Assessment of land use effect, mapping of human health risks and chemometric analysis of potential toxic elements in topsoils of Aran-o-Bidgol, Iran.

This study examines topsoil contamination in Aran-o-Bidgol urban region of central Iran, with a focus on potentially toxic elements (PTEs). A total of 135 topsoil samples in different land types were characterized, ranging from areas with agricultural farms, desert, industrial and residential activity, and brick kilns. The average concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Cr, Co, Fe, Zn, and Mn were 0.

Hybrid approaches based on hydrodynamic cavitation, peroxymonosulfate and UVC irradiation for treatment of organic pollutants: fractal like kinetics, modeling and process optimization.

Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) was emerged as one of the most potential technologies for industrial-scale wastewater or water treatment. In this work, a combined system of HC, peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and UVC irradiation (HC - PMS - UVC) was constructed for effective degradation of carbamazepine. The effect of several experimental parameters and conditions on the carbamazepine degradation was considered.

Abundance, characteristics, fate, and removal of microplastics during municipal wastewater treatment plant in the west of Iran: the case of Kermanshah city.

The threat of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic systems is almost a new challenge in environmental management. The municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) act both as collectors of MPs from anthropic use and as a source to natural environments. This study is aimed to determine the abundance, characteristics, and removal of MPs in a municipal WWTP with conventional activated sludge process.

Nicotine consumption rate through wastewater-based epidemiology: a systematic review, meta-analysis and probabilistic risk assessment.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), as a rapid tool, is used to measure and monitor illicit drug consumption in the population. This method is also used to bridge biomarkers of exposure, contaminants, and human health. Smoking cigarettes and tobacco use are everyday habits in nowadays community.

Microplastic abundance, distribution, and characterization in freshwater sediments in Iran: a case study in Kermanshah city.

This paper focuses on abundance, distribution, and characteristics of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater sediments of Sarab Niloofar Lake, Kermanshah, Iran. After selecting an appropriate method for extraction of MPs, the characterization such as polymer types, surface morphology, and trace elements has been determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopic, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analysis, respectively. The results highlighted that all sampling locations were contaminated by MP abundance ranged from 1733.

Fabrication of novel magnetic CuS/FeO/GO nanocomposite for organic pollutant degradation under visible light irradiation.

The magnetic nanocomposites composed of copper sulphide, iron oxide, and graphene oxide (CuS/FeO/GO) were synthesized through a facile sol-gel combined with hydrothermal techniques for photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) as a model organic pollutant. The as-prepared samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), differential reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and results confirmed successful synthesis of magnetic nanocomposite. Presence of FeO and GO in nanocomposite induced a synergistic effect in CuS performance as CSFG (i.

Highly efficient visible-driven reduction of Cr(VI) by a novel black TiO photocatalyst.

Finding a facile and practical method to produce black TiO remains a challenge. Bismuth-vanadium co-doped black TiO (BVBT) was synthesized as a visible light driven photocatalyst by a simple one-pot hydrothermal method. The synthesized BVBT was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS).

A global systematic review and meta-analysis on illicit drug consumption rate through wastewater-based epidemiology.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a complementary, well-established comprehensive, cost-effective, and rapid technique for monitoring of illicit drugs used in a general population. This systematic review and meta-analysis is the first to estimate the rank and consumption rate of illicit drugs through WBE studies. In the current study, the related investigations regarding the illicit drug consumption rate based on WBE were searched among the international databases including Scopus, PubMed, Science direct, Google scholar, and local database, Magiran from 2012 up to May 2019.

Estimating alcohol consumption by using wastewater-based epidemiology in Adana Province, Turkey.

Increased alcohol consumption, especially among young people, is a major concern in Turkey as it is around the world due to negative effects on public health and safety. Regarding this, it is pivotal to monitor and therefore control alcohol use in public. In this case, wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), which is the in-depth analysis of wastewater and a relatively new method, can deliver complementary information concerning the abuse of different substances.

Fabrication of novel 2D Ag-TiO/γ-AlO/Chitosan nano-composite photocatalyst toward enhanced photocatalytic reduction of nitrate.

