Comparison of Clinical Effects and Physical Examination of Transforaminal and Caudal Steroid Injection With Targeted Catheter in Lumbar Radiculopathy: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Transforaminal and caudal epidural injections are two methods of steroid injection in lumbar radiculopathy. Using a targeted catheter with the possibility of accessing the involved spinal roots and steroid administration selectively next to them during the caudal procedure may achieve the benefits of both transforaminal and caudal procedures. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effects and physical examinations of transforaminal steroid injection compared to caudal through a targeted catheter in lumbar radiculopathy. METHODS: Fifty patients with lumbar radiculopathy candidates for epidural steroid injection were divided into transforaminal (T) and caudal (C) groups. Steroid injection under fluoroscopic guidance was performed in group T with the transforaminal method and in group C with the caudal method using a targeted catheter for each involved spinal nerve root. Pain intensity visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), daily analgesic consumption, and physical examinations on four follow-ups (before injection, second week, first and third month) were evaluated. RESULTS: Pain score (VAS) and functional disability index (ODI) were similar in both groups, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (p > 0.05). The positive Lasègue test was significantly higher in the caudal group than in the transforaminal group only in the third month (p < 0.05). Other physical examinations in both groups did not have significant differences in all the follow-ups. Moreover, there was no difference in the amount of analgesic consumption in the two groups. No complications were observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: This study showed that transforaminal and caudal steroid injection (with a targeted catheter) in patients with lumbar radiculopathy had similar effects in controlling pain and improving functional disability of patients in the short term. Cases of recurrence of positive Lasègue test in physical examinations in the long term (third month) in the caudal group may indicate the preference of the transforaminal approach. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) number: IRCT20111102007984N31.

Nectarine core-derived magnetite biochar for ultrasound-assisted preconcentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tomato paste: A cost-effective and sustainable approach.

A novel ultrasound-assisted magnetic solid-phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (US-MSPE-GC/MS) was developed to detect trace amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tomato paste, using a magnetic biochar adsorbent derived from nectarine cores. The highest extraction recovery was attained under 10 mg adsorbent mass, 30 min extraction time, 9 % (w/v) sodium chloride, and elution with 200 µL of dichloromethane. Under optimum conditions, the method demonstrated excellent linearity (R2 > 0.992) across a wide concentration range (0.01-100 ng g-1) with high sensitivity (LODs: 0.028-0.053 ng g-1, LOQs: 0.094-0.176 ng g-1) and good repeatability (RSDs <5.96 %). The application of the US-MSPE-GC/MS method was tested on four brands of real tomato paste and no PAHs were detected in unspiked samples, indicating no background contamination. This method showed high relative recoveries 88.03-98.52 %) and good reproducibility (<9.19 %.) at two concentration levels, confirming its effectiveness for PAH analysis in real samples.

Double Connection of Left-Sided Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Vein Return in a Young Man.

Double connection of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return is a very rare congenital anomaly where at least one pulmonary vein, but not all, drains into the left atrium and systemic venous circulation with subsequent left to right shunt.

The ten-year evaluation of clinical characteristics in congenital lung anomaly in pediatrics; a retrospective study in North of Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital lung anomalies (CLA) are a group of anomalies, including congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM), bronchopulmonary sequestrations (BPS), congenital lobar emphysema (CLE), and bronchogenic cysts (BC). The prevalence of these rare anomalies has risen in recent years, according to various population-based studies due to advances in fetal ultrasound technology. METHOD: This retrospective study examines the diagnosis of CLA, and was conducted on 72 patients between March 2014 and March 2024 at Taleghani Pediatric Hospital in Gorgan, Iran. RESULT: The average age was 18.8 ± 30.3 months, with the majority being boys (62.5%). Most participants had CCAM (41.7%), followed by CLE (18.1%), BPS (16.7%), pulmonary hypoplasia (9.7%), BC (8.3%), and hybrid lesion (5.6%). The majority of patients were Fars (62.5%), and the average hospitalization days was 9.4 ± 4.5 days. Cardiac anomalies were observed in 19.4% of the patients. 62 patients (86.1%) exhibited respiratory symptoms, and prenatal screening during pregnancy led to the diagnosis in 51 patients (70.8%). Most patients had left lung anomalies (43; 59.7%), and the majority (90.3%) survived. There is a statistically significant relation between needed for surgical treatment and patients' type of pulmonary lesions (p-value: 0.02). In addition, there was a significant relation between the Fars ethnicity and the presence of cardiac anomalies (p-value: 0.04). CONCLUSION: Some CLAs remain undiagnosed or untreated due to the rare nature of congenital lung anomalies. Nevertheless, improvements in ultrasound and other imaging methods will make diagnosing and managing these anomalies during the prenatal period more prevalent, resulting in enhanced understanding.

