ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Removal of metoprolol from aqueous solutions by the activated carbon prepared from pine cones
Background: Metoprolol (MTP) with its low biodegradability is one of the most dominant micropollutant in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the removal of metoprolol from aqueous solutions by the activated carbon prepared from pine cones.
Methods: The pine cones were activated using thermal activation method. Characteristics of the adsorbent were determined using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this study, the influent of different parameters such as pH, contact time, initial concentrations of metoprolol, adsorbent dose, temperature, adsorption isotherms, and kinetics were investigated.
Results: The maximum removal efficiency of MTP (89.2%) was obtained at pH=8.5, adsorbent dose=1.5 g, contact time=60 min, and initial concentration=50 mg/L. By increasing the adsorbent dose, the removal efficiency also increased, but the adsorption capacity decreased, however, by increasing the initial concentration, the removal efficiency decreased, but the adsorption capacity increased. The isotherm experimental data for metoprolol was best fitted using the Langmuir model, and kinetic data were better described by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The thermodynamic study indicated that the adsorption of MTP by the adsorbent was feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic.
Conclusion: MTP removal by the activated carbon prepared from pine cones showed that this natural adsorbent is appropriate for removal of metoprolol from aqueous solutions regarding cost, efficiency, and production method.
http://ehemj.com/article-1-491-en.pdf
2019-06-15
81
88
10.15171/EHEM.2019.09
Metoprolol
Adsorption
Pine cones
Isotherm
Kinetics
Thermodynamics
Dariush
Naghipour
dr.naghipour@gmail.com
1
Research Center of Health and Environment, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0408-3654
Abdoliman
Amouei
iamouei1966@gmail.com
2
Corresponding Author: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2873-2532
Kamran
Taher Ghasemi
taherghasemi_k@yahoo.com
3
Department of Environmental Health, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9629-1433
Kamran
Taghavi
taghavi_k@gmail.com
4
Research Center of Health and Environment, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-9567-9164
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Tracking of chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and sulfamethoxazole antibiotic-resistant bacteria from untreated wastewater effluents to receiving river
Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and type of bacteria resistant to chloramphenicol (CHL), erythromycin (E), and sulfamethoxazole (SXT) antibiotics from untreated wastewater effluents to receiving river.
Methods: In total, 32 samples were taken from eight sites located in the raw wastewater to the downstream of the receiving Ghotor river in Khoy city. Resistant microorganisms were studied through modified HPC method and CLSI standards. Different and specific colonies were selected and re-cultured in R2A culture medium and enough colonies were used for DNA extraction. Bacterial 16sr RNA target gene was amplified and sequenced. Pseudomonas sp., Comamonas sp., and Thiobacillus sp. were predominant bacterial species identified in water samples. Also, antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) including sul1,
ermB, and cmlA1 were tracked by PCR.
Results: The average total number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) increased in the downstream (2.4×102 to 2.6×104 CFU/100 mL). The comparison of the results related to the river’s upstream and downstream also indicated a significant difference between ARB and ARGs contents (P<0.05). The
average number of bacteria resistant to SXT, E, and CHL antibiotics was obtained to be 2.3×104, 2.3×104, and 3.4×104 CFU/mL, respectively. Finally, the evaluation of water revealed that only the aeration lagoon was able to decline the number of CHL-resistant bacteria (88.9%) while this process increased
the number of SXT- (51%) and E- (16%) resistant bacteria. The lowest and highest percentages of the identified genes were related to ermB (12.5%) and sul1 (81.25%), respectively.
Conclusion: According to the results, wastewaters play an important role in releasing ARB and their antibiotic resistance genes to downstream of Ghotor rivers in Khoy city.
http://ehemj.com/article-1-506-en.pdf
2019-07-13
89
96
10.15171/EHEM.2019.10
Heterotrophic bacteria
Sulfamethoxazole
Chloramphenicol
Erythromycin
Polymerase chain reaction
Wastewater
Rivers
Rahim
Aali
Aali1400@gmail.com
1
Student Research Committee, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9387-9867
Sepideh
Baragh
sepidehbaragh@gmail.com
2
Environmental Health Engineering, Student Research Committee, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2998-984X
Esrafil
Asgari
sasgary@gmail.com
3
Environmental Health Engineering, Department of Environmental Health, School of Health, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4372-5936
Reza
Fouladi Fard
rezafd@yahoo.com
4
Research Center for Environmental Pollutants, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7407-645X
Hassan
Izanloo
hizan52@gmail.com
5
Research Center for Environmental Pollutants, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8944-3689
Saeed
Hosseinpoor
saeed.hosseinpooreng61@yahoo.com
6
Environmental Health Engineering, Department of Environmental Health, School of Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4873-2337
Jalhe
Bagheri Hamzyan Olia
jalhebageri@yahoo.com
7
Biochemistry Ph.D, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7226-1558
Roya
Naseri
Royanaseri@1995@gmail.com
8
Environmental Health Engineering, Student Research Committee, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3815-6444
Mohsen
Mehdipour Rabori
mmehdipoor@yahoo.com
9
Corresponding author: Environmental Health Engineering Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2817-1325
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Advanced oxidation of formaldehyde in the aqueous solutions using UVC/S2O82- process: Degradation and mineralization
Background: As a human carcinogen, formaldehyde is a toxic chemical imposing adverse effects on public health and environment. Due to its high reactivity, colorless nature, sustainability, purity in commercial forms, and low prices, the production and consumption of this compound has expanded
vastly in industries.
