International Journal of Environmental Health Engineering
Volume:5 Issue: 3, Sep 2016

In this research, application of fishery wastes as locally available, cheap, eco-friendly, non-toxicity, reusable, abundant biodegradable resources and highly efficient adsorbent was studied for Direct Blue-86 (DB-86) removal fromaqueous solution.

Comparison of the adsorption of DB-86 by chitosan produced from three different fishery wastes (shrimp, crab and squid collected from Persian Gulf) has been investigated. Effects of adsorbent dosage, pH, flow rate, ionic strength, interfering ions and dyes were evaluated.

The results indicated that maximum removal of dye (~ 100%) was obtained by passing 100 mL of DB-86 (50 mg L-1, pH=2) through a column containing 0.5 g chitosan by using continuous method (fixed-bed) at room temperature (25 ± 2 ºC). Maximum desorption of 72% was achieved at alkaline medium (pH=13.5). It was shown that equilibrium isotherm could be fitted by the Langmuir equation. The maximum adsorption of chitosan (qm) and the energy of adsorption were calculated as nearly 60 mg/g and 3.6 mg-1, respectively.

Chitosan was successfully used for removal of DB-86 from spiked Karoon River sample and the effluent of Pars Paper Factory, a local pulp and paper factory in Ahvaz. Results represent of three replicated experiments.

 This research was done to assess the dechlorination and destruction of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in real-waste transformer oil via microwave (MW) radiation. 

 The influence of MW power, reaction time, polyethylene glycol, zero-valent iron powder, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and water (H 2 O) were investigated on the dechlorination and destruction efficiency of PCBs in real-waste transformer oil under MW radiation. 

 The findings show that polyethylene glycol and NaOH have great influence on destruction of PCBs. However, iron (Fe) did not have any influence, and H 2 O decreased the destruction efficiency of PCBs. Moreover, experimental data showed that with optimum amount of variables [ie, polyethylene glycol (PEG) = 5.4 g, NaOH = 1.13g, Fe = 0.6g, H 2 O = 0.8 mL, and MW power of 800 W], more than 99.9% of PCBs were destructed at reaction time of 6 min. Furthermore, destruction of PCBs in the absence of water increased up to 100% after 6 min. 

 Accordingly, results showed that MW radiation and reactants (PEG and NaOH) were very important factors for the destruction of PCBs from real-waste transformer oil.

 In this study, the removal of nitrate was investigated using nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) extracted from sugarcane bagasse. 

 NCC was extracted by acid hydrolysis of bagasse at 40°C for 45 min and then used as an absorbent for the removal of nitrate. The properties of absorbent were evaluated by atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The effect of various parameters including pH, initial concentration of nitrate, adsorbent dose, and exposure time was investigated on the removal of nitrate. 

 NCC was obtained in a diameter and length of <14.7 and 500 nm, respectively. Optimal conditions for removal of nitrate were determined in the initial nitrate concentration, adsorbent dose, pH, and exposure time of 100 mg/L, 6, 3 g/L, and 100 min, respectively. In optimal conditions, the maximum adsorption of nitrate was 8.33 mg/g. 

 The highest efficiency of nitrate removal at pH, 6 was obtained as 25%. The results showed that the NCC, extracted from bagasse, could be used as a very effective adsorbent to remove nitrate from water and wastewater resources.

 The purpose of this study was to evaluate ergonomic assessment MSDs risk in computer users with Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method and Nordic questionnaire. 

 This cross-sectional study was conducted on 96 computer users in computer sites, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The data were analyzed using test SPSS 20 and descriptive statistics and ANOVA test. Data collection tool was Nordic questionnaire and checklist RULA. 

 By Nordic questionnaire, the results showed that MSDs prevalence in computer users were, in the neck (54.9%), back (53.1%), and elbow (43.2%) more than in other parts of the body. Based on the level of risk, RULA was 24 individuals in an area of low risk, 41 individuals area of caution, and 31 individuals in the area hazard. MSDs prevalence was in women more than men. Furthermore, ANOVA test showed that there is direct and significant correlation between age and work experience with a final score RULA (P < 0.001). 

 This study result showed that frequency of musculoskeletal problems in the neck, back, elbow, and wrist was generally high among our subjects, and ergonomic interventions such as computer workstation redesign, users educate about ergonomic principles computer with work, reduced working hours in computers with work must be carried out.

 The purpose of this study is to investigate the zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) removal from aqueous solution by coagulation-flocculation using polyaluminum chloride (PACl) and chitosan (CS) biopolymer. 

 This study was a laboratory scale experiment, which used PACl and CS to remove Zn and Ni with concentrations 3-100 mg/L from aqueous solutions. Jar test was used to compare the Zn and Ni removal efficiencies of the chemical treatment options using PACl and CS. The dosages used for PACl ranged from 5 to 100 mg/L whereas CS dosages varied between 5 and 75 mg/L. 