Degradation of reactive red 198 dye from aqueous solutions by combined technology advanced sonofenton with zero valent iron: Characteristics/ effect of parameters/kinetic studies.

Dyes are one of the most common contaminants in industrial effluents, whose continuous release into the environment has become an increasing global concern. In this work, nanoparticles of zero-valent iron (NZVI) were synthesized using the chemical regeneration method ،and were utilized for the first time as a catalyst in the advanced Sono-Nano-Fenton hybrid method for the decomposition of Reactive Red 198 (RR198). The properties of zero-valent iron nanoparticles were analyzed using SEM and XRD. The effect of pH, initial dye concentration, nanoparticle dosage, zero-valent iron and H2O2 concentration on the decomposition efficiency of Red Reactive 198 was investigated. Comparing the efficiency of Reactivate 198 dye degradation in Sonolysis, Sono-NZVI, Sono-H2O2 and Sono-Nano Fenton processes showed that 97 % efficiency was achieved by the Sono-Nano Fenton process in 60 min. The kinetics of the removal process showed that this process follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model. The results indicate that the effectiveness of the ultrasonic process in removing resistant organic pollutants such as dyes increases tremendously with the synergy of the Fenton process.

Coronary Cameral Fistula Manifested as Angina Pectoris in a 40-Year Old Female.

Coronary cameral fistula (CCF) is defined as an abnormal connection between the coronary artery and any cardiac chamber. It usually appears due to abnormal embryogenesis and represents less than 1% of the population. Most CCF cases are asymptomatic, however large CCFs may cause symptoms and complications. We present a case of a young female with symptomatic CCF suspected on echocardiography and confirmed by computed tomography coronary angiography. She was successfully treated surgically with total improvement of symptoms. LEARNING POINTS: Coronary cameral fistula (CCF) is an abnormal communication between the coronary arteries and cardiac chambers. Most fistulas are asymptomatic, however, large CCFs can cause symptoms.CCF can cause angina pectoris due to the coronary steal phenomenon, and may require surgical intervention.Coronary computed tomography angiography is a highly sensitive method for detecting coronary artery fistulas noninvasively.

Combination of Serologic Tests and Sputum Culture Results as the Best Diagnostic Method of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection in Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

Background: One of the most common reasons for mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is lung infections, among which Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) infection has the largest share. Diagnosis of Pa can be assessed by various methods such as sputum culture results and IgG antibody level via measuring the specific anti-Pa antibodies. This study aimed to select the best predictive technique in the diagnosis of Pa in CF patients through spirometry, sputum culture, and serum IgG antibody levels. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, blood and sputum or pharyngeal samples were taken from 68 patients with cystic fibrosis. Because spirometry was not possible in all patients, 34 patients could do the spirometry. The samples were studied concerning Pa infection. The data including variables such as age, sex, and spirometry results were obtained. Then, in the serologic method, 3 serum-specific antibody levels were determined by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The average age of children was 7.4 ± 5.6 (ranging from 0.5 to 23) years. Generally, the percentage of Pa infection increased in CF patients with higher ages. A statistically direct significant relationship was observed between the concentration of serum IgG antibodies in patients with CF and Pa-positive sputum culture results (p<0.05). Conclusion: Serum IgG antibodies against specific Pa antigens could be a diagnostic method against Pa infection, especially in patients who cannot expectorate. However, because of the positive and negative predictive value of both serum IgG antibody levels and the results of the sputum culture, we suggested that utilizing the combination of these methods could be beneficial in earlier diagnosis of Pa.

