU and S. aureus isolates were identified using conventional biochemical tests. Peracetic acid and chlorine dioxide various concentrations were used as disinfectants. Their effects against Staphylococcus aureus were determined by Standard disc diffusion method. Data were analyzed by linear mixed models in SPSS version 23. Results: 39.39% of samples were found to be S. aureus infected. The mean diameter of growth inhibition zone for peracetic acid 0.1% was significantly lower than that for peracetic acid 0.2%, and peracetic acid 0.1% was significantly higher than that for chlorine dioxide (P < 0.001). The comparison of growth inhibition zone diameters for peracetic acid 0.1% and chlorine dioxide disinfectants showed that the average diameter of the inhibition zone created by peracetic acid 0.1% was significantly higher than that created by chlorine dioxide. The most effective disinfectant on S. aureus strains isolated was peracetic acid 0.2% and the least effective disinfectant was chlorine dioxide. Conclusion: In health care facilities with S. aureus infection, peracetic acid 0.2% can be used effectively to reduce nosocomial infection rate.

Abstract Rocks are host to complex fracture networks that are difficult to locate in situ, and yet characterization of these fractures is crucial to predicting the effects of hydraulic stimulation. We analyze three-dimensional hydraulic fracture patterns among varied laboratory experiments to identify recurring geometries. Building on the constitutive tensile and shear fracture modes, we observe examples of offset fracture branching, traversing fracture coalescence, and smooth fracture reorientation as relatively simple structures within complex fracture networks. The evolution of fracture branching, also referred to as stranding, is revealed to be a fundamentally three-dimensional process, in which continued propagation can result in traversing fracture coalescence. Fracture branching, therefore, can create an illusion of unconnected, staggered, and offset hydraulic fracture growth when viewed from a single cross section; meanwhile, these fractures are likely connected through a common fracture surface elsewhere. The fractures are also investigated at a smaller scale, where similar fracture patterns are observed. In the field, these complex patterns are likely to hinder proppant settling, reduce open fracture permeability, create larger fracture surface areas, and lead to increased stimulated reservoir volumes. A balance of stimulation methods to prevent this complexity in some areas and exploit it in others could be key to improving recovery from oil and gas resources, improving geothermal energy efficiency, and optimizing disposal of waste water or CO2 via injection wells. Representation of these complex structures is needed for accurate modeling predictions for reservoir management.

Introduction: Nowadays, many people have bought and installed home water treatment devices (point-of-use drinking water treatment systems), as an essential measure, to improve their health. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the parameters of drinking water of Rafsanjan city and home water treatment device in summer 2017. Water samples at the inlet and outlet of the device with 15 day intervals for three months (approximately 48 samples, summer) were collected. Then, the concentration of heavy metals, total hardness, EC, sodium and nitrate were measured in inlet and outlet of treatment devices. All data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software version 18. Results: The results showed that in the inlet water, the EC and pH values were in the standard ranges. The concentrations ​​of arsenic was higher than the permissible limits and other parameters including total hardness, calcium, sodium, magnesium, nitrate, copper, zinc and lead were lower than the standard limits. The highest reduction efficiency was obtained for copper, zinc and arsenic respectively, and the lowest reduction efficiency was reported for nitrate and calcium. Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded the devices could reduce the concentrations of the parameters under the standard limits. Due to the relationship between heart disease and light water, it is suggested that, in view of the high arsenic content in Rafsanjan water, filters at the inlet municipal water can be used to absorb heavy metals, especially arsenic.

Chlorine reacts with both organic and inorganic matters in water. That is why water quality modeling has received great attention in recent years. The serious issue in municipal water quality modeling is gathering the essential input parameters of the model, particularly bulk decay (kb) and wall decay (kw) coefficients as well as their calibrations. Therefore, this study first thoroughly formulates the problem in the form of a heuristic optimization and then utilizes Genetic Algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Hybrid GA-PSO as the model optimizers in order to best calibrate kw for minimizing the difference of residual chlorine concentrations that exist between the simulated and observed values. These three algorithms are linked to EPANET, the hydraulic and water quality simulator. The method is then applied to a real-world water distribution network. Here, kw is considered as a decision variable. The objective function is to minimize both the Sum of Square Error and Root Mean Square Error between the observed and simulated chlorine concentrations. According to the simulation results obtained, the optimal value of wall decay coefficient is 1.233 m/day during the calibration process while the minimum and maximum differences between the measured and simulated chlorine rates were 0 and 0.18, respectively. • The method presented in this article can be useful for managers of water and wastewater companies, water resources facilities and operators and operation manager of water distribution system to manage chlorine dosing rate. • Due to adverse health effect of disinfection by product and poor microbial water quality as results of inefficient chlorination, control chlorine concentration in water distribution networks and its consequence on human health effect is necessary. • Hybrid PSO and GA methods are used to cope with their falling in local optimum and requiring highly computational effort. Method name: Genetic Algorithm (GA), Hybrid of Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization (HGAPSO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Keywords: EPANET, GA, HGAPSO, PSO, Wall decay coefficient, Water distribution network

