Ultrasound‒induced facile synthesis of spinel CoFe2O4‒PAC magnetic nanocatalyst for remediation of hypersaline petrochemical wastewater: Degradation mechanism, biodegradability enhancement and phytotoxicity mitigation.

In this study, magnetic CoFe2O4-PAC nanocatalysts were synthesized through facile hydrothermal and co‒precipitation approaches with ultrasonic irradiation, which were used for the treatment of hypersaline petrochemical wastewater (HPCW). When an ultrasound‒induced synthesis process (US@CoFe2O4‒PAC) was used, a more efficient and stable magnetic spinel CoFe2O4‒PAC nanocatalyst was developed. The application of this nanocatalyst as a PMS activator, not only caused eradication of 90.4% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of a HPCW after 90 min reaction time under the optimum conditions (pH 5-6, catalyst dose 1.0 g/L and 1.0 mM PMS), but also led to marginal leaching of iron (314 µg/L) and cobalt (95 µg/L) from the nanocatalyst. Recycling experiments over five consecutive runs showed a negligible decrease (7.2%) in COD removal efficiency which proved the stability and reusability of magnetic US@CoFe2O4-PAC. Two main mechanisms of adsorption and catalytic oxidation processes (homogeneous and heterogeneous PMS) are involved simultaneously in the PMS/US@CoFe2O4-PAC system, which are responsible for the destruction of refractory contaminants of HPCW through the generation of SO4•‒ and OH• radicals. COD of HPCW was mainly removed through SO4•- radical attack (73.6%) and the biodegradability of HPCW was enhanced dramatically after 90 min reaction time. The germination index (GI) of raw HPCW was increased 17.1 ± 4.2% and 24.3 ± 8.8% after 15 and 90 min reaction time, respectively, even PMS/US@CoFe2O4-PAC system showed less impact on phytotoxicity mitigation. Hence, it can be recommended to dilute the effluent before using for irrigational purpose. The findings of this study present practical significance of spinel US@CoFe2O4-PAC, which is an environment‒friendly catalyst, easy to handle and can sustain long‒term operation for the treatment of recalcitrant hypersaline wastewater and the other potential practical applications.

Consumption of foods contaminated with heavy metals and their association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) using GAM software (cohort study).

Introduction: Heavy metals can enter the environment and food through industrial activities, acid rain, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and sewage. A large amount of these metals is dangerous because they tend to bio accumulate. A concern with these metals is the long-term, low-dose exposure seen in the general population. HMs can cause disorders in the cardiovascular system through various mechanisms such as the production of free radicals, DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and oxidative stress. Material and method: Food items measured in the present study included rice, bread, and vegetables. 210 participants (105 controls and 105 patients) were randomly selected for this study. The demographic information of the subjects was obtained from the Hoveyzeh Cohort Center. The relationship between heavy metals in food and cardiovascular diseases is investigated by The Generalized Additive Model (GAM). Result: The results of the present study showed that when urine Cd was smoothed based on rice Cd, there was a significant correlation between urine Cd and Cd consumed in vegetables and rice. The GAM coefficient for urinary Cd excreted in case-control groups and Cd consumed in vegetables were 479.79(SE: 6.49-73.87) and 818.56(SE: 11.96-68.43), respectively, and for rice consumed, it was 0.03(SE: 0.015-2.103) and 0.04(SE: 0.017-2.338), respectively. The GAM coefficient for As consumption in vegetables and As in urine of case and control groups was 1.61 (SE: 9.48-0.16) and 22.36 (SE: 13.60-1.64), respectively. The same coefficient for rice consumption in case and control groups was 4.5 (SE: 0.62-7.22) and 10.48 (SE: 1.46-7.16), respectively. There was a very strong and significant correlation between the Sr in the urine of both groups and the Sr in the food consumed, so that the urinary Sr in the control group is excreted more than in the cardiovascular group. Conclusion: GAM analysis indicates that As in vegetable and rice is more than the standard limitation value. Also, Sr and Cd in vegetables, rice, and bread were more than the standard limitation value. According to the GAM model As had a significant value in rice and vegetables indicating that As is more than the standard limitation value, therefore, it is associated with CVD.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in water and edible fish species of Karun River, Ahvaz, Iran: spatial distribution, human health, and ecological risk assessment.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are environmental contaminants with unfavorable impacts on human health and nature. This study aimed to determine the PFOA and PFOS concentration in water and fish samples from Karun, the largest river in Iran. According to the results, the PFOA and PFOS in water samples were 5.81-69.26 ng/L and not detected (n.d.)-35.12 ng/L, respectively. The dry season displayed higher concentrations in water samples than in the wet season. The maximum PFOS concentration measured was related to Barbus barbules sp. (27.89 ng/g). The human health risk assessment indicated minor risks (hazard ratio, HR < 1) from PFOA and PFOS through consuming contaminated drinking water and fish. Only HR value of PFOS in downstream area exceeded slightly 1.0, indicating potential health risk due to consumption of the river fish. Considering the average PFASs concentration, the risk quotients (RQs) showed low ecological risk.

