Assessment of elemental concentrations in the urban air (case study: Tehran city)

Tehran is one of the megacities of the world with a population of over eight million. Its air is highly polluted mainly due to the suspended particulate matters, which encompasses a wide spectrum of chemical elements. These elements based on their type, size, and impact on the life cycle have various environmental and heath risks. In this research, the neutron activation method is used to determine the concentration levels of Al, Ba, Fe, Mg, and V in the urban air. Thus, two districts of Tehran with different characteristics are selected. District 21 includes much of the industries located in Tehran metropolitan and is considered as an industrial area. In contrast, district 22 lacks any significant industrial activity. It is a newly established and expanding district adjacent to district 21 with a great deal of constructional activities. For the measurement of the suspended particulate matters in the air, the various sections of the aforesaid districts with industrial, residential, heavily congested traffic, residential/commercial, residential/heavily congested traffic, and residential/industrial classifications were identified. Subsequently, 24 sampling stations were selected. The sampling of the suspended particulate matters was conducted with the aid of a high volume pump containing 125 mm cellulose filters in two different time intervals. After completion of the sampling process, the samples were prepared and sent to the research reactor of the Iran Nuclear Energy Organization for Neutron Activation. During the next steps, the radiations emitted from the samples were registered, the radiation curves were plotted, and the amounts of the trace elements were determined. As a result, the average concentration levels of Al, Ba, Fe, Mg, and V were identified to be 3.301140, 2.273658 × 10, 4.0681696 × 10^???1, 3.5525475 × 10^???1, and 3.04075 × 10^???2 μg/m³, respectively. Moreover, the emission sources of the aforesaid elements into the air were identified. The concentration levels of these elements in the industrial and heavily congested traffic sections were higher. Finally, it was concluded that the statistical analysis of these elements presents a meaningful correlation among them.     

Experimental and Numerical Analysis of CO Concentration Dispersion of Vehicular Exhaust Emissions in Isolated Environment

Numerical and experimental analyses were applied to carbon monoxide (CO) concentration dispersion to monitor air quality in an enclosed residential complex parking area in Tehran. Firstly, the parking area was preliminary assessed through verifying the characteristics of the problem including the geometry and boundary conditions. Then, proportion of vehicular exhaust emissions was estimated and eventually experimental and numerical analyses were performed. In order to perform numerical calculation, a three-dimensional model was created to numerically simulate the enclosed residential complex parking area by FLUENT software that solves flow governing equations with finite volume method. In FLUENT, species model was selected to assess the dispersion of CO in flow domain. In experimental analysis, CO concentration was measured using sampling bags with a volume of 10 l in 4 min at 6 different points. The sample air was drawn into sampling bags by electric pumps. The findings show that the maximum amount of CO concentration is above the permissible standard recommended by the World Health Organization. Pollutant accumulation was significant in confined areas. In the place where openings exist, the level of accumulation was lower than other areas. The findings obtained from numerical simulation are in complete accord with experimental results.     

Comparison of different static methods for assessment of AMD generation potential in mining waste dumps in the Muteh Gold Mines,Iran

Acid mine drainage (AMD) gives rise to several problems in sulfide-bearing mineral deposits whether in an ore body or in the mining wastes and tailings. Hence, several methods and parameters have been proposed to evaluate the acid-producing and acid-neutralizing potential of a material. This research compares common static methods for evaluation of acid-production potential of mining wastes in the Muteh gold mines by using 62 samples taken from six waste dumps around Senjedeh and Chah-Khatoun mines. According to a detailed mineralogical study, the waste materials are composed of mica-schist and quartz veins with a high amount of pyrite and are supposed to be susceptible to acid production, and upon a rainfall, they release acid drainage. All parameters introduced in different methods were calculated and compared in this research in order to predict the acid-generating and neutralization potential, including APP, NNP, MPA, NPR, and NAGpH. Based on the analytical results and calculation of different parameters, all methods are in a general consensus that DWS-02 and DWS-03 waste dumps are acid-forming which is clearly attributed to high content of pyrite in samples. DWS-04 is considered as non-acid forming in all methods except method 8 which is uncertain about its acid-forming potential and method 7 which considers a low potential for it. DWC-01 is acid-forming based on all methods except 8, 9, 10, and 11 which are also uncertain about its potential. The methods used are not reached to a compromise on DWS-01 and DWC-02 waste dumps. It is supposed that method 7 gives the conservationist results in all cases. Method 8 is unable to decide on some cases. It is recommended to use and rely on results provided by methods 1, 2, 3, and 12 for taking decisions for further studies. Therefore, according to the static tests used, the aforementioned criteria in selected methods can be used with much confidence as a rule of thumb estimation.     

