Environmental Health Engineering and Management Journal
Volume:10 Issue: 1, Winter 2023

Coffee is the foundation of Ethiopia’s economy, but the wastewater generated by coffee processing cannot be properly treated, therefore, causing various environmental problems.

In this research, electrochemical oxidation(ECO) and photo electrochemical oxidation(PECO) are combined with UV and hydrogen peroxide (UV/H2O2) to reduce organic compounds in coffee processing effluent with color and turbidity effect. The effects of various experimental parameters such as hydrogen solubility (pH), sodium chloride and calcium chloride (NaCl and CaCl2) concentrations, current and electrolysis time, and H2O2 dose were investigated.

The results were investigated and analyzed using response surface methodology (RSM) and Microsoft Excel. The color (99.6%) and turbidity (99.4%) were removed by combining ECO with UV/H2O2, which produces high amounts of hydroxyl ions (OH-), oxidizes large amounts of contaminants, and increases efficiency. These results were obtained at pH 7, current of 0.40 AMP, and 1.5 g CaCl2 after 40 minutes of electrolysis. The operating factors were pH, electrolyte dosage, time, current and H2O2, which plays a major role in increasing the removal capacity of photoelectrochemical oxidation for coffee processing waste water treatment. CaCl2 was once more wonderful in the removal of organic compounds from coffee processing effluents.

Therefore, the introduction of this ultraviolet light is a powerful oxidant with H2O2, which can improve pollution control. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with a 95% confidence interval can be used to determine the magnitude of the independent variable.

The problem of soil contamination is a major concern of emerging countries. Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, and mercury cannot be biodegraded, and therefore, persist in the environment for long periods. It has become essential to develop efficient techniques for decontamination of polluted soils. One of these techniques, phytoremediation, is economically viable and compatible with environmental preservation policies. The application of phytoremediation in salty areas requires the use of plants that are able to tolerate heavy metals and high soil salinity. Atriplex halimus is one of the species with a great purification potential, which is a spontaneous halophyte species, and endowed with a fairly important aerial and root biomass. This study aimed to determine the effect of cadmium sulfate (CdSO4) on the germination and growth of A. halimus, and to assess its ability to accumulate cadmium and proline.

This is an experimental study of the tolerance of A. halimus to increasing concentrations of CdSO4 by an in vivo test. This study aimed to assess the degree of tolerance of this perennial species towards different concentrations of CdSO4.

The results show a non-significant effect of CdSO4 on the seed germination rate and growth of the aerial and root parts. However, a significant accumulation of proline was observed especially in the aerial part, whereas the highest cadmium content was recorded at the roots.

According to the results, this species can be used in phytoremediation to decontaminate soils contaminated by heavy metals.

This study aimed to evaluate the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) in the field of climate changes in Iran in 2020, to compare these indexes in the Middle East countries and developed countries, and to evaluate the relationship between these indexes and gross domestic product (GDP) in Iran and some of the Middle East countries, as well as 10 developed countries in the world.

Data related to the EPI in the field of climate changes and GDP were extracted from the database of the Yale University (https://epi.yale.edu) and the World Bank. The relationship between them was investigated using linear regression analysis.

The results showed that in 2020, Iran was ranked fourteenth and sixth among the studied countries, in terms of carbon dioxide growth rate and black carbon growth rate, respectively. It has also been ranked first in terms of carbon dioxide from land cover. Also, Iran was ranked eleventh among the Middle East countries and developed countries in terms of methane (CH4) growth rate and was ranked sixth among the Middle East countries in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) per capita and 13th among all studied countries. However, a significant relationship was observed between changes in GDP with GHG emissions of EPI (R2 = 0.82).

Based on the Iran’s ranking in the field of climate change performance index, planning to reduce CHGs generation is necessary. Also, education of citizens in the field of methods to reduce greenhouse effects should be done by environmental policy makers.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is presently a life-threatening condition, and despite of multiple attempts, no functional method has been introduced against this pandemic problem yet. In this study, for the first time, the possible antiviral aspects of mineral nanoparticles (MNPs) obtained from a natural source, thermal spring water, were evaluated.

At first, MNPs obtained from the Gishki thermal spring, Kerman province, Iran, were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Then, the presence of mineral elements in MNPs was identified by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and MTT assay. Finally, 17 cases suspected of COVID-19 were randomly selected, and their nasal swab samples were exposed to two concentrations of MNPs (50 and 100 u/mL).

The results of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test manifested that MNPs had a destructive effect on 4 (33%) COVID-19 cases.

Therefore, MNPs of thermal spring water may act as an obstacle against COVID-19.

Because of natural and anthropogenic phenomena, most mountain areas experience significant soil loss. It is critical for watershed management to identify high soil loss rates and prone areas. Therefore, the present research aimed to estimate spatial annual soil loss rates and prioritize soil erosion prone areas of the Finca’aa watershed at sub-watershed level.

The revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model, the extension of geographic information system based on five parameters: rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope length and slope steepness (LS), vegetation cover (C), and conservation techniques (P), was applied. This study also used weather data, a soil type map, a digital elevation model (DEM), and land use land cover, which were all analyzed using ArcGIS 10.4.

Annual soil loss rates ranged from negligible to 234 t ha-1 yr-1. The average rates of soil loss was 33.3 t ha-1 yr-1. Approximately 63.36% of the catchment was within and 36.64% of the catchment was above the maximum permissible level, respectively. Approximately 1.96% were in critical condition. Agricultural practices were the primary cause in the watershed’s mountain and hilly areas.

The outcome is critical for planners and resource managers interested in long-term watershed management. Also, it is very important for sustainable growth development of 2030 agendas.

Heavy metals remain tenacious in the environment which further leads to emerging bioaccumulation, rising through the food chain. Birds are great environmental sentinels that can spot even the smallest changes. The aim of this study was to determine the quantity of heavy metals, specifically Ni, copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), and Se, in the feathers, liver, kidney, muscle, and bones of spotted owlets (Athene brama), which were opportunistically collected from a variety of contaminated ecosystems in the urbanized landscapes of Visakhapatnam on India’s East Coast.

Opportunistic sample collection was done followed by necropsy. Following standard protocols, organic samples were digested by adding 10 mL HNO3, 5 mL of HClO4, and 2 mL of H2O2 to eliminate the excess organic matter.

Based on the GIS data, raptors were shown to occur in production landscapes and mostly in urban spaces, and currently, are under several anthropogenic threats. The findings showed that the sequence of heavy metal concentrations was Ti > Al > Cu > Ni > Se, but the tissues of birds in which metals accumulated are in the following order: liver > kidney > bones > muscle. The tissues of A. brama showed the signs of significant concentrations of Ti and Al. The results obtained were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test.

Heavy metal studies on various matrices of the environment have been performed over time with certain metals either neglected or not being documented properly. The main finding of this study is the first report of Ti and Al in bird species from India as there is a lacuna in this context.

Microplastics (MPs) are nowadays found in the air and in various terrestrial and aquatic environments and have become emerging pollutants. These particles can absorb other chemicals and microbial contaminants and release them into the environment and food chain. Despite the high efficiency of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in removing MPs, WWTPs are still one of the major sources of MPs discharge to the environment. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of MPs removal in a municipal WWTP with conventional activated sludge in Iran.

MPs particles were counted using a stereomicroscope after the initial preparation steps (sieving, chemical digestion with the catalytic wet peroxidation-oxidation and density separation with NaCl) and then analyzed for particle composition using a Raman micro-spectrometer.

MPs concentration in the influent, grit chamber, primary sedimentation tank, and effluent were 843.2 ± 147.5, 315.5 ± 54.7, 80.2 ± 19.1, and 11.13 ± 3.14 items/L, respectively. The overall MPs removal efficiency of the WWTP was 98.7%, with the grit chamber, primary sedimentation tank, and secondary sedimentation tank removed 62.6%, 27.9%, and 8.2% of the total MPs, respectively. The most abundant polymers were polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE).

Despite the effective removal of MPs in WWTP, on average 4.47 × 1011 ± 1.03 × 1011 MPs are discharged into the receiving waters through the effluent of this WWTP annually. This means that WWTPs can be one of the major sources of MPs in the environment and efforts should be made to increase the efficiency of WWTPs and equip them with advanced technologies.

Worldwide, more than 10 million regions with an area of more than 20 million hectares are considered contaminated soils. The expansion in industrial activities and urbanization has led to accumulation of high concentration of cadmium (Cd) in soil and water resources, which is a serious danger for environment and human health. Phytoremediation is a technique recommended for the removal of heavy metals from contaminated soils, sediments, and waters. This study aimed to investigate the Portulaca oleracea in the removal of Cd from contaminated soil.

To investigate the effect of P. oleracea phytoremediation on the removal of Cd, in 5 pots, 3 kg of soil was poured. And in each pot, 10 seeds were pursued. The pots were irrigated twice a week for 8 weeks with concentrations of 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/L Cd. After 8 weeks, the amount of Cd of roots, shoots, and leaves was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry.

The results showed that Cd accumulation in purslane plants was significant (P=0.008) and the highest Cd accumulation was in leaves and shoots, and increasing Cd concentration prevented plant growth and led to lower growth at higher concentrations.

According to the results, P. oleracea can be used for the phytoremediation of Cd.

Despite the mass vaccination of people in countries, preventive health guidelines of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are still one of the most critical factors for pandemic control. The objectives of this study were to assess the overall use of face masks and investigate the diverse kinds of face masks used among pedestrians in northeast Iran.

This cross-sectional study was designed in Torbat Heydariyeh, northeastern Iran, from February 19 to May 13, 2020. A total of 223 848 pedestrians were selected from 25 points of the city, using a multistage sampling method in 10 stages. Descriptive statistics were presented with frequencies and percentages. Chi-square test and Fisher exact test were used to assess the association between two categorical variables.