Risk of Pesticides Mixtures in Rice to Birds and Humans in Iran.

Rice is a staple in the diet of nearly half of the world's population. As with most crops, pesticides are used as a tool to increase crop yield in rice farming. This study investigated the residues of 14 organophosphate insecticides and 2 herbicides in rice cultivated at five locations in the southwest of Iran. The pesticide residues were then used to estimate the risk that they may pose to the health of bird and human consumers. The rice samples from the five locations contained residues from 10 to 13 pesticides. Of the 16 pesticides measured, the mean concentration of 12 pesticides exceeded the maximum residue limit set by the Iranian National Standards Organization at two or more of the sampling sites. The greatest total exceedance (sum of all pesticides detected in rice) of the species sensitivity distributions constructed for birds was 0.74% and the level of concern set for the assessment was an exceedance ≥ 5%, which suggests a relatively low risk to birds. For human consumers, no single pesticide measured in rice samples posed a considerable risk. However, when considering the mixture of pesticides present in rice samples, the cumulative risk exceeded the level of concern in all samples from all sites. The margin of safety for the mixture of pesticides present in rice samples ranged from 5.8 to 29.1, with 1 being the level of concern. The results of this study indicate that efforts need to be made to mitigate the exposure of human consumers to pesticides present in rice cultivated in Iran. This study also highlights the need to collect data on pesticides residues in other crop cultivated in Iran.

Contaminant occurrence, distribution and ecological risk assessment of phthalate esters in the Persian Gulf.

Due to the increasing population of the world, the presence of harmful compounds, especially phthalate esters (PAEs), are one of the important problems of environmental pollution. These compounds are known as carcinogenic compounds and Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) for humans. In this study, the occurrence of PAEs and the evaluation of its ecological risks were carried out in the Persian Gulf. Water samples were collected from two industrial sites, a rural site and an urban site. Samples were analyzed using magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) technique to measure seven PAEs including Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), and Di-iso-butyl phthalate (DIBP). The BBP was not detected in any of the samples. The total concentration of six PAEs (Σ6PAEs) ranged from 7.23 to 23.7 µg/L, with a mean concentration of 13.7µg/L. The potential ecological risk of each target PAEs was evaluated by using the risk quotient (RQ) method in seawater samples, and the relative results declined in the sequence of DEHP >DIBP > DBP > DEP > DMP in examined water samples. DEHP had a high risk to algae, crustaceans and fish at all sites. While DMP and DEP showed lower risk for all mentioned trophic levels. The results of this study will be helpful for the implementation of effective control measures and remedial strategies for PAEs pollution in the Persian Gulf.

Spatiotemporal variations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid with the role of sugarcane industry and related human health risk assessments in the Shadegan International Wetland.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is the most important pesticide widely used in Khuzestan province. This study aimed to determine the ecological risks assessment in fish, plant tissues, and trends in 2,4-D urinary biomarker concentration in humans of Shadegan International wetland, Iran. Sampling was carried out from three areas: freshwater, saltwater, and brackish water. The average concentration of 2,4-D at point 38, taken from the wetland's northern parts, was 15.73 µg/L. In the lower regions, it reached 326 µg/L at point 25. From points 37 to 16, it was higher than the international standard. The increasing trend of 2,4-D concentration was observed from point 36 to the middle of the wetland. The non-carcinogenic risk through ingestion and skin contact for children and adults was 3E-3 and 1.5E-2, 2.1E-3, and 8.6E-5, respectively, and through fish, consumption was 7.1E-4 for both groups. HI values were below one (< 1), indicating no health risk. HQ values in the summer were more than one (> 1), indicating the high risk to aquatic organisms and human health.

Distribution of total petroleum hydrocarbons in superficial sediments of Karun River Basin, southwest of Iran: spatial and seasonal variations, source identification, and ecological risk.

Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) are common environmental pollutants in aquatic ecosystems that tend to adsorb onto the sediments. This study aimed to monitor the concentration and assessment of contamination level of TPHs in the sediments of Karun River and Bahmanshir estuary, which will eventually flow into the Persian Gulf. GIS-mapping technique was used to indicate the distribution of TPHs. The samples were collected during dry and wet seasons at 15 monitoring stations. - The maximum amount of TPHs was obtained at station No. 14 in the dry season (225.29 µg/g). The indices of determining the pollution source showed that hydrocarbons in polluted areas were mainly of biogenic origin. Compared to sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and contamination factor (Cf), the study area sediments were in the conditions of moderate pollution and had a low ecological risk.

Optimization of the biological salt removal process from artificial industrial wastewater with high TDS by Spirulina microalga using the response surface method.

This study aimed to examine the direct applicability of Spirulina maxima as a new conceptual method for removing total dissolved solids (TDS) from artificial industrial wastewater (AIW). In this study, live microalgal cells were used in a photobioreactor for TDS removal. The effects of TDS levels, pH, light intensity, and light retention time on microalgal growth and TDS removal were investigated, and optimal conditions were determined using the response surface method and Box-Behnken Design (RSM-BBD). The calculated values of coefficient of determination (R2), adjusted R2, and predicted R2 were 0.9754, 0.9508, and 0.636, respectively, which are close to the R2 values and validated the proposed statistical model. A second-order model could optimally determine the interactions between the studied variables according to the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that increasing TDS levels reduced microalgal growth and TDS removal efficiency in AIW. S. maxima reduced TDS by 76% and 47% at TDS concentrations of 2,000-4,000 mg/L, respectively, when used in AIW. Maximum biomass efficiency (1.8 g/L) was obtained at a TDS concentration of 2,000 mg/L with other parameters optimized.

Association of the efficiency of hemodialysis instruments in the removal of microbial and chemical pollutant.

Dialysis water is vital because of various harmful contaminants for patients. The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of hemodialysis instruments in the removal of microbial and chemical pollutant in educational hospitals affiliated to Ahvaz Jundishapur University of medical sciences, Iran during 2018-2019. This cross-sectional descriptive research studied the microbial and chemical water quality of hemodialysis instruments in Razi, Sina, and Golestan hospitals in Ahwaz, Iran. 72 samples of microbial parameters and 24 samples of chemical parameters were collected from water used in hemodialysis instruments, including microbial characteristics (the total coliform, fecal coliform and heterotrophic bacteria counts) and chemical characteristics (pH, turbidity, PO4, Cl, Mg, So4, Ca, NO2, and EC) at Razi, Imam, and Golestan educational hospitals on all weekdays during 2018-2019. In this study, experiments were done according to the current standard methods, EPA from hemodialysis instruments. Finally, using SPSS18 software and descriptive statistics, the relationship between results at the removal of toxic, microbial, and chemical pollutants in different months and hospitals was investigated. this study showed that the average concentration of chemical characteristics during the warm season at Razi, Imam, and Golestan educational hospitals for pH, Turbidity, PO4, Cl, Mg, So4, Ca, NO2, and EC were (6.867, 6.4475, 6.53); (2.985, 3.035, 1.226); (0.075, 0.245, 0.195); (38.5, 21.965, 144.87); (1.552, 1.657, 39.445); (8.6, 4.5, 21.5), (2.09, 3.187, 78.975); (0.0082, 0.038, 0.155), and (125.25, 70.35, 78.35), respectively during 2018. Also, during 2019, results showed that the average levels of amounts for pH, Turbidity, PO4, Cl, Mg, So4, Ca, NO2, and EC in Razi, Imam, and Golestan educational hospitals were (7.077, 7.252, 6.435), (1.725, 0.595, 4.16), (0.0775, 0.0597, 0.0297), (52.33, 138.81, 20.92), (23.52, 18.227, 8.767), (35, 27.25, 4.05), (14.58, 28.152, 9.25), (0.0067, 0.0045, 0.0032), and (210.52, 121.62, 29.16), respectively. According to the results, hemodialysis instruments in Razi and Imam have a 90% efficiency in removing heterotrophic bacteria counts (HPC). Based on these findings, educational hospital hemodialysis equipment effluent in Ahvaz, Iran was mitted to Iran environmental standards for use in hemodialysis machines. The result showed that the removal percentage level of microbial and chemical pollutants by the hemodialysis process is comparatively suitable. It should be mentioned that in the proper operation and reconstruction, hemodialysis systems can have an increased rate of removal of microbial and chemical pollutants.

