Environmental Health Engineering and Management Journal
Volume:10 Issue: 3, Summer 2023

The health, safety, and environment (HSE) resilience is the ability of a system to adapt, resist and cope with the HSE risks in critical situations. In this study, the HSE resilience in solid waste management (SWM) system of Tehran was quantitatively assessed using HSE resilience index (HSE-RI).

The principles and components of HSE-RI were determined and weighted based on the expert panel opinions using Delphi technique and analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The HSE-RI scores were divided into five categories as very good (80-100), good (65-79), medium (50-64), weak (35-49), and very weak (0-34).

The weights of the HSE-RI principles in the SWM system were determined as follows: 0.376 for top management commitment, 0.149 for awareness and risk perception, 0.144 for preparedness, 0.144 for performance, 0.057 for reporting and just culture, 0.0574 for learning culture, 0.055 for flexibility, and 0.017 for redundancy. The highest and lowest scores of the resilience principles in the SWM system were related to the principles of awareness and risk perception (73.6), and reporting and just culture (45.1), respectively. The HSE-RI score in the SWM system was 62.9 (medium).

The results of this study based on the Delphi method and AHP showed that the HSE resilience in the SWM system of Tehran was not at the desired level. The principles of top management commitment (with the highest weight), reporting and just culture and preparedness (with the lowest scores) were determined as the most effective points for improving the HSE resilience in the SWM system of Tehran.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affects several aspects of food safety and food delivery hygiene for online food delivery applications (OFDAs). Several previous studies conducted at various times during the COVID-19 pandemic have yielded interesting results. This study aimed to determine and analyze whether perceptions of food safety and food delivery hygiene are short-term and long-term predictors of behavioral intention to use OFDAs.

A quantitative approach and structural modeling were used in this study. SmartPLS is used to analyze five direct and two mediating effects of the variables used in this study. The data sample consists of OFDA users in Greater Jakarta during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perceived food safety has a significant effect on behavioral intention to use these applications but does not affect behavioral intention to continue using these applications. Perceived food delivery hygiene does not influence using these apps for either short-term or long-term behavioral purposes. Experience with these apps related to food safety and food delivery hygiene during a pandemic can be indicative of their long-term viability. The mediating effect of behavioral intention to use on behavioral intention to continue using these apps affects perceived food safety but not food delivery hygiene.

By emphasizing vaccination and boosting against COVID-19, providing hand sanitizer, and preserving the cleanliness and integrity of food packaging, the findings of this study can be put into practice towards the sustainable usage of OFDAs.

Disinfection is performed in our laboratory using sodium hypochlorite, glutaraldehyde, alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide. All these products are known for their harmful side effects on human and ecological health. As a part of the search for new sterilization methods that respect the environment much more, we were interested in studying the antifungal activity of ozone gas on the most isolated fungi in our hospital “University Hospital Center Hassani Abdelkader of Sidi Bel Abbes”.

This study focused on the antifungal activity of gaseous ozone on the most common fungal isolates in the hospital, with consideration of the duration of the exposure to ozone.

The fungicidal effect of ozone gas on molds was more effective compared to its effect on yeasts, it makes it possible to inhibit the reproduction and fungal growth of molds, in particular the filamentous molds and the most commonly isolated dermatophytes. A longer exposure would seem to be more effective.

Ozone gas can be a new alternative for sterilization and disinfection techniques, especially filamentous fungi and dermatophytes.

Heavy metals are one of the global environmental challenges from the informal disposal of electronic waste, especially after the post-COVID phase. In the present study, the concentration of three heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cr) in the feathers of Corvus splendens, Passer domesticus and roosting sites at Bellandur Lake, Bengaluru, India were analyzed.

A total of nine sediment samples (0-15 cm) were collected from the roosting sites and stored in polyethylene bags, and nine samples of C. splendens and P. domesticus bird shedding feathers through the molting phenomenon were collected naturally to avoid stimuli that can create conflict for the bird. The samples were collected early morning from 5.00 a.m. to 9 a.m. To determine heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cr) in feathers and sediments, the samples were digested and subjected to AAS and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Furthermore, the generalized linear model was analyzed to test the covariance structure of bird diversity.

The Pearson’s correlation is found to be significant (P < 0.05) for contaminated sediments and the feathers of the bird. Analysis of variance for the difference in the concentration of heavy metals within the bird’s species feathers was not statistically significant (P < 0.05).

The feathers of C. splendens and P. domesticus bird species are associated with blood vessels and heavy metals deposited in the blood through the food chain, which are contaminated with heavy metals. C. Splendens feathers were more contaminated with Cr, Pb, and Cd compared to P. domesticus feathers bird species.