Numerical simulation of airflow and particle distributions with floor circular swirl diffuser for underfloor air distribution system in an office environment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the present study, an underfloor air distribution (UFAD) system with a circular swirl diffuser was simulated in an office room using a...     

Performance evaluation of a continuous flow photocatalytic reactor for wastewater treatment

A novel photocatalytic reactor for wastewater treatment was designed and constructed. The main part of the reactor was an aluminum tube in which 12 stainless steel circular baffles and four quartz tube were placed inside of the reactor like shell and tube heat exchangers. Four UV–C lamps were housed within the space of the quartz tubes. Surface of the baffles was coated with TiO₂. A simple method was employed for TiO₂ immobilization, while the characterization of the supported photocatalyst was based on the results obtained through performing some common analytical methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and BET. Phenol was selected as a model pollutant. A solution of a known initial concentration (20, 60, and 100 ppmv) was introduced to the reactor. The reactor also has a recycle flow to make turbulent flow inside of the reactor. The selected recycle flow rate was 7?×?10^?5 m³.s^?1, while the flow rate of feed was 2.53?×?10^?7, 7.56?×?10^?7, and 1.26?×?10^?6 m³.s^?1, respectively. To evaluate performance of the reactor, response surface methodology was employed. A four-factor three-level Box–Behnken design was developed to evaluate the reactor performance for degradation of phenol. Effects of phenol inlet concentration (20–100 ppmv), pH (3–9), liquid flow rate (2.53?×?10^?7?1.26?×?10^?6 m³.s^?1), and TiO₂ loading (8.8–17.6 g.m^?2) were analyzed with this method. The adjusted R ² value (0.9936) was in close agreement with that of corresponding R ² value (0.9961). The maximum predicted degradation of phenol was 75.50 % at the optimum processing conditions (initial phenol concentration of 20 ppmv, pH?～?6.41, and flow rate of 2.53?×?10^?7 m³.s^?1 and catalyst loading of 17.6 g.m^?2). Experimental degradation of phenol determined at the optimum conditions was 73.7 %. XRD patterns and SEM images at the optimum conditions revealed that crystal size is approximately 25 nm and TiO₂ nanoparticles with visible agglomerates distribute densely and uniformly over the surface of stainless steel substrate. BET specific surface area of immobilized TiO₂ was 47.2 and 45.8 m² g^?1 before and after the experiments, respectively. Reduction in TOC content, after steady state condition, showed that maximum phenol decomposition occurred at neutral condition (pH?～?6). Figure

The schematic view of the experimental set-up     

Carbon footprint calculation in one of the largest Gas Refinery Companies in the Middle East

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Rapid technological advances in the natural gas industry raised access to natural gas reserves, related to increased greenhouse gas emissions,...     

Performance evaluation of sustainable projects: a possibilistic integrated novel analytic hierarchy process-data envelopment analysis approach using Z-Number information

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Selecting a proper set of projects is an important issue to make crucial decisions for many project-oriented organizations enabling them to achieve...     

A game-theoretic approach to designing an optimal code of conduct program to promote supplier sustainability in a supply chain

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In recent years, suppliers in developing countries face the challenge of their low technological and knowledge-related capabilities to enhance...