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Background: The presence of anticancer drugs in water sources has become critical in recent years. Anticancer drugs are used in controlled amounts and conditions in medical centers. Cancerostatic platinum complexes (CPC) like cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin are used in oncology centers to treat many cancers. Objectives: We determined the environmental risk of these compounds in municipal wastewater effluent of Qom, Iran. Methods: The LC-MS/MS technique quantified platinum complex drugs in wastewater effluent. Based on the blank laboratory method, the limit of detection (LOD) was determined as 0.009 µg/L, 0.013 µg/L, and 0.017 µg/L for oxaliplatin, carboplatin, and cisplatin, respectively. Results: The cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin concentrations in wastewater effluent were 0.19 ± 0.098, 0.22 ± 0.094, and 0.12 ± 0.059 µg/L, respectively. Ecological risk assessment results indicated that RQsw for cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin was 0.017, 0.013, and 0.02, respectively, showing that the platinum complex drugs had insignificant ecological exposure risk. Furthermore, ΣRQsw was estimated at < 1. Conclusions: Managing cytotoxic waste from hospital oncology wards is vital for environmental pollution control. The use of other methods to remove these compounds, such as advanced oxidation processes and membrane systems, is inevitable.

BackgroundThis study was designed to investigate microbial exposure risk assessment and consequences of adverse health effects due to the use of irrigation of fields with wastewater in Qom province MethodsEnvironmental monitoring program for 3 pathogens including Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae and Ecoli O157 in raw sewage and treated wastewater and irrigated products with wastewater, was performed.Results Results was shown that in the raw wastewater, concentrations of E.coli, Vibrio Cholerae and E.coli O157:H7, 3.4×103±500, 2.1×103±100 and 312 respectively were determined. Concentrations of E.coli, Vibrio Cholerae and E.coli O157:H7 in wastewater effluent 2.1×103±100, 0.8×103±100 and 176 respectively were determined. Based on these findings, it is determined that the conventional wastewater treatment system has been effective in removing E.coli, Vibrio Cholerae and E.coli O157: H7 by 50%, 59% and 43%, respectively. Irrigated crops with wastewater effluent containing 400±250, 0.1×103±0.019 and 52 for E.coli, Vibrio Cholerae and E.coli O157:H7 respectively were measured. In this study according to the exposure scenarios including accidental drinking, food crop consumption, dermal contact by wastewater effluent and dermal contact by raw wastewater, total annual Probability of infection in studied population for E.coli, Vibrio Cholerae and E.coli O157:H7, 8×10-2, 8×10-4 and 0.17 respectively was determined. ConclusionsImplementing of wastewater safety plans (WWSP) to safeguard wastewater quality, raising awareness in the population in contact with urban wastewater and upgrading wastewater treatment plants is inevitable.

Background: The water safety plan is the new approach of the WHO to ensuring the quality and safety of drinking water. This study aimed to investigate the microbiological quality control accreditation process in the identification and risk assessment of the critical points in the water safety plan of Qom province, Iran. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in two phases; initially, the microbial indicators of microbial validation were monitored (fecal streptococci, heterotrophic plate count, Escherichia coli, and bacterial ratio). The other qualitative and chemical parameters of water in the distribution network were also assessed (pH, residual chlorine, temperature, and turbidity). The DotMapper software was used to identify the critical control points. The second phase involved risk assessment and critical control point design. Results: We selected 160 urban water distribution network points. In 30 points, the critical points were determined based on the fecal contamination indicators using the DotMapper software. Based on the risk assessment model and semi-quantitative method, the urban water distribution network was considered high-risk. Conclusion: Considering the implementation steps of the water safety program in urban water distribution networks, attention must be paid to validating microbial indicators and the impact on identifying critical control points and control criteria.

