Journal of Advances in Environmental Health Research
Volume:2 Issue: 4, Autumn 2014

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced in corn, rice, and flour. It is a major concern for animal and human health. The purpose of this study was the evaluation of OTA contamination in bread samples gathered from bakeries, in different temperatures and durations of heating. In this study, 32 samples (4 samples of flour and 28 samples of bread) were randomly collected from different bakeries in Babol city, Mazandaran province, Iran, in fall 2013. The OTA content of the samples was measured in different temperatures and durations of heating using competitive direct enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CD-ELISA) method. Nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis was applied for data analysis. Results proved that reduction in the amount of OTA in samples during the heating process was significant and longer duration of heating was more effective, than raising the temperature, on OTA reduction. The highest percentage of OTA reduction occurred in constant temperature and when 2 minutes were added to the original time of heating. The lowest reduction rate of this toxin was observed in constant temperature and when 4 minutes was deducted from the original time in each bakery. Our study showed that bread and flour samples do in fact contain OTA, but this toxin is being reduced through heating. Since bread is the most consumed food in the world and also Iran, determination, management, and reduction of OTA in bread should be considered seriously.

Human activities such as oil and gas production can enhance the natural level of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in by-product and waste streams. Iran has been among the top five oil producing countries since 2005. This high production rate emphasizes the importance of NORM management to ensure the safety of humans and wildlife. Petroleum storage and transport facilities are located at Lavan Island, Iran. Presence of animals including dolphins, sea turtles, and chinkaras make this island one of the most unique wildlife refuges in Iran. This paper combines waste disposal methods relevant to the petroleum offshore industries, NORM waste characteristics, and geographical, geological, and climate conditions of Lavan Island in order to develop enveloping exposure scenarios. Sludge burning is determined as the most concerning scenario by assuming chinkaras as the endpoint. Ecological and radiological assessment procedure is modeled with MATLAB-Simulink as a dynamic system. Clearance level for radiation protection of chinkaras is calculated as 41 Bq/kg. This value may be insufficient for radiation protection of workers, because exposure pathways are not derived based on human behavior. According to environmental pathways and condition of chinkaras, this value sufficiently covers all aspects of radiation protection.

The main purpose of the present study was to assess the ecological capability of agricultural soils using geographic information system (GIS). This research was conducted during 2014 in Hamedan Province, Iran. A cross-sectional study was conducted mapping the 10 factors of soil characteristics (texture, depth, erosion, and aggregation, percentage of slope, direction of slope, height, soil salinity, pH, and fertility) that affect ecological capability. The maps were overlaid in ArcGIS software. The weighting of factors was performed using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique in Expert Choice Software. Preference for the options (layers) was specified and an ecological capability map of agricultural lands in the province was created. Among the factors considered, the pH of the soil weighing 0.313 was the most important factor and soil salinity with 0.228 was the second most important factor influencing ecological capability. In general, growth-oriented agricultural development policies and improper management of farms in recent years has reduced the ecological capability of agricultural lands. The results showed that the highest and lowest ecological capability of soil in agricultural lands in the area was 6.2% and 0.07%, respectively. Development of sustainable agriculture practices, such as low and no-tillage practices, reduction in the use of chemical pesticides, and use of green fertilizers to maintain and enhance the ecological capability of agricultural lands and resources, are recommended. In the policy-making process, sustainability and resource management must become a dominant notion and planning priority for practitioners.

The removing of hexavalent chromium from wastewater or decreasing its chromium (VI) content up to the permitted levels is important due to its non-biodegradation, bioaccumulation, and cancer-causing and toxic effects. In the present study, biosorption of Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions using canola was investigated. The various physicochemical parameters such as pH, initial Cr (VI) ion concentration, adsorbent dose, and equilibrium contact time were optimized in batch adsorption system. The results showed that the optimum amount of each parameter was as follows: initial concentration = 10 mg/l, pH = 3, contact time = 75 minutes, and adsorbent dosage = 5 g/l. The maximum adsorption efficiency was about 99.1%. The maximum adsorption capacity was calculated and was about 10.67 mg/g of adsorbent. Moreover, the sorption data was best fitted on the Langmuir isotherm model and adsorption kinetic is adopted with the pseudo-second-order model. The results of the present study suggest that canola can be used beneficially in treating aqueous solutions containing heavy metal ions.

