Cold plasma can alleviate cadmium stress by optimizing growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) through changes in physio-biochemical properties and fatty acid profile

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Cold plasma (CP) application has increasing interest due to its environmental-friendly, high efficient, and low cost aspects to mitigate deletion...     

Integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) as an environmentally friendly system for sustainable aquaculture: functionality,species, and application of biofloc technology (BFT)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and its prominent role has been proven in supplying food for the growing world...     

Quality of drinking water and high incidence rate of esophageal cancer in Golestan province of Iran: a probable link

Golestan province in north Iran is known to be a high-risk area for esophageal cancer (EC). Of a long list of multiple risk factors, this study focuses on a possible link between the epidemiologic patterns of EC and the anomalous concentration of some ions and elements in the drinking water sources. A total of 183 samples from 45 villages covering a wide range of EC mortality rates are collected and analyzed. The results demonstrate that NO₃ ⁻, SO₄ ²⁻, Sb, and Sr exceed the recommended maximum concentration level (MCL) in drinking water. This is more prominent in the villages with high esophageal cancer mortality rate, suggesting a possible link between EC incidence and water quality. Se concentration in drinking water increases from low to the high EC areas, a finding contrary to the expected trend. It is concluded that Se deficiency does not play a major role in the etiology of EC in the Golestan province. The statistical results obtained from Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests along with cluster analysis are consistent with the observed trend of EC mortality rate in Golestan province.     

Oxidative potential (OP) and mineralogy of iron ore particulate matter at the Gol-E-Gohar Mining and Industrial Facility (Iran)

Concentrations of total suspended particulate matter, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm (PM_2.5), particulate matter <10 μm (PM₁₀), and fallout dust were measured at the Iranian Gol-E-Gohar Mining and Industrial Facility. Samples were characterized in terms of mineralogy, morphology, and oxidative potential. Results show that indoor samples exceeded the 24-h PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ mass concentration limits (35 and 150 µg m^?3, respectively) set by the US National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Calcite, magnetite, tremolite, pyrite, talc, and clay minerals such as kaolinite, vermiculite, and illite are the major phases of the iron ore PM. Accessory minerals are quartz, dolomite, hematite, actinolite, biotite, albite, nimite, laumontite, diopside, and muscovite. The scanning electron microscope structure of fibrous-elongated minerals revealed individual fibers in the range of 1.5 nm to 71.65 µm in length and 0.2 nm to 3.7 µm in diameter. The presence of minerals related to respiratory diseases, such as talc, crystalline silica, and needle-shaped minerals like amphibole asbestos (tremolite and actinolite), strongly suggests the need for detailed health-based studies in the region. The particulate samples show low to medium oxidative potential per unit of mass, in relation to an urban road side control, being more reactive with ascorbate than with glutathione or urate. However, the PM oxidative potential per volume of air is exceptionally high, confirming that the workers are exposed to a considerable oxidative environment. PM released by iron ore mining and processing activities should be considered a potential health risk to the mine workers and nearby employees, and strategies to combat the issue are suggested.     

Abundance,spatial distribution,and physical characteristics of microplastics in stormwater detention ponds

Despite extensive research on microplastics (MP) in marine environments, little is known about MP abundance and transport in terrestrial systems. There is, therefore, still little understanding of the main mechanisms driving the substantial transport of MP across different environmental compartments. Storm events can transport MP beyond boundaries, such as from the land to groundwater or the ocean, as has already been discovered for organic carbon transport. Urban stormwater detention ponds are suitable environments to study the impact of stormwater on the environmental fate and transport of MP. Herein, we investigate the longitudinal and vertical distribution of MP within two detention ponds with different physical characteristics. Soil samples were collected at various locations and from multiple depths (surface and subsurface layers) for measuring MP concentrations using fluorescence microscopy. Our findings show that MP are retained more near the inlet of the ponds, and MP of larger sizes were found more abundantly near inlets than outlets. We also found that MP mass and sizes decrease from surface soil to subsurface soil. In the pond, where vegetation (grass root network) was more considerable, MP were found more evenly distributed along the depth. In terms of shape, the fragments were the most abundant MP shape.     

Study of non-revenue water status and enforcement measures to reduce water loss: case study in villages of Kermanshah Province of Iran

In this study, the volume and the cash value of water loss, and reduction of water loss as a result of enforcement action during 2011–2013 in the drinking water network of villages in Kermanshah Province, Iran, have been investigated. Date collected by referring to the different parts of rural water and waste water company of Kermanshah Province and checklist were completed. The study showed the volume of produced water and sold water has increased and the water loss percentage has decreased. High cost of water production compared to revenue of sold water and water loss resulted in significant detriments in terms of the water production costs. Water loss level decreased from 33% to 30% as result of measures taken to reduce water loss but, it is still 15% higher than the world average level. Also the reduction in number of water resources and increase in the number and volume of reservoirs indicates a lack of water and a growing need. As result of high water loss, waste of costs in the contrast of water production cost and also because physical water loss accounts for most of the water loss of villages, necessary measures can be effective in reducing loss and have economic justification.     

Habitat suitability for the Caucasian frog <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rana macrocnemis</Emphasis> Boulenger, 1885 (Amphibia:Anura: Ranidae)

Modeling the distribution patterns of species is a generally efficient tool to assess their ecological characteristics. In this study, we compared ecological niche factor analysis (ENFA) and maximum entropy (Maxent) techniques to predict the most suitable distribution range of Rana macrocnemis. The Maxent model predicted potential suitable habitats for R. macrocnemis with high success rates (AUC Training data = 0.877 ± 0.039). According to the map constructed, three important variables had high contribution to species presence: temperature (50.4%), land cover (24.6%) and elevation (14.4%) variables. The ENFA results were relatively similar to Maxent jackknife analysis. The results implied that R. macrocnemis prefers grassland and needle leaf deciduous forest with high elevations, and low temperature.     

Developing a sustainable operational management system using hybrid Shapley value and Multimoora method: case study petrochemical supply chain

Environment, Development and Sustainability - In this research, a new method to determine the supply chain performance based on its sustainable strategies is proposed. This method consists of a...     

A new method for calculating saddle seat height with an emphasis on optimal posture based on trigonometric relations

Introduction. Based on the literature, the ergonomic saddle chair provides the most appropriate posture for users. Determination of the seat height is critical to establish the proper posture, carried out using various methods of anthropometry. This study aimed to develop a simple and applied method for determining the saddle seat height with an emphasis on appropriate posture. Methods. In this study, anthropometric dimensions including weight, body height, popliteal height and seat height at 135° knee angle in 150 male and female dentists were measured. In the laboratory, to determine the ‘acetabuloischial number’, 25 male and female natural hip bones were measured. The mean saddle-chair height with knee angle of 135° was then compared by two different methods, field measurement and the new calculation method. Results. The results showed a strong correlation between data gathered from the two different methods, the field measurement and the new calculation method (98%), and Cronbach’s α from the intraclass correlation was equal to 0.994 (p?<?0.05). This indicated that the two methods produced similar results. Conclusion. The new method can be applied to calculate the optimal height of the saddle seat based on body height and popliteal height.