Thermo-chemical pretreatment of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste for improved anaerobic digestion

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - The hydrolysis of organic waste in anaerobic digestion is slow and time-consuming. Pretreatment of the waste can potentially improve hydrolysis and...     

Anthropometric hand dimensions in a population of Iranian male workers in 2012

Background. The mismatch between the hand size of workers and the size of industrial instruments is a growing concern; it can lead to various musculoskeletal complications. Currently, there are few reliable studies available to address this concern in Iran. This study was conducted to measure 30 upper-extremity parameters in a group of Iranian industrial workers. Methods. This study is a cross-sectional study on 529 workers. The study population was randomly selected from male Iranian industrial workers who were referred to the Yazd hospital occupational medicine clinic for surveillance evaluations. Results. The M (SD) age of the participants was 30.13 (8.29) years. Statistical analysis was performed using the mean, standard deviation and 5th, 50th and 90th percentiles for each measured hand dimension. A considerable number of dimensions were significantly different between the measurements of right and left hands in each examinee. The results showed significant differences between Iranian hand size and that of other populations. Conclusion. This study provided a valuable databank of hand dimensions in a population of Iranian male workers. These data can be used by manufacturers in designing high-quality hand-tools and industrial gloves, taking into consideration Iranian worker characteristics.     

Acute toxicity of potassium permanganate to Caspian roach Rutilus rutilus caspicus in two size classes and under different aeration conditions

Caspian roach, Rutilus rutilus caspicus, might experience potassium permanganate (PM) toxicity, because it is common and widely used disinfectant in fish rearing and propagation centers in Iran. Thus, acute toxicity (24-h-LC₅₀) of PM was determined on Caspian roach in two size classes (small and large groups), under aerated and non-aerated conditions, using static non-renewal system. 24-h-LC₅₀ for PM in Caspian roach was 3.2, 3, 3.2, and 2.8?mg?L^?1 in large-aerated, large-non-aerated, small-aerated, and small-non-aerated groups, respectively. Results indicated that aeration was led to decrease in PM toxicity, regardless of size class. However, large fish showed more tolerance to PM toxicity compared to small ones, under non-aerated condition. It is concluded that aeration could decrease the toxicity of PM that seems to be due to the increase in PM degradation, derived from increase in water turbulence. It is suggested that 96-h-LC₅₀ may be more suitable to determine the effects of fish size on PM toxicity than 24-h-LC₅₀.     

Toward sustainable adaptation to future climate change: insights from vulnerability and resilience approaches analyzing agrarian system of Iran

There is no certainty that adaptation to climate change is sustainable, and new approaches to assess current climate change adaptation trajectories are sorely needed. In this paper, we review the farmer-focused approaches (typical of vulnerability approaches) and agro-ecosystem-focused approaches (typical of resilience approaches). We propose that a combination of the two may be a better way to conceptualize sustainable adaptation to future climate change within an agro-ecological system. To test our hypothesis, we use the case study of Iran, a land that has shown both tremendous resilience and vulnerability in its agro-ecological system. We explore the changes that have occurred in the Iranian farming system and their implications for farmers’ resilience to climate change through an integrated lens combining vulnerability approaches and resilience approaches. During the previous five decades, we describe how Iranian peasants have become small farmers, the land tenure system has changed from a traditional landlord-sharecropping system to family farms, and the quantity and quality of the agro-ecological resources have changed considerably. Our integrative approach provides important insights for both research and policy. We show that combining the two approaches can have far-reaching implications for farmers’ adaptation to future climate change knowledge, policy, and practice since one approach aims to decrease farmers vulnerability and the other approach aims to build resilient agro-ecosystems.     

Effects of climate change on the distribution of endemic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ferula xylorhachis</Emphasis> Rech.f. (Apiaceae: Scandiceae) in Iran: Predictions from ecological niche models

Ferula xylorhachis Rech.f. is an endemic plant species belonging to the Apiaceae family and distributed in northeastern Iran. In the present study, we attempted to determine the factors with the greatest effects on the distribution of this species and to determine suitable regions for it based on current and future conditions. The Maximum Entropy method was used in the present study and the results indicated that the Mean Temperature of Wettest Quarter (48.2%), Precipitation of Wettest Quarter (49.1%), and Precipitation of Wettest Month (61.4%) are the most important factors in the current and in two future periods (2040 and 2070). The models suggest that suitable regions for the presence of this species will change over time and that the species will encounter limitations through changes such as moisture reduction. According to the A1B scenario, increases in greenhouse gases such as CO₂ and CH₄ will have direct effects on future precipitation and temperature and these factors will be important in determining species dispersion. Evaluation of important habitat factors using normal ecological methods will help in developing the best conservation programs in the future. Introducing species to new regions will help to protect them from the extinction risk caused by climate change.     

Study of MoO3-γAl2O3 catalysts behavior in selective catalytic reduction of SO2 toxic gas to sulfur with CH4

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In the present study, a detailed investigation was carried out on MoO3 alumina-supported catalysts behavior in selective catalytic reduction of SO2 to...     

Controlling energy consumption in residential buildings using air infiltration in humid climates

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Given the ever-increasing people’s need for housing, affordable housing and environmental comfort are important, and the use of inactive design...     

Selection and performance estimation of Green Lean Six Sigma Projects: a hybrid approach of technology readiness level,data envelopment analysis,and ANFIS

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Nowadays budget and schedule constraints have forced organizations to select six sigma projects based on pre-defined success criteria. Also,...