Refine search
Results 11-20 of 338
Estimation of Uranium Concentration of Cancer Patients' Blood in Babylon Province, Iraq
2024
Essa, Haider | Al-Attiyah, Khalid Hussain | Ali Al-Hamzawi, Anees
Radioactive pollution is caused when radioactive materials are deposited in the environment or atmosphere, particularly when their presence is inadvertent, and poses harm to the environment owing to the radioactive decay of the radioactive elements. Exposure to uranium in the workplace or environment can damage cells and increase cancer risk. Uranium, a heavy metal of the actinide family, has negative consequences due to its chemical and radioactive toxicity. The fission-track method with CR-39 evaluated the uranium content in blood samples collected from healthy persons and cancer patients. This method counted the fission tracks in a detector after the nuclear reaction. The data reveal that the lowest value in the group of people with cancer is 1.84±0.36 ppb, while the highest is 2.95±0.32 ppb. This population has an average uranium content of 2.52± 0.32 ppb. The highest result was 1.88± 0.22 ppb, while the lowest was 0.39±0.15 ppb in the healthy group. This population has a mean uranium content of 1.09±0.27 ppb. The statistics show that the uranium content in cancer patients' blood is much higher than that in the blood of healthy individuals.
Show more [+] Less [-]First Report of Enterobacter hormaechei Isolated from Agricultural Soil in the Biodegradation of Glyphosate
2024
Badani, Hadjer | Haddad, Fatma Zohra | ElOuissi, AbdElKader
Several studies have explored the utilization of soil microorganisms, to address the environmental issues associated with glyphosate use and enhance crop yields. In our investigation, screening on Agar plate and broth medium Luria Bertani was carried out after isolating bacterial strains from rhizospheric agricultural soil in Mascara, Algeria, to biodegrade glyphosate, following that by testing the Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria and evaluate the effects of glyphosate on these proprieties. Our findings indicate that five bacterial strains exhibited growth in the presence of glyphosate concentrations up to 25 mg/ml, beyond this concentration the strains have developed tolerance. Following a partial examination of the 16S rRNA sequences, the bacterial strains were identified as belonging to the genus of Enterobacter. After 10 days of incubation with the glyphosate, Phosphate solubilization decreased in broth and agar Pikovskaya medium and the bacterial strains synthetized less of indole-3-acetic acid compared to the control, indicating the impact of glyphosate on these outcomes, high concentration of glyphosate inhibited nitrogen fixation, and various doses of glyphosate were found to restrict the growth of biofilms in these strains. The results of HPLC examination of secondary metabolites revealed that the primary degradation products of glyphosate in all strains were Sarcosine and Glycine. So, it seemed that the strain could both biodegrade glyphosate and use it for growth ,while also possessing rhizobacteria properties that promote plant development, enabling the use of the strains in the bioremediation of glyphosate-contaminated soils.
Show more [+] Less [-]The Amine-Functionalized MCM-41 for Hydration and Utilization of CO2
2024
Asadi, Mehdi | Azordeh Molkabadi, Soheila | Engameh, Samaneh
Carbon dioxide, as a great part of greenhouse gases, stands as a major contributor to climate change; hence, various techniques have been presented for controlling and decreasing CO2 emissions. The studies show that the adsorption and conversion into environmentally benign substances are the most practical and efficient strategies for this purpose. As amines are active in CO2 adsorption, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane was chosen as an amine group to functionalize MCM-41 mesoporous in order to hydrate CO2 and convert to calcium carbonate in this study. The synthesis of the mesoporous materials and amine functionalization were carried out using the wet impregnation method, and the materials were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, and BET analysis. The results demonstrated a high adsorption capacity (165 mg CaCO3) due to the presence of the -NH2 group in the catalysts. Moreover, the results have been compared with similar mesoporous materials functionalized with metals for CO2 capture and hydration. The adsorption-desorption isotherm corresponded to type IV, as defined in the IUPAC classification.
Show more [+] Less [-]Evaluating Domestic Wastewater Treatment Efficiency of Field Scale Hybrid Flow Constructed Wetland in Series
2024
Vishwakarma, Smily | Dharmendra, Dharmendra
Constructed wetlands (CWs) are man-made systems designed to treat a range of residential, commercial, and industrial wastewaters. The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems using constructed wetlands. The effectiveness of removing chemical and physical pollutants was also evaluated. The setup consisted of a hybrid flow system composed of upflow constructed wetland and a horizontal flow constructed wetland connected in series that is used for primary treatment of the influent of domestic wastewater. Two systems were analyzed: one cultivated with the ornamental species Canna Indica, and one cultivated with the cattail Cymbopogon flexuosus. It consisted of two treatment sections consisting of two plant species Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass – first CW) and Canna xalapensis Horan (Canna Indica – second CW). The water quality parameters i.e., BOD, COD, TSS were analyzed according to APHA (American Public Health Association) by daily sampling. The CW was monitored for the quality of wastewater inflows and outflows and nutrient accumulation in plants. Results showed that the maximum COD removal for Lemon Grass and Canna Indica beds were 75% and 70% respectively at 200mg/L COD loading in the CW setup over a six-month period respectively. The maximum BOD removal found in Lemon Grass and Canna Indica beds were 73% and 64% respectively at a feed concentration of 200mg/L COD. Both the CWs together as one unit showed similar rates of TSS removal irrespective of the type of wetland plant species and were more efficient in treating wastewater.