Association between heavy metals and metabolic syndrome in drinking water and surface soil: case-control study in Iran.

Although obesity is a major risk factor for metabolic syndrome (MetS), not all obese people develop MetS that is directly related to obesity. This suggests that the risk of MetS is influenced by other genetic or environmental agents such as heavy metals. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between heavy metals in drinking water and surface soil, and its relationship with the incidence of MetS. To determine the sampling points of drinking water and surface soil, from the location of 150 people selected for inclusion in the study, 16 points were selected randomly for heavy metal concentration analysis. Results were indicated that mean concentrations of V, Mn, Ni, As, Cd, and Sr in drinking water of MetS group were higher than control group. The concentration of heavy metals in drinking water, except for Mn and Sr, did not show a significant difference between case and control groups. The results of this study showed that concentration of heavy metals in drinking water and surface soil was positively associated with the incidence of MetS.

Efficiency studies of modified IFAS-OSA system upgraded by an anoxic sludge holding tank.

An upgraded integrated fixed-film activated sludge-oxic settling anoxic (IFAS-OSA) system is a new technology for reducing nutrients and excess sludge. The results showed that the average TN removal efficiency of the IFAS-OSA system was gradually increased up to 7.5%, while the PO4-3-P removal efficiency increased up-to 27%, compared with that of the IFAS system. The COD removal efficiency of the IFAS-OSA system was slightly increased up-to 5.4% and TSS removal efficiency increased up to 10.5% compared with the control system. Biomass yield coefficient (Yobs) in the IFAS and IFAS-OSA systems were 0.44 and 0.24 (gr MLSS/ gr COD). Hence, sludge production decreased by 45%. The average SVI was decreased by 48% in IFAS-OSA system compared with IFAS. This study demonstrated the better performance of the IFAS-OSA system compared to that of the IFAS system.

A salt resistant biosurfactant produced by moderately halotolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (AHV-KH10) and its application for bioremediation of diesel-contaminated sediment in saline environment.

A halotolerant bacterial strain was isolated from oily-contaminated sites of Persian Gulf, which characterized as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (AHV-KH10) by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This strain was used for bioremediation of diesel-contaminated sediments. Biosurfactant production was initially screened by using oil displacement test and drop-collapse method, followed by measurement of surface tension (ST) of growth medium. Produced biosurfactant was a rhamnolipid type biosurfactant and lowered the ST to 33.4 mN/m at the given critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 75 mg/L. Addition of 3 CMC rhamnolipid, inoculums size of 15 mL, biodegradation in slurry phase and salinity level of 6% led totally to a diesel biodegradation rate of 70% for initial concentration of 1000 mg/kg after 35 days. The maximum diesel removal occurred at the salinity content of 6% indicating the moderately halo-tolerant characteristics of isolated strain. Evaluation of bacterial growth showed a biomass yield of 0.33 mg VSS/mg diesel in selected conditions. The field performance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa AHV-KH10 was proved through the removal of the TPH content in unwashed sediment, which varied from 2390 to 1875 mg/kg within four months.

Relationship between urinary heavy metals with metabolic syndrome and its components in population from Hoveyzeh cohort study: A case-control study in Iran.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) has been growing rapidly and is rising to pandemic proportions. Although obesity is a primary risk factor for the enhancement of these conditions, not all obese individuals develop metabolic syndrome, indicating that the risk for developing MetS is impacted by other genetic and/or environmental factors such as heavy metals. Therefore, the present study focused on the association between exposures to heavy metal and MetS. METHODS: Urine samples were collected from 150 participants (75 patients with MetS and 75 healthy participants), which were used from Hoveyzeh Cohort center. To make a quantitative comparison between the two groups, Man-Whitney nonparametric test was used. The logistic regression was performed adjusted for age, demographic, lifestyle factor, physical activity, occupational history and urine creatinine. RESULTS: The results of logistic regression showed that OR and 95 % CI for Cd, Pb, Sr, As and Fe concentration were still significant after adjusting for urine creatinine. Moreover, there was a relationship between Cd and Pb levels and waist circumstance (WC). After adjusting for urine creatinine, age, sex, occupation, smoking status, education and place of residence, only Pb concentration was showed a significant association with systolic blood pressure (SBP). The subjects with high urine level of Cd had the high odds (OR: 6.273; 95 % Cl: 1.783-22.070) of MetS and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). The relationship between As concentration and high fasting blood sugars confirmed the previous evidence suggesting that high As level can cause diabetes. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that outbreak of MetS and its component are associated with heavy metal concentrations in urine.

