Assessing Retrospective National Water Model Streamflow with Respect to Droughts and Low Flows in the Colorado River Basin

Streamflow monitoring in the Colorado River Basin (CRB) is essential to ensure diverse needs are met, especially during periods of drought or low flow. Existing stream gage networks, however, provide a limited record of past and current streamflow. Modeled streamflow products with more complete spatial and temporal coverage (including the National Water Model [NWM]), have primarily focused on flooding, rather than sustained drought or low flow conditions. Objectives of this study are to (1) evaluate historical performance of the NWM streamflow estimates (particularly with respect to droughts and seasonal low flows) and (2) identify characteristics relevant to model inputs and suitability for future applications. Comparisons of retrospective flows from the NWM to observed flows from the United States Geological Survey stream gage network over 22 years in the CRB reveal a tendency for underestimating low flow frequency, locations with low flows, and the number of years with low flows. We found model performance to be more accurate for the Upper CRB and at sites with higher precipitation, snow percent, baseflow index, and elevations. Underestimation of low flows and variable model performance has important implications for future applications: inaccurate evaluations of historical low flows and droughts, and less reliable performance outside of specific watershed/stream conditions. This highlights characteristics on which to focus future model development efforts.     

Seat belt use among car drivers in Iranian safe communities: An observational study

Objective: The number of road traffic injuries and fatalities in Iran is high. The aim of the present study was to investigate the rate of drivers' seat belt use and a number of related factors in Kashmar, Bardaskan, and Khalilabad (Iranian Safe Communities).Methods: In 2014, driver observations were made at 48 road sites on intercity roads, main streets, side streets, and rural roads in these 3 cities.Results: A total of 10,255 vehicles were observed, with the overall rate of seat belt use being 51.8%. The rates in Kashmar, Bardaskan, and Khalilabad were 51.4, 56.3, and 47.7%, respectively. In Kashmar, the odds of seat belt use were higher among drivers who were female, older, and taxi drivers. Higher use was also found during the afternoon, and lower use was observed on rural roads. In Khalilabad the odds of seat belt use were higher among females, older drivers, taxis, and private car drivers. Seat belt use was also higher on weekends and during the morning but was significantly lower on rural roads. Similarly, in Bardaskan the odds of using a seat belt were higher among females, older drivers, taxis, and private car drivers. Seat belt use was also higher during the afternoon but was significantly lower on rural roads, in comparison to main streets and intercity roads.Conclusions: The rate of seat belt use in these 3 cities was found to be low, despite these cities being designated as International Safe Communities. Therefore, seat belt promotion programs, tougher regulations, stronger enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and more research are needed to promote seat belt use in these Iranian cities.     

Effects of cimetidine and N-acetylcysteine on paraquat-induced acute lung injury in rats: a preliminary study

Abstract

Lung injury in rats challenged with paraquat at 20?mg kg^?1 body weight was histopathologically evident by inflammation, hemorrhage, and vascular congestion. Increased levels of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation, decreased glutathione content, and lower tissue antioxidant capacity was found. The effects of N-acetylcysteine and cimetidine, a well-known potent inhibitor for organic cation transport, were examined. Lung injury was attenuated by N-acetylcysteine but not by cimetidine. The findings are consistent with the assumption that beneficial effects of N-acetylcysteine administration in paraquat-challenged animals might be linked to its ability for preserving the cellular redox environment and preventing oxidative stress, while cimetidine might even hasten paraquat-induced lung injury. On the other hand, the effects of cimetidine on paraquat-induced lung injury underline the importance of future studies on the role of transporters in this complication.     

A systematic review of emerging human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak: focus on disinfection methods,environmental survival,and control and prevention strategies

Recently, an outbreak of a novel human coronavirus which is referred to as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO) was identified in Wuhan, China. To help combat the pandemic, a systematic review (SR) was performed to collect all available studies concerning inactivation methods, environmental survival, and control and prevention strategies. A comprehensive literature survey yielded 42 eligible studies which included in the SR. The results confirmed that the WHO recommended two alcohol-based hand rub formulations (ethanol 70–95% and 2-propanol 70–100%) had an efficient virucidal activity in less than 60 s by more and equal 4 log₁₀ (≥ 99.99) approximately and could be used for disinfection in public health and health-care facilities. The findings indicated that SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 can survive under different environmental conditions between 4 and 72 h approximately. The results also demonstrate that temperature and relative humidity are important factors in the survival of SARS-CoV-2. The main strategies recommended by the WHO to avoid contracting SARS-CoV-2 are hand washing several times in the day and maintaining social distancing with others. It is important to note that the more studies require addressing, the more possible airborne transmission due to the survival of SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols for 3 h approximately. We hope that the results of the present SR can help researchers, health decision-makers, policy-makers, and people for understanding and taking the proper behavior to control and prevent further spread of SARS-CoV-2.