Persulfate-assisted heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of furfural from aqueous solutions using TiO2-ZnO/biochar composite.

This study evaluated the performance of TiO2-ZnO/biochar as activator of persulfate (PS) for degradation of furfural. After the successful synthesis of the catalyst, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods were used to investigate the properties of TiO2-ZnO/biochar. The findings of this research suggests that under optimal conditions (pH = 3, catalyst dosage = 1 g/L, persulfate concentration = 1.2 mM, and furfural concentration = 10 mg/L), the PS/Catalysts/UV system can remove 96 % of furfural within 15 min. Under ideal conditions, the experimental results fit well with the first-order kinetic model (R2 > 0.95), and the rate constant (Kobs) was derived as 0.195 min-1. The quenching experiments provided further insights that confirmed the participation of SO4°- and OH° radicals in the degradation process. Nevertheless, the evidence strongly supports the idea that SO4°- plays a more prominent and dominant role as the primary radical species responsible for furfural degradation. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that the PS/Catalysts/UV system has an appropriate ability to remove furfural from aqueous solutions, which suggests promising perspectives for its practical application in pollutant treatment scenarios.

Health risk assessment of BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) in different indoor air using Monte Carlo simulation in zahedan city, Iran.

The presence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene compounds (BTEX) in the breathing air outside and inside buildings is one of the most significant problems related to human health today. This study was performed to determine the concentration of BTEX pollutants in indoor environments. PhoCheck was used to detect the concentration of BTEX compounds. In this study, the concentration (BTEX pollutant) was assessed in four indoor spaces, including restaurants, laundries, hair salons, and photocopying centers. The results showed that the average concentration of all four searched compounds was higher than the recommended limit of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The results of carcinogenic risk assessment by benzene and ethylbenzene compounds show 2153 × 10-4 and 913 × 10-5 respectively. The HQ values for toluene and xylene were 1.397 and 0.505, respectively, indicating that exposure to toluene alone may have adverse effects on human health, while exposure to xylene alone has no adverse effects. The hazard index (HI) for toluene and xylene pollutants was higher than one. An HI value higher than one means that the two contaminants toluene and xylene in the air we breathe may have adverse effects on human health. As a result, the necessary control measures should be taken to prevent the unfavorable effects of these two pollutants.

Statistical modeling and optimization of dexamethasone adsorption from aqueous solution by Fe3O4@NH2-MIL88B nanorods: Isotherm, Kinetics, and Thermodynamic.

The presence of pharmaceutical compounds in the environment poses a significant threat to human and aquatic animal health. Dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic steroid hormone with endocrine-disrupting effects, is one such compound that needs to be effectively removed before discharging into the environment. This research presents a novel approach utilizing magnetically recyclable Fe3O4@NH2-MIL88B NRs as an efficient adsorbent for the treatment of DEX from aqueous solutions. The synthesized adsorbent was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Response surface methodology based on central composite design (RSM-CCD) was employed to optimize DEX removal efficiency by determining the optimal conditions, including pH, adsorbent dose, time, and DEX concentration. Under the optimized conditions (pH: 5.53, adsorbent dose: 0.185 g/L, time: 16.068 min, and DEX concentration: 33.491 mg/L), Fe3O4@NH2-MIL88B NRs revealed remarkable DEX adsorption efficiency of 91 ± 1.34% and adsorption capacity of 180.01 mg/g. The Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model were found to fit well with the experimental data, indicating a monolayer and chemical adsorption process. Thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. The study also investigated the inhibitory effect of background ions on DEX removal by Fe3O4@NH2-MIL88B NRs. Magnesium exhibited superior competitive ability with dexamethasone to occupy the active sites of the adsorbent compared to other background ions. The reuse of the adsorbent over ten consecutive cycles resulted in a 39.46% decrease in removal efficiency. The Fe3O4@NH2-MIL88B NRs are surrounded by abundant amounts of functional groups and π-electrons bands that can play a key role in the adsorption and separation of DEX from aqueous environments. The promising results obtained under real conditions highlight the potential of Fe3O4@NH2-MIL88B NRs as a practical and efficient adsorbent for the removal of DEX and other similar corticosteroids from aqueous solutions.