Occurrence and distribution of microplastic particles and the concentration of Di 2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) in microplastics and wastewater in the wastewater treatment plant.

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is one of the significant sources of Microplastics (MPs) release to the environment. Di 2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) is used as an additive for more flexibility of plastics. In this study, we determined the number, size, shape, and color distribution of MPs as well as the concentration of DEHP in MPs and wastewater during the wastewater treatment process in WWTP. Samples were collected from 4 stations of different treatment stages of WWTP. The microplastic particles and the concentration of DEHP were detected via the fluorescence and polarized light microscopy and GC/MS instrument, respectively. The number of MPs decreased from 9.2 (station 1) to 0.84 MP/L (the final treated effluent) during the wastewater treatment process. Also, the size of MPs at the last station was smaller than the other stations. The mean concentrations of DEHP in MPs in stations 1, 2, 3 and 4 had the respective values of 83.3, 61.05, 30.62 and 17.49 µg/g, while the mean concentrations of DEHP in wastewater in stations 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 30.08, 25.07, 9.56, and 8.13 µg/L, respectively. This study shows that despite the removal of high amounts of MPs and DEHP in the final effluent of WWTP, due to the high volume of this effluent (2.828 × 108 L/d), significant amount of MPs (2.419 × 107 MP/day) and DEHP enter the aquatic environment daily, which may threaten the health of the fish and aquatic organisms and ultimately on the health of the local population.

Spatial distribution, ecological and health risk assessment and source identification of atrazine in Shadegan international wetland, Iran.

Recently, atrazine has been increasingly used to control weeds in the corn and sugarcane farms, which affects the water resources and aquatic organisms. In this study, atrazine residual concentrations in water and fish samples of the Shadegan wetland (Iran) were investigated. Furthermore, the health and ecological risk assessment were calculated. A total of fifty water samples were collected from the wetland during three periods with a four-month time interval. Also, ten samples of ten different fish species were analyzed at the same time. The estimation of acceptable daily intake and comparison with international standards indicates danger to adjacent residential areas of wetland. Non-carcinogenic risk analysis showed that total hazard quotient (HQing + HQderm) were below the acceptable limit and there is no danger to the residents of the area. Atrazine concentration in the water and fish samples ranged between 0 and 2175.8 µg/L, and 0 to 35.58 µg/L, respectively. Results showed that 88% of the water samples were higher than EPA and WHO guidelines for drinking water in summer. The concentrations of atrazine in fish samples in summer were more than other seasons. Analysis of ecological risk assessment also showed that considering the average atrazine concentration in three seasons, the risk exposure was very high. This study will be beneficial to the both residents and government officials in management of Shadegan wetland pollution in term of toxic compounds.

Remediation of PAHs contaminated soil using a sequence of soil washing with biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PF2 and electrokinetic oxidation of desorbed solution, effect of electrode modification with Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

This work aimed to investigate the performance of biosurfactant, produced by a halotolerant bacterial strain, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PF2, for desorption of PAHs from soil, followed by electrokinetic oxidation of the desorbed solution using Magnetite Nanoparticles Modified Graphite (MNMG). Pyrene (PYR), anthracene (ANT) and phenanthrene (PHE) were used as contamination model. Produced and extracted biosurfactant was characterized as rhamnolipid with Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) of 60 mg/L and emulsification index (E24) value of 60.2% for n-hexadecane, 58.4% for n-heptane and 55.6% for n-Hexane, respectively. Results of LC-MS/MS analysis indicated the presence of seven major peaks at m/z of 677.5, 531.1, 649.3, 528.9, 475.1, 359 and 503.2, which corresponded to the deprotonated molecules of RhaRhaC12C10, RhaC12C10, RhaRhaC10C10, RhaC12:1C10, RhaC8C10, Rha-C12:2 and RhaC10C10, respectively. The maximum desorption of PAHs was derived at pH value of 6, CMC of 3 and contact time of 24 h. Modification of graphite electrode enhanced the PAH degradation significantly. In electrokinetic oxidation of desorbed solution, the best results were observed at pH value of 5, contact time of 6 h, voltage of 3 V and electrolyte concentration of 25 mg/L, with the average removal efficiency of higher than 99% for all studied PAHs.

