Iranian Journal of health, Safety and environment
Volume:10 Issue: 1, Winter 2024

There is a concern about exposure to bio-aerosols due to their harmful health effects. Bio-aerosols in surgery environment can potentially cause infection in susceptible and unsusceptible patients. The present study aimed to evaluate bacterial and fungal densities and species in surgery rooms in an educational hospital in Shiraz. A total of 168 samples were collected. Active sampling was done by using a single-stage Anderson sampler on plates including blood agar and sabouraud dextrose agar for 10 minutes for bacteria and fungi, respectively. The mean densities of fungi and bacteria were respectively 233.23±2.024 and 232.6±1.383 CFU/m3 before sterilization compared to 233.01±2.041 and 233.57±1.324 CFU/m3 after sterilization of the surgery rooms. No significant difference was observed between the densities of bacteria and fungi before and after sterilization in all surgery rooms (P>0.05). However, it was a significant difference between the total densities of bio-aerosols after sterilization compared to the suggested value. The density of bio-aerosols was greater than 30 CFU/m3 (P<0.01) in 100% of the cases, but did not exceed 500 CFU/m3 in any of the cases (P<0.01 in 71.42% of the cases). Moreover, Penicillium, Fusarium, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus were the most common fungi and gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, were the most dominant types of bacteria in surgery rooms. Quantitative and qualitative findings of this study revealed high densities of bacteria and fungi in surgery rooms. Thus, effective strategies have to be proposed to control bio-aerosols and their related health effects.

Given the fact that the Karun River, as the most important source of water supply in Khuzestan province, has recently been affected by various pollutants such as sewage, monitoring its water quality is a necessity. This study aimed to determine the water quality of the Karun River based on biological indicators (Daphnia-crustaceans).
In each season of the year, water samples were obtained from three stations at three different points along the river. After measuring the physical and chemical parameters, the samples were left to settle for 24 hours in the laboratory. Then 1 cc of the sediment was placed on the slide to study the diversity and frequency of crustaceans. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.
In the present study, the frequency and variety of crustacean species isolated from the samples decreased from the initial station of the river to the final station. In addition, 27 species of Protozoa were isolated from three stations, of which Daphnia and Rotifer species with an average of 2.166 and 4.833 and standard deviation of 1.984 and 5.166, respectively had the highest frequency compared to other species. The results of the Pearson correlation showed that there is a direct and statistically significant relationship between dissolved oxygen (DO), Turbidity, Daphnia, and Rotifers.
Based on the results of this study, it can be stated that the entry of effluents into river water causes a significant reduction in water quality, which in turn reduces the diversity and frequency of crustaceans living in the water. This is possibly due to an increase in sewage discharge from Ahvaz city to Karun river.

Crashes involving large trucks have a significant association with increasing fatalities or serious injuries. Identifying the factors affecting large trucks crashes can be helpful in reducing the number of crashes and corresponded consequences. The purpose of this review was to appraise the published papers on factors affecting large truck-involved crashes. Data were compiled through searching Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science using keywords included “large truck and accident severity”, “large truck and accident”, “large truck and crash severity”, “large truck and crash”, “large truck and fatal accident”, “large truck and fatal crash”, “large truck and injury”, and “large truck and collide”. The accomplishment process had two steps: excluding unrelated studies and reviewing related ones to select papers meeting the inclusion criteria. According to data collected, 31 papers achieved the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that speed, driver age, location type, collision type, seat belt wearing, light condition, vehicle technical condition, time, road surface condition, and accident type were common factors in the included papers. From the perspective of our study, speed, location type, and light condition seem to be the most frequent factors in crashes involving large trucks. The present study helps to access the studies on factors affecting the large truck-involved crashes. Thereby, the experts can perform measures to decrease the probability and severity of traffic accidents.