Foodborne diseases still occur and affect 30 % of people in the world annually. Existing data related to the status of food safety and health indicators of food services facilities in Qom province indicate that a low percentage of these centers have the necessary criteria in the principles of food safety. According to the factors affecting the promotion of food health and safety indicators, this study was conducted to identify and investigate the factors affecting the risk of food safety in food supply centers in Qom in 2018. In this cross-sectional study, the required data were obtained through validated questionnaires about food safety and environmental health of food services facilities (n=380). Also, the effectiveness of variables such as training on food safety principles through designing before and after study, educational certification, having trading licenses, ownership, urban health status and the age of operators, have been assessed by food safety factors based on relevant tests. The results showed that the training of food handlers in improving and upgrading food safety conditions has had a significant increase. (49 %, mean 5.44 %, SD 3.20 ±, p < 0.001) Also variables such as education level (p < 0.05) and educational certification (p < 0.001) have been effective in increasing food safety and health standards. In order to improve the level of food safety, reviewing the process of educational programs, strengthening educational equipment and media and inter-sectorial coordination to strengthen the role of education should be planned. The food holders, managers of the food establishment and local health experts should enhance the food safety practice.

Developing strategies to control environmental challenges and various aspects of health consequences of waste management is one of the major programs in metropolitan management. The main purpose of this study is to examine the level of preparedness, having a contingency plan and the emergency response ability to waste management in disaster situations. A descriptive study was designed in two phases: in the first phase of the study, composition, quantity and characteristics of municipal solid waste in the disaster were estimated, and by using DotMapper software, temporary waste sites for disaster situations (map waste) were determined. In the second phase of the study, the preliminary hazard analysis (PHA) to identify the initial events and risk analysis in the municipal waste management system was considered. Results show that more than 50% of the generated waste in the disaster is allocated to construction waste resulting from the destruction and more than 30% to recyclable items (metals, glass, plastic), and a very small part of about 1% of biodegradable waste was determined. Twenty points were designated as temporary sites for municipal waste in a disaster situation. Results of risk analysis in the disaster were described that for three events containing lack of temporary waste storage sites, lack of identification and determination of hazardous waste production centres and lack of waste management training programme in emergency situations were in the red range. Developing the necessary strategies to control environmental challenges and various aspects of health outcomes in waste management is one of the basic programmes in metropolitan management.

The pollution of water sources by factories that discharge heavy metals into the environment is among the most dangerous threats to human health and the environment. This study investigated the concentration of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Fe, Cu, Cr, and Zn) in the Aharchai River as the most important river in northwestern Iran. This study had a descriptive cross-sectional design, and sampling was done at six hydrometric (gauging) stations along the river during the rainy (spring) and dry (summer) seasons in 2018. The concentrations of heavy metals were measured by an atomic absorption device. The results showed significant differences in the concentrations of heavy metals at various stations in the two seasons of spring and summer. As for the concentrations of Pb and Cd, all stations stood higher than the standards introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water. The results of potential risk assessment revealed that risk quotient (RQ) for Cd and Pb were 2.1 and o.61, respectively, indicating a small potential for adverse effects related to the Cd element in the Aharchai River. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Aharchai River is in unfavorable condition regarding aquatic life, especially in the downstream area and in some routes in terms of agricultural purposes.

Arsenic is a toxic element, which is found naturally in water sources. Due to its high toxicity it has become a serious problem in drinking water sources and also affects the health of communities. Therefore, in the present study, risk estimation and the probability of adverse health effects of exposure to arsenic from drinking water was evaluated in the rural areas of Qom province. Water samples were taken from 44 rural areas with regard to the number of rural areas and also the type of water distribution systems. The intensity, duration and frequency of exposure to arsenic in drinking water were determined. Then the hazard quotient and cancer risks ware calculated. Results showed that more than 16 of the rural population was exposed to arsenic with level above 10 mu g/L in the rural regions of Kahak County (10 +/- 6.29 mu g/L). Results of risk assessment showed that hazard quotient (HQ) were 1.7 and 2, while the cancer risk (CR) were 76 x 10(-5) and 42 x 10(-4) for 2 groups of age 1 and 2, respectively. The results indicated that the hazard quotient is higher than 1 (HQ > 1) for group 1 and group 2. For carcinogenic effects, the study indicated that the population in the Kahak region are exposed to arsenic in drinking water with the concentration of > 10 mu g/L and they are at a very high risk for cancer, due to the fact that the cancer risk for the 2 groups are more than 7.6 and 42 times the environmental protection agency (EPA) criteria, respectively. Therefore it is recommended that at first, the source and water supply system in Kahak region is to be substituted with safe drinking water and to provide health facilities and screening tests for exposed populations.