Concentrations and health effects of short- and long-term exposure to PM2.5, NO2, and O3 in ambient air of Ahvaz city, Iran (2014-2017).

The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the concentrations and short and long-term excess mortality attributed to PM2.5, NO2, and O3 observed in ambient air of Ahvaz during March 2014 to March 2017 period using the AirQ + software developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is updated in 2016 by WHO European Centre for Environment and Health. The hourly concentrations of PM2.5, O3, and NO2 measured at different regulatory monitoring network stations in Ahvaz city were obtained from the Department of Environment (DOE) of the city. Then, for various air quality monitoring stations, the 24-h average concentration of PM2.5, 1-h average of NO2 concentration, and maximum daily 8-h O3 concentrations were calculated using Excel 2010 software. When the maximum daily 8-h ozone means exceeding the value of 35, it was subtracted from 35 to calculate SOMO35 indicator for modeling. Validation of air quality data was performed according to the Aphekom and WHO's methodologies for health impact assessment of air pollution. Year-specific city population and baseline incidence of the health outcomes were obtained. The three-year averages of PM2.5, NO2, and O3 concentrations were 68.95 (±39.86) µg/m3, 135.90 (±47.82) µg/m3, and 38.63 (±12.83) parts-per-billion-volume (ppbv), respectively. SOMO35 values of ozone were 6596.66, 3411.78, and 470.88 ppbv in 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017 years, respectively. The AP and number of natural deaths due to NO2 were higher than PM2.5 except the last year (2016-2017), causing about 39.18%, 40.73%, and 14.39% of deaths within the first, the second, and the third year, respectively. However, for the last year, the natural mortality for PM2.5 was higher than NO2 (34.46% versus 14.39%). The total number of natural mortality caused by PM2.5 and NO2 in all years was 4061 and 4391, respectively. A significant number of deaths was estimated to be attributed to the given air pollutants. It can be concluded that by designing and implementing air pollution control strategies and actions, both health effects and economic losses will be prevented.

Prediction of O3 in the respiratory system of children using the artificial neural network model and with selection of input based on gamma test, Ahvaz, Iran.

In recent years, concerns over the issue of air pollution have increased as one of the significant environmental and health problems. Air pollutants can be toxic or harmful to the life of plants, animals, and humans. Contrast to primary pollutants, ozone is a secondary pollutant that is produced by the reaction between primary precursors in the atmosphere. The average of air pollutant data was compiled for the purpose of analyzing their correlation with the pulmonary function of students and the FENO biomarker from the air pollutants of the Environmental Protection Agency. According to the average of 3 days, the concentration of ozone in the (S3) region was higher than the other regions, and this level was significantly different from the ANOVA test (p < 0.05). The results of artificial neural network modeling for three particular combinations in the cold season, two hidden layers with 9 and 12 neurons, with R2 = 0.859 and in the warm season, layer with 13 neurons, with R2 = 0.74, showed the best performance.

Neuro-fuzzy inference system Prediction of stability indices and Sodium absorption ratio in Lordegan rural drinking water resources in west Iran.

According to World Health Organization guidelines, corrosion control is an important aspect of safe drinking-water supplies. Water always includes ingredients, dissolved gases and suspended materials. Although some of these water ingredients is indispensable for human beings, these elements more than permissible limits, could be endanger human health. The aim of this study is to assess physical and chemical parameters of drinking water in the rural areas of Lordegan city, also to determine corrosion indices. This cross-sectional study has carried out with 141 taken samples during 2017 with 13 parameters, which has been analyzed based on standard method and to estimate the water quality indices from groundwater using ANFIS. Also with regard to standard conditions, results of this paper are compared with Environmental Protection Agency and Iran national standards. Five indices, Ryznar Stability Index (RSI), Langlier Saturation Index (LSI), Larson-Skold Index (LS), Puckorius Scaling Index (PSI), and Aggressive Index (AI) programmed by using Microsoft Excel software. Owing to its simplicity, the program, can easily be used by researchers and operators. Parameters included Sulfate, Sodium, Chloride, and Electrical Conductivity respectively were 13.5, 28, 10.5, and 15% more than standard level. The amount of Nitrate, in 98% of cases were in permissible limits and about 2% were more than standard level. Result of presented research indicate that water is corrosive at 10.6%,89.4%,87.2%,59.6% and 14.9% of drinking water supply reservoirs, according to LSI, RSI, PSI, LS and AI, respectively.