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Baboli Z, Hayati R, Mosavion K, Goudarzi M, Sadeghi-Nejad B, Ghanbari F, Maleki H, Yazdani M, Hayat Davoudi G, Goudarzi G. An evaluation of fungal contamination and its relationship with PM levels in public transportation systems. Environ Res 2024; 252:118901. [PMID: 38609068 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Transmission of fungi in the air and its impact on health are regarded as important public health issues. Bioaerosols play an important role in causing or exacerbating infectious diseases, acute toxic effects, allergies, and cardiopulmonary symptoms. As many people use the public transportation system daily, it is necessary to determine the type and manner of dispersal and abundance of airborne fungi in public transport places. Three public transportation systems including a bus station, a train station, and an airport in Ahvaz city (Iran) were examined. At each of these stations, the air samples were taken from inside and outside the hall stations, and in-vehicle. A bio-stage Anderson sampler was used by suctioning air and passing it over a Petri dish containing culture medium Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). Relative humidity (RH, %), temperature (T, ◦C), and mass concentration of particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, μg/m3) at the sampling points were measured. The highest concentration of airborne fungi was observed in the airport. The concentration of fungi in the ambient air was higher than that in the indoor air of halls and in-vehicle. In all sampling points, the ambient predominant airborne fungi were Cladosporium and Alternaria, while the indoor predominant airborne fungi were Cladosporium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium. The indoor to outdoor ratio showed that the fungi were of an external origin. Due to the influence of the ambient air on indoor air, it is recommended to use proper ventilation and enhance the hygiene level of vehicles in public transportation systems to reduce exposure to environmentally pathogenic bioaerosols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Roghayeh Hayati
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Kiana Mosavion
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mahdis Goudarzi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | | | - Farshid Ghanbari
- Research Center for Environmental Contaminants (RCEC), Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
| | - Heydar Maleki
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Yazdani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Torbat Jam Faculty of Medical Sciences, Torbat Jam, Iran
| | - Golnaz Hayat Davoudi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Ghoalmreza Goudarzi
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
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2
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Drikvandi M, Goudarzi M, Molavinia S, Baboli Z, Goudarzi G. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns on air quality index: a systematic review. Int J Environ Health Res 2024; 34:1687-1700. [PMID: 37454284 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2234841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
During the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many countries implemented lockdown policies to control its transmission. These restrictions provided an opportunity to rest and recover the environment. This systematic review (SR) aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the Air Quality Index (AQI) in countries worldwide. ScienceDirect and PubMed were searched using relevant keywords to identify studies published until March 2020. Overall, 20 studies were included in the SR based on the eligibility criteria. The results show that COVID-19-related lockdown policies positively affect AQI by restricting air-polluting activities, such as transportation, industry, and construction. However, it is important to note that these policies are ineffective in controlling sources of natural air pollution and local dust. The findings of this study emphasize the need for policymakers to approve legislation limiting the sources of air pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrsa Drikvandi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mahdis Goudarzi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Shahrzad Molavinia
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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3
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Khodadadi R, Sohrabi M, Loppi S, Tahmasebi Birgani Y, Babaei AA, Neisi A, Baboli Z, Dastoorpoor M, Goudarzi G. Atmospheric pollution by potentially toxic elements: measurement and risk assessment using lichen transplants. Int J Environ Health Res 2024; 34:1270-1283. [PMID: 36787704 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2174256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The lichen Usnea articulata collected from an unpolluted area was exposed for 6 months at 26 sites for the sample chosenusing a stratified random design, and the content of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sn, V, and Zn, was assessed using ICP-MS. The health risk for both adults and children was then calculated using the PTEs concentrations. The results showed that despite the hostile urban conditions, transplanted lichens depicted clear deposition patterns of airborne PTEs, mostly associated with industrial sites, where As and other elements showed remarkably high values. The cumulative hazard index was below the risk threshold, both for adults and children. For the entire population (particularly children) residing in areas surrounding industrial sites, As and Cr appeared to be potentially carcinogenic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruhollah Khodadadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Sohrabi
