Anthropogenic Pollution Journal
Volume:8 Issue: 2, Summer and Autumn 2024

Land use change shapes landscapes and is crucial for effective natural resource management, requiring a deep understanding of its trends for informed land management. The study utilized Landsat TM and Sentinel-2 satellite images spanning 1994 to 2023 to generate a 30-year land use change map of Erzurum. After processing of satellite images in ENVI, the Maximum Likelihood Algorithm used for classification and the Kappa coefficient used for reliability of results. Single and dynamic land use change indices used to assss the changes in LULC classes. The results indicated appropriate accuracy in the classified maps with a Kappa coefficient exceeding 0.75. The results revealed that the most significant land use changes in the Erzurum region were related to the conversion of rangeland to agricultural land. Over the period from 1994 to 2023, there was a notable increase in agricultural land use in Erzurum, contrasting with negative trends in waterbodies and garden areas. Rangeland experienced the most significant decline, decreasing by 19.22%, while agricultural land increased by 18%. Indicating the highest growth among land use categories. According to the Single Dynamic Index, Bare Ground exhibited a change of +0.32%, while tree lands displayed a notably high dynamic degree of +0.31%. The significant expansion of agricultural land in Erzurum is primarily driven by agriculture being the main livelihood for local communities. This shift from rangelands highlights the strain on natural resources, necessitating careful management planning to balance agricultural expansion with environmental conservation concerns.

Identifying the contribution of different land uses plays a crucial role in preventing erosion and prioritizing land management activities. This research aimed to assess the impacts of various land use scenarios on mitigating soil erosion in the North West Urmia region of Iran. In addition to the current scenario, 12 land use management scenarios were identified based on the observed trend in changes in land use patterns throughout the study area utilizing GIS. The RUSLE was used, and the necessary input parameters of the RUSLE model, were prepared. The erosion mapping has been done using overlaying the input layers. The baseline scenario (current condition) resulted in an erosion amount of 17.22 (t/ha/yr). Introducing soil conservation techniques in dry farming on steep terrain, as depicted in scenario 6 (conservation and restoration of plowed rangelands), resulted in a reduction of the erosion rate from 17.22 to 9.75 (t/ha/yr). On the other hand, scenario 20, characterized by severe rangeland degradation and overgrazing, exhibited the highest estimated erosion rate at 30.42 (t/ha/yr). In contrast, the most substantial erosion reduction of 43.37% was evident in scenario 6 (conservation and restoration of plowed rangelands). It was observed that the P-factor (support practice factor) had a more pronounced impact than the C-factor (crop/vegetation and management factor) in mitigating erosion. These findings suggest the potential for utilizing a scenario-based framework to evaluate the impact of management scenarios on erosion and prioritize soil and water management measures and strategies.

The use of copper (Cu) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles in coatings can eliminate surface microbial contamination. This study compared antibacterial activity of Cu- (Cu/CNTs) and Ag-coated carbon nanotubes (Ag/CNTs) synthesized by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Initially, the PECVD technique was applied to deposit the CNTs on high-resistivity silicon wafers previously decorated by nickel catalyst using an Electron Beam Gun. Then, the nanotubes were coated by Cu and Ag thin films in a vacuum evaporator using the Direct Current (DC) Magnetron Sputtering method. Finally, the antibacterial effects were determined by Standard Plate Count (SPC, with film thicknesses of 0, 10, 30 and 60 nm) and Disk Diffusion Test (based on zone of inhibition (ZOI) with nanoparticle concentrations of 5, 10 and 15 μg/mL). According to the SPC findings, the highest antibacterial activity of Cu/CNTs was found for the film thickness of 60 nm against E. coli (66%), and the lowest activity was related to the film thickness of 19 nm against S. aureus (28.8%). The antibacterial activity of Ag/CNTs was about 70% against E. coli with the highest thickness and about 34.12% against S. aureus. The lowest ZOI was measured for the bare CNTs at a concentration of 5 μg/mL (12 mm), and the highest ZOI was related to Ag/CNTs with a concentration of 15 μg/mL against S. aureus (18 mm). To conclude, the carbon nanotube composites coated with copper or silver nanoparticles can be used to control bacterial growth in aqueous solutions.

