Solid waste characterization,quantification and management practices in developing countries. A case study: Nablus district – Palestine

Solid waste management (SWM) is one of the most challenging issues faced by developing countries that suffer from serious pollution problems caused by the generation of large waste quantities. This paper presents the case study of SWM in the Nablus district – Palestine. Surveys for household residents' and SWM program operators, field investigations, on-site waste measurements and characterizations were conducted. Per capita waste generation rates varied between different localities although trends were similar. Overall, the majority of waste was organic (65.1% by weight), suggesting a strong resource recovery potential in terms of animal feed or compost. Recyclable waste (plastic, paper and card) made up 16.7% by weight the waste composition suggesting an incentive to introduce source separation. Household attitudes complemented the waste characterization study, revealing the main problems faced. SWM operators quoted on the current status, highlighting problems with disposing in unsanitary landfills, ineffective solid waste fees system, increasing solid waste quantities and lacking equipment and experienced personnel. To enhance sustainable SWM, public awareness, funding, expertise, equipment and facilities and other provisions currently lacking or inappropriate must be provided.     

Modelling of water-ozone reaction system

Mass transfer and reaction kinetics of raw Nile water ozonation are examined. The contact system is a perfectly mixed reactor, and ozone is bubbled through a glass diffuser at different supply rates. The ozone residual is detected for different reaction time intervals. A simple mathematical model is proposed to describe the mechanism of the ozone reactions in the reactor. The proposed model quite accurately describes the mass transfer behaviour in the reactor and determines the ozone dissociation rate constant, together with the effect of the chemical reaction on the ozone transfer. A linear relationship is observed between the ozone feed rate and the ozone residual. First order reaction kinetics describes fairly well the autodecomposition and the global reaction rates of ozone in raw water. The mass transfer coefficient is about 0.18 min⁻¹. The dissociation and the reaction rate constants are evaluated to be 0.33 mg L⁻¹ and 0.19 mg L⁻¹min⁻¹.     

Comparative efficacy of certain plant extracts alone and combination with profenofos against Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Ethyl alcohol, acetone, and petroleum ether extracts of three plant species belonging to three different botanical families [Strychnos nux-vomica (Loganiaceae), Euphorbia lathyrus (Euphorbiaceae), and Datura stramonlum (Solanaceae)], a chemical insecticide; profenofos and their combinations were tested against second and fourth instars of Spodoptera littoralis under lab conditions. Results revealed that the ethanol extract of S. nux-vomica was the most effective among all plant extracts, where the corrected mortality% were 92, 81, 58, and 27% to 2nd instar and 89, 74, 34, and 11% to 4th instar at concentrations 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, and 0.0625%, respectively. Calculated LC₅₀'s were 0.11, 0.22, and 0.34% to 2nd instar and 0.17, 0.37, and 0.52% to 4th instar for ethanol, petroleum ether, and acetone extracts, respectively. Acetone extracts of all plants were of lower effect. The chemical insecticide profenofos displayed higher efficacy than plant extracts (LC₅₀ = 0.002 and 0.003% for S. littoralis 2nd and 4th larval instars, respectively). The co-toxicity factor reached 76 and 60 when mixing S. nux-vomica + profenofos and D. stramonlum + profenofos at ratio 1:1 against S. littoralis 2nd instar larvae, thus indicating a potentiating effect. While treatment of the 4th instar larvae by the same mixtures resulted in a co-toxicity factor below 20 at all mixing ratios indicating, only, an additive effect against this instar.     

The cardioprotective effects of L-carnitine on rat cardiac injury,apoptosis, and oxidative stress caused by amethopterin

Amethopterin is used as a chemotherapeutic agent, and its antioxidant activity is used to treat many cancer types. This study aimed to study the ameliorating effect of L-carnitine against amethopterin-induced cardiac injury and oxidative stress in male rats. Sixty male albino rats were equally divided into six groups; the first and second groups were the control and L-carnitine groups, respectively, while the third group was treated with amethopterin rat group; the fourth and fifth groups were co-treated and post-treated with amethopterin rat with L-carnitine, respectively, and the sixth group was self-treated with amethopterin rat group. Cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), glutathione, and total protein levels in amethopterin group showed a significant decrease when compared with control group, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase, and nitric oxide (NO) levels in amethopterin group showed a significant increase when compared with control group. Cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, GOT, MDA, and catalase levels in the self-treated group showed a significant increase when compared with amethopterin group, while glutathione, total protein, and NO levels in the self-treated group showed significant decrease when compared with amethopterin group. Many of abnormalities as moderate hydrophobic changes of myofibrillar structure with striations, myocardial atrophy, cytoplasmic vacuoles, edema, and leukocyte infiltration were detected in cardiac tissues in amethopterin rat group. A significant increase of the apoptotic protein p53 and CD68 immunoreactivity, despite a significant decrease in the antiapoptotic Bcl–2 proteins after amethopterin injection when compared with control group, was observed. Treatment (co and post) with L-carnitine improved the biochemical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical alterations in the heart treated with amethopterin.

