Iranian Journal of Health, Safety and Environment (IJHSE)
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Assessing the Relationship Between Meteorological Parameters, Air Pollution And Cardiovascular Mortality of Mashhad City Based on Time Series Model
Get PDFEpidemiological studies conducted in the past two decades indicate that air pollution causes increase in cardiovascular, breathing and chronic bronchitis disorders and even causes cardiovascular mortality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between meteorological parameters, air pollution and cardiovascular mortality in the city of Mashhad in 2014 by a time series model. Data on mortality from cardiovascular disease, meteorological parameters and air pollution in 2014 were gathered from Paradises organization, meteorology organization and pollutant monitoring center, respectively. Then the relationship between these parameters was analyzed using correlation coefficient, generalized linear regression, time series models and comparison of means. The results of the study showed that the highest rate of cardiovascular mortality related to Sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and then PM2.5. So that each unit increase in SO2, NO2 and PM2.5 pollutants adds to the rate of cardiovascular mortality by 22.5, 2.9 and 0.69, respectively. Pressure, wind speed and rainfall have a significant association with mortality. So that each unit decrease in pressure and wind speed, increases the rate of cardiovascular mortality by 2.79 and 15.77, respectively. It was also found that in the case of one-unit increase in rainfall, the possibility of mortality from the mentioned disease goes up by 3.8 units. It was also found that one-year increase of the age increases the mortality caused by these diseases up to 0.57 percent. Furthermore, the highest rate of cardiovascular mortality related to cold periods of the year. Therefore, considering the growing trend of air pollution and its health effects on human health, performing actions and effective solutions is important in the field of controlling and reducing air pollution in Iranian metropolis including Mashhad
Evaluating Lighting Condition of Primary Schools in 2015 (Case Study:Nahavand City of Hamadan Province, Iran)
Get PDFThe quality of vision is essential that universally understood about the human condition in a learning environment. In this regard, lighting exceeds than standard level increased visual fatigue as reflection decrease by eye blinks. Against exposure to lower maximum allowed to involve Nystagmus, headaches and impaired vision as the most significant symptoms for students. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the total lighting condition (a combination of natural and artificial lighting) in primary schools in Nahavand city and compared it with the international standards. This study investigated average lighting using illumination meter DX200 INS in Nahavand’s primary schools. Results showed that mean lighting for whole classrooms was 415.7±166 lux. Also, ratio of window area/floor area (WA/FA) was less than the standard ratio only in 8 classes from 121 totals with the coefficient of correlation 0.56 between illuminances average and ratio of WA/FA. These findings might have practical implications for the implementation of desirable and standard lighting in schools for better practice of students
Bipolar Electro-Fenton System for Textile Dye Removal From Aqueous Solution
Get PDFThe main goal of this article is to study a bipolar electro-Fenton process using stainless steel mesh for removal of methylene blue (MB) as a model of textile dye from aqueous solution. The effect of operating parameters such as the applied current, supporting electrolyte, the type of electrode, H2O2 concentrations (1-10 mmol/L) and hydraulic retention time (5-60min) on the proposed electro-Fenton efficacy was evaluated. The optimum condition was obtained as follows: initial pH 3, the current density 1.4 mA/cm2, H2O2 10 mmol/L, Na2SO4 concentration 0.4 g/L as supporting electrolyte. The results show that the MB removal and COD reduction could be achieved 92% and 70%, respectively. The experimental results indicate that the bipolar electro-Fenton process using stainless steel mesh electrode is a promising wastewater treatment technique for removal of dye from aqueous solutions
Determination of Heavy Metals through Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) in Iranian Cheese and Their Potential Health Risks to the Adult Consumers
Get PDFIn Iran, cheese is one of the dairy products that widely consumed as a main diet for breakfast. Moreover, trace metals in dairy products have recently gained considerable attention.
Iranian cheese samples were collected from Tehran, Iran (February to May 2013). Trace metals including Pb, Cd, Ni, Fe, Sn, Zn, Cr, and Cu were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after dry ashing.