The presence of excess nitrate in groundwater limits it use as a drinking water supply and its removal is critical to balance the nitrogen cycle in aquatic systems. In this study, ultra-thin 2-dimensional Ag-TiO/γ-AlO/Chitosan (Ag-TiO/AlO/CS) nano-composite was synthesized for the fast reduction of nitrate under UVA irradiation from aqueous solutions. As-synthesized nano-composite was well characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N adsorption-desorption isotherms, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.

Mapping 123 million neonatal, infant and child deaths between 2000 and 2017.

Since 2000, many countries have achieved considerable success in improving child survival, but localized progress remains unclear. To inform efforts towards United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.2-to end preventable child deaths by 2030-we need consistently estimated data at the subnational level regarding child mortality rates and trends.

One-Pot Synthesized Visible Light-Driven BiOCl/AgCl/BiVO n-p Heterojunction for Photocatalytic Degradation of Pharmaceutical Pollutants.

A novel enhanced visible light absorption BiOCl/AgCl/BiVO heterojunction of photocatalysts could be obtained through a one-pot hydrothermal method used with two different pH solutions. There was a relationship between synthesis pH and the ratio of BiOCl to BiVO in XRD planes and their photocatalytic activity. The visible light photocatalytic performances of photocatalysts were evaluated via degradation of diclofenac (DCFF) as a pharmaceutical model pollutant.

Photo-assisted catalytic degradation of acetaminophen using peroxymonosulfate decomposed by magnetic carbon heterojunction catalyst.

Catalytic oxidative degradation of acetaminophen (ACT) was evaluated using magnetic mesoporous carbon (MNPs@C) coupled with UV light and peroxymonosulfate (PMS). The performance of hybrid system (i.e.

Chitosan modified N, S-doped TiO and N, S-doped ZnO for visible light photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline.

N, S-doped TiO (NST), N, S-doped ZnO (NSZ) and their composite with chitosan (NST/CS, NSZ/CS) were synthesized by sol gel-hydrothermal method. The prepared samples were characterized using XRD, FTIR, TEM and BET techniques. These photocatalysts were used for the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline under visible light irradiation.

Interactions of Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Hg in their effects on activated sludge bacteria by using two analytical methods.

Since trace metals rarely appear singly in industrial effluents, it is a major challenge to address combined effects of such toxicants on biological units of wastewater treatment plants. The aim of this study was interaction assessment of Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, and Hg in their effects on activated sludge bacteria using analytical methods. Two mathematical models were used to determine the effect of binary mixtures of Hg, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Ni on activated sludge bacteria using a dehydrogenase enzyme assay.

Efficiency of sequencing batch reactor for removal of organic matter in the effluent of petroleum wastewater.

The main aim of this research was to study the biodegradation of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) using aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) at a pilot-Scale. The reactor was made of a 3 mm-thick glass cylinder with an internal diameter of 12 cm and height of 60 cm. SBR operated in five phases.

Concentrations of arsenic and lead in rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Iran: A systematic review and carcinogenic risk assessment.

Exposure to heavy metals such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in either the short or the long term can cause cancers in humans. Dietary intake and consumption of rice (Oryza sativa L.) is increasing in Iran, and several studies on the concentration of heavy metals in rice have been carried out in this country in recent years.

Enhanced sonochemical degradation of tetracycline by sulfate radicals.

Tetracyclines (TCs) are widely used antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine and as growth promoters in the world. Sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes have been of great interest due to the high oxidizing potential of sulfate radical to degrade refractory organic pollutants in aqueous solution. In this study, the degradation of antibiotic TC in aqueous solution by silver-activated persulfate (Na2S2O8) in the presence of ultrasound irradiation under various conditions has been investigated.

Occurrence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Tehran source water, municipal and hospital wastewaters, and their ecotoxicological risk assessment.

Pharmaceuticals are becoming widely distributed in waters and wastewaters and pose a serious threat to public health. The present study aimed to analyze non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in surface waters, drinking water, and wastewater in Tehran, Iran. Thirty-six samples were collected from surface waters, tap water, and influent and effluent of municipal and hospital wastewater treatment plants (WWTP).