Angina Pectoris as a Manifestation of ALCAPA Syndrome in a 20-Year-Old Female: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is considered a rare congenital heart disease where the take-off of the left coronary artery abnormally originates from the pulmonary artery instead of left aortic sinus. It is associated with a high mortality rate in the first year of life and sudden death in adults if left untreated. We report an adult form of ALCAPA syndrome in a 20-year-old female who presented with anginal pain for the previous few months. Unfortunately, the patient was hesitant to have surgery at the time. LEARNING POINTS: The abnormal origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is rare and potentially fatal coronary congenital disease, accounting for 0.5% of all congenital heart diseases; it is associated with poor outcomes if left untreated.ALCAPA is classified into infantile and adult forms. The prevalence of adult individuals with ALCAPA syndrome has significantly increased as a result of recent developments in non-invasive cardiac imaging.The prevalence of sudden mortality in childhood and the early stages of adulthood makes surgery the preferred treatment, and coronary reimplantation surgery is considered the surgical procedure of choice.

Cardiac Hydatid Disease with Palpitations as the Only Presenting Complaint: The Egg in the Nest.

Hydatid disease, also known as cystic echinococcosis, is a parasitic infection caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. It usually invades organs such as the liver and the lungs but can affect any organ. Isolated cardiac involvement is a rare manifestation. We present a case of isolated left ventricle hydatid cyst with negative serological tests, which was treated with surgical removal and confirmed by histopathological examination. LEARNING POINTS: Isolated cardiac hydatid disease is rare and accounts for only 0.5-2% of cases among infected patients.Cardiac hydatidosis may present with a wide variety of clinical manifestations ranging from no symptoms to sudden death; palpitations may be the only complaint.Surgical excision is the treatment of choice for cardiac hydatid disease to avoid high-risk complications.

Antioxidant activity in off and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and valve replacement surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac surgeries initiate oxidative stress, increasing organ dysfunction development and mortality. The present study investigated the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, as an antioxidant enzyme, in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass (CABG) and heart valve replacement surgeries. METHODS: A prospective study was performed on patients with proven coronary artery disease (CAD) or valvular heart disease (VHD) candidates for on- or off-pump CABG and valve replacement surgery. Serum SOD activity was measured preoperatively, at 24 h postoperatively, and at the time of discharge. In addition, echocardiography was performed before surgery and at discharge. RESULTS: A total of 48, 51, and 47 patients were enrolled in the on-pump, off-pump CABG, and valve replacement groups, respectively. Baseline serum SOD activity showed no significant association with BMI, age, and blood pressure in either CAD or VHD patients. The SOD values decreased at the 24 h postoperative time and then increased at the time of discharge in all groups, except for a slight decrease in the on-pump group. The changes in serum SOD values were not significantly different for the three surgical groups. CONCLUSIONS: The serum SOD activities fell significantly after CABG and valve replacement surgery. Further investigation is emphasized for the role of SOD in oxidative stress after cardiac surgery.

Magnetic NH2-MIL-101(Al)/Chitosan nanocomposite as a novel adsorbent for the removal of azithromycin: modeling and process optimization.