     

Design of River Water Quality Monitoring Networks: A Case Study

Karoon River, from Gotvand Dam to Persian Gulf with more than 450 km in length and an annual discharge of 11,891 million cubic meters, is the largest river in Iran. Increasing water withdrawal from and wastewater discharge to the river has endangered the aquatic life of this important ecosystem. Furthermore, the drinking and in-stream water quality standards have been violated in many instances. In this paper, a river water quality monitoring network is designed, including determination of sampling frequencies as well as location of water quality monitoring stations. In this regard, two models are developed. The first model is a Genetic Algorithm-based optimization model and the second one is a combination of Kriging method and Analytical Hierarchy Process. The temporal variation of the concentration of water quality variables along Karoon and Dez Rivers are evaluated and the main water quality indicators are selected. Then, thirty five stations are selected and the application of Entropy Theory in calculating the sampling frequency is demonstrated. The results show the significant value of the proposed methodology in the design of monitoring network.     

Pharmacological implications of ipriflavone against environmental metal–induced neurodegeneration and dementia in rats

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Long-term exposure to environmental neurotoxic metals is implicated in the induction of dementia and cognitive decline. The present study aims to...     

Develop dynamic model for predicting traffic CO emissions in urban areas

The greater the use of energy in the transportation sectors, the higher the emission of carbon monoxide (CO), and hence inevitable harm to environment and human health. In this concern, measuring and predicting of CO emission from transportation sector—especially large cities—is important as it constitute 90 % of all CO emission. Many urban cities in developing world have not properly experienced such measurements or predictions. In this paper, for the first time, field measurements of traffic characteristics data and corresponding CO concentration have been performed for developing a model for predicting CO emissions from transportation sector for New Borg El Arab (NBC), Egypt. The performance of Swiss-German Handbook Emission Factors for Road Transport (HBEFA v3.1) model has been assessed for predicting the CO concentration at roadside in the study area. Results indicated that HBEFA v3.1 underestimate emission figures. The developed CO dynamic emission model involves the traffic flow characteristics with roadside CO concentrations. Acceptable representation of measured CO concentration has been shown by the developed dynamic CO emission model which introduces R ²?=?0.77, mean biases and frictional biases of ?0.27 mg m^?3 and 0.09, respectively. A comparison between predicted CO concentrations using HBEFA v3.1 and the promoted dynamic model indicate that HBEFA v3.1 estimates CO emission concentrations in the study area with a mean error and frictional biases 159.26 and 233.33 %, respectively, higher than those of the developed model.     

Hepatic ameliorative role of vitamin B17 against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma–induced liver toxicity

Vitamin B17 (VB17), also known as amygdalin and laetrile, is a type of carbohydrate occurring naturally in many plants, such as apricot kernels which have obtained a great interest in cancer therapy. This study aimed to investigate the hepatic protective potential of VB17 against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)–bearing mice-induced liver injury, DNA damage, apoptotic P53, and PCNA alterations. A total of 100 female mice were divided into 5 groups (1st group, control group; 2nd group, VB17 group; 3rd group, EAC group; 4th group, pre-treated EAC with VB17; 5th group, co-treated EAC with VB17). Results showed that the presence of VB17 in pre-treated and co-treated groups lead to decreased DNA damage, microsomal protein, NADPH cytochrome c reductase, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), AST, ALT, and ALP while showed increased cytochrome b5, cytochrome P450 amidopyrine N-demethylase, and aniline 4-hydroxylase compared with the EAC group. Many histopathological changes were observed in liver sections in EAC as moderate fibrosis and marked diffuse necrosis of hepatic tissue, marked inflammatory cells, and congested blood sinusoids. On the other hand, there was a moderate degree of improvement in hepatocytes in liver sections in pre-treated VB17+EAC, while a mild degree of improvement in hepatocytes, moderate cellular infiltrations, and moderate cytoplasmic vacuolization of hepatocytes in liver sections in co-treated EAC+VB17. In addition, there was a depletion in hepatic P53 and PCNA protein expression compared with the EAC group. It could be concluded that VB17 has a potential hepatoprotective effect against EAC cell–induced liver toxicity.