Methods: In this study, a UVC photoreactor with a total volume of 120 mL was used and operated in a rotary mode. To determine the residual concentration, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) device was applied whose detector was set at a wavelength of 355 nm and equipped with C18 column (with dimensions of 25 × 4.6 mm i.d, and particle size of 5 µm). Total organic carbon (TOC) was determined using a TOC analyzer.
Results: The optimal condition in this study was obtained at pH=3 and formaldehyde concentration of 350 mg, so that the removal of formaldehyde and TOC was 98.2% and 95.1%, respectively, after 35 minutes reaction time. The formaldehyde removal efficiency was assessed in the presence of methanol
(MeOH), tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), and salicylic acid (SA) scavengers, and it was indicated that SO4•- radicals were the most effective factors in formaldehyde destruction. By increasing the concentrations of MeOH, TBA, and SA to 2.5 g/L, the degradation efficiency of formaldehyde dropped from 98.02%
to 69.78%, 64.68%, and 45.14%, respectively, at 35 minutes reaction time. The removal of formaldehyde in the presence of nitrate was significantly reduced and it had a significant effect on the removal of formaldehyde.
Conclusion: In this study, the removal of formaldehyde was investigated in the presence of various anions including bicarbonate, carbonate, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate. According to the results, the UVC/S 2O82- process is a convenient and cost-effective method for the removal of formaldehyde.
http://ehemj.com/article-1-494-en.pdf
2019-06-17
97
104
10.15171/EHEM.2019.11
Formaldehyde
Advanced oxidation
Bicarbonates
Carbonates
Sulfates
Nitrates
Leili
Tymoyrimoghadam
tymourimoghadam@gmail.com
1
Department of Environmental Engineering, Tendency (Water and Wastewater), Branch Bushehr, Islamic Azad University, Bushehr, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4271-2674
Hossein
Momeninejad
hossein.momeninejad@yahoo.com
2
Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0984-8756
Parisa
Baratpour
pbaratpour@yahoo.com
3
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4693-7961
Fariba
Gohari
Fgohari@uwo.ca
4
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3342-9888
Behnam
Ravansalar
behnamravansalar@yahoo.com
5
Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6623-4358
Mohsen
Momeninejad
momeninejad.mohsen@yums.ac.ir
6
Corresponding author: Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8565-7401
Amir
Adibzadeh
adibzadeh_251@yahoo.com
7
Health Research Center, Lifestyle Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5703-0759
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Removal efficiency of nitrate, phosphate, fecal and total coliforms by horizontal subsurface flow-constructed wetland from domestic wastewater
Background: Constructed wetlands are systems designed based on the utilization of natural processes, including vegetation, soil, and their associated microbial assemblage to assist in treating different types of wastewater.
Methods: Two local Appalachian plants (Louis latifolia and Phragmites australis) were planted into smallscale constructed wetlands to treat domestic wastewater in the North of Iran. Te influent wastewater and the efuent from each wetland were sampled daily for 120 days. Experiments were conducted based on the mean ± standard deviation (SD) by analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Results: It was found that nitrate, phosphate, fecal and total coliforms were reduced by 84.4%, 94.4%, 96.3%, 93.9% for P. australis and 73.3%, 64.0%, 94.4%, 92.1% for L. latifolia, respectively.
