Concentration, spatial distribution, and non-carcinogenic risk assessment of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, and lead in drinking water in rural areas of eight cities of West Azarbaijan province, Iran.

Exposure to heavy metals through drinking water can cause significant adverse health effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the concentration, spatial distribution, and assessment of non-carcinogenic risk attributed to exposure to arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in rural areas of eight cities of the West Azerbaijan province of Iran. Eighty-five water samples were taken from randomly selected drinking water wells in the rural areas, and the concentration of the heavy metals was measured by using standard methods. The concentration distribution maps were drawn, and the non-carcinogenic health risks for ingestion and dermal exposure pathways were calculated in four age groups (including infants, children, teenagers, and adults). According to the obtained results, arsenic is considered as the most worrying pollutant among the investigated heavy metals. The maximum measured concentration for arsenic was 371.9 µg/L, which is 37 times the maximum permissible limit. The results of the health risk assessment illustrate that exposure to heavy metals via dermal contact do not pose significant non-carcinogenic risks. However, the calculated non-carcinogenic risks for oral exposure to arsenic were very high and concerning. The highest hazard quotient for oral exposure to arsenic was related to rural of city G (82.64). It is recommended to take the necessary measures as soon as possible regarding the supply of safe drinking water in the studied areas.

Exposure to ionizing radiations and changes in blood cells and interleukin-6 in radiation workers.

Long-term exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) can cause dire health consequences even less than the dose limits. Previous biomonitoring studies have focused more on complete blood counts (CBCs), with non-coherent results. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between exposure to IR and cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) along with hematological parameters in Tabriz megacity's radiation workers. In this hospital-based study, blood samples were taken from 33 radiation workers (exposed group) and 34 non-radiation workers (control group) in 4 hospitals. Absorbed radiation dose was measured by a personal film badge dosimeter in radiation workers. The studied biomarkers and all of the selected covariates were measured and analyzed using adjusted multiple linear regression models. The exposed doses for all radiation workers were under the dose limits (overall mean = 1.18 mSv/year). However, there was a significant association between exposure to ionizing radiation and IL-6 (49.78 vs 36.17; t = 2.4; p = 0.02) and eosinophils (0.17 vs 0.14; t = 2.02; p = 0.049). The difference between the mean of the other biomarkers in radiation workers was not statistically significant compared to the control group. This study demonstrated that long-term exposure to ionizing radiation, even under the dose limits, is related to a significantly increased level of some blood biomarkers (Il-6 and eosinophil) that, in turn, can cause subsequent health effects such as cancer.

Ambient air pollutants and respiratory health outcomes in Tabriz and Urmia, two metropolises of Iran.

Polluted air affects human life and it is crucial to assess air pollutants to inform policy and protect human lives. In this study, we sought to assess the respiratory outcomes associated with PM10, O3, SO2, and NO2 in the Iranian population. The required data, which included concentrations of air pollutants, meteorology, and population size, were obtained from the department of environment and meteorological organizations. The validity of the data was evaluated, and appropriate calculations were conducted on the data to extract the required values and parameters for modeling (using the AirQ2.2.3). This study was conducted in two megacities of Iran (Tabriz and Urmia) with over 2 million population. The annual averages of SO2, NO2, and PM10 concentrations were 9, 73, and 43 µg/m3 in Tabriz and 76, 29, and 76 µg/m3 in Urmia, respectively. Excess deaths from respiratory diseases associated with PM10 and SO2 were estimated to be 33.1 and 1.2 cases in Tabriz and 31.6 and 24.7 cases in Urmia, respectively. The proportions of hospitalizations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attributable to SO2 and NO2 in Tabriz were 0.07% and 1.61%, respectively, whereas they were 2.84% and 0.48% in Urmia. O3 had an annual average of 56 µg/m3 in Tabriz and with 44.5 excess respiratory deaths and 42.5 excess hospital admissions for COPD, it had the greatest health impacts among the pollutants studied. Findings from this study add to the growing literature, especially from developing countries, that provides insights to help authorities and decision-makers develop and implement effective interventions to curb air pollution and save lives.