All the tested metals were detected in the cheese samples. The mean concentration of metals in cheese showed the following decreasing order Zn > Fe > Cu > Ni > Sn > Cr > Pb > Cd, with values of 12.98, 7.95, 1.96, 0.83, 0.46, 0.37, 0.34, and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively.
There were no significant differences between types of cheese samples in terms of content of trace metals (p>0.05). All the samples had Pb contents of greater than Codex limit (0.02 mg/kg). According to the measured values of the metals in this study, the intake of all the studied elements through the common consumption of cheese in Iran was below the dangerous level according to permissible intake value for each metal. Also, levels of correlations between the element pairs were analyzed
Comparing Efficiency of Rice Washing and Soaking Processes in Reducing the Amount of Aflatoxin B1
Get PDFContamination of some agricultural products by mycotoxins has exposed the human and animal health to serious concerns. Aflatoxin B1 is the most toxic type of aflatoxins, which is of the highest amount in different foods, including rice, among various types of aflatoxins. The present study was aimed to evaluate the amount of this toxicant in the consuming rice in Yazd city and investigate the effect of rice washing and soaking process on reduction of the mean concentration of aflatoxin B1.
The present study was a descriptive-analytical one, in which 36 rice samples (18 domestic types and 18 foreign types of rice) were randomly selected from the rice distribution centers in Yazd city. The Standard No.6872 of the Institute of Standards & Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI) was used for measuring the amount of aflatoxin B and G toxicants using HPLC (high pressure or performance liquid chromatography) method and purifying by immune affinity column. Analysis of the collected data was performed using SPSS-22 statistical software as well as the statistical methods of one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD.
The mean concentration of aflatoxin B1 in domestic and imported rice was measured equal to 1.461 and 0.508ng/g, respectively. The contamination rate in the imported rice was lower than that in the domestic one, while there was no significant relationship between them (p≥0.166); furthermore, the effect of soaking process on reduction of the toxicant amount in one and ten hours of soaking was statistically insignificant. There was no significant relationship between the effect of a single time of washing and reduction of the amount of toxicant; however, in case of three and five times of washing, the amount of toxicant exhibited a reduction of 68.2% and 98.7%, respectively, which was statistically significant (
Chemical Risk Perception and Safety Behaviors as Key Factors toward Safer Chemical Industries - A Case Study in Iran
Get PDFOrganization and employees’ attitudes towards chemical risks are an important contributing factor for safe and unsafe behaviors. These risks should be controlled to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) level. The objective of this study was to assess chemicals risk perception, safety knowledge, attitude and their relationships with safe behavior among chemical workers in Iran. The study was a descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study. 209 workers from five chemical companies were selected in random and stratified sampling. Vinodkumar questionnaire as a demographic questionnaire and Smith-Jackson questionnaire as a safety behaviour questionnaire was utilized to assess safety knowledge, attitude, and chemicals risk perception. Collected data were analyzed utilizing T, ANOVA, and multiple-linear regression by SPSS V20. Males were in the majority (83.1%). Mean and standard deviation (SD) of age and work experience were 31.75±6.86 and 6.00±5.24 years, respectively. Also, mean and SD of risk perception, safe behavior, knowledge and attitude were 22.33±4.29, 22.12±2.88, 24.79±4.79 and 19.18±3.08, respectively. Gender and education were the most important demographic criteria in the case of difference in four variables. Also, correlation between safety behavior with risk perception and safety attitude was significant (
Evaluating the Knowledge, Attitude and Performance of Kermanshah Citizens about the Effects of Using Detergents and Abstergents on Hygienic, Environmental and Safety
Get PDFThe published statistics show the increasing consumption of detergents and abstergents in recent decades. According to high utilization of these substances and their adverse consequences, the purpose of this study is evaluating the knowledge, attitude and performance of Kermanshah citizens about the hygienic, environmental and safety effects of using detergents and abstergents. This study is analytical and descriptive and the sample size was 386 persons from Kermanshah citizens in 2015. The methodology of this study is based on a self – made questionnaire and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.7. The SPSS – 20 was used for analyzing the data. 42.44% of them have high knowledge and 49% - 9% of them have respectively average and poor knowledge. 81.75% of participants have a positive attitude and 18.25% of them have negative one. Also 61.5% of participants have a proper performance and 38.5% of them don’t have a proper performance. There was a positive and significant relation between knowledge based on attitude (r=0.03) and performance (r=0.2). And also it was found that there is a direct correlation between attitude and performance (r=0.04). Since 38.5% of participants had poor performance and this is not satisfactory, it is necessary to instruct and inform people continuously about using detergents and abstergents correctly for better and more efficient performance