Objectives: Oral clefts are the most common congenital abnormalities that have various causes. The aim of this study was to investigate maternal factors influencing the event of this disease among newborns. Methods: This study was a case–control research. To investigate the effects of maternal factors on cleft lip and palate, medical records of 26 infants with cleft lip and palate as well as those of 52 healthy infants without this abnormality born in Qamar Bani Hashem Hospital in Khoy during 2015–2017 were studied. The required data were collected through interviews and reviewing their medical records. Results: The odds ratio of having a baby with cleft lip and cleft palate among mothers with a history of using cosmetics, being at a high age, use of psychiatric drugs, passive smoking, family history of the disease, and use of analgesics were, respectively, 1/9 (confidence interval [CI] =1.03–4.2), 2/2 (CI = 1.01–4.1), 1/7 (CI = 1.1–4.8), 2/08 (CI = 1.2–5.1), 2/8 (CI = 1.3–5.2), and 1/5 (CI = 1.01–4.9) times as much as the mothers of healthy infants. Conclusion: Lifestyle modification is the important factor in the prevention of cleft lip and cleft palate. Inclusion of preventive programs in prenatal maternal care programs may prevent or reduce the incidence of this disease.

Asbestos is classified as a hazardous pollutants between the airborne particles that cause diseases such as lung fibrosis (asbestosis). This protocol describes an integrated method for determination of asbestos fibres concentration and its temporal-spatial trends in the air of urban areas. To do this, 60 samples were gathered from various areas of Yazd city with low, moderate and high traffic. For analysis of asbestos fibres in the samples scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) were utilized. The spatial and temporal variation of asbestos fibres concentration was carried out by ArcGIS 10 analysis. The Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) method was used to draw asbestos fibres distribution maps. The interpolation of asbestos fibre by IDW method indicated that the distribution of the fibres in summer and winter were followed almost the similar pattern. However, the distribution of asbestos fibre concentrations in the direction of southeast to the northwest of the city was higher than that in the other areas due to high vehicular traffic. Protocol name: Identification of airborne asbestos fibres in the urban areas and spatio-temporal trend, Keywords: Airborne, Asbestos fibres, Monitoring, Spatio-temporal trend

In northwest of Iran, airborne particulate matter originated from drying Urmia Lake is threaten the health of surrounding communities due to salt particles and heavy metals. This study aimed to use leave of local trees for biomonitoring of toxic metals and to evaluate tolerance of the trees against air pollution due to greenbelt development. Leaf samples were taken from four dominant tree species including Vitis vinifera, Juglans regia, Ulmus umbraculifera and Popolus alba in two radial distances (5 and 10 km) around the Urmia Lake in 32 sampling sites. The concentration of Cd, Pb, Ni, As, Cu, Zn and Na in the leaves were extracted according to method 3050B defined by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and analyzed by ICP-AES technique. According to the levels of air pollution tolerance index (APTI), Popolus. alba was classified as more sensitive and Vitis. vinifera as moderately tolerant. The accumulation/existence of metals in the leaves can be arranged as follows: Na > Zn > Cu > Ni > Pb > As > Cd. Our findings showed that Popolus. alba can be applied as a local biomonitor and Vitis. vinifera can be used as a good sink of air pollutants for greenbelt development around the drying Urmia Lake. • The results show that APTI is a suitable index for selection of tree species as biomonitor and green belt development. • Determination of metal concentration level in local tree leaves is suggested as a good tool for mapping of airborne metal. • The local trees can be suitable for development of greenbelt in order to improve air quality, and also for biomonitoring of air pollution. Protocol name: Biomonitoring and mapping of airborne metals using tree leave, Keywords: Biomonitoring, Metals, GIS

Biofiltration of n-hexane as a representative of hydrophobic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at presence and absence of rhamnolipid biosurfactant was studied using a multilayer biofilter packed with scoria, compost, poplar tree skin and sugar beet pulp, for 131 days. The concentration of n-hexane was measured by a gas chromatograph coupled with a flame ionization detector (GC/FID). The results showed that the mean removal efficiency (RE) of n-hexane at the presence of the biosurfactant was two times higher than that at absence of the biosurfactant. According to the results, rhamnolipid can enhance the efficiency of biofiltration of VOCs from polluted air streams. Protocol name: Improved biodegradation with a multilayer biofilter, Keywords: Biodegradation, Rhamnolipid, Biofiltration, VOCs

The Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS) is a versatile Late Cretaceous shale formation present in central and SE Louisiana and SW Mississippi, which drew attention because of the various roles played within the Tuscaloosa Group. In this paper, it is debated whether the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale can act as a source, reservoir, or seal all throughout the shale play or only in certain areas. Well log and core data from Adams County, Mississippi, are compared to data from East Feliciana Parish in Louisiana. Conclusions were drawn based on the results of well log analysis, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), porosity–permeability measurements, programmed pyrolysis, and fracture analysis. It was shown that the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale interval in SE Louisiana consists of important amounts of calcite, exhibits multiple natural fractures, has porosity values as high as 9.3%, and shows a TOC content of up to 2.8 wt%. On the other hand, samples from a well at the Cranfield field, MS, are characterized by considerably lower TOC values of around 0.88 wt%, porosities between 0.33% and 4%, and no serious fracturing. The formation demonstrates better reservoir and source potential in SE Louisiana and reliable CO2 sealing capacity in SW Mississippi. The analysis presented in this paper represents a holistic approach to the characterization of shale formations, is applicable to other plays around the world, and can be used as an integral part of CO2 sequestration or hydraulic fracturing programs.

