Health and economic impacts of ambient air particulate matter (PM2.5) in Karaj city from 2012 to 2019 using BenMAP-CE

The present study aims to estimate the effects of PM_2.5 on the health and economy of Karaj city from 2012 to 2019. In this study, mortality attributed to long-term exposure to PM_2.5 and its spatial distribution in Karaj over the 2012-2019 period were estimated using the Global Exposure Mortality Model (GEMM) concentration-response function and BenMAP software. PM_2.5 hourly concentration data of air quality monitoring stations were used to estimate PM_2.5 for the whole city of Karaj. The economic effects of this pollutant were also assessed using the value of statistical life (VSL) method. The results showed that the annual average PM_2.5 concentration during the studied time increased and was higher than the air quality guideline levels recommended by the World Health Organization. Also, the annual number of deaths attributed to PM_2.5 in adults (older than 25 years) was estimated to be about 1200. The highest to lowest proportions of PM_2.5-related deaths were non-accidental mortality, ischemic heart attack, stroke, acute respiratory tract infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer, in the order of their appearance. The results showed that the economic loss attributed to this pollutant was estimated at 380 to 504 million USD per year. Due to the effects of PM_2.5 on health and the economy in this city, we suggest conducting special planning to control and reduce the concentration of ambient air particulate matter by improving the public transportation system and updating industrial processes.

Treatment of aquatic medium containing common and emerging contaminants using an aero-electrochemical process based on graphite cathode and three metal oxides alloy as anode: Central composite design and photo/sono-enhancement

An aero-electrochemical advanced oxidation process (aero-EAOP) equipped with graphite cathode and dimensionally stable anodes was utilized for the treatment of aquatic media containing common and emerging contaminants. Among various anode materials, the application of Ti/RuO₂/IrO₂/SnO₂ anode resulted in the highest effectiveness. Central composite experimental design (CCED) was used to attain the optimum operational parameters in terms of chlorine generation. Simultaneous decolorization and ammonium removal by the aero-EAOP process were investigated. Accordingly, the decolorization efficiency of 94%, along with the ammonium removal of 65.2%, was obtained within 30 min. Implementation of ultrasound and UV irradiation resulted in the complete decolorization within 25 and 20 min, respectively. In comparison, the influence of ultrasound and UV irradiation on the ammonium removal by the aero-EAOP reactor was not remarkable. Mineralization efficiency of 75.1% was obtained during the short reaction time of 30 min. With increasing hydraulic retention time (HRT) from 2 to 20 min, decolorization efficiency increased from 12.0 to 55.7% and ammonium removal efficiency increased from 16.6 to 37.8%, respectively. The complete degradation of amoxicillin (AMX) and tetracycline (TC) antibiotics were achieved within 25 and 30 min, respectively. The degradation efficiencies of ibuprofen (IBP), acetaminophen (APAP) and endocrine disrupting compound of bisphenol A (BPA) were obtained to be 58, 66 and 78% within 30 min, respectively. Photo-assisted aero-EAOP was more efficient than the aero-EAOP in degrading target emerging pollutants.

Effectiveness of UV/SO32- advanced reduction process for degradation and mineralization of trichlorfon pesticide in water: identification of intermediates and toxicity assessment

This study aimed to investigate the degradability, mineralization, proposed decomposition pathway, intermediate products, and toxicity of effluent from trichlorfon (TCF) degradation in water by UV/sulfite-advanced reduction process (UV/S-ARP). This study was experimentally performed in a photochemical reactor as a batch operation. The source of light was a UV lamp. Sulfite ion was used as the reducing agent. After the treatment, the residual concentration of TCF was measured by liquid chromatography equipped with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). UV/S-ARP had the highest performance at an initial pH of 7, a sulfite ion concentration of 120 mg/L, a contact time of 60 min, and a TCF concentration of 10 mg/L. Under such conditions, the degradation efficiency of TCF was 96.0%, and the amount of mineralization based on the removal of TOC and COD was 74.6% and 79.5%, respectively. The results of the degradation mechanism showed that e_aq^- and SO₃^•- have played the greatest role in dechlorination and transformation of TCF. Based on the identified intermediates, more complex compounds are transformed into compounds with simpler structures by UV/S-ARP. Evaluating the toxicity of TCF by-products via ECOSAR bioassay showed that as-generated intermediates do not have acute and chronic adverse effects on fish. The results of our study indicated that the advanced reduction process could be an effective process for the purification of TCF-contaminated water.

Water and wastewater as potential sources of SARS-CoV-2 transmission: a systematic review

An important group of viruses are Coronaviruses that affect the health of people worldwide, in particular the acute respiratory syndrome. The present work has addressed the updated literature on the topic of coronaviruses transmission through water and wastewater as well as identified gaps in research to inform future studies. In total, 198 articles were selected, then after screening, 48 eligible studies were fully reviewed. Accordingly, the studies showed that the coronavirus has been isolated and identified from water as well as wastewater. The results of researches show that the presence of SARS-Co-2 virus in municipal wastewater is possible due to the excretion of the virus in human feces. In addition, the SARS-Co-2 virus was isolated from contaminated water and rivers, but there is insufficient evidence for virus transmission by water and wastewater. Water and wastewater treatment methods are able to reduce the pollution load caused by this virus in water sources. Water disinfection has an effective role in removing it from water and wastewater sources. Due to the short period of time in the global pandemic and the small number of studies in this field, further studies are needed to make a definite statement about the transferability of virus in water and wastewater.

