Avicenna Journal of Environmental Health Engineering
Volume:10 Issue: 2, Dec 2023

In recent years, the presence of various pharmaceutical residues such as cefixime (CFX) in aquatic environments has been gaining attention due to its adverse effects on health and ecosystems. Since conventional treatment methods are unable to remove antibiotics, sustainable and efficient approaches are needed to remove these compounds from aquatic environments. In this study, granular ferric oxide (GFO) was used to remove CFX, and the experiments were designed using Design Expert software. The findings were then analyzed using ANOVA test. The results showed that the proposed regression model fit the experimental condition (R2=0.9701, R2 adjusted=0.9432, R2 predicted=0.83). Several residual plots were used to confirm the suitability of the model. The initial concentration of 1.84 mg/L, GFO dose of 3.05 mg/L, and contact time of 24.32 minutes were found to be the ideal conditions for CFX adsorption. Moreover, the findings showed that GFO can be effective in absorbing and removing CFX from aqueous environments.

Tea holds a special place in Iranian culture, ranking as the most widely consumed beverage after water. A significant portion of Iran’s domestic tea production (approximately 70%) originates from the lush landscapes of Gilan province. The Iranian Tea Research Center (ITRC) claims that Iranian tea is pesticide-free. However, there is a concern that tea farms in the foothills may be exposed to pesticide spraying from nearby citrus gardens. This study aimed to investigate the presence of the 17 organophosphorus pesticides in tea leaf samples collected from tea plantation areas in Gilan province. Sample preparation was carried out using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method, followed by the determination of pesticide concentrations using the gas chromatography (GC) method. To assess the non-carcinogenic risk associated with the consumption of black tea due to pesticide residues, we followed the guidelines provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The results were striking, revealing the presence of pesticide residues in all tested samples, raising concerns about the purity of Iranian tea. Notably, the hazard quotient (HQ) for children (<15 years old) exceeded that for adults (>15 years old). Furthermore, spring-harvested tea samples demonstrated higher HQs compared to their autumn counterparts.

To keep the balance between demand and supply, methods based on the average per capita consumption were usually applied to predict water demand. More complicated models such as linear regression and time series models were developed for this purpose. However, after the introduction of artificial neural networks (ANNs), different applications of this method were used in the field of water supply management, especially for urban water demand prediction. In this study, multiple types of ANNs were studied to understand their suitability for a residential complex water demand prediction in the city of Qom, Iran. The results indicated that time series ANN (TANN), nonlinear autoregressive network with exogenous inputs (NARX), group method of data handling time series (GMDHT), and their wavelet counterparts (i.e., w-TANN and w-NARX) exhibited varying degrees of performance. Among the aforementioned models, w-NARX performed the best (based on the average overall error) with the test set root mean squared error (MSE) of 49.5 (m3 /h) and R of 0.93, followed by the GMDHT model with the test set MSE of 104 (m3 /h) and R of 0.97 and w-TANN with the test set MSE of 68.8 (m3 /h) and R of 0.91. In addition, the feedback connection in NARX compared to TANN demonstrated overall performance improvement.

The present study aimed to evaluate the levels of lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg), as well as peroxide values in 52 samples of lipstick in Karaj, Iran. The Varian Spectra AA-220 atomic absorption spectrometer was utilized to determine the concentration of metals. The average levels of the analyzed metals were in good accordance with the standard levels set by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI 14622). The obtained results illustrated that the mean (±SE) levels of Pb, As, and Hg were 3.029±0.787, 0.546±0.090, and 0.044±0.002 µg/g, respectively. Moreover, the mean peroxide value (2.173±0.314 mEq/kg) was lower than the maximum amount set by ISIRI 14622 )10 mEq/kg). Therefore, a continuous monitoring program to ensure acceptable quality of these products along with an enhancement in the consumers’ awareness of the potential hazards of the regular use of cosmetic products is highly recommended.

Diarrhea is one of the digestive problems characterized by a decrease in fluid followed by a loss of electrolytes in the body; therefore, it requires further treatment so as not to cause more severe problems. The incidence of diarrheal disease can be influenced by optimal or inadequate access to clear water. This study aims to determine the relationship between family access to clear water and the incidence of diarrheal diseases in the working area of the Sumbersari Health Center, Jember Regency. This study was a non-experimental analytic research with a case-control design. The sample consisted of 140 participants in the case group and 140 participants in the control group, selected by the simple random sampling technique. Participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited into the study. Data collection tools included a demographic characteristics questionnaire, a questionnaire on clear water access, and a questionnaire about diarrhea disease incidence. Data analysis was performed using the Chi-square test (P<0.05). The results showed that most of the respondents had optimal access to clear water (31.1% in the case group and 42.9% in the control group). Diarrhea sufferers were mostly in the early adult category (21.8%). Then, there is a significant relationship between family access to clear water and the incidence of diarrheal disease in the Sumbersari Public Health Center, Jember Regency (P<0.001; OR: 0.274).

Any used solid, liquid, or gaseous substance will be immediately discarded. Dumped substance waste is generated in various places, including hospitals. The recent problem faced by hospitals is the outbreak of the COVID-19, a novel form of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that has resulted in a marked escalation in the generation of medical waste. The hospital management system covers hospital waste management. This management allows the hospital to monitor the amount and types of produced waste, thereby minimizing the harmful effects of waste. However, in this area, systematic analytical mapping studies still have numerous research limitations. This study aimed to provide a detailed analysis of the generated additional COVID-19 hospital waste and its impact on the environment and public health. Accordingly, this study applied the qualitative method with a literature study approach. The hospital waste management articles identified from 2020-2022 amounted to 920 publication articles indexed by Scopus, indicating that hospital waste management studies have increased in recent years. The study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic caused an alarming surge in medical waste, posing a significant threat to the environment. This situation provides an opportunity to enhance healthcare waste (HCW) management systems in a manner that is both ecologically sound and secure.

To facilitate the wastewater recycling process while adhering to environmental and industrial regulations, it becomes imperative to meet stringent standards. This necessitates the effective elimination of organic substances, with particular emphasis on nitrogen-based compounds. To this end, activated sludge methods, particularly the step-feed biological nitrogen removal (SFBNR) process, are employed. Although various operational measures are employed in SFBNR systems, including the elimination of complex substrates, modifications in aeration conditions, the utilization of piston hydraulic flow, and the appropriate distribution of substrates, these systems remain susceptible to the excessive growth of filamentous bacteria. The current study aimed to examine the change in the distribution of the hydraulic flow entering this system on a real scale over a period of five years. It was observed that the quality of sludge settling improved and accordingly the overgrowth of filamentous Microthrix parvicella declined, thereby enhancing the quality of the effluent.