- The Museum of Iranian Lichens, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
- Biotechnology Department, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Stefano Loppi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Yaser Tahmasebi Birgani
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Babaei
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Abdolkazem Neisi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Dastoorpoor
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Iranian Scientific Association of Clean Air, Tehran, Iran
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4
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Jorfi S, Feizi R, Saeedi R, Sabaghan M, Barzegar G, Dehghani SL, Baboli Z. Health risk assessment of workers exposed to lead dust in informal e-waste recycling workshops. Int J Environ Health Res 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37929743 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2274380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Informal recycling of electronic waste (e-waste) has attracted significant attention due to its economic benefits and rapid growth rate in many parts of the world. Unfortunately, unsafe conditions of recycling workshops possess chronic exposure to workers and lead to elevated blood lead concentrations (BLCs). Upon measuring the lead concentration in the dust of recycling workshops and the e-wastes in southwestern region of Iran, the related health risks were assessed in 30 exposed workers and 30 non-exposed habitants cases based on the determination of BLC. The average BLCs in exposed workers and non-exposed habitants cases were 24 μg/dL and 7 μg/dL, respectively. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) revealed heavy contamination of dust in informal e-waste recycling workshops (IERWs) (5023 μg/kg) and significantly lower levels in unexposed areas (49 μg/kg). Health risk assessment indicated that lead exposure from IERWs appears to be a potential threat to workers and indirectly to their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahand Jorfi
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Rozhan Feizi
- School of Medical Sciences, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Reza Saeedi
- Department of Health and Safety, and Environment (HSE), School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohamad Sabaghan
- School of Medical Sciences, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Gelavizh Barzegar
- School of Medical Sciences, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | | | - Zeynab Baboli
- School of Medical Sciences, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
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5
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Babaei AA, Tahmasebi Birgani Y, Baboli Z, Maleki H, Ahmadi Angali K. Using water quality parameters to prediction of the ion-based trihalomethane by an artificial neural network model. Environ Monit Assess 2023; 195:917. [PMID: 37402828 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11503-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Trihalomethanes (THMs) are the first disinfectant by-products in the drinking water distribution network and are classified as potential carcinogens. The presence of THMs in chlorinated water depends on the pH, water temperature, contact time between water and chlorine, type and dose of disinfection, bromide ion concentration, and type and concentration of natural organic materials (NOMs). In the present study, the formation of THMs was evaluated by six simple and easy water quality parameters and modeled by an artificial neural network (ANN) approach through five water distribution networks (WDNs) and the Karoun River in Khuzestan province. The results of this study that was conducted from October 2014 to September 2015 showed that THM concentration ranged in five WDNs, including Shoushtar, Ahvaz (2), Ahvaz (3), Mahshahr, Khorramshahr, and total WDNs through N.D.-9.39 µg/L, 7.12-28.60, 38.16-67.00, 17.15-90.46, 15.14-29.99, and N.D.-156, respectively. The concentration of THMs exceeded Iran and EPA standards in many cases in Mahshahr and Khorramshahr WDNs. Evaluation of R2, MSE, and RMSE showed the appropriate correlation between measured and modeled THMs, indicating a reasonable ANN potential for estimating THM formation in water sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Akbar Babaei
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Yaser Tahmasebi Birgani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran.