In the present study, the magnetic NH2-MIL-101(Al)/chitosan nanocomposite (MIL/Cs@Fe3O4 NCs) was synthesized and used in the removal of azithromycin (AZT) from an aqueous solution for the first time. The as-synthesized MIL/Cs@Fe3O4 NCs was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, BET, and VSM techniques. The effect of various key factors in the AZT adsorption process was modeled and optimized using response surface methodology based on central composite design (RSM-CCD). The low value of p-value (1.3101e-06) and RSD (1.873) parameters, along with the coefficient of determination > 0.997 implied that the developed model was well fitted with experimental data. Under the optimized conditions, including pH: 7.992, adsorbent dose: 0.279 g/L, time: 64.256 min and AZT concentration: 10.107 mg/L, removal efficiency and AZT adsorption capacity were obtained as 98.362 ± 3.24% and 238.553 mg/g, respectively. The fitting of data with the Langmuir isotherm (R2: 0.998, X2: 0.011) and Pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2: 0.999, X2: 0.013) showed that the adsorption process is monolayer and chemical in nature. ΔH° > 0, ΔS° > 0, and ∆G° < 0 indicated that AZT removal was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The effect of Magnesium on AZT adsorption was more complicated than other background ions. Reuse of the adsorbent in 10 consecutive experiments showed that removal efficiency was reduced by about 30.24%. The performance of MIL/Cs@Fe3O4 NCs under real conditions was also tested and promising results were achieved, except in the treatment of AZT from raw wastewater.

Changes in serum zinc and copper concentrations in patients with cardiovascular disease following cardiac surgery.

The trace elements copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are essential for maintaining oxidative balance, and cardiac surgery is known to provoke an increase in oxidative stress. We investigated the variations in serum Zn and Cu concentrations before and after surgery in patients undergoing on- and off-pump CABG and heart valve replacement. We performed a prospective study on patients undergoing on- or off-pump CABG, or heart valve replacement surgery (48, 51, and 47 patients, respectively). Venous blood samples were obtained, and serum Cu and Zn concentrations were measured preoperatively, 24 h postoperatively, and the time of discharge. In addition, echocardiography was carried out on all patients before surgery and again on the day of discharge. We found the temporal changes in Cu, Zn, and Zn/Cu ratio were significantly different in all three groups of surgery (p < 0.05). In each group, Cu and Zn values and Zn/Cu ratio decreased at the 24-h postoperative time and rose at the discharge time. There were no significant differences between surgery groups in the changes induced in Zn or Cu values (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the concentrations of Cu and Zn were markedly reduced after on- and off-pump CABG and valve replacement surgery. This may suggest that supplementary Zn and Cu administration could be beneficial during open-heart surgeries. However, more long-term studies with more patients are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Integrated ultrasound-assisted magnetic solid-phase extraction for efficient determination and pre-concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from high-consumption soft drinks and non-alcoholic beers in Iran.

In the present research, an ultrasound-assisted magnetic solid-phase extraction coupled with a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry hybrid system was developed for the extraction/determination of trace amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in high-consumption soft drinks and non-alcoholic beers in Iran using magnetite graphene oxide adsorbent. The magnetite graphene oxide was characterized by scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and vibrating-sample magnetometer techniques. The highest extraction recovery (73.05%-95.56%) and enrichment factor (90.65-106.38) were obtained at adsorbent mass: 10 mg, adsorption time: 30 min, salt addition: sodium chloride 10% w/v, desorption time: 20 min, eluent type: hexane: acetone (1:1, v/v), and desorption solvent volumes: 200 µl. Under optimum conditions, the linearity range for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons determination was 0.2-200 ng/ml with a coefficient of determination > 0.993, the limit of detection = 0.09-0.21 ng/ml, the limit of quantitation = 0.3-0.7 ng/ml, and relative standard deviation < 8.1%, respectively. Relative recoveries in spiked real samples ranged from 94.67 to 109.45% with a standard deviation < 6.05%. The proposed method is effective, sensitive, and reusable and it is promising for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons residues in environmental samples.