The main aim of this study was to evaluate cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes attributed to PM10 in Kermanshah, Iran. In order to gather data, an Environmental Dust Monitor instrument was used at 3 stations throughout the city at a height of at least 3 m above the ground. We obtained an input file for the model from crude data and quantified PM10 using the AirQ model. Our estimation showed that 80% of cardiovascular deaths occurred on days with PM10 concentrations of less than 170 μgm-3. The number of respiratory deaths due to PM10 was estimated to be 46 people in 2011, showing a 48% reduction in such deaths compared to 2010. The number of patients with respiratory problems attributed to PM10 exposure comprised 5.61% of the total number of patients admitted to hospitals due to respiratory diseases. This lower percentage of morbidity and mortality attributed to suspended particles in Kermanshah in 2011, in comparison with 2010, was due to the higher exposure days with PM10 concentration of 200-250 μgm-3 in 2010. Every 10 μgm-3 increase in the concentration of suspended particles led to a 0.8 and 1.2% rise in the mortality rate due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, respectively. Additionally, the rates of heart and respiratory problems increased by 0.9 and 0.8%, respectively.

Six soil amendments including municipal solid waste compost (MSWC), coal fly ash (CFA), rice husk biochar prepared at 300°C (B300) and 600°C (B600), zerovalent iron (Fe0), and zerovalent manganese (Mn0) were evaluated to determine their ability to reduce mobility of chromium (Cr) in a Cr-spiked soil. The Cr-spiked soil samples were separately incubated with selected amendments at 2 and 5% [weight by weight (W/W)] for 90 days at 25°C. The efficacy of amendment treatments was evaluated using desorption kinetic experiment and sequential extraction producer. Results showed that applications of various amendments had significant effects on desorption and chemical forms of Cr. Addition of amendments considerably decreased mobility factor (except for CFA5%) of Cr compared to the control treatment. The addition of Fe0, MSWC, and B300 to soil significantly decreased Cr release, compared to other amendments. The lowest Cr desorption was achieved by Fe0 at 5%. Application of B600 and CFA increased soil pH and caused the oxidation of Cr(III) to Cr(VI). Based on the obtained highest values of coefficient of determination (R2) and lowest values of standard error (SE) of the estimate, the two first-order reaction model could be best fitted for describing Cr release in soil samples. In general, from the practical view, Fe0, MSWC, and B300 treatments are effective in Cr immobilization, while application of Fe0 at 5% was the best treatment for stabilization of Cr. Therefore, these treatments can be recommended for the immobilization of Cr from polluted soil.

In the residential area of the North Coast of the Persian Gulf, consumption of fish is a possible source of exposure to heavy metals and other pollutants, all of which may act as potential risk factors for serious syndromes and fatal diseases. Health risks associated with Pb, Cd, and Hg were assessed based on the target hazard quotients (THQ), which can be derived from concentrations of heavy metals in fish consumed in Bandar Abbas and Bandar Lengeh, Iran. In the present study, 4 fish species (Euryglossa orientalis, Psettodes erumei, Epinephelus coioides and Lethrinus nebulosus) were randomly collected in commercial catches at local fishing ports from September 2011 to April 2012. Dorsal muscle was dissected as target sample after digestion. All samples were analyzed for their Cd and Pb contents using an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and for their Hg content using an advanced mercury analyzer. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) region III risk-based concentration table was used to estimate THQ values for both adults and children. THQ values over 1 were not observed through the consumption of fish. Total THQ values of Pb, Cd, and Hg for adults were 0.19 and 0.16 in Bandar Abbas and Bandar Lengeh, respectively. For children, they were 0.26 and 0.20 in Bandar Abbas and Bandar Lengeh, respectively, showing that the health risk associated with exposure to these 3 heavy metals was insignificant. However, according to the data concerning levels of environmental pollutants in the most consumed fish and seafood species, more specific recommendations are needed regarding human consumption (kind of species, and frequency and size of meals.