Introduction: Today, the infectious wastes of hospitals are considered as a public health problem. Considering the huge amounts of hazardous wastes and the disadvantages of incinerators, we need to investigate the non-combustible devices involved in biochemical treatment. This study was carried out with the aim of evaluating the cost-effectiveness of infectious wastes devices. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and economic efficiency of the infectious waste devices in Yazd and Isfahan hospitals. In this study, the total cost of infectious waste treatment systems in hospitals, the Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER), as well as the sensitivity rate for the reduction of infectious wastes were calculated using Treeage software version 2011. In order to calculate the cost effectiveness using the total cost and the amount of produced waste, we applied the discount rate of five percent and the useful life of 10 years for each device. Results: Based on the results, devices A and F had the highest and the lowest total cost, respectively. In addition, autoclave D with an ICER of 257.20 was more cost effective than other devices. So, device D, with a discount rate of ±5 and a range of 244.244 - 270.06 was chosen as the best option for infectious waste disposal. Conclusion: The results can be used to explore and outline the future prospects for choosing the best technology for treatment of infectious waste in hospitals. In other words, we have different options on different circumstances and occasions.

Abstract Enhanced treatment of ceramic-tile industry wastewater was investigated by modified coagulation–flocculation process using combination of poly-aluminum chloride (PAC) with anionic (A300), cationic polymer (C270) and nonionic polymers. The effects of pH, PAC coagulant dose alone and with polymers dose in various combinations was studied by jar tests. To compare the removal efficiencies of turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and color at different levels, we run multivariate analysis of variance. Regarding the economic evaluation, we applied the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. PAC had the best performance in pH 7 and in optimal dose of 400 mg/L; so that removal efficiency of wastewater turbidity, TSS, COD and color were 99.63%, 99.7%, 47.5% and 50.38%, respectively. The best removal efficiency for wastewater turbidity, TSS, COD and color were 99.87%, 99.89%, 87.5% and 93.02%, respectively which were obtained by combination of anionic polymer (1.5 mg/L) with PAC (300 mg/L). Furthermore, with combination of PAC + anionic + non-ionic polymers, the removal efficiency for wastewater turbidity, TSS, COD and color were 99.93%, 99.94%, 88% and 94.57%, respectively. The imposed cost for treating one cubic meter of ceramic-tile wastewater treatment by PAC + anionic and PAC + anionic and non-ionic polymers in comparison with PAC alone was reduced to 22.96% and therefore economically more affordable for the tile industry wastewater treatment.

Introduction: Air pollution is now one of the greatest environmental hazards to human health in the world. The aim of this study determines the relationship between air quality and cases of myocardial infarction in Yazd. Methods: This Ecological study was performed in Yazd, Iran. In this study, all individuals who referred to emergency cases with myocardial infarction in Yazd in one year from 2016 march 20 to 2017 March 20 entered the study. Information on daily concentration of air pollutants, including five pollutants SO2, CO, O3, NO2 and PM10 and Validated according to the World Health Criteria. And in the next step Raw data from air pollutants related to each station Using equation and table standard Converts to separate AQI values for each pollutant And the pollutant having the highest index It was introduced as a pollutant responsible for the day.The data analyzes were used by Excel 2007 and R (3.4.3) software. The significant level was considered to be less than 0.05. Results: According to measurements of air pollutants, 349 days in 245 days, the standard air quality index (AQI 100) were observed In 86 days, from 104 days PM10 and CO emissions as pollutants was responsible for introducing. Conclusion: Given that in 104 days of the year, air quality has exceeded the standard In the days when air quality exceeds the standard, children and elderly take caution.

Abstract Most of the medicinal compounds are entered no change into municipal wastewater and more than 90% of it remains in the wastewater. Mesoporous silica is known as thermally stable materials with controllable porosity and morphology. It is specified that these materials possess external and internal surfaces that can be selectively adsorbed the various compounds. In the present study, the synthesized mesoporous silica was studied to remove bisacodyl from polluted solutions. Mesoporous silica was synthesized by simple chemical method from tetraethylorthosilicate, ethanol (C2H5OH) and deionized water at 70 °C temperature. Characteristic of synthesized mesoporous silica was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The effective parameters such as contact time, pH, adsorbate dose, and initial bisacodyl concentration were optimized for bisacodyl removal using 27 batch adsorption experiments according to design of experiment. The residual bisacodyl concentration was measured by UV–Vis spectrometer at the maximum wavelength of 580 nm. The statistical test and linear regression model were used by MINITAB 16 software for investigation of the main and interaction effects of each factor in the adsorption process. The ANOVA result showed 84% of bisacodyl was removed by synthesized mesoporous silica at optimum condition. The result of regression (R2 > 0.99) indicated that the adsorption process followed the Langmuir isotherm and second order kinetic at optimum conditions. The mesoporous silica is an efficient adsorbent for removing of bisacodyl from the polluted solutions so that it can be used for refining wastewaters containing medical compounds such as bisacodyl.