Health and Safety Assessment in Lakhra Coal Mines and Its Mitigation Measures
Get PDFThe coal mine excavation, transportation and coal cutting process are involved in hazards and risks that can result in fatalities, injuries and diseases, if these are not properly managed. This study has been undertaken for assessment of the safety and health issues amongst the mines workers. Convenience sampling technique was exercised upon 97 mine workers and interviewed with the help of set questionnaire. Personnel protection to workplace environment was monitored by using physical observation and scientific analysis. All parameters were measured against national and international protocols pertaining to labor law at coal mines. It has been determined that very high risk was persisting while mine excavation, coal cutting and transportation processes. Previous record of last five years was suggesting that 04 deaths happened due to roof fall, 03 fatalities occurred through suffocation by inhaling toxic gases, one causality happened via rope haulage pulley, and also one death due to stone fall down from mine shaft. 121 workers injured in different kinds of accidents within five years. It has been learnt from in-depth analysis that maximum of health risk and subsequent health damages are triggering due to lack of awareness, non-compliance of labor as well as mines laws. Thus, it is recommended that government should not allow coal mining contractors and companies, those which are failing in compliance with the suggested standards
Psychological Effects towards Humans Living in the Environment Made of Biological Concrete in Malaysia at 2015
Get PDFIn day-to-day life concrete become a compulsory material in the construction field as to make it a real concern among researchers for producing concrete with improved properties. Biological method is one of the new methods to improve concrete properties. Although, much research about biological concrete has been carried out, but till now nobody has not studied for the psychological effects of using a house or offices made up of biological concrete. The aim of this study is to investigate and find out the person's opinion about staying in a house or offices made up of biological concrete. In this study, a questionnaire containing eight questions was prepared and distributed among 21 persons in Malaysia University of Technology including students, academic and non-academic staffs among which few of them was an expert in the field of biological concrete and others did not have any knowledge about the bioconcrete. Finally, the results obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed. The results showed that 81% of participants in this study would like to stay in a house or office made up of biological concrete. However, 38% of participants believe that staying in a house or office made of biological concrete can cause health related problems. The current research paper can be considered significant for architects and civil engineers to have the insight to look into the psychological aspects of using biological concrete for various applications in the field of construction
Assessment Mental Health and Musculoskeletal Disorders among Military Personnel in Bandar Abbas (Iran) in 2016
Get PDFMusculoskeletal disorders represent a major issue in the military setting. Musculoskeletal disorders and mental disorders (MSD) are a major cause of disability in the working population. Musculoskeletal disorders and premature tiredness caused by work are arisen from incompatible individual work capacity and job demands. Physical and psychology condition may lead to the generation, amplification musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders and mental health disorders are high in military personnel. The purpose of this study was Assessment Mental Health and musculoskeletal disorders in military personnel. In this cross-sectional study 70 personnel military participated in May 2016. Cornell Questionnaire and Mental health inventory (MHI-28) were used for data gathering. Finally, Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test and One Way Anova test. The findings of the current study showed that personnel situation of mental health were in moderate condition (56.01±13.3). Results Cornell Questionnaire showed that the most of musculoskeletal disorders were respectively in the back (46%), shoulder (34%) and wrist (31%). Also Pearson correlation test showed significantly associated between musculoskeletal disorders and mental health (r=0.72) (p-value=0.001). One Way Anova test showed that with increase age (