Socioeconomic status and COVID-19-related cases and fatalities in the world: A cross-sectional ecological study.

Background and Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic poses an extraordinary threat to global public health. We designed an ecological study to explore the association between socioeconomic factors and the COVID-19 outcomes in 184 countries, using the geographic map and multilevel regression models. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional ecological study in 184 countries. We performed regression analysis to assess the association of various socioeconomic variables with COVID-19 outcomes in 184 countries, using ordinary least squares and multilevel modeling analysis. We performed two-level analyses with countries at Level 1 and geographical regions at Level 2 in multilevel modeling analysis, using the same set of predictor variables used in ordinary least squares. Results: There was a significant relationship between COVID-19 cases rate (Log) per 100,000 inhabitants-day at risk with human development index (HDI), percentage of the urban population, unemployment, and cardiovascular disease prevalence. The results displayed that the variances are varied between Level 1 (country level) and Level 2 (World Health Organization [WHO] regions), meaning that the geographic distribution represented a proportion of the changes in the COVID-19 outcomes. Conclusion: The study suggests that in addition to the socioeconomic status affects the COVID-19 outcomes, countries' geographical location makes a part of changes in outcomes of diseases. Therefore, health policy-makers could overcome morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 by controlling the socioeconomics factors.

Long-term exposures to Hypersaline particles associated with increased levels of Homocysteine and white blood cells: A case study among the village inhabitants around the semi-dried Lake Urmia.

The dried bed of the world's second largest permanent Hypersaline lake, Lake Urmia, acts as a Hypersaline particle emission source. In the present study we aim to assess the health impact of this disaster and examine the association of Hypersaline particles with total and differential white blood cell counts (WBC) and homocysteine (Hcy), the biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases, in the residents around Lake Urmia. Based on the previous study three regions were selected as clean and polluted regions for ambient particulate matter (APM) from 2008 to 2015. Concentration of APM (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1; particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of less than 10, 2.5 and 1 µm, respectively) was measured in the selected regions and totally, 123 participants were selected randomly from villagers who have lived in the selected regions for at least eight years. Biomarkers and covariates were measured in the selected regions and were analyzed using multiple linear regression models. We found a statistically significant association between APM and selected biomarkers (Hcy, total WBC, neutrophil, monocyte, lymphocyte and basophile) in the polluted regions. These results are consistent with our hypothesis that long-term exposure to Hypersaline particles originated from drying Urmia Hypersaline Lake is related to increased cardiovascular risk biomarkers.

Health impacts quantification of ambient air pollutants using AirQ model approach in Hamadan, Iran.

Iranian western cities, including Hamadan, have been experiencing Middle East Dust Storms (MEDS) phenomenon problems in recent years, so the air quality is getting worse every year in these cities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the human health impacts of criteria air pollutants including PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO and O3 on the citizens of Hamadan using AirQ model software 2.2.3. Considering the determined baseline incidence (BI) and relative risk (RR) rate, the attributable proportion (AP) of deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory mortality attributed to PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, and CO pollutants was estimated to be 4.42%, 3.37%, 1.75%, 1.74% and 0.92% (95% CI) of the total mortality and the excess death cases were respectively estimated to be 131.9, 100.4, 52.1, 51.9 and 27.3 persons. In addition, cardiovascular mortality brings more contribution than respiratory mortality in total death number. The results of our study also showed that PM2.5 poses the greatest health effects on the citizens. Analyzing the average seasonal concentrations of studied pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, and NO2) and the mean seasonal temperature values revealed a positive linear correlation. Significant negative correlations were observed between the studied pollutants (PM10, PM2.5 and NO2) and relative humidity, and between PM and wind speed. This study, therefore, provides additional data in decision-makings for the development of strategies for reduction of ambient air pollution which will result in improvements of air quality.