The energy crisis is a growing problem around the world, requiring the creation of alternative energy sources that can generate less carbon dioxide and benefit the ecosystem. Reutilization of wastewater is becoming the emerging energy solution. Wastewater contains a large amount of organic matter that can be oxidized in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to produce electricity. MFCs use biodegradable materials to create energy in the presence of microorganisms.

Purposive sampling technique was employed to collect samples from critical polluting sources. The samples were certainly maintained in a refrigerator at 4°C. Several mixes for sample were prepared and tested analytically- for physio-chemical and bacteriological characterizations of each substrate status at pre- and post-treatment stages. Electricity generating capacity of MFCs that employing different substrates was investigated experimentally using batch reactors. The cross-sectional methodology was employed to study possible power generation.

The maximum voltage output of 118.93, 144.84, and 89.76 mV were produced keeping the resistance unlimited for MFC1 (urine substrate), MFC2 (blackwater substrate), and MFC3 (graywater substrate), respectively. MFC that utilized graywater as a substrate brought the tiniest quantity of electricity; however, it stood the most stable. The highest COD reduction (65.83%) in the process was reported in urine substrate and the highest BOD5 removal (69.18%) was reported in black water substrate.

The experimental results provided a promising indication of MFCs viability, providing hope for future power generation and alternative wastewater treatment option in developing countries.

Sewage sludge is rich in fecal coliforms, Salmonella, parasite eggs, and heavy metals that can cause disease in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of outlet biosolids and sludge heavy metals in the wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in Mazandaran province and to compare them with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards.

This study was carried out on the sludge of the treatment plants of Sari, Joybar, Babol, Babolsar, Nowshahr, and Nowshahr-Chalus sludge compost plants. In this study, physical, chemical, and biological properties of sludge samples including retention time, pH, total solids (TS), color, heavy metals (copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, and chromium) as well as the density of fecal coliform, Salmonella and parasite eggs were determined and reported.

Biosolids of Joybar, Babol, Babolsar, and Nowshahr-Chalus WWTP in terms of parasite eggs were in class A. Biosolids of Sari WWTP in summer after drying off naturally were located in Class A, and in summer and spring, were located in Class B based on the US EPA criteria. The average concentration of heavy metals (copper, zinc, nickel, cadmium, and chromium) was lower than the EPA standard.

The results showed that mostly the treated sewage sludge in Mazandaran WWTPs were in Class B of the EPA guideline. The concentration of heavy metals in the biosolids of these WWTPs is lower than the EPA regulation and the use of these biosolids in agriculture is not limited for these metals.

Modeling of wastewater treatment plants is necessary to predict their later works. In this research, three methods were compared to predict some parameters at the outlet of wastewater treatment plant in Hama city in Syria.

In this paper, three methods (linear regression, power regression, and regression trees) to model wastewater treatment plant in Hama city were compared to predict the parameters at the outlet of the plant (cBOD5out, CODout, TSSout) in terms of the parameters at the inlet of the plant (Qin, cBOD5in, CODin, TSSin).

When predicting cBOD5out, the values of RMSE of the test data set were 4.4105, 4.3875, and 3.8418; when predicting CODout, the values of RMSE of the test data set were 6.9325, 6.8003, and 5.3232; and when predicting TSSout, the values of root mean squared error (RMSE) of the test data set were 3.7781, 3.6936, and 3.2391 using linear regression, power regression, and regression trees (RTs), respectively.

According to the results, the RTs outperforms in predicting cBOD5out, CODout, and TSSout because this method achieved the least RMSE of the test data set.

Nutrient deficiency in soils contaminated with heavy metals is one of the main environmental problems. This research was done to investigate the inoculation of plants with Piriformospora indica and organic and inorganic Zn sources on the Cd concentration in the plants cultivated in the Cd-polluted soil.

Treatment consisted of applying organic and inorganic Zn fertilizers in the form of Zn sulfate, Zn oxide, and Zn-EDTA sources at the rates of 0, 20, and 40 kg Zn/ha in the Cd-polluted soil (0, 5, and 10 mg Cd/kg soil) under cultivation of plants inoculation with P. indica. After 90 days, plants were harvested and Zn and Cd concentrations in the plants were measured using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). In addition, the ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POX) enzyme activity was also measured.

Inoculation of plants with P. indica significantly decreased the Cd concentration of plants cultivated in the Cd-polluted soil (10 mg Cd/kg soil) by 17.1%. Furthermore, applying 40 kg Zn/ha from the Zn-EDTA source significantly decreased and increased the Cd and Zn concentrations in the plants by 12.2% and 15.1%, respectively. Although, the application efficiency of this fertilizer was lower in the soils contaminated with heavy metals.