Show more [+] Less [-]Microplastics on Silkworms (Tubifex Spp) in the Brantas River, Indonesia
2024
Eri Wardoyo, Iva Rustanti | Yunior, Yudha | Marlik, Marlik | Kriswandana, Ferry | Nurmayanti, Demes | Khambali, Khambali
Microplastics can contaminate water owing to their small size. If aquatic biota consume microplastics, they disrupt their reproductive processes, digestive tracts, and development. This study aimed to identify microplastic waste from silkworms (Tubifex spp.) in the Brantas River. The study was conducted in a descriptive manner by collecting samples of microplastic waste from silkworms and examining the shape, type, amount, and percentage of microplastic abundance in the river. An FTIR test was used to determine the microplastic content. Using a Zeiss Axio Zoom.V16 at 50x magnification, microplastic particles from individual worms and worm samples were visually identified. Then, the 50% hot needle test was used to determine the composition of the plastic. A total of 263 microplastic particles were found in the worm samples. Silkworms (Tubifex spp.) in the Brantas River, Kediri City, were shown to contain four types of microplastics, namely fibers, filaments, fragments, and granules, which were dominated by filament particles with 49% filament content, 45% fiber, 5% fragments, and 1% granules. The microplastic polymers identified via FTIR were polyethylene and ethylene-polypropylene-diene copolymers. These microplastics can originate from plastic bags, used drinking bottles, rope fibers, and pieces of water hose, which are often found around the Brantas River. Silkworms found in the Brantas River contain microplastic waste from various pollution sources.
Show more [+] Less [-]Role of Methanotrophs in Methane Oxidation from Municipal Solid Waste Dumpsites in Tropical Countries
2024
Srivastava, Tanmay | Srivastava, Vartika | Manukonda, Suresh Kumar
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) dumpsites are one of the major source of methane (CH4) emissions due anaerobic degradation of organic matter content in the waste. Control technologies are available to reduce these emissions, but they are costly and their application on existing sites is complex. Moreover, tropical climate is responsible for rapid degradation of organic matter in open dumps leading to substantial CH4 emissions mainly due to hot and humid conditions amongst other factors. Methanotrophs are bacteria capable of oxidizing CH4 into carbon dioxide (CO2) by virtue of methane monooxygenase enzyme. Various cover materials can be utilized to enhance methane oxidation (MO) ability of these organisms by providing favorable conditions thus converting methane from unmanaged dumpsites into CO2 which has lower global warming potential. Hence their application shows great potential for contributing towards meeting the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. This review focuses on the attempts to attenuate CH4 emissions by different biocover systems and the current scenario while giving special emphasis to tropical conditions.
Show more [+] Less [-]Mechanisms of Trace Metal Elements Removal from Water using Low-Cost Biochar Adsorbents: A mini review
2024
Srivastav, Arun Lal | Rani, Lata | Sharda, Prakriti | Sharma, Ajay
Trace metal elements are toxic to the environment and human health and can be removed from water through adsorption. Development of low-cost adsorbents would always been a matter of achievement of every adsorption study as usually many adsorbents were found to be expensive in nature. In this regard, biochar adsorbents gained significant attention due to high adsorption capacity, low-cost and environmental sustainability. Pyrolysis is used to produce biochar adsorbents at varying temperature ranged from 300°C-700°C. The adsorption capacities of palm fiber biochar adsorbents are remarkable which was found around ~198 mg/g for cadmium removal. However, bamboo-based biochar had 868 mg/g of adsorption capacity for arsenate removal. This review aims to provide the current discusses the sources and impacts of trace metal elements in water along with properties of biochar including its composition, surface area, pore structure, and surface functional groups. Further, various types of biomasses have also been mentioned for producing biochar such as agricultural wastes, food wastes, forestry residues, etc. The paper also discusses the different types of mechanisms involved in the adsorption of heavy metal biochar adsorbents like electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, surface complexation etc.