Conclusion: According to the results, by using the HF-CW technology with L. latifolia and P. australis plants, the treated wastewater fully meets the wastewater discharge parameters of WHO standards.
http://ehemj.com/article-1-507-en.pdf
2019-07-14
105
111
10.15171/EHEM.2019.12
Nitrate
Phosphate
Wetland
Wastewater treatment
Iran
Laleh
R. Kalankesh
lalehkalankesh@gmail.com
1
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health and Health Sciences Research Center, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5608-8422
Susana
Rodríguez-Couto
srodriguez@cit.es
2
Ceit, Paseo Manuel de Lardizábal 15, 20018, San Sebastian, Spain, Universidad de Navarra, Tecnun, Paseo Manuel de Lardizábal 13, 20018, San Sebastian, Spain IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Maria Diaz de Haro 3, 48013, Bilbao, Spain
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2694-5091
Yousef
Dadban Shahama
dr.udadban@goums.ac.ir
3
Corresponding author: Environmental Health Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6040-0562
Hossein
Ali Asgarnia
aygoyo@yahoo.com
4
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1933-8100
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Chromium removal and water recycling from electroplating wastewater through direct osmosis: Modeling and optimization by response surface methodology
Background: Considering the carcinogenic effects of heavy metals, such as chromium, it is essential to remove these elements from water and wastewater. Direct osmosis is a new membrane technology, which can be a proper alternative to conventional chromium removal processes.
Methods: The wastewater samples were collected from an electroplating unit, located in Alborz industrial city, Qazvin, Iran. Magnesium chloride was used as the draw solution, and a semipermeable membrane (Aquaporin) was used in this study. The experiments were designed, using response surface methodology (RSM) and central composite design (CCD) with draw solution concentration (0.5- 1.5 M), feed solution concentration (4-12 mg/L), and experiment time (30-90 minutes) as variable factors. The chromium concentration and water flux were also measured, based on atomic absorption spectrophotometry and water flux equation, respectively.
Results: Direct osmosis was highly efficient in chromium removal and water recycling. Water flux and chromium removal efficiency were 15.6 LMH and 85.58%, respectively, under optimal conditions (draw solution = 1.27 mol/L, feed solution = 4 mg/L, and experiment time = 90 min). In terms of validity,
the results predicted by the quadratic polynomial model were in good agreement with the responses reported in the laboratory.
Conclusion: In direct osmosis, the use of magnesium chloride as the draw solution resulted in the acceptable chromium removal from electroplating wastewater. Using this method, chromium concentration in wastewater reduced to a level lower than the discharge standards, established by Iran’s
Department of Environment.
http://ehemj.com/article-1-496-en.pdf
2019-06-26
113
120
10.15171/EHEM.2019.13
Direct osmosis
Chromium removal
Electroplating
Optimization
Zohreh
Naghdali
z.naghdali@gmail.com
1
Student Research Committee, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8581-6185
Soleyman
Sahebi
soleysahebi@gmail.com
2
Research and Technology Center of Membrane Processes (RTCMP), School of Chemical, Petroleum and Gas Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5901-1084
Reza
Ghanbari
ghanbari33@gmail.com
3
Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-9296-4293
Milad
Mousazadeh
m.milad199393@gmail.com
4
Student Research Committee, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/ 0000-0003-1464-3915
Hamzeh
Ali Jamali
jamalisadraei@yahoo.com
5
Corresponding author: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9928-0011
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Performance of electrical stimulated anaerobic baffled reactor for removal of typical pollutants from low-strength municipal
wastewater at low temperatures
Background: Although anaerobic system has been successfully used for treating the strong industrial wastewater, its efficiency for low-strength wastewater as municipal wastewater is not satisfying. This study aimed to enhance the capability of an anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) for treating municipal wastewater.
Methods: A 7-L ABR with 5 compartments was operated for a 287-day period fed with primary effluent from a wastewater treatment plant at 17 to 19°C. The study was conducted in 2 phases. In the first phase, the performance of ABR and in the second phase, the performance of ESABR (ABR integrated with an electrochemical system) were investigated.
Results: The results of ABR operation indicated that at hydraulic retention time (HRT) =24 hours, the average removal efficiency of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorous (TP), and log reduction
value (LRV) of coliforms were obtained to be 71%, 75%, 79%, 23%, 30.3%, and 5.8 Log, respectively. In this phase, when the HRT was decreased from 24 to 18 hours and from 18 to 14 hours, the removal efficiency of all parameters by the ABR was decreased. After the shift of ABR operation to ESABR, at HRT=24 hours and current density of 0.78 mA/cm2, the performance of the reactor was enhanced, so that the removal efficiency of BOD, COD, TSS, TKN, TP, and LRV of coliforms were achieved 16.8%, 15%, 4%, 10.7%, 49%, and 1 Log, which was greater than those obtained by ABR.
