Identification of native fishes of western Azarbaijan province - phase 1: northern water source

The aim of this research was to identify fish species distributed in the water resources located at West- Azarbaijan province. Sampling was done seasonally, from 14 sampling sites in main branches of different rivers including Aras, Zangmar, and Ghator. Fish samples caught with different tools, fixed in 10 % formalin, and finally transferred to the laboratory for biological investigations. The identified fish were 25 species belonging to 8 fish family comprising of Cyprinidae, Balitoridae, Cobitidae, Siluridae, percidae, poecilliidae, Gobiidae, Salmonidae. Among them, cyprinidae family had the highest percentage of diversity. There were 2 species from Balitoridae and 1 species from the rest of other family

Identification and ranking of causes of delay in container handling operation by TOPSIS method

This applied research has been conducted to identify and rank the causes of delay in container handling operation in two stages. In the first, having considered the daily census of container handling operation in the pertinent terminal of the port, As well, brain storming cessions attended by experts from the studied container terminals were held during which twenty seven numbers of causes of delay were detected. In the second stage, having considered the detected factors from the first stage, the probability of the causes occurrence, the extent of impact of causes on process after their occurrence and probability of causes detection before having effect on process have been determined by experts in form of a scale ranging from one to ten, Finally based on the obtained scores by each one of the causes, the decision matrix was formed and the mentioned causes were ranked by TOPSIS method. The abstained results showed that the causes of delays in loading and unloading operations in studied container terminals have significant different in the terms of probability of the causes occurrence, the extent of impact of causes on process after their occurrence and probability of causes detection before having effect on process. Finally to mitigation of these causes several strategies have been presented

Hydrology, Hydrobiology and environmental pollution in the southern of Caspian Sea