The overall percent of face mask usage was 78.68%. Women used face masks considerably higher than men (88.32% vs. 69.02%, P<0.001). Among the male and female pedestrians who used the mask, 6.27% and 2.04% wore face mask incorrectly, respectively. Surgical masks (73.7%) were the most common face masks worn by pedestrians. Overall, the face mask usage was significantly lower during a.m. (88.34%) compared to p.m. (78.52%) (P<0.001). Also, the face mask usage was significantly higher in the center sections of the city (86.49%) compared to the outskirts (43.67%) (P<0.001).

Women use face masks significantly more than men. Using educational programs and establishing laws and regulations to prevent pandemics in cities is considered as a key factor.

Breast cancer is triggered by uncontrollable breast cell development. These metals may build up in human serum and tissues, causing estrogenic/malignant consequences. Therefore, metals are being studied to investigate whether they enhance the risk of endocrine-related malignancies like breast cancer.

This study assessed the level of metals such as Cd, As, Pb, Ni, Cr, Zn, and Fe in 120 women undergoing breast cancer surgery in the Malwa region of Punjab. Subjects having malignant breast lesions (n = 83) were grouped in the cancer case group whereas subjects with benign breast lesions (n = 37) were separated as a control group. From each case, blood, breast tumor, surrounding adipose tissue samples were obtained, and metal analysis was carried out using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

In malignant cases, the amount of metals ranges from 0.04 to 139.18 μg/kg in tumor. Whereas in adipose tissues and blood, it ranges from 0.04 to 1164.0 μg/kg and from 0.02 to 276.61 μg/kg, respectively. In control group, the total amount ranges from 0.05 to 332.72 μg/kg in the tumor, from 0.13 to 125.61 μg/kg in adipose tissues, and from 0.01 to 121.76 μg/kg in the blood. The level of Cd, Cr, Zn, Fe, Ni, and Pb were observed to be statistically significant/extremely significant whereas Arsenic was detected in no groups.

The results indicate that Cd, Cr, Zn, Fe, Ni, and Pb may play a significant role in the development of breast cancer. The parenchymal component of tumor tissues accumulates heavy metals at a higher rate.

Tetrabrombisphenol A (TBBPA) is one of the major brominated flame retardants (BFRs) used in waste mobile phone printed circuit boards (WMPPCB) that accounts for approximately 60% of the total BFR market.

The potential of TBBPA removal from WMPPCB leached solution was investigated using micelle-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) in the presence of cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants. The efficiency of several parameters including surfactant concentration, transmembrane pressure (TMP), pH, and TBBPA concentration, was evaluated to improve the MEUF. The optimal conditions were used to assess the MEUF for removing TBBPA in a real sample.

The cationic surfactant cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) showed better performance than other surfactants in removing TBBPA due to its electrostatic interactions with anionic forms of TBBPA. The removal efficiency of TBBPA increased from 48.99% to 99.10% by adding a surfactant (less than the critical micelle concentration). Increasing the pH in the range of 5 to 11 increased the efficiency of TBBPA removal due to the increase in the TBBPA solubility in the micelles. TMP had the most significant effect on permeate flux compared to other parameters but did not significantly affect the TBBPA removal efficiency. The MEUF process effectively removed (above 99%) TBBPA in the concentration range of 20 to 80 mg L-1 under optimal conditions. The HPLC-UV analysis of the real sample indicated the removal efficiency of 100% of TBBPA.

MEUF using CPC is a critical performance technology for removing TBBPA from the leached solution of electronic waste.

Wastewater reuse in agriculture can potentially result in adverse health implications including parasitic diseases spread. Trichuris, Ascaris, and Giardia are major pathogenic parasites of concern associated with this practice. This review investigated their occurrence in wastewater, and environmental components reached through wastewater application, including irrigated soil and grown crops. Exposure pathways and evidence for health risks were also explored.

Several databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and ResearchGate) and other sites were searched for published literature up to 2021. The searched keywords include wastewater reuse, soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), Ascaris, Trichuris, Giardia, crop contamination, soil contamination, health risk, epidemiological studies, exposure pathways, and risk mitigation. Overall, 160 papers have been yielded. After screening for relevance, 60 studies were considered for inclusion.

Giardia, Ascaris, and Trichuris were frequently detected in wastewater with up to 5 × 105 cysts/L and 5.73 × 103 eggs/L. Concentrations of 750 eggs/100 g and 2.8 × 104 cysts/100 g were reported in wastewater irrigated soil. Ascaris was reported in irrigated crops with up to 70 eggs/kg versus 6.6 × 103 cysts/kg for Giardia, depending on the type of crops. Epidemiological studies provided evidence supporting the increase of ascariasis, trichuriasis, and giardiasis diseases related to the exposure to wastewater irrigated soil and crops.

The findings suggest that wastewater reuse in agriculture leads to contamination of soil, and crops with pathogenic parasites, increasing health risks in the exposed groups. To remedy this issue, protection measures, including a multi-barrier approach, can be applied to mitigate the health risks engendered by wastewater reuse for irrigation.