Introduction: Due to the rapid development of technology and growth of economic activities in recent years, the use of electrical and electronic devices has increased dramatically, which is contributed to the proliferation of waste generated by these e-waste (Electric and Electronic waste) products. Materials and Methods: In this study, the status of e-waste in Dezful city in 2017 was studied. Accordingly, the types and amount of e-waste in residential and commercial-administrative areas were identified, and it was found that the amount of e-waste produced in these areas was totally about 1291 tons and the annual per capita of each family in residential areas was 15 ± 0.5 and for each unit in administrative-commercial areas was 180 ± 5. Then, with the breakdown and identification of their valuable components (gold, silver, copper, etc.) the financial value of each gram of these components was also calculated and the obtained information was entered to Excel software. Results: By using the MATLAB software, the benefits of retrieving valuable components extracted from e-waste in residential and administrative-commercial areas, as well as the costs of recycling and collecting e-waste were calculated individually. Eventually, the annual benefits of recycling and collecting e-waste in Dezful were $ 1091338 and their annual costs were $ 615,556, resulting in NPV (Net Present Value) calculated $ 475,782 annually. Conclusion: Therefore, based on the cost-benefit model (CBA), it was shown that the NPV is positive, which indicates that e-waste recycling and collection is economically feasible.

Introduction: In order to achieve sustainable development in mining, waste management is an essential requirement. The current study aimed to examine industrial solid waste produced in Golgohar Mining and Industrial Company, which is a well-known iron ore extraction and processing complex. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two phases from March, 2016 through March, 2017. In the first phase, the data related to the production process and quantity/quality of produced wastes were collected through conducting field observations, interviewing production, environmental experts in Golgohar Mining and Industrial Company, and examining the gleaned evidence. In the second phase, the XRF was used to examine the composition of processing tailings following the ISO 9516-1: 2003. Results: In total, 16, 19, and 17 types of industrial wastes were respectively identified in the extraction sector, the magnetite processing plant, and the polycom processing plant of Golgohar Mining and Industrial Company and 12, 14, and 12 types of which (in the same order) were recyclable. The ingredients of iron ore processing tailings encompassed quartz, manganese oxide, iron oxides, aluminum oxide, calcium carbonate, sulfur, potassium oxide, sodium oxide, titanium oxide, phosphorus, chromium oxide, and barium oxide. The largest proportion (32.9%) was recorded for quartz in dry tailings. Conclusion: It is essential to pay more attention to recycling in such industries. Improving production processes for retrieve more iron and the use of mineral wastes as raw materials for other industries can reduce the problems associated with such wastes (eg low storage space and environmental problems).

Introduction: Health-care waste can threaten the health of humans and environment due to dangerous, toxic and pathogenic agents. This study was conducted to investigate the status of disinfection equipment in Tehran hospitals as well as their health and economic evaluation in 2016. Materials and Methods: In this research, 27 hospitals in Tehran that equipped with disinfection equipment were selected randomly. For health evaluation of chemclave, autoclave and hydroclave disinfection equipment was used respectively form the Bacillus Atrophies Indicator, a plastic vial of stearothermophilus and a vial of syringe and for economic evaluation a standard checklist was used. Finally, Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the data. Results: The results of health evaluation showed that the removal rate of indicator organisms in hydroclave, autoclave and chemclave disinfection equipment were 100%, 86.7% and 75%, respectively. The results of the economic evaluation showed that the investment cost of the Autoclave and Hydroclave were over 100 thousand dollars and the chemiclave was below 100 thousand dollars (P = 0.002). The most reduction of waste volume after disinfection was related to hydroclave and autoclave devices (P ≤ 0.001). The highest amount of odor production was in the chemiclave and the minimal was in the autoclave and hydrocollo method (P = 0.003). Also, hydroclave and autoclave were the environmentally friendly methods and chemiclave was not (P = 0.004). Conclusions: By comparing health and economical assessments, the autoclave disinfection device at the moment, if resolved the grinding problem, is the best way for health-care waste disinfection.

BACKGROUND: Strategic management of the wastage produced due to earthquakes has faced many challenges over the recent decade. Thus, the present study seeks to identify and explain the challenges in earthquake wastage strategic management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present qualitative study has been steered through a content analysis approach and conducted using semi-structured interviews and a purposive selection of 17 professors, experts, and managers experienced in the field of waste management in Kermanshah and Varzaghan-Ahar earthquakes over 2020-2021. Besides, the interviews were initially categorized using MAXQDA18 software. RESULTS: Analysis of the experiences and perception regarding the changes in strategic management of wastage produced due to Kermanshah and Varzaghan-Ahar earthquakes revealed 418 codes, 97 subcategories, 33 categories, and 8 main categories including management and leadership, organizational culture, planning, organizational learning, employee management, rules and regulations, resource management, and procedure management. CONCLUSION: Strategic waste management has not been implemented in a coherent, integrated, and well-planned manner in the cases of the Kermanshah and Varzaghan-Ahar earthquakes. The challenges of strategic waste management turned out to be due to various reasons which will result in many issues in achieving the goals and selecting the suitable method for resource and procedure management should they not be managed well. Hence, policymakers, managers, and executors in the field of crisis management and waste management in disasters -specifically earthquakes- must take the necessary measures to remove these barriers.