The project investigates the relationship between the biological parameters (phytoplankton, zooplankton, Macrobenthic and the comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi) and environmental parameters, nutrients and environmental pollutant (oil, pesticides, heavy metals, and detergents) in water and sediment, at the southern part of Caspian Sea in 2009-2010. Sampling was performed in four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter) and in eight transects perpendicular to the coast in Astara, Anzali, Sefidroud, Tonekabon, Noshahr, Babolsar, Amir Abad and Turkmen. Samples were collected from depths of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 meters and the different layers. The relationship between biological and environmental parameters surveyed through parametric and multivariate methods. Based on the result, the annual mean of environmental parameters and nutrients concentration at euphotic layer such as water temperature, salinity, pH, transparency, DO%, ammonium, nitrate, inorganic nitrogen (DIN), organic nitrogen (DON), inorganic phosphorus (DIP), organic phosphorus (DOP) and soluble silicon (DSi) were 17.82±0.32 (ºC), 11.35±0.10 (g/l), 8.43±0.01 (m), 126±1 (%), 3.76±0.19 (µM), 1.55±0.07 (µM), 4.81±0.13 (µM), 29.88±0.66 (µM), 0.24±0.01 (µM), 0.62±0.02 (µM), 8.22±0.22 (µM), respectively. Meanwhile, annual mean of environmental pollutant such as TPH, OCPs and LAS in water were 12.33±1.76 (µg/l), 2.85.0.90 (µg/l), 0.048±0.003 (mg/l), respectively and for TPH and OCPS in sediment were recorded 33.07±9.36 (µg/g) and 2.64±0.34 (µg/g), respectively. In addition, annual mean of heavy metals such as Ni, Hg, Pb and Cd at water were 4.01±0.01 (µg/l), 0.64±0.01 (µg/l), 15.0±0.1 (µg/l) and ND respectively, and in sediment were obtained 43.77±3.55 (µg/g), 0.13±0.29 (µg/g), 14.14±1.07 (µg/g) and 0.07±0.06 (µg/g), respectively. Abundance annual mean of biological parameters such as phytoplankton, zooplankton and M. leidyi were 143±12 (million cells/m^3), 6548±700 (individuals/m^3) and 86±10 (individuals /m^3) respectively, and for biomass were 548±41 (mg/m^3), 60±9 (mg/m^3), 5.06±0.65 (g/m^3). Abundance and biomass annual mean of macrobenthic were 5970±460 (individuals/m^2) and 44±10 (g/m^2), respectively. The stratification of water column was strongly based on gradient of water temperature and the rule of salinity was low in this area. According to mono and multivariate statistical analysis, the southern of Caspian Sea experienced four seasons without any overlapping based on environmental parameters and nutrients. In 2009-10, the nitrogen concentration was higher than previous years and showed a decrease in the amount of inorganic phosphorus in the study area. Therefore, the system has been lead to phosphorus limitation. No limitations of the DSi in the Caspian ecosystem had caused the dominance of bacillriophyta phylum during spring, autumn and winter. However in summer (highest seasonal mean temperature) which held the most DIP, the cyanophyta was dominant phylum. During spring and winter, the abundance of zooplankton was maximized and conversely the minimum values observed during summer and autumn with growth increasing of M. leidyi. By now, M.leidyi has been preferred the time with highest temperature or salinity during year. However with considering PCA analysis result and high ability of the organism to adaptation, the M.leidyi will probably to growth and reproduce at lower temperature and salinity than now in this area. Result showed that during summer and autumn only abundance of two of six main zooplankton groups namely Copepoda and Cirripedia were noticeable. The other zooplankton groups were low due to high consumption by different predators or were influenced by environmental factors. The dynamics population of M.leidyi is used to consider as first explanation of the Caspian ecosystem happening, however the interaction of different factors such as temperature, salinity, nutrients and predators determine the dynamic of biological parameters. Based on statistical analysis, feeding behavior of zooplankton species was not same in different seasons and was strongly dependent on the phytoplankton structure (species diversity and population). In other words, the classical boundary of phytoplankton species to, edible and suppressed, non-edible and unaffected and finally non-edible, enhanced species was not possible. Copepoda can act as filter-feeder and raptorial-feeder. So Copepoda compare to Cladocera (generally filter- feeder and sometimes raptorial feeder) and Rotifera (mostly suspension feeding and sometimes raptorial feeder) had more chances and opportunities for the achievement food and it support them for dominanane in all seasons. Anthropogenic and eutrophication effect on the structure and function of plankton community and it reflected on ratio of phyto/zoo biomass. Seasonal increasing of different groups of zooplankton were done through their life cycles in 2009-10, but mostly phytoplankton abundance increased several folds than zooplankton populations. This trend made the ratio of phyto/zoo biomass at 10, 4, and14 during spring, summer and autumn, respectively. In summer, with stratification of water column and dominant of Cyanophyta, grazing pressure by herbivores zooplankton was low. However in winter due to the zooplankton population growth, the ratios reached to 11, and declined with 1.3 folds compare to autumn. Because of severe decreasing of zooplankton biomass in 2009-10 compare to years before introduction of M.leidiy in to the Caspian Sea, the ratio of phyto/zoo biomass increased from "less than" 5 "to more than 10" Top-down control of zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton populations was clear in the years before the introduction of M.leidyi in to the Caspian Sea. But in 2009-10 zooplankton Shannon index reduced and phytoplankton Shannon index increased. In other word higher functional diversity at the lower trophic level (phytoplankton) increased the probability of successful defense against top-down control from zooplankton and phytoplankton abundance controled mainly by nutrients materials (down-top control). Seasonal macrobenthos abundance showed the maximum values in summer and minimum in the cold season (winter). The polychaeta had the highest proportion of abundance compare to others main orders (oligochaeta and crustacea). The dominance of deposit feeder species of polychaeta indicates to high level of organic matter in sediment and trophic status of ecosystem. Result of CCA analysis showed that three dominant orders had different behavior respect to environmental and sediments characteristics. The oligochaeta order was directly related to sediments characteristics (TOM) and inverse relationship with environmental parameters at most seasons. In contrast, polychaeta order was linked with environmental parameters in most seasons. Crustacea order was related to the both of them. Two orders of oligochaeta and crustacea were also related directly to OCPs and inverse relationship with TPH and heavy metals. In the other words, the two orders were more affected by TPH and heavy metals in this area. As a last point, increasing of trophic level from oligotrophic to the meso–eutrophic status, an increase of DO% from 105 percent to 120 percent, phytoplankton Shannon index increasing, zooplankton Shannon index decreasing, entrance of the potentially invasive species to the