Plant inoculation with P. indica and using organic and inorganic Zn fertilizer had an additive effect of increasing and decreasing the Zn and Cd concentrations in plants. However, the role of the plants’ physiological characteristics and the type of soil pollutant should not be ignored.

Today, the usage of artificial intelligence systems and computational intelligence is increasing. This study aimed to determine the fuzzy system algorithms to model and predict the amount of air pollution based on the measured data in subway stations.

In this study, first, the effective variables on the concentration of particulate matter were determined in metro stations. Then, PM2.5, PM10, and total size particle (TSP) concentrations were measured. Finally, the particles’ concentration was modeled using fuzzy systems, including the fuzzy inference system (FIS) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS).

It was revealed that FIS with modes gradient segmentation (FIS-GS) could predict 76% and ANFIS-FCM with modes of clustering and post-diffusion training algorithm (CPDTA) could predict 85% of PM2.5, PM10, and TSP particle concentrations.

According to the results, among the models studied in this work, ANFIS-FCM-CPDTA, due to its better ability to extract knowledge and ambiguous rules of the fuzzy system, was considered a suitable model.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) represent tremendous potential as heterogeneous catalyst in renewable energy production. In this study, biodiesel production using the modified MOF nanocatalyst was investigated in the esterification reaction.

MOF nanocatalyst was prepared using solvothermal method and modified through sulfation process. The nanocatalysts was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption-desorption, and NH3-TPD techniques. The performance of the nanocatalysts was evaluated in the esterification reaction of free fatty acid (FFA) at different operating conditions.

The results showed the high crystallinity, appropriate textural properties (995.6 m2g-1), well-adjusted acidity, and high hydrophobicity. The sulfation degree of 4 cc g-1 resulted in the best nanocatalyst, which led to the highest FFA conversion (97%) at the optimal conditions: methanol to FFA ratio of 10:1, 3wt.% nanocatalyst, 160 °C, and 6 hours. Surprisingly, the developed nanocatalyst had a great reusability while the conversion reduction was only 8% after six sequence cycles.

These results proved the high capability of the developed nanocatalyst in the esterification reaction to produce biodiesel.

Natural wastewater treatment systems (NWTSs) in small villages are a major challenge for European water authorities. With growing social demands for environmental practices, evaluating the feasibility and environmental impact of low-cost treatment systems for small residential areas is essential.

To address this challenge, this study was conducted to evaluate 10 NWTSs seasonally in rural areas of Bursa, Turkey. Authorities over the facilities permitted the examination of workable, low-cost effluent management options. Also, using Open-LCA software based on ReCiPe MidPoint (H) version 1.67, these plants’ effects on global warming, Phosphorus-depletion, human toxicity, marine eutrophication, and freshwater eutrophication were examined.

According to the LCA findings, Deydinler NWTS had a greater impact across all three effect areas (freshwater eutrophication, marine eutrophication, and human toxicity), ranging from 11 to 41%. Pinar and Yenice facilities, however, had 26% and 27% larger impacts in the same two impacts (marine eutrophication and human toxicity). These systems performed on average at 67%, 50%, and 58% chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) elimination, respectively.

According to the findings, 10 NWTSs have a treatment efficiency of about 70%. NWTSs are possibilities for decentralized wastewater treatment in small residential areas that are both costeffective and environmentally favorable. By treating organic pollution naturally, without chemicals, and with minimal energy use, they lessen their negative environmental effects. The main findings of this study will be useful for academics in determining future research areas and identifying whom they might consult to help design carbon footprint of NWTS and future carbon reduction objectives.

Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) or nosocomial infection is a major public health concern. In this study, the status of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of service staff and nurse aids in reference to HAI was investigated.

This descriptive-analytic study was carried out to investigate KAP in two steps design and measurement. Twenty-five hospitals were included in this study. To collect data, a questionnaire comprised of 8 divisions and 45 questions was designed and validated, and the three sections of KAP were listed. The questionnaire was distributed to 405 nurse aids and service staff to determine their level of KAP towards HAI. The data were analyzed using SPSS 18.

The mean ± standard deviation values of KAP of the included staff were 7.07 ± 1.97, 23.08 ± 4.38, and 35.83 ± 8.25, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed in the level of KAP of personnel among different hospitals (P < 0.001). The type of employment status and education was found to be significantly influential on knowledge (P = 0.027, P < 0.001) and level of education. Marital status, education and career experience were found to be significantly influential on attitude (P = 0.034, P = 0.004 and 0.045). Level of education, job category, career experience, and gender were the significant influential factors on practice (P < 0.05).

The knowledge and practice levels were low in many nurse aids and service staff. An educational plan and compiled programs in hospital infection control seem to be necessary to effectively control the major concern of HAI in hospitals in Iran.