Introduction: Currently, the conversion of waste from industrial processes to compost through vermicompost has been considered both in terms of health, environmental pollution, and economy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of waste process of Halva Ardeh production on vermicompost quality. Materials and Methods: To determine the best combination of cow manure with Halva Ardeh processing waste according to national standard vermicompost methods; different percentages of cow manure and Halva Ardeh waste, were prepared for vermicompost during 90 days. SPSS software and ANOVA test were used to analyze the data. Results: The results showed that during the process of vermicompost, pH initially increased in all treatments and then decreased significantly from the third week afterwards (p ≤ 0.001). Also, the average organic carbon percentage (OC) decreased in all treatments significantly (p = 0.02) and the highest amount of OC was obtained in the control treatment and the lowest amount was related to 1C: 1S treatment. The trend of electrical conductivity changes in all substrates with different treatments was generally decreasing and this decrease was statistically significant (p = 0.035). Furthermore, the amount of carbon to nitrogen (C/N) in all treatments decreased and the average C/N in the control treatment was 56.8% and in the 1C: 1S treatment was 16.9% and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.023). Conclusion: Based on our findings, the compost quality of this study confirms to the standards of compost class A. This method can be used to convert the waste from Halva Ardeh production on vermicompost qulity.

Introduction: Optimization of waste collection systems can reduce waste management costs. In this study, optimization of the waste collection system of zone 3 of Yazd municipality of Iran, has been investigated using underground containers. Materials and Methods: In this research, after collecting information and performing field inspections, the statistical and raster information obtained from the Yazd municipality and Yazd waste management organization were introduced into ArcGIS software and based on the information obtained, including population density layer and population last estimation in zone ​​3, per capita waste production, and then considering all the information layers obtained using the GIS software, containers were located with a source separation approach. Results: The results of this study indicate that installation of underground containers for wet waste, in addition to improving the health and environmental status, can decrease the frequency of urban waste collection from 3 days to 2 days a week. Moreover, creation of temporary storage sites for dry wastes, can also significantly decrease the route of collection, due to the reduction of the collection route from 368,000 to 180,000 meters in the new routing system, reduce the economic cost, including reducing fuel costs as 50% per day, manpower as 33%, and reduce maintenance costs. Conclusion: Optimization of urban waste collection system using underground containers for wet waste and the use of temporary stations of dry wastes, considering the significant economic, environmental and aesthetic advantages can be considered as an appropriate option in Iranian cities especially in areas with hot and humid weather such as Yazd.

Background and aims: Agricultural activities for produce more products Compromising farmers health and environmental pollution. This study was carried out to assess the status and correlations between knowledge, attitude and practice of Greenhouse Farmers of Jiroft Township in relation to adverse health and environmental effects of the use of pesticides in 2015. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 196 Greenhouse Farmers of Jiroft Township in 2015 with multistage random sampling method. Using a Researcher made questionnaire and data analyzed by using SPSS software and Spearman correlation test, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal Wallis were analyzed. Results: The average age of participants was 39/77 ± 8/11 years and 96/4 percent were male. Average score of Knowledge was 20/54 ± 1/85, Attitude 32/88 ± 3/27 and performance was 35/21 ± 2/41. The performance score was statistically positive correlation with Knowledge and Attitude(p

Introduction: Since some dyes and their metabolites have toxicity and carcinogenicity potential, and are dangerous to the health of different living creatures, discharge of untreated wastewaters containing large concentrations of dye compounds into water resources is one of the important environmental problems. Therefore, in this research, the efficiency of chemical coagulation process was investigated using ferric chloride coagulant to remove Direct Red 23 dye from colored wastewater. Materials and Methods: In the experiments, a Jartest device was used and the effect of different parameters including the dose of the coagulant (20-200 mg/L), pH (3-10), and initial concentration of the dye (25-200 mg/L) on the efficiency of chemical coagulation process for removal of the dye was examined. Further, the final pH of the wastewater was investigated and the optimal conditions were determined. Results: The results indicated that the optimal dose of ferric chloride coagulant for Direct Red 23 dye removal of 97.7% is 40 mg/L at the optimal pH of 7. With increase in the dose of the coagulant, the dye removal efficiency increased, while the final pH of the wastewater decreased. Under constant conditions, with increase in the dye concentration, the dye removal efficiency diminished. Conclusion: Chemical coagulation by ferric chloride is a very effective and fast method for removal of direct dye from colored wastewater.