| | - Heydar Maleki
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Kambiz Ahmadi Angali
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Statistic and Epidemiology, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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6
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Ghaedrahmat Z, Ghafari S, Almasi H, Baboli Z, Neisi A. Effective bioremediation of petroleum‐contaminated saline soil using halotolerant
Bacillus
strains isolated from the Persian Gulf. J Basic Microbiol 2022; 62:1429-1439. [DOI: 10.1002/jobm.202200144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Ghaedrahmat
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering Shoushtar Faculty of Medical Sciences Shoushtar Iran
| | - Shokouh Ghafari
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Deparment of Microbiogy Birjand University of Medical Sciences Birjand Iran
| | - Halime Almasi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering Shoushtar Faculty of Medical Sciences Shoushtar Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences Behbahan Iran
| | - Abdolkazem Neisi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences; Environmental Technology Research Center Ahvaz jundishapur University of Medical Sciences Ahvaz Iran
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7
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Shahsavani S, Mohammadpour A, Shooshtarian MR, Soleimani H, Ghalhari MR, Badeenezhad A, Baboli Z, Morovati R, Javanmardi P. An ontology-based study on water quality: probabilistic risk assessment of exposure to fluoride and nitrate in Shiraz drinking water, Iran using fuzzy multi-criteria group decision-making models. Environ Monit Assess 2022; 195:35. [PMID: 36289114 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10664-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
World Health Organization reports that 2.2 million people die yearly from insufficient sanitary drinking water. This ontology-based study focused on investigating the chemical quality of drinking water through a new water quality index designed by fuzzy multi-criteria group decision-making methods, merged with GIS, and, secondly, surveying non-carcinogenic risk assessment of fluoride and nitrate using Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity analysis in Shiraz's water sources. F-, NO3-, NO2-, EC, TDS, alkalinity, TH, SO42-, Cl-, and Na were applied in the WQI. The NO3- mean concentrations were 23.15 and 27.66 mg/L in the cold and warm seasons, while the mean concentrations of fluoride were 0.50 and 0.46 mg/L during the cold and warm period. The 95th centiles of fluoride's HQs among infants, children, teenagers, and adults were 0.56, 0.7, 0.49, and 0.4, respectively, in the cold season, which was 0.65 and 0.81, respectively, 0.57 and 0.46 for mentioned groups in the warm season. In comparison, the 95th centiles of nitrate's HQs among infants, children, teenagers, and adults were 1.27, 1.59, 1.13, and 0.9, respectively. The HQs were more than 1 for infants, children, and teenagers, so nitrate can have various adverse effects, whereas fluoride does not adversely affect all aging groups in both seasons. Also, nitrate concentration can increase the non-carcinogenic risk, which the IR and ED lead to the HQ increasing. In contrast, BW has a negative effect on risk increasing. Overall, source management of these parameters can significantly reduce the concentration of nitrate and their adverse human health effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Shahsavani
- Research Center for Health Sciences, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Amin Mohammadpour
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Shooshtarian
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
| | - Hamed Soleimani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Ahmad Badeenezhad
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Medical Sciences, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran.
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Medical Sciences, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Roya Morovati
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Parviz Javanmardi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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8
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Maleki H, Goudarzi G, Baboli Z, Khodadadi R, Yazdani M, Babaei AA, Mohammadi MJ. Temporal profiles of ambient air pollutants and associated health outcomes in two polluted cities of the Middle East. J Environ Health Sci Eng 2022; 20:347-361. [PMID: 35669839 PMCID: PMC9163235 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-021-00781-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Dust storms and particulate matters had been increased due to climate change in the Middle East. On the other hand, urbanization and industrialization raised levels of gaseous air pollutants in all big cities. In the current study, air pollution information collected from Environmental Protection Agency of Khuzestan and Tehran containing hourly O3, NO2, CO, SO2, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations between 2014 and 2015. This study evaluated the air quality of these two cities by Air Quality Index (AQI). As a result, mean concentrations of O3, NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 were higher in Ahvaz than Tehran while Tehran was more pollutant in terms of CO and SO2. Diurnal variations of O3 in weekend were the only trend located above weekday variations along the daytimes. Hourly variations of all pollutants changed with a wider range of concentrations in Ahvaz. Diurnal peaks of all pollutants showed their highest level on Monday as the busiest day in mega city, Tehran with the exception of SO2. PM2.5 was the worst and limiting pollutant for both cities. Accordingly, winter was the most polluted season by 77 and 33 μg m-3 in Ahvaz and Tehran, respectively. Number of clean days was significantly lower in Ahvaz (no-day) than mega city, Tehran (<17 days). The number of unhealthy days was also presented significantly higher in Ahvaz (>186 days). Although, annual PM2.5 concentrations were more in Ahvaz, the higher at-risk population in Tehran caused more health endpoints in the capital of Iran. Consequently, both cities should have their own especial pattern to control air pollution and attributed health damages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidar Maleki
