Hosein Aalidadi; Zahra Karimi; Aliakbar Dehghan; Hamed Mohammadi; Maryam Paydar
Abstract
Background and Purpose : Heavy metals are among the most critical contaminants in drinking water, owing to their stability and accumulation capability in living tissues and the food chain. Consequently, this study was conducted to determine the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment indices ...
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Background and Purpose : Heavy metals are among the most critical contaminants in drinking water, owing to their stability and accumulation capability in living tissues and the food chain. Consequently, this study was conducted to determine the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment indices for heavy metals in the water sources of Torbat-e Jam City in 2023.Materials and Methods : Samples were collected from 16 groundwater sources and the surrounding soil of Torbat-e Jam City during the summer and autumn of 2023. Concentrations of five heavy metals - arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, and copper - were measured using a Varian atomic absorption spectrometer. Finally, the health risk levels for three different groups were calculated using indices provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States.Results: The average concentrations of heavy metals in water during summer were as follows: arsenic: 0.0027 ± 0.0035 mg/L, mercury: 0.00019 ± 0.00035 mg/L, lead: 0.0011 ± 0.0023 mg/L, cadmium: 0.0002 ± 0.0002 mg/L, and copper: 0.0046 ± 0.0078 mg/L. In autumn, the concentrations were arsenic: 0.0082 ± 0.0081 mg/L, mercury: 0.0018 ± 0.0008 mg/L, lead: 0.0056 ± 0.0058 mg/L, cadmium: 0.00084 ± 0.00083 mg/L, and copper: 0.0091 ± 0.0068 mg/L. In soil, the concentrations were arsenic: 0.011 ± 0.053 mg/L, mercury: 0.0086 ± 0.0068 mg/L, lead: 0.131 ± 0.186 mg/L, cadmium: 0.0002 ± 0.00047 mg/L, and copper: 0.12 ± 0.24 mg/L. The study found the non-carcinogenic risk levels of the examined heavy metals to be low. However, the carcinogenic risk level for arsenic was very high in both seasons, for cadmium was moderate in autumn, and for the other elements, it was within the standard limits.Conclusion : Given the high carcinogenic risk of arsenic for women, men, and children in both summer and autumn, continuous monitoring of arsenic levels should be a priority for regulatory agencies.
Elham Asrari; Maryam Paydar
Abstract
Abstract
Background and Purpose: Air pollution problem in metropolitan’s city is made by different sources of pollutants. The proportion of air pollutants’ emissions have been increased in many cities of Iran such as Mashhad. This study aimed to investigate the relationships ...
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Abstract
Background and Purpose: Air pollution problem in metropolitan’s city is made by different sources of pollutants. The proportion of air pollutants’ emissions have been increased in many cities of Iran such as Mashhad. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between the trend of particular matter concentration changes and metrological parameters in the atmosphere of Mashhad.
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross - sectional study, data including temperature, sunny hours, precipitation, evaporation, moisture, speed and direction of wind were collected from 11 monitoring stations of air pollutants and Metrologic synoptic stations in Mashhad during 2010-2016. Daily average concentrations of PM10 of PM2.5) were calculated, and then relationships between pollutants and metrological data analyzed by Spss18 software.
Findings: The results showed that the maximum concentrations of particle matter occurred in October and autumn season. Numbers of unhealthy days were increased during the years of 2011-2013, decreased in 2014 - 2015 and increased again in 2016. The variations of PM10 and PM2.5 are significant with season, month and year (P <0.001). PM10 was directly related to temperature and evaporation (r=0.095). Also, there was a reverse relation among humidity and rainfall. A reverse relationship was observed between PM2.5 concentration and minimum temperature, sunny days, rainfall and wind speed; however, it was directly related to wind direction.
Conclusion: According to the obtained results in the autumn and October, the highest concentration of particulate matter was observed. Also, GIS maps showed that eastern and relatively center of Mashhad is more polluted than other areas.
Keywords: Air pollution, Mashhad, PM2.5, PM10, Meteorology data