The purpose of current paper is to consider the impact of adopting International Financial Reporting Standards on the efficiency of tax systems from the perspective of accounting and tax professionals in South Khorasan. To achieve intended goal in this study, descriptive method with the correlational approach has been used. The sampling method is based on classification and data gathered from a self-made questionnaire (after estimating the reliability and validity). The questionnaire is distributed among accounting professors of the university, members of the Iranian society of CPAs, managers and employees of taxation affairs organization in South Khorasan province. After completing the questionnaire, the statistical coefficients depending on the type of hypotheses (correlation coefficient, independent t-test, ANOVA, multivariate regression analysis) were calculated and analyzed using SPSS software. The results of hypotheses indicate that the use of International Financial Reporting Standards particularly standard No. 12. the income tax has a positive and significant impact to increase the efficiency of tax systems. The results can be used in line with adjusted accounting standards for more accommodating financial reports in terms of alignment with the needs of tax authorities. Therefore, the tax authorities can achieve an efficient tax system.

Introduction: In recent times, one of the most important purposes of sustainable development has been defined as the protection of environmental health. Using appropriate and innovative infrastructures such as nanotechnology is a solution to walk along the path of sustainable development and solves many environmental problems. The purpose of this study is to review the application of carbon nanotubes in the removal of environmental pollutants, based on conducted studies. Materials and Methods: All scientific data related to the issue were collected from scientific databases of Google Scholar, Scopus, Elsevier, and SID to evaluate and conduct the study. Keywords such as carbon nanotubes, environmental pollutant, sustainable development, and environmental health were used. 85 articles were also used in this review research (1993–2016). Results: Based on the evaluated studies, the results indicated that common methods of sewage treatment are not enough to remove the mentioned environmental pollutants completely. In the mentioned methods, despite high decomposition, the amount of mineralization has been reduced and the toxicity of wastewaters has remained unchanged or has increased. Adsorption has been propounded due to its simplicity and lower energy consumption compared with other methods. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are unique one-dimensional macromolecules which have high thermal resistance and chemical stability. Adsorption through CNT as the adsorbent in the treatment of drinking water and sewage polluted with pharmaceutical, petroleum, heavy metal, and leachate pollutants has been studied widely. Conclusion: This study indicated CNT as effective adsorbents that have high potential to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.

Introduction: Dyes are visible materials and are considered as one of the hazardous components that make up industrial waste. Therefore it is removed from bodies of water, using various methods. In this regard, the Fenton oxidation process is one of the most effective ways to remove colored contaminants in aquatic environments, which has many applications today. Materials and Methods: In this empirical study, the effect of the Fenton oxidation process in the removal of the soluble synthetic dye, Reactive Red 2 (RR2), has been studied. The color removal efficiency of the Fenton process in the presence of ferrous sulfate and hydrogen peroxide at different reaction variables were studied in the Jar Test when initial concentration of the dye was 10 mg/L at constant pH = 3 and lab temperature. Results: The results showed that concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and iron ions influence the maximum removal efficiency. Conclusion: According to the survey results, Fenton oxidation is an effective method for the removal of RR2 dye from aqueous solutions.

Background: Rise in health expenditures is one of the main concerns of householders and policymakers. In this regard, many studies were conducted to assess the determinants of expenditures and environmental quality from a macroeconomic point of view. The goal of this paper was to examine the relationship of health expenditure with environmental quality and economic growth in developed, developing, and less developed countries. Methods: This analytical and correlational study examines the impact of environmental, health, and economic indicators on health expenditure. The required data for 109 countries were collected from the World Health Organization from 1995 to 2011. The collected information was then analyzed with econometric techniques and software Stata 13. Results: According to the results, access to sanitary sewage systems index – 3.27, (p = 0.00) and energy intensity index – 2.42, (p = 0.01) affected the per capita health expenditure in developed countries. Access to sanitary sewage systems index had effect on per capita health expenditure; - 9.71, (p = 0.00) in developing countries. However, in less developed countries, none of the variables had significant relationship with per capita health expenditures. Conclusion: According to the results, it can be said that investing in maintenance and improvement of environmental quality can lead to reduced health care costs.

Background: Due to the lack of a proper waste management system, Tehran Municipality Region 20 is facing economic and environmental problems such as the high costs of a disposal system and source pollution. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method for collecting and evaluating the inputs, outputs, and potential environmental impacts of a product system throughout its life cycle. The current study purposed to provide a stable and optimized system of solid waste management in Tehran Municipality Region 20. Methods: The LCA method was used to evaluate various scenarios and compare the effects on environmental aspects of management systems. Four scenarios were defined based on existing and possible future waste management systems for this region. These scenarios were considered with different percentages for source separation, composting, recycling, and energy recovery. Results: Based on the results of this study, Scenario 4 (source separation [14%] + composting [30%] + municipal recycling facility [MRF] [20%] + energy recovery [10%] + landfilling [26%]) was found to be the option with the minimum environmental impact. In the absence of government support and sufficient funds for establishing energy recovery facilities, the third scenario (source separation [14%] + composting [30%] +MRF [20%] + landfilling [36%]) is recommended. Conclusion: The results acquired from this investigation will confirm the belief that LCA as an environmental device may be successfully used in an integrated solid waste management system (ISWMS) as a support tool for decision-making.