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering,, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Rohollah Khodadadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Yazdani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Torbat Jam Faculty of Medical Sciences, Torbat Jam, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Babaei
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javad Mohammadi
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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Yazdani M, Baboli Z, Maleki H, Birgani YT, Zahiri M, Chaharmahal SSH, Goudarzi M, Mohammadi MJ, Alam K, Sorooshian A, Goudarzi G. Contrasting Iran's air quality improvement during COVID-19 with other global cities. J Environ Health Sci Eng 2021; 19:1801-1806. [PMID: 34493956 PMCID: PMC8412974 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-021-00735-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In late 2019, a novel infectious disease (COVID-19) was identified in Wuhan China, which turned into a global pandemic. Countries all over the world have implemented some sort of lockdown to slow down its infection and mitigate it. This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air quality during 1st January to 30th April 2020 compared to the same period in 2016-2019 in ten Iranian cities and four major cities in the world. METHODS In this study, the required data were collected from reliable sites. Then, using SPSS and Excel software, the data were analyzed in two intervals before and after the corona pandemic outbreak. The results are provided within tables and charts. RESULTS The current study showed the COVID-19 lockdown positively affected Iran's air quality. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the four-month mean air quality index (AQI) values in Tehran, Wuhan, Paris, and Rome were 76, 125, 55, and 60, respectively, which are 8 %, 22 %, 21 %, and 2 % lower than those during the corresponding period (83, 160, 70, and 61) from 2016 to 2019. CONCLUSIONS Although the outbreak of coronavirus has imposed devastating impacts on economy and health, it can have positive effects on air quality, according to the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Yazdani
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Heidar Maleki
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Yaser Tahmasebi Birgani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Maryam Zahiri
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Seyede Saba Heydari Chaharmahal
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mahdis Goudarzi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Javad Mohammadi
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Khan Alam
- Department of Physics, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, 25120 Pakistan
| | - Armin Sorooshian
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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10
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Baboli Z, Neisi N, Babaei AA, Ahmadi M, Sorooshian A, Birgani YT, Goudarzi G. On the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and relationship with indoor conditions at a hospital. Atmos Environ (1994) 2021; 261:118563. [PMID: 34177342 PMCID: PMC8215890 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2021.118563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The limited knowledge about the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is a current challenge on a global scale. Among possible transmission routes, air transfer of the virus is thought to be prominent. To investigate this further, measurements were conducted at Razi hospital in Ahvaz, Iran, which was selected to treat COVID-19 severe cases in the Khuzestan province. Passive and active sampling methods were employed and compared with regard to their efficiency for collection of airborne SARS-COV-2 virus particles. Fifty one indoor air samples were collected in two areas, with distances of less than or equal to 1 m (patient room) and more than 3 m away (hallway and nurse station) from patient beds. A simulation method was used to obtain the virus load released by a regularly breathing or coughing individual including a range of microdroplet emissions. Using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 11.76% (N = 6) of all indoor air samples (N = 51) collected in the COVID-19 ward tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus, including 4 cases in patient rooms and 2 cases in the hallway. Also, 5 of the 6 positive cases were confirmed using active sampling methods with only 1 based on passive sampling. The results support airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 bioaerosols in indoor air. Multivariate analysis showed that among 15 parameters studied, the highest correlations with PCR results were obtained for temperature, relative humidity, PM levels, and presence of an air cleaner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeynab Baboli
- Student Research Committee, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Niloofar Neisi