Conclusion: According to the results, this technology (SEABR) is suitable for treating the low-strength municipal wastewater.
http://ehemj.com/article-1-501-en.pdf
2019-07-06
121
128
10.15171/EHEM.2019.14
Wastewater
Anaerobic baffled reactor
Electrical stimulated
Treatment
Marziye
Moradgholi
Marziye.moradgholi@gmail.com
1
Departement of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9052-602X
Mohamadreza
Massoudinejad
massoudi@sbmu.ac.ir
2
Departement of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/ 0000-0001-5160-8233
Ehsan
Aghayani
ehsanaghayani@gmail.com
3
Departement of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4787-1515
Ahmadreza
Yazdanbakhsh
yazdanbakhsh@sbmu.ac.ir
4
corresponding author: Workplace Health Promotion Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-9564-9042
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals from cement factory dust
Background: The release of metals from industrial factories is one of the most important sources of environmental pollution. The present study aimed to determine the concentration of heavy metals like cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) in dust around the cement
factory.
Methods: A total of 22 dust samples were collected from areas around the cement factory in Isfahan province in spring and summer and transferred to laboratory for chemical digestion. Risk index (RI), integrated pollution index (IPI), mean of contamination degree (mCd), and contamination factor (Cfi)
were calculated to determine the contamination status.
Results: The concentration of heavy metals in the falling dust around the factory was expressed as Cd Conclusion: According to the results, the deposited dust of study area is considered as a polluted dust and it is at higher risk of pollution with Cd and Cr.
http://ehemj.com/article-1-489-en.pdf
2019-06-09
129
137
10.15171/EHEM.2019.15
Cement factory
Dust
Environmental pollution
Heavy metals
Firouzeh
Yadegarnia Naeini
fyadegarnia@yahoo.com
1
Environmental Science Department, Natural Resources School, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9333-8174
Hamidreza
Azimzadeh
hazimzadeh@yazd.ac.ir
2
Corresponding Author: Environmental Science Department, Natural Resources School, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7865-9540
Asghar
Mosleh Arani
amosleh@yazd.ac.ir
3
Environmental Science Department, Natural Resources School, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3178-1100
Ahad
Sotoudeh
asotoudeh@yazd.ac.ir
4
Environmental Science Department, Natural Resources School, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3636-7560
Bahman
Kiani
bnkiani@yazd.ac.ir
5
Environmental Science Department, Natural Resources School, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6224-2994
ORIGINAL_ARTICLE
Potential impact of global warming on river runoff coming to Jor reservoir, Malaysia by integration of LARS-WG with artificial neural networks
Background: Changes in temperature and precipitation pattern seriously affect the amount of river runoff coming into Dam Lake. These changes could influence the operating conditions of reservoir systems such as Jor hydropower reservoir system (Malaysia) with the total capacity of 150 MW. So, it is necessary to analyze the effect of changes in weather parameters on the river runoff and consequently, the hydropower production.
Methods: In this research, LARS-WG was used to downscale the weather parameters such as daily minimum temperature, maximum temperature, and precipitation based on one of the general circulation sub-model (HADCM3) under three emission scenarios, namely, A1B, A2, and B1 for the next 50 years. Then, the artificial neural network (ANN) was constructed, while rainfall and evapotranspiration were used as input data and river runoff as output data to discover the relationship between climate parameters and runoff at the present and in the future time.
Results: It was revealed that the monthly mean temperature will increase approximately between 0.3-0.7°C, while the mean monthly precipitation will vary from -22% to +22% in the next 50 years. These changes could shift the dry and wet seasons and consequently, change the river runoff volume. In most months, the results of models integration showed reductions in river runoff.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that the output of hydropower reservoir system is highly dependent on the river runoff. So, the impacts of climate changes should be considered by the reservoir operators/managers to reduce these impacts and secure water supplies.
http://ehemj.com/article-1-503-en.pdf
2019-07-06
139
149
10.15171/EHEM.2019.16
Climate change
Neural Networks
Malaysia
Weather
Temperature
Aida
Tayebiyan
ida_tayebiyan@yahoo.com
1
corresponding author: Environmental Health Engineering Research Centre, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4711-0058
Thamer
Ahmad Mohammad
tthamer@gmail.com
2
Department of Water Resources Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1174-8466
Mohammad
Malakootian
m.malakootian@yahoo.com
3
Environmental Health Engineering Research Centre, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4051-6242
Alireza
Nasiri
nasiri_a62@yahoo.com
4
Environmental Health Engineering Research Centre, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5001-2523
Mohammad Reza
Heidari
moheidari86@gmail.com
5
Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9085-6205
Ghazal
Yazdanpanah
ghazal.yazdanpanad@gmail.com
6
Environmental Health Engineering Research Centre, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
AUTHOR
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1427-3336