Background:Discharge of raw or treated wastewater containing linear alkyl benzene sulfonate (LAS) into the environment causes significant public health and environmental problems. The purpose of this study was the treatment of hospital wastewater using an intermittent cycle extended aeration system (ICEAS).Methods:Experiments were carried out on Yazd Shohaday-e-Kargar hospital wastewater treatment system and samples were collected in a 2 month period from the influent and effluent of the system. The used pilot study carried out consisted of two zones: pre-react and main react zones. They were divided using a baffle wall. Firstly, wastewater enters a pre-react zone and then through the opening at the bottom of the baffle wall it enters the main react zone. The cycle time and flow rate for the system were considered 6 h and 2 L/h, respectively. Then, the necessary tests were performed on the system’s influent and effluent.Results:The removal of BOD5, COD, and LAS by ICEAS were 94.54%, 92.97%, and 84.99%, respectively. The averages of SVI, F/M, MLSS and MLVSS in the system were 113 mL/g, 0.086 Kg.BOD5/Kg.MLSS.d, 4327 mg/L and 3172 mg/L, respectively.Conclusions:This work showed the excellent efficiency of ICEAS to effectively remove BOD5, COD, and LAS from hospital wastewater. The results of this research can help to manage wastewater treatment in hospitals.

Introduction: The presence of pathogenic microbial agents and pathogens in organic fertilizers causes health problems and disease transmission.Therefore , the aim of this study was to identify bacterial and fungal species present in vermicompost production. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted in pilot scale in the laboratory of Public Health School in Shahid Sadoughi Univerity of Yazd. Sesame crust obtained from sesame pudding factory and cow manure mixed in three reactors with the dimension of 50 × 30 × 15 cm were used and went under the vermicompost process. Another reactor was also provided from cow manure as the control variable. Treatments were studied simultaneously during 60 days. Experiments were conducted to detect bacterial and fungal species. Results: Totally 18 species of negative-gram bacterial species, i.e., Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella Paratayfi A, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Providencia alkali Fasyns, Klebsiella oxy-Toka, Ponomonya Klebsiella, Citrobacter frondii, Citrobacter Diorsus, Serratia Marsns, Hafnya Olovia, pseudomalle Burkholderia, Enterobacter Peinous, Enterobacter Anrogenious, Enterobacter de Solonos, as well as Neisseria polysakarya, and 3 positive-gram bacterial species, i.e., Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Isteria monocytogenes grew. Overally, a total of five fungi species; Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium, Penicillium, yeasts, and Unknown fungal species grew. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that presence of the organism in vermicompost depends on various factors, such as the action of enzymes of gut earthworms, coelomic fluid secretion, as well as competition between different groups of microorganisms.

Hydrophobic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as n-hexane are not completely biodegradable by a single biofilter. So, in the present study, a photoreactor system packed with scoria granules coated with TiO2, as a pretreatment unit, was used for increasing the removal efficiency of n-hexane by a biofilter during an operation period of 191 days. The inlet and outlet concentration of n-hexane was analyzed with a gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector (GC/FID). The results indicated that the removal efficiency of the single biofilter with input concentrations of 0.18 – 1 g/m3 at empty bed residence times (EBRTs) of 30, 60, and 120 s was 10.06%, 21.45%, and 46.8%, respectively. When the photoreactor was used as a pretreatment system, the removal efficiency of the combined system in corresponding EBRTs was improved to 39.79%, 63.08%, and 92.60%, respectively. The results proved that the combined system provided higher removal efficiencies than the single biofilter. Thus, the application of the photoreactor as a pretreatment step was much effective in increasing the removal efficiency of n-hexane from the polluted air by the biofilter.

Mental health as a state of well-being can be affected by gender. The present work aims to examine the mental health status in female students and recognize its affecting factors. A cross-sectional study on female students of Payame-Noor University in West Azerbaijan, Iran, was conducted among 1632 students. Data collection tools were the demographic data and the General Health Questionnaires (GHQ-28). The results show that 51.5% of the population under study were healthy and 48.5% have had mental disorders. Based on the social effects on the mental health of students, the correlations between age (p = 0.15), location (p = 0.29) and parental education (p = 0.34) with general health status were assessed and there were no significant differences between them. However, birth order (p < 0.002), marital status (p < 0.001) and family income (p < 0.000) had significant differences with regard to mental health status. This study indicates that 43.6% of students are suspected to have mental and physical disorders, and the most effective factor is the socioeconomic condition. The strong correlation between birth order, marital status, and family income and mental health disorders suggests the necessity to pay more attention to all these issues in all at-risk students.

Introduction: Countries around the world are looking for an appropriate, stable, and affordable replacement for the natural energies. Therefore, the waste is considered as an available resource to produce energy, which by controlling, its effects on the environment could be minimized. Materials and Methods: To conduct this review article, the scientific data related to the topic were gathered from scientific databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Scopus, Springer, Magiran, and SID using waste to energy, Biogas, Incinerator, Landfill, and Pyrolysis as the keywords. In addition, 53 articles were used for this research (from 1993 until 2016). Results: The results indicated that from a technical point of view, according to Iran’s current environment and the properties of the produced waste, most methods mentioned in the study are applicable. However, the important issue is to choose the best technologies with the best functionality in Iran, based on the composition of the municipal solid waste, proved technologies, and the municipal solid waste management strategies. Conclusion: This study recommends construction of incineration plants with an appropriate location for processing municipal, household, and industrial hazardous wastes, as well as energy recovery. In addition, promoting application of household biogas reservoirs in villages and use of pyrolysis for some industries to converse industrial waste into fuel, are further suggested.