     

A systematic review on cigarette butt management as a hazardous waste and prevalent litter: control and recycling

Annually, over 5.5 trillion cigarettes are produced worldwide, and it is estimated that 4.5 trillion cigarette butts (CBs) are still being littered in the world. The dispersal of the CBs has caused this hazardous waste to be considered as one of the most important litters and environmental risks all over the world. This systematic study with the search protocol definition and keyword identification was developed to find the CBs control and recycling methods by searching in five scientific databases. Founded articles were monitored and finally, 35 related articles were selected and studied by the authors. The results of this study showed that CBs recycling methods have been tested in 10 specific categories all over the world. The CBs have been applied without any pre-processing methods in the bricks and asphalt production. However, other applications of the CBs such as the absorbent material production, vector control, and use as a biofilm carrier in wastewater treatment need various processing methods. The researchers also presented models and suggestions such as taxes, penalties, and public education for the control of CBs littering. Despite the innovative methods applied for the CBs recycling in previous studies, CBs have not received much attention in terms of pollutant control and environmental issues in recycling processes.

     

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.     

Effect of condensing cavity on the performance of a passive solar desalination system: an experimental study

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - In this study, the effects of adding a condensing cavity in a passive single-basin solar still are investigated experimentally under the climate...     

Synthesis and optimization of spherical nZVI (20–60 nm) immobilized in bio-apatite-based material for efficient removal of phosphate: Box-Behnken design in a fixed-bed column

In the present study, bio-apatite/nZVI composite was synthesized through Fe(III) reduction with sodium borohydride and was fully characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM–EDX, TEM, BET, BJH, and pH_PZC. Column experiments were carried out for the removal of phosphate as a function of four operational parameters including initial phosphate concentration (100–200 mg L^?1), initial solution pH (2–9), bed height (2–6 cm), and influent flow rate (2.5–7.5 mL min^?1) using a response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with Box-Behnken design (BBD). 2D contour and 3D surface plots were employed to analyze the interactive effects of the four operating parameters on the column performance (e.g., uptake capacity and saturation time). According to ANOVA analysis, the influent flow rate and bed height are the most important factor on phosphate uptake capacity and saturation time, respectively. A quadratic polynomial model was excellently fitted to experimental data with a high coefficient of determination (>?0.96). The RSM-BBD model predicted maximum phosphate adsorption capacity of 85.71 mg g^?1 with the desirability of 0.995 under the optimal conditions of 135.35 mg L^?1, 2, 2 cm, and 7.5 mL min^?1 for initial phosphate concentration, initial solution pH, bed height, and influent flow rate, respectively. The XRD analysis demonstrated that the reaction product between bio-apatite/nZVI composite and phosphate anions was Fe₃ (PO₄)₂. 8H₂O (vivianite). The suggested adsorbent can be effectively employed up to five fixed-bed adsorption–desorption cycles and was also implemented to adsorb phosphate from real samples.

     

Larvicidal,repellent, and histopathologic effects of Citrullus colocynthis against the malaria vector

Abstract

This research is conducted to determine the larvicidal, repellent and pathological effects of fruit extracts of C. colocynthis on malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles stephensi Liston, 1901. The fruit water and ethanol extract of C. colocynthis were concentrated for larvicidal and repellent activities on human volunteer against An. stephensi. The temephos larvicide was tested as the positive control. A concentration of 300?mg/L had full-scale mortality and the most toxic effect. The LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of C. colocynthis water and ethanol extracts were 180and 283?mg/L, respectively. The LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of temephos were 0.2706 and 1.6932?mg/L, respectively. The ED₅₀ and ED₉₀ values of the plant extract were 0.2 and 1.3?mg/cm², respectively. Thin sections from treated larvae exhibited gross histopathologic effects of C. colocynthis fruit extracts on gut epithelial cell layer by vacuolization of foregut cuboidal and midgut columnar cells. This study suggested that the fruit extracts of C. colocynthis had significant larvicidal and repellent activity to be used as an ideal approach to control the malaria vector mosquito.     

Bioremediation treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated Arctic soils: influencing parameters

The Arctic environment is very vulnerable and sensitive to hydrocarbon pollutants. Soil bioremediation is attracting interest as a promising and cost-effective clean-up and soil decontamination technology in the Arctic regions. However, remoteness, lack of appropriate infrastructure, the harsh climatic conditions in the Arctic and some physical and chemical properties of Arctic soils may reduce the performance and limit the application of this technology. Therefore, understanding the weaknesses and bottlenecks in the treatment plans, identifying their associated hazards, and providing precautionary measures are essential to improve the overall efficiency and performance of a bioremediation strategy. The aim of this paper is to review the bioremediation techniques and strategies using microorganisms for treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated Arctic soils. It takes account of Arctic operational conditions and discusses the factors influencing the performance of a bioremediation treatment plan. Preliminary hazard analysis is used as a technique to identify and assess the hazards that threaten the reliability and maintainability of a bioremediation treatment technology. Some key parameters with regard to the feasibility of the suggested preventive/corrective measures are described as well.