- Clinical Sciences Research Institute, Alimentary Tract Research Center, Department of Medical Virology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Babaei
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mehdi Ahmadi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Armin Sorooshian
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Yaser Tahmasebi Birgani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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11
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Moradi M, Hadei M, Yazdani M, Goudarzi M, Baboli Z, Tahmasebi Birgani Y, Neisi A, Goudarzi G. Effect of long-term exposure to PM 2.5 on years of life lost in a populated Middle Eastern city. Environ Geochem Health 2021; 43:3229-3235. [PMID: 33544269 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-021-00827-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
From a public health point of view, years of life lost (YLL) is a more important index than the number of deaths to evaluate the effect of risk factors. The objective of the present study was to estimate the burden of disease including years of life lost (YLL) and expected life remaining (ELR) attributed to long-term exposure to PM2.5 in Ahvaz, one of the most polluted cities of the world, during March 2014 through March 2017. AirQ + software was used for the estimation of YLL and ELR due to all natural causes of death. Hourly concentrations of PM2.5 were acquired from the Department of Environment (DoE) of Ahvaz. Several steps were performed to validate the raw air quality data. Only the monitors were included that had minimum data completeness of 75%. Two age groups were selected for this study, including 0-64 and 65 < years. The life table approach was used to estimate YLL and ELR. Annual averages of PM2.5 were 5.2-8 times higher than the air quality guideline (10 μg/m3) set by WHO for long-term exposure to PM2.5. In total, PM2.5 has caused 234,041 years of life lost due to mortality. About 84% of YLLs were attributed to people older than 65 years old. The YLLs of men were higher than those for women. The YLLs in the third year were greater than the first two years. PM2.5 has caused the average age of total population, people aged 0-64 years old, and people > 65 years old decreased by 2.5, 3, and 1.6 years, respectively. These studies indicated that people in a city that the air quality is highly affected by dust storms, industrial emissions, and urban air pollution are significantly at risk. Air pollution control strategies and actions should be designed and executed to improve the quality of ambient air.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Moradi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mostafa Hadei
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Yazdani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mohammad Goudarzi
- Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Yaser Tahmasebi Birgani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Abdolkazem Neisi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases (APRD) Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases (APRD) Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
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12
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Goudarzi G, Baboli Z, Moslemnia M, Tobekhak M, Tahmasebi Birgani Y, Neisi A, Ghanemi K, Babaei AA, Hashemzadeh B, Ahmadi Angali K, Dobaradaran S, Ramezani Z, Hassanvand MS, Dehdari Rad H, Kayedi N. Assessment of incremental lifetime cancer risks of ambient air PM 10-bound PAHs in oil-rich cities of Iran. J Environ Health Sci Eng 2021; 19:319-330. [PMID: 34150238 PMCID: PMC8172715 DOI: 10.1007/s40201-020-00605-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the concentrations of PM10-bound PAHs and their seasonal variations in three cities of Ahvaz, Abadan, and Asaluyeh in Iran. The mean concentrations of PM10 in two warm and cold seasons in Ahvaz were higher and in Abadan and Assaluyeh were lower than the national standard of Iran and the guidelines of the World Health Organization. The Σ16 PAHs concentration in ambient air PM10 during the cold season in Ahvaz, Abadan and Asaluyeh was 244.6, 633, and 909 ng m- 3, respectively, and during the warm season in Ahvaz, Abadan, and Asaluyeh was 242.1, 1570 and 251 ng m- 3, respectively. The high molecular weight PAHs were the most predominant components. The most abundant PAHs species were Pyr, Chr, B [ghi] P, and Flt. The results showed that the total PAHs concentration in the cold and warm seasons was dependent on industrial activities, particularly the neighboring petrochemical units of the city, vehicular exhausts, traffic and use of oil, gas, and coal in energy production. The total cancer risk values as a result of exposure to PAHs in ambient air PM10 in all three cities for children and adults and in both cold and warm seasons were between 1 × 10- 6 and 1 × 10- 4, and this indicates a potential carcinogenic risk. Therefore, considering the various sources of air pollutants and its role on people's health, decision makers should adopt appropriate policies on air quality to reduce the ambient air PAHs and to mitigate human exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- School of Medical Sciences, Khoy Faculty of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Maliheh Moslemnia
- School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Meimanat Tobekhak
- School of Public Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Yaser Tahmasebi Birgani
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Abdolkazem Neisi
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Kamal Ghanemi
- Department of Marine Chemistry, Faculty of Marine Science, Khorramshahr University of Marine Science and Technology, Khorramshahr, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Babaei
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Bayram Hashemzadeh