Introduction: Organic fertilizers are beneficial to maintain and improve structure of the soil nutrients; however, in case of presence of pathogenic microbial agents and pathogens inside them, it will result in health problems and disease transmission. Therefore, present study aimed to determine microbial quality of produced vermicomposts in Yazd city. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytical work where 10 % of vermicomposts production centers which were using cow manure were randomly selected in Yazd city and sampling was conducted in spring. In doing so, the desired microbial indices were measured and ultimately compared to the standard A of Iranian compost. Three samples were prepared from each center and in each sampling; 50 g of sample was picked. Finally, total number of taken samples was 30. The tests included determination of the probable number of fecal coliform bacteria and parasite eggs. Results: According to the results of present study, the mean fecal coliform and parasite eggs for all centers were 1272 in confidence interval of 95 % (441-2102) and 0.73 in confidence interval of 95 % (0.32-1.13), respectively. Therefore, the mean fecal coliform and parasite eggs in derived vermicomposts were in class A standards range of Iranian compost. Conclusion: Production of vermicomposts by animal fertilizers in Yazd city not only decreases these wastes but also gives rise to manufacture a strategic and valuable product which is in range of determined standards and is suitable for soil improvement and fertility.

Introduction: The presence of pathogenic microbial agents and pathogens in organic fertilizers causes health problems and disease transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of vermicomposting process in improve the microbial quality of the compost produced. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted as a pilot-scale one, in the laboratory of school of Health. In order to produce vermicompost, some perishable domestic waste were mixed whit sludge of wastewater treatment plant in a reactor. Tests to determine the microbial quality of the product were carried out at an early stage, during the process of production, and on the final product. The worms used for the production of vermicompost were Eiseniafotida worms. Results: According to the results of this study, a significant decrease was observed in the number of fecal coliforms in Sludge- domestic waste; as the number of fecal coliforms reduced from 7500000 (MPN/g), in the raw sample, to 1500 (MPN/g), eight weeks after the outset. Removal efficiency of fecal coliforms was 99.98 percent. Moreover, according to the obtained results, the mixture of Sludge and domestic waste had some parasite eggs (22 number/gr) in the raw samples. This amount was fully removed by the process of vermicomposting, during the forth week. Conclusion: The results showed that earthworms are a great ability to remove pathogens but to reach the standard set in mixed microbial treatment sludge - waste can not be sure.

Introduction: Today, have been approved scientifically relationship between presence of asbestos fibers in the human respiratory area and malignant diseases such as lung advanced fibrosis (Asbestosis), gastrointestinal, lung and Laryngeal cancers. The aim of this study was the determination of asbestos fibers concentration in Yazd city’s air in the summer of 2015. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study in which 13 high-traffic points of Yazd city were selected for asbestos sampling. Sampling was conducted in the summer in two stages using SKC pump. In total were collected 26 samples from the high traffic points of Yazd city. Also for the counting of asbestos fibers was used scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: In the current research, the highest and the lowest concentration of asbestos fibers were related to Shohadayemehrab square (0.02131fiber/ml) and Azadshahr (0.00112 fiber/ml) respectively. Qualitative analysis of asbestos fibers by SEM showed that 75% of the samples were asbestos fibers and the other was non-asbestos fibers. Conclusion: The present study showed that the average of asbestos fibers concentration in total sampling stations (0.00848 fiber/ml) was higher than WHO guidelines (2.2 × 10-3 fiber/ml). The main reason for the presence of these fibers in the air of Yazd city can be attributed to brake pad, clutch and automobile gasket adhesive.

Introduction: The present study aimed to investigate the microbial quality of the produced vermicomposts and compare them with the existing standards. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted as a pilot-scale one in the laboratory school. Some perishable domestic wastewater mixed in a reactor, including food waste, vegetables and fruits, cow manure and sludge from wastewater treatment plant. Tests to determine the microbial quality of the product were carried out at an early stage during the process of production and on the final product. These tests included determining the probable number of fecal coliform bacteria and parasite eggs. Results: According to the results, a significant decrease was observed in the number of fecal coliforms in sludge manure and domestic waste, as the number of fecal coliforms reduced from 5000000 (MPN / g) in the raw sample to 1500 (MPN / g), eight weeks after the outset. Moreover, according to the obtained results, the mixture of manure, sludge, and domestic waste had some parasite eggs (20 number /gr) in the raw samples. This amount was fully removed by the process of vermicomposting during the third week. Conclusion: Findings revealed that the earthworms have a high capability to reduce the pathogens without increasing in temperature, however, in order to standardize the number of coliforms (compost class A), the vermicomposting of the mixture of cow manure, domestic waste, and sludge of wastewater treatment plant is not appropriate.