A comparative study on the results of beating and arrested heart isolated tricuspid valve surgery: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: The isolated tricuspid valve surgery is performed using beating or arrested heart surgery. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the results of patients who underwent isolated tricuspid valve surgery using the beating and arrested heart techniques. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, all patients undergoing isolated tricuspid valve surgery between 2011 and 2018 were included. The patient's demographic information, echocardiographic, surgery, and hospitalization results were collected, and the EuroSCORE was calculated from the patient's medical records. Results: Fifty-three patients were included in the study of which 21 (39.63%) and 32 (60.37%) underwent a beating heart and arrested heart surgeries, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two studied groups in the echocardiographic results before and after the surgery, total hospitalization days (p = 0.56), and the mortality in the first 30 days after the surgery (p = 0.152). However, the duration of surgery (p < 0.001), EuroSCORE (p = 0.005), and patients who underwent lateral thoracotomy (p = 0.007) were notably lower in the arrested heart than in the beating heart group. In contrast, the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass and hospitalization in an intensive care unit after the surgery was remarkably lower in the beating heart than in the arrested heart group (p < 0.001 for both cases). Conclusion: Although there were some significant differences between the two kinds of surgery techniques, it seems superficial that made a particular decision to consider each method's superiority. Therefore, further studies with larger populations and meta-analyses are required to recommend the preferred method for the surgeons certainly.

The superior adsorption capacity of 2,4-Dinitrophenol under ultrasound-assisted magnetic adsorption system: Modeling and process optimization by central composite design.

2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) was listed as a priority pollutant; accordingly, DNP-contaminated effluent must be treated before discharging to the receiving resources. In the present study, the hybrid ultrasound-assisted GO-Fe3O4 system was employed to decontaminate DNP solution. Ultrasound irradiation makes the mass transfer of adsorbate improved and Fe3O4 enables GO separation from liquid phase under external magnetic field. The as-synthesized GO-Fe3O4 composite was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, BET and VSM. A response surface methodology based central composite design (RSM-CCD) was used to estimate and optimize of various variables on DNP removal percentage. Under optimal conditions (pH: 4.45, adsorbent dose: 0.178 g/L, ultrasound frequency: 40.02 kHz and DNP concentration: 50.10 mg/L, maximum adsorption capacity was calculated to be 425.58 mg/g for the ultrasound system, higher than the simple system 309.40 mg/g, indicating the importance of synergistic effect between the ultrasound waves and the adsorption process. The ultrasound-assisted adsorption system showed the better agreement with the Langmuir isotherm (R2 > 0.997), while the results of the stirring system were more consistent with the Freundlich model (R2 > 0.991). The experimental results indicated that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model well fitted by experiment data and rate constant was calculated to be 0.000148 min-1 and 0.000002 min-1 under ultrasound and silent systems, respectively. The rate of desorption under ultrasound was more favorable and reuse of the adsorbent in both systems after 10th consecutive cycles reduced by about 22%. Thermodynamic calculations also confirmed the endothermicity and spontaneity of both systems. Electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and π -π interactions played key roles during the adsorption of DNP onto the MGO. In conclusion, the outcomes of this study provide valuable information of the ultrasound-assisted GO-Fe3O4 system for practical applications.

Monitoring of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and probabilistic health risk assessment in yogurt and butter in Iran.

This study was conducted to determine the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) levels and health risk of yogurt and butter samples collected from Tehran using MSPE/GC-MS (magnetic solid-phase extraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). The results revealed that the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were ranged from 0.040 to 0.060 and 0.121 to 0.181 µg/kg, respectively; with recoveries ranged from 86.1% to 100.3%. The highest mean of total PAHs was higher in butter (6.87 ± 1.21 µg/kg) than in yogurt (3.82 ± 0.54 µg/kg). The level of benzo (a)pyrene in all samples was lower than of standard levels of the European Union (EU). The highest value of all PAHs in samples was recorded in the winter season and also in the expiration date. The percentile 95% of the total hazard quotient (THQ) due to the consumption of yogurt and butter recorded 1.33E-02 and 3.69E-04 in adults and 6.12E-02 and 1.75E-03 in children, respectively. The percentile of 95% incremental lifetime of cancer risk (ILCR) due to the ingestion of yogurt and butter recorded 1.17E-06 and 2.02E-08 for adults and 5.51E-06 and 9.46E-08 for children, respectively. The rank order of 7 PAHs in adult and children based on P95% Hazard Quotient (HQ) in all samples was benzo(a)anthracene (BaA) > pyrene (P) > fluorene (F) > fluoranthene (Fl) > acenaphthylene (Ace) > anthracene (A) > naphthalene (NA). According to the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method, health-risk assessment showed that children and adults are not at significant health risk.