- School of Medical Sciences, Khoy Faculty of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
| | - Kambiz Ahmadi Angali
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Sina Dobaradaran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Zahra Ramezani
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mahammad Sadegh Hassanvand
- Center for Air Pollution Research (CAPR), Institute for Environmental Research (IER), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Dehdari Rad
- School of Medical Sciences, Khoy Faculty of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
| | - Neda Kayedi
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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13
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Maleki H, Sorooshian A, Goudarzi G, Baboli Z, Birgani YT, Rahmati M. Air pollution prediction by using an artificial neural network model. Clean Technol Environ Policy 2019; 21:1341-1352. [PMID: 33907544 PMCID: PMC8075317 DOI: 10.1007/s10098-019-01709-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Air pollutants impact public health, socioeconomics, politics, agriculture, and the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm to predict hourly criteria air pollutant concentrations and two air quality indices, air quality index (AQI) and air quality health index (AQHI), for Ahvaz, Iran, over one full year (August 2009-August 2010). Ahvaz is known to be one of the most polluted cities in the world, mainly owing to dust storms. The applied algorithm involved nine factors in the input stage (five meteorological parameters, pollutant concentrations 3 and 6 h in advance, time, and date), 30 neurons in the hidden phase, and finally one output in last level. When comparing performance between using 5% and 10% of data for validation and testing, the more reliable results were from using 5% of data for these two stages. For all six criteria pollutants examined (O3, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, SO2, and CO) across four sites, the correlation coefficient (R) and root-mean square error (RMSE) values when comparing predictions and measurements were 0.87 and 59.9, respectively. When comparing modeled and measured AQI and AQHI, R 2 was significant for three sites through AQHI, while AQI was significant only at one site. This study demonstrates that ANN has applicability to cities such as Ahvaz to forecast air quality with the purpose of preventing health effects. We conclude that authorities of urban air quality, practitioners, and decision makers can apply ANN to estimate spatial-temporal profile of pollutants and air quality indices. Further research is recommended to compare the efficiency and potency of ANN with numerical, computational, and statistical models to enable managers to select an appropriate toolkit for better decision making in field of urban air quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidar Maleki
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Engineering, School of Water Sciences Engineering, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Armin Sorooshian
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Gholamreza Goudarzi
- Air Pollution and Respiratory Diseases Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Yaser Tahmasebi Birgani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Environmental Technologies Research Center (ETRC), Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Mojtaba Rahmati
- Environmental Engineering, School of Water Sciences Engineering, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
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14
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Ghafari S, Baboli Z, Jorfi S, Abtahi M, Saeedi R, Darvishi Cheshmeh Soltani R, Mirzaee SA, Neisi A. Surfactant-enhanced Bioremediation of n-Hexadecane-contaminated Soil Using Halo-tolerant Bacteria Paenibacillus glucanolyticus sp. Strain T7-AHV Isolated from Marine Environment. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.15255/cabeq.2018.1465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A halo-tolerant bacterial strain Paenibacillus glucanolyticus sp. strain T7-AHV isolated
from marine environment was used for bioremediation of n-hexadecane-contaminated
soil. Soil/water ratio, initial inoculums volume, surfactant addition, n-hexadecane concentration, and salinity were investigated. The possibility of biosurfactant production by isolated strain was also studied, and the results demonstrated that it was not a biosurfactant producer, based on measurement of the surface tension of culture broth. Both tween 80 and rhamnolipid enhanced the biodegradation of n-hexadecane significantly up to 44 and 46 %, respectively. A biodegradation rate of 39.7 % was observed at salinity level of up to 2 %, and the biodegradation efficiency decreased significantly at higher salinity concentrations. A natural hydrocarbon-contaminated soil sample with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration of 1437 mg kg–1 was subjected to bioremediation using the selected conditions of operational parameters, and a biodegradation rate of 22.1 % was obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shokouh Ghafari
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
| | - Zeynab Baboli
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | | | - Mehrnoosh Abtahi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
| | - Reza Saeedi
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Health, Safety and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - S. A. Mirzaee
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Ilam University of Medical Sciences
| | - A. Neisi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences
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