Journal of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development
Volume:4 Issue: 1, Mar 2019

Malaria is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Ghana. However, we are faced with lack of reliable data on the spatial distribution for effective control measures in the semi-arid zones of Ghana. This study aimed at mapping and describing the transmission patterns of malaria to identify the high risk zones in the Upper west region of Ghana. We mapped the 7-years malaria data regarding all districts using a GPS. The mapping technique employed the graduated colour maps, with natural break classification method. Thematic map generated in ArcView was overlaid on a vegetation map of the region. The maps showed spatial distribution of malaria in the region: Wa municipality had the highest incidence of the disease (21.72%), whereas, Daffiama-Bussie had the lowest rate (4.24%) during the study. The study also showed a very high malaria incidence (1.481001-1.910000) per 10000 in the Wa municipality, Nandowli-kaleo, and the Nandom districts. Over the period, the highest incidence was recorded within the grassland with scattered trees and widely cultivated areas of Savanna woodlands. Community health education, improvement of public health, interventions using the mass distribution of mosquitoes treated nets, and integrated vector control are recommended.

Zarrin Dasht is one of the low rainy areas of Fars province, which has faced repeated droughts in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of education on the tendency towards water use efficiency in housewives of Zarrin Dasht. In this semi-experimental study, 130 patients (65 cases and 65 controls) were selected from housewives of Zarrin Dasht by cluster random sampling from four health centers. Data collection instrument was a standard, two-part questionnaire (demographic data and water saving tendency) that was a water saving standard. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 24 software. The results of this study showed that the intervention was effective on the tendency of housewives to water use efficiency. There was a significant difference between the above variables before and after the intervention in the intervention group, and the relationship between age and occupation, and tendency to water use efficiency was statistically significant. Considering that education has a positive effect on women's tendency to water use efficiency, so providing water management education to housewives can lead to modification of consumption pattern.

Particular Mineral (PM) less than 2.5 (PM2.5) is considered as one of the most important pollutants with major health effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate spatial and temporal variations of PM2.5 concentrate and air quality in Isfahan city in 2016. In this cross-sectional study, spatial and temporal changes in PM2.5 concentrations were evaluated. The concentrations of PM2.5 in 6 stations in Isfahan were measured. Data were analyzed using Excel and SPSS software. The results of the study showed that PM2.5 concentrations were higher in warm months than in cold months, and also in the early days of the week's PM2.5 concentrations were higher than the weekends. The total average of concentration of PM2.5 in Isfahan was 29.87 ± 10.9 μg/m3. City of Isfahan was healthy for 296 days and was in an unhealthy condition for 70 days. Furthermore, concentration of PM2.5 was higher in the central parts of Isfahan. The present study showed that in most days and months of the year, the concentration of PM2.5 in Isfahan was higher than the standard limit of World Health Organization (25 μg/m3), and PM2.5 concentrations mean in the cold season was higher than the hot season. It seems that the growth, control and the management of this pollutant is essential for citizens' health and reduction of unhealthy effects.

In this study, nanosized zero-valent zinc (Zn0) as a reducing agent, simultaneously synthesized and immobilized on an oxidizing agent, ZnO photocatalyst for degradation of methyl orange (MO) from the aqueous solution. The prepared redox nanocomposite (nZn0-ZnO) was characterized by the XRD and SEM techniques. The prepared sample was separated by centrifuging. The preparation process of nZn0-ZnO including synthesis-immobilization, washing, and drying carried out under Argon gas flow. Moreover, the effect of temperature and kinetics reaction was studied. The results showed that degradation efficiency of prepared redox nanocomposite was increased compared to each ZnO nanopowder and Zn0 under the same operational condition. The calculated activation energy for the degradation process was 4.05 KJ.mol-1. Finally, the results showed that the degradation processes followed pseudo first order kinetic model in the basic condition by the relative deviation modulus. As compared to ZnO nanopowder and Zn0, the prepared redox nanocomposite showed high degradation efficiency for the removal of methyl orange from the aqueous solution.

The International Standard Organization created a set of specified standards titled ISO 14000 in 1996 which includes numerous advisory documents related to the environment management, environment supervision, environmental performance evaluation, ecologic labeling, life cycle evaluation and environmental aspects. This is a descriptive-analytical cross sectional study. The population being studied includes the managers and the staff of Jiroft hospitals. The required data are collected using standard questionnaires of environmental management system from 118 managers and staff in various sections of Jiroft hospitals. The results of the study show that the laboratory, laundry and kitchen condition, water management, contaminants management and spreading to the air, as well as environmental strategies in attaining green hospital standards in Jiroft hospitals, in accordance with ISO 14000, are suitable and at the optimum level. Hospital and health systems can improve their economic and moral situations in the society by helping to attain the goals of the millennium development in the field of health and stability as well as green economic.

Mutations are the most popular way to increase the efficiency of mineral waste bioleaching. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans are used as an important microorganism in biohydrometallurgy. Arsenate is one of the toxic elements in mines, which reduces the efficiency of A. ferrooxidans leaching. The purpose of this research was to increase the resistance of A. ferrooxidans to high concentrations of arsenate. This research was an analytical – descriptive study. The studied population was isolated A. ferrooxidans bacterium from the Sarcheshmeh copper mine in Kerman. The highest tolerable concentration of arsenate was determined by successive cultures of this bacterium at increasing concentrations of arsenate. The bacteria were exposed to UV radiation at different times and then cultured in higher concentrations of arsenate. The results showed that the wild strain was able to grow in the medium containing 20 mM of arsenate. With adaptation, this bacterial strain could grow in medium containing increasing concentrations (40, 60, 80, 100, 120, and 140 mM) of arsenate. When the bacterium was exposed to UV ray for 60 minutes, it was able to grow at a concentration of 120 mM of arsenate. The results indicated a very good effect of UV ray on increasing the arsenate resistance of A. ferrooxidans. It is suggested that this modified strain can be used in real environments for bioleaching.

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. 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. 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. 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.