As the world entered the industrial era, the nature of environmental threats and dangers posed by technology also have gone through fundamental changes. One of these environmental pollutants is the propagation of waves with different wavelengths in the environment. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of 2.45 GHz microwaves on blood biomarkers of mice. In this study, 80 immature male BALB/c mice were used. According to the inclusion criteria, 72 mice were included in the study. Mice were divided into two groups (control group = 24 mice, exposed group = 48 mice). Exposed groups were divided into two subgroups of 24 (groups A and B). Subgroup A was exposed to a simple modem without antenna and subgroup B was exposed to a modem with two antennas. In the first phase of the study, mice were exposed daily for 60 minutes for 90 days and in the second phase for 8 hours daily for 90 days. Blood samples were taken on days 90 and 180. Data analysis was done by SPSS software version 25 (P value<0.05). This study shows that blood cells are affected by long-term exposure to Wi-Fi waves by decrease in number and volume. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between the blood parameters of the two groups exposed to different modems which vary in the number of antennas. The results showed that the highest effect of Wi-Fi waves was on the following blood factors, respectively PLT, RBC, HCT, HGB, and WBC.

The purpose of the current work was to develop strategies suitable for the construction waste management for construction waste processing, recycling or landfilling plants in Tehran metropolis, Iran. This integrated methods study was of an applied type with an exploratory approach, which used a FANP-DEMATEL combined model as one of the most appropriate strategic planning methodologies. Thus, the environment of Tehran waste management organization (TWMO) was evaluated by preparing a SWOT matrix consisting of 10 strengths (S), 12 weaknesses (W), 9 opportunities (O), and 7 threats (T). According to the results, the TWMO was positioned in the WT box (IFE: 2.45 and EFE: 2.33), indicating the necessity of adopting a defensive strategy as the best priority. On the other hand, the FANP-DEMATEL technique also confirmed the accuracy of WT strategies with a score of 12.627. Results shown that the best determined WT strategy was “Preventing mixing or separating waste at the source for easier recycling at the plant site” (Weighting factor: 0.9). These findings showed the importance of the proposed strategy for the growth and success of construction and demolition waste management in Tehran.

This study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the dispersion of suspended particles and potentially toxic elements in the air and soil around Shahid Rajaei Thermal Power Plant. For this purpose, soil sampling was carried out in a regular network with a radius of 10 km to measure the concentration of potentially toxic elements, and separately, the distribution model of particles and potentially toxic elements released from the power plant chimney was determined using AERMOD software up to a distance of 25 km. Results showed that the concentration of potentially toxic elements in the soil around the power plant has a direct relationship with the particles coming out of the power plant chimney and their deposition in the soil, and the trend of soil pollution up to a distance of 8 to 10 km from the power plant shows the highest concentration of the studied elements, and with increasing distance from the power plant, pollution levels are reduced. In the affected areas, the concentrations of vanadium, nickel, zinc, and copper exceeded the standard with values of 237, 88,210 and 112 ppm, respectively, and the four elements cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, and lead with values 21, 115, 4.7 and 42 ppm showed lower levels of pollution which are also related to the type of fuel consumed by the power plant. Modeling of particle dispersion in the air by AERMOD method with the trend of dispersion and concentration of the above elements is consistent with the analysis of soil pollution and shows an acceptable level of accuracy between the two evaluation methods.

The aim of this study was to assess the noise pollution of sports facilities in multi-purpose halls in Lahijan city, Iran. This research was of applied type. Through networking, 16 halls were randomly selected in four zones of the city and data were collected in the field. The sound level in the clubs was measured at level A and as an equivalent level by a portable device and Decibel X 2019 and compared with the sound standard (OSHA-90 dBA). The measurements were performed in triplicate and repeated three times. The calculated parameters included sound pressure level (SPL), average sound level ((LP)), continuous sound equivalent level (Leq) and individual daily dose LAEp, d. The results showed that the lowest sound pressure level was 73.9 dB in the northern zone and in the first turn. The highest sound pressure level in the western zone was 97.7 dB. As the time changed from early morning to night, the average sound pressure level increased, highlighting the direct relationship between the sound pressure level and the measurement time. The average sound level in the western zone was higher than in other zones, and the average sound level in the southern zone was lower than in other zones. In both zones, the gyms were of the shed type, which could not establish a relationship between the structural form and the sound level. All the studied halls had levels higher than the standards for recreation centers and parks, as well as the standards of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, all of the gyms met other standards such as ACGIH, NIOSH and OSHA standards related to occupational health. Finally, there was a relationship between the urban location of sports halls and the sound level, such that halls located in the northern and western zones (the more affluent part of the city) had higher sound levels; in contrast, those located in the southern and eastern zones (poorer areas of the city) had lower sound levels.

The current work aimed to identify factors affecting liability and compensation for marine pollution in Iran. This applied research was conducted using a grounded theory and descriptive-analytical method. Following an in-depth survey and extraction of an initial list, 20 relevant experts selected by a snowball sampling method were interviewed to complete and validate the research process. The research findings revealed 60 open codes and 21 axial codes in a paradigm model. Five components identified as causal conditions included severity of environmental pollution, type of environmental damage, source of pollution, insurer conditions, and nature of the insured. Four components of contextual conditions involved type of environmental risks, level of risk, theoretical foundations, and national and cross-border cooperation. Five intervening factors were national laws and regulations, international environmental law and international treaties, international sanctions and restrictions, governance approach and government policies, and arbitration conditions. Interactional strategies consisted of facilitation, risk management and awareness raising. Consequences were found to be compensation for environmental damage, mechanism to prevent recurrence of similar incidents, and increasing trust and willingness to fulfill environmental commitments. To conclude, stressing and paying attention to international environmental laws can pave the way for environmental insurance activities in the country. Stressing and paying attention to international environmental laws can pave the way for environmental insurance activities in the country.

The exhibition industry serves as a huge platform for face-to-face participation and the formation of potential economic and business relationships in the current century. These gatherings cost greatly in terms of energy resources are responsible for the emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the water, air, and soil. The present study seeks to investigate and identify the pollutant indices resulting from the activities of the exhibition industry, its respective services and preparing guide on the organization of exhibition sites. For this purpose, the most important environmental criteria influenced by the industry were first identified through the Delphi method and were then classified into nine main priority groups based on multi-criteria decision-making and the Best/Worst Method (BWM). The environmental index of the region was thus selected as the most important criterion whereas the social and economic indices were determined to be the least important criteria. Moreover, 58 sub-indices of the main indices were also weighed and prioritized based on the pairwise comparison. As a result, the sub-criterion of environmentally sensitive region ranked first while the sub-criterion of impact on the local and regional identity was identified as the least important influential sub-criterion. Weighing and prioritization of the indices were eventually the main foundation for the compilation of the exhibition site construction and operation instructions, and persistent monitoring of some indices such as the indoor air quality and consumed energy can reduce the negative environmental consequences of exhibition activities significantly.

This paper, aims to evaluate the impacts of potential climate change on the stream flow of a semiarid catchment (called Merek) in western Iran using Distributed Catchment Scale Model (DiCaSM) and IHACRES lumped model and compare their ability in simulation of the future stream flow in this area. The joint probability plot was used to generate seasonal climatic change factors (% change in rainfall and change in temperature ◦C) to apply as an input to the DiCaSM model. A suite of 15 Atmosphere-Ocean Global Circulation Models (AOGCMs) from the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project (CMIP) with monthly rainfall and temperature data for the baseline period were evaluated. By analyzing the models, finally, the three best models, including GFDLCM3, CNRM-CM5 and NorESM1-M models, which reproduce the climatic behavior of monthly temperature and precipitation values, were selected. To study the impact of future climatic change on water supply, this study applied the RCP Scenarios. It proved an acceptable performance in reproducing of the historical observations three Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) scenarios for the future period 2040−2069. Results indicated that both hydrological models were able to simulate the observed stream flow successfully in the study catchment. The projections of three AOGCMs showed that the future temperature would be increased in the area, while there was no agreement between the models in simulation of future rainfall. Changes in stream flow simulated by DiCaSM model were ranged from −5.2% to 6.2% for the period 2040−2069, while for IHACRES model, the changes ranged from −37.7% to 10.1%. Overally the model performed extremely well for both the calibration and validation years. It is recommended to use these hydrological models for a general evaluation of climate change impact in water resources studies.