Study on the relationship between the concentration and type of fungal bio-aerosols at indoor and outdoor air in the Children's Medical Center, Tehran, Iran

Fungal bio-aerosols are of concern due to their adverse health effects, especially in indoor environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the concentration and type of fungal bio-aerosols in the indoor and outdoor of Children's Medical Center in Tehran, Iran. In the present descriptive-analytical study, the fungal bio-aerosols' concentrations in both indoor and outdoor of the hospital air were measured. The measurements were carried out by the Anderson method using a Quick Take 30 pump at 28.3 L min^-1 and 2.5 min sampling that was placed on a Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol. The average concentrations of total fungal bio-aerosols in the hospital indoor and outdoor air were 40.48 and 119.6 CFU/m³, respectively. Onco-hematology and bone marrow transplantation wards were the most and least contaminated units, respectively (11.09 CFU/m³ vs 1.47 CFU/m³). The most common fungi isolated from the indoor environment were Penicillium spp. (45.86%) which was followed by Cladosporium spp. (31.92%), Aspergillus section Nigri (6.26%), sterilized mycelia (5.05%), and Aspergillus section Flavi (2.83%). Cladosporium spp. (61.10 CFU/m³) and Penicillium spp. (18.56 CFU/m³) had the highest mean concentrations in outdoor and indoor air, respectively. The indoor-to-outdoor ratio of fungal aerosols was < 1 at most sampling sites, indicating that the indoor fungal bio-aerosols may have originated from the outdoor environment.

Implementation of continuously electro-generated Fe3O4 nanoparticles for activation of persulfate to decompose amoxicillin antibiotic in aquatic media: UV254 and ultrasound intensification

In the present investigation, the treatment of amoxicillin (AMX)-polluted water by the activated persulfate (PS) was considered. As a novel research, continuously electro-generated magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles (CEMNPs) were utilized as the activator of PS in an electrochemical medium. The PS/CEMNPs displayed a remarkable enhancement in the decomposition of AMX molecules up to 72.6% compared with lonely PS (24.8%) and CEMNPs (13.4%). On the basis of pseudo-first order reaction rate constants, the synergy percent of about 70% was achieved due to the combination of PS with CEMNPs. The adverse influence of free radical-scavenging compounds on the efficiency of the PS/CEMNPs process was in the following order: carbonate < chloride < tert-butyl alcohol < ethanol. Overall, these results proved the main role of free radical species in degrading AMX. The implementation of ultrasound (US) enhanced the performance of the PS/CEMNPs process. Nevertheless, the highest degradation efficiency of about 94% was achieved when UV₂₅₄ lamp was joined the PS/CEMNPs system. Under UV₂₅₄ and US irradiation, the results showed significant potential of the PS/CEMNPs process for degrading AMX antibiotic and generating low toxic effluent based on the activated sludge inhibition test. However, more time is needed to achieve the acceptable mineralization.

A review of the chemical and biological pollutants in indoor air in hospitals and assessing their effects on the health of patients, staff and visitors

Indoor air quality in hospitals has been specifically considered in terms of its impact on health. Air quality is an important risk factor influencing the health of staff and patients who are in contact with indoor air inhaled in hospitals. Over the past two decades, hundreds of studies have been developed to assess pollution in hospital environment. Two hundred and fitfy papers from around the world, from the last two decades, were identified and reviewed. Recent studies have found that the presence of various chemical and biological pollutants affected the health of patients, staff and visitors. Nearly all the reports agree that chemical and biological pollutants in the hospital environment have adverse effects. In most of the reviewed papers, analysis of health hazards was conducted for personnel and patients to toxic metals, chlorine, fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM2.5−10) particles, and bio-aerosol in the inhaled air of the hospital environment. Some papers showed that some of the metals are carcinogens and others do not have a carcinogenic risk. Bio-aerosols as a biological pollutant are usually defined as airborne bacteria, fungi, viruses, pollen and their by products. These biological pollutants are associated with a wide range of health effects in hospital environments. This review can serve as an introduction and as the statement of the problem for more original research in this regard.

Health risk assessment of exposure to the Middle-Eastern Dust storms in the Iranian megacity of Kermanshah

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the effects of particulate matter (PM), equal or less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM₁₀), from the Middle-Eastern Dust events on public health in the megacity of Kermanshah (Iran).

STUDY DESIGN

This study used epidemiological modeling and monitored ambient air quality data to estimate the potential PM₁₀ impacts on public health.

METHODS

The AirQ2.2.3 model was used to calculate mortality and morbidity attributed to PM₁₀ as representative of dust events. Using Visual Basic for Applications, the programming language of Excel software, hourly PM₁₀ concentrations obtained from the local agency were processed to prepare input files for the AirQ2.2.3 model.

RESULTS

Using baseline incidence, defined by the World Health Organization, the number of estimated excess cases for respiratory mortality, hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, for respiratory diseases, and for cardiovascular diseases were 37, 39, 476, and 184 persons, respectively, from 21st March, 2014 to 20th March, 2015. Furthermore, 92% of mortality and morbidity cases occurred in days with PM₁₀ concentrations lower than 150 μg/m³. The highest percentage of person-days occurred for daily concentrations range of 100-109 μg/m³, causing the maximum health end-points among the citizens of Kermanshah.

CONCLUSIONS

Calculating the number of cumulative excess cases for mortality or morbidity attributed to PM₁₀ provides a good tool for decision and policy-makers in the field of health care to compensate their shortcomings particularly at hospital and healthcare centers for combating dust storms. To diminish these effects, several immediate actions should be managed in the governmental scale to control dust such as spreading mulch and planting new species that are compatible to arid area.