 The results showed that optimum coagulant doses and pH were found at 50-100 mg/L and 11 for PACl and 20-75 mg/L and 11 for CS, respectively, when CS added with PACl led to a better removal efficiency of the metals (more of 99%). In mixed aqueous solution, the presence of Zn caused increase of Ni removal efficiency and the presence of Ni caused decrease of Zn removal efficacy. 

 The results of this study showed that CS had higher removal efficiency than PACl for removal of Zn and Ni, and also CS as a coagulant aid led to increasing in metal removal.

Dear Sir,Sanitation is an investment with high economic returns. Globally, environmental health issues such as poor sanitation are a major social and public health issue resulting in high mortality and morbidity. Poor sanitation in India impacts on many aspects of human welfare such as education, life choices, use of public space, mobility, ultimately, livelihoods, incomes, and general well-being. India's sanitation deficit leads to losses worth roughly 6% of India's gross domestic product (GDP) and an estimated future losses equivalent to 3.4% of 2006 GDP. [1] Previous research has shown that in low-income countries, investments in sanitation reap a high benefit at least five times greater than the amount invested. [2],[3] The Economics of Sanitation Initiative study estimates that the total annual economic impact of inadequate sanitation in India amounted to a loss of 2.4 trillion INR in 2006 amounting to per capita annual loss of INR 2180. [1] The previous programs and campaigns toward improved sanitation failed to bring about the change in the attitude and behavior of the people with regards to sanitation.The recently launched campaign "Swachh Bharat Mission" is India's biggest ever national level cleanliness drive postindependence. [4] The aim of the campaign is to accomplish the vision of "clean India" by Mahatma Gandhi on his 150 th birthday on October 2, 2019. It provides a platform that brings together all collective efforts of citizens toward cleanliness. Each individual will devote 100 h/year toward cleanliness of the surrounding which will come to approximately 2 h/week. The campaign urges everyone to take up the Swachh Bharat Challenge and also inspire others to take up the same challenge given by him. It also puts the responsibility on all the citizens to make this nationwide campaign a resounding success by efforts as an individual campaigner, or as an institution or organization. Celebrities and public figures have taken to the Swachh Bharat Challenge in a big way and are making the impact multiply. Each individual has to take a Swachh Bharat Challenge and take up the cleanliness drive. After completion of the challenge, the individual can nominate or invite other nine people to join the mission, who in turn are expected to nominate nine more. This innovative strategy recognizes the importance of changing people's attitudes, mindsets, and behaviors as a central challenge in winning the battle on sanitation by taking up the challenge and completing it successfully. Let us welcome the renewed rhetoric on sanitation and not repeat the same mistakes by making a truly public driven chain of challenge toward improved sanitation. Not only a strong political will, but also the innovative initiative of participation and social mobilization will add strength to the cleanliness campaign.

 The present study was carried out to evaluate the production of eco-friendly and environmentally bio-fertilizer from a mixture of food waste (FW) and rice bran (RB). 

 The various mixtures of RB and FW (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:5) were prepared and spread in Diy beds for 20 days. After that, the raw compost was poured in four containers beds contains 100 adult earthworms Eisenia foetida for 30 days. Physical and chemical parameters including temperature, humidity, carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and pH were monitored. 

 The obtained results showed that at the first of composting process, the temperature was sharply increased and after that dropped and reached to the ambient temperature. The C/N ratio was decreased in studied Diy beds during preparing and vermicompost processes. The averages of C/N ratios in the raw FW and RB at mixing ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:5 were 45.35, 38.43, 35.3, and 32.11, respectively. The C/N ratios in the vermicompost were reduced to 20.85, 18.3, 16.86, and 15.16, respectively. 

 The results of this study showed that composting and vermicomposting process can be used as a potential tool for bio convert rice bran and food waste. However, it is suggested that the rice bran can be amended with food waste to ensure better quality of vermicompost.

 The aim of this study was to evaluate a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system for optimization effluent quality by feeding of the influent (raw wastewater and anaerobic reactor effluent) in Isfahan - Mourchekurt Industrial Estate Centralized Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

 The MBR was equipped with two flat sheets membrane with 0.2 μm pore size, were operated in parallel style and feed simultaneously with raw industrial wastewater (MBR1) and anaerobic reactor effluent (MBR2). The average organic loading rates in two reactors were 1.37 and 0.52 (kg chemical oxygen demand [COD]/m 3 .day), respectively. All analyses were implemented according to the standard methods procedure. 

 The average concentration of COD was lower than 100 mg/L and 50 mg/L in both reactor effluent, respectively, and it was <30 mg/L for biological oxygen demand (BOD 5 ) in both reactors. In addition, the average turbidity, COD, BOD 5 and total suspended solid removal were higher than 92%. In both reactors effluent, average microbial indicators contamination were >1000 MPN/100 mL for MBR1 and these were <1000 MPN/100 mL for MBR2. During the operation flux reduction in MBR1 was more than MBR2. 

 The MBR technology was used to treat the combined industrial wastewater was efficient, and its effluent can be perfectly used for water reuse. The MBR performance was improved by applying an anaerobic pretreatment unit.