Show more [+] Less [-]Urban Air Quality Nexus: PM2.5 Bound-Heavy Metals and their Alarming Implication for Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk
2024
Attiq, Abu Bakar | Nawaz, Rab | Irshad, Muhammad | Nasim, Iqra | Nasim, Marriyam | Latif, Maria | Shah, Syed Imran | Fatima, Aiman
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have not only detrimental impacts on air quality but also acts as a source for a range of heavy metals that worsen the potential risks to public health. Notably, previous studies on PM2.5-bound heavy metals in Pakistan have primarily focused on individual cities. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of pollution characteristics related to PM2.5-bound heavy metals, including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), and nickel (Ni), in ten cities of Pakistan. Data was collected from a wide range of reliable sources spanning from 2013 to 2023. Additionally, the human health risk assessment methodology endorsed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) was employed to evaluate both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for adults (males and females) and children. Findings of the present study revealed that children faced a greater risk associated with PM2.5-bound heavy metals as compared to adults. Cadmium, zinc, and nickel were found as the top three contributors to the average non-carcinogenic risk, while lead, cadmium, and nickel showed the highest carcinogenic risks. Based on these findings, this study strongly recommend that the government should strengthen the management of industrial and vehicular emissions. Furthermore, there is an imperative need to establish a real-time monitoring system capable of tracking toxic heavy metal pollutants transported through the atmosphere. Additionally, policymakers should seriously contemplate regional collaborations with the goal of creating metropolitan initiatives for pollution control, thereby effectively addressing these paramount environmental and public health concerns.
Show more [+] Less [-]A Simulation to Assess the Probability of the Spread of Radioactive Materials from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant using the HYSPLIT Model
2024
Valizadeh, Behshad | Heydarizade, Yassin | Tayebi, Javad | Rezaie, Mohammad Reza
Today, world pollution is increasing, and many pollutants such as radioactive elements enter to environment through human activity contaminants play an essential role in human life and health. Therefore, the examination of models for dispersion caused by radioactive substances is an important issue. This article is a simulation study of the hypothetical scenario of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine, which is one of the NPPs in Europe. This scenario includes the occurrence of an accident in the power plant that entry of pollutants to environment and creates an environmental disaster. The simulation of this scenario was done using the Hyspli4 )Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) model and NOAA website data of ZNPP (include the wind information, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure in different spatial and temporal scales) to predict and deal with pollutants. The simulation was conducted in the first week of April 2023 for 131 I and 137Cs elements, which are important elements that come out of the power plant and cause many problems. The results show the highest annual dose and concentration are 4.6 mSv/year and 2.7E+06 Bq.s/m3 respectively. It also shows that in the event of pollution, the entry of contaminated materials into the Dnieper River and the western edge of the blackened sea will bring a great disaster. Also, the eastern and northeastern regions of Ukraine, especially Kharkiv and the western borders of Russia, lead to pollution that causes radiation hazard, so the news should be shared with everyone before an actual incident occurs.
Show more [+] Less [-]The Protective Role of Date Seeds Extract on the Reproductive System of Male Chickens Exposed to Gamma Radiation
2024
Khattab. AL-Dulamey, Qusay | Abed. Al-Jawwady, Yasir | Hasan, Mowafak | Ahmed Najim, Laith
The purpose of this investigation is to determine how gamma radiation-induced oxidative stress impacts the reproductive system of adult chickens. In this study, we used 39-57 weeks old cocks’ chickens to assess the significance of semen volume10-3liter per bird per ejaculation). Sperm count overall (108 cells per ejaculation) and count per milliliter (108 cells). The volume, concentration data, and sum sperm data of cock chickens all increased significantly with age, though not at all ages; rather, just at a select few ages that were considered to be the control (regulate) group. These data were found after 35 days of gamma radiation at soft dose rates (soft intensity) of at100, 120 and 130cm between cages of chickens and radioactive source with 0.402, 0.279 and 0.237 Gy/h respectively. This is a six-hour daily chronic dose rate (extended duration of radiation). As the soft dosage rate was gradually increased, a significant decline in the values was observed. The semen volume data drop ratio was calculated for each male chicken generation and compared to the control group using three chronic moderate doses of irradiation at doses ranging from around 4.8 to 13.6 percent and semen concentrations from roughly 4.9 to 14 percent. The average results from both groups showed that when the intensity of the gamma ray radiation increased, all metrics significantly declined. Using date seeds extract(Phoenix dactylifera L.) as a defense against oxidative stresses brought on by radiation exposure and to lower its percentage data, especially on particular sperm data qualitiesDue to its availability in the Middle East, the use of date seeds extracts(Phoenix dactylifera L.) in this study proved beneficial in terms of both economic return and fertility-boosting effects on chickens, as evidenced by the positive results obtained when compared to other antioxidants under the same conditions. Due to its availability in the Middle East, the use of date seeds extracts(Phoenix dactylifera L.) in this study proved beneficial in terms of both economic return and fertility-boosting effects on chickens, as evidenced by the positive results obtained when compared to other antioxidants under the same conditions.
Show more [+] Less [-]