This study aimed to identify and prioritize effective methods to increase public education and participation in household waste management in Tehran (capital of Iran) as a pilot city. First, baseline data were gathered through a library research process, and then 33 waste management experts were employed as a panel to complete a researcher-made questionnaire on a Likert scale. Statistical tests and factor analysis were used to analyze the data and determine the relationships between the components. According to the results, among the determined 27 items of identifying and developing educational approaches for public participation in waste management, the item ”environmental literacy” ranked first with an average score of 4.52, and the item ”individual training” ranked lowest with an average score of 3.91. The final model includes five levels of factors influencing environmental education and promoting public participation. Normed Fit Index (NFI = 0.96), Relative Fit Index (RFI = 0.96), and Comparative Fit Index (CFI = 0.98) indicated that the proposed model had a good fit. The Goodness of Fit Index (GFI = 0.91) and the Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI = 0.89) also confirmed the goodness of fit of the model. Effective municipal waste management requires active participation of citizens, which can be achieved by providing environmental education.

The accumulation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in roadside soils and plant leaves due to vehicular emissions presents significant environmental and public health risks, particularly in densely populated urban areas. This study evaluated the concentrations of five PTEs—copper (Cu), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and zinc (Zn)—in soils and leaves of three urban plant species (Pine, Cypress, and Mulberry) across six highways in Tehran, Iran, categorized into high, medium, and low-traffic zones. Soil samples were collected at a depth of 0–30 cm, and leaf samples were obtained from the canopy’s outer sections. Samples were digested with aqua regia (soil) and nitric-hydrochloric acid (leaves) and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Pollution indices, including Pollution Load Index (PLI), Transfer Factor (TF), and Bioaccumulation Factor (BCF), were applied to assess contamination levels and metal mobility.The results showed moderate pollution levels across high-traffic zones (PLI = 3.94), with cadmium (Cd) contributing the most significant ecological risk (RI = 154.50). Transfer Factor (TF) analysis revealed high bioavailability for zinc (TF = 0.78) and lead (TF = 0.81), while cadmium exhibited limited uptake by plants (TF < 0.004). Bioaccumulation Factor (BCF) calculations indicated Pine and Cypress species had higher potential for metal uptake, with BCF values exceeding 1 for zinc and lead in high-traffic areas, whereas Mulberry demonstrated relatively lower accumulation. Despite a normalized NIPI index value of 1, the enrichment factor (EF) for zinc (EF = 98.04) underscores significant anthropogenic contributions, particularly from non-exhaust vehicular emissions. These findings highlight the need for ongoing monitoring, effective traffic management, and remediation strategies to address heavy metal pollution in urban environments.

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of source separation training for municipal solid waste on the quality of compostable organic waste at District 8 of Karaj Municipality, Iran. This was an experimental study, the tools of which were sampling and conducting experiments. The research data were collected using cluster sampling. To determine the chemical properties of wet waste, samples were taken from 480 households in 7 neighborhoods of District 8 of Karaj Municipality, followed by laboratory analysis. To measure the quality of compostable organic materials, first, waste from the studied households was received once without providing training and subjected to physical analysis (separation of wet and dry materials). Once again, after providing training, the waste of the studied households was collected separately, wet and dry, from the doorsteps of the homes. From the total wet waste samples taken from each neighborhood, after complete mixing, one sample was taken for chemical analysis and transported to the laboratory. The measured parameters included total nitrate, organic carbon, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, calcium, cadmium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and lead. A t-test was used to obtain the difference between the physical and chemical properties of the wet waste before and after source separation training to households. Data were analyzed using SPSS27 software. Based on the results, there was a statistically significant difference between the values of EC, pH, cadmium, and iron at the level of 5%, as well as between the parameters of copper, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus at the level of 1%, in the pre- and post-training stages. The EC value in the pre-training phase was 9914 μs/cm, which decreased to 7350 μs/cm after training. Calcium levels were 19,674 and 30,898 mg/kg, potassium levels were 24,006 and 18,225 mg/kg, phosphorus levels were 1987 and 3019 mg/kg, and the iron levels were 1804 and 466 before and after training, respectively. The concentration of magnesium in compostable organic waste increased significantly in the post-training phase compared to the pre-training phase. The findings of this study revealed the effectiveness of source separation of municipal solid waste in maintaining the amounts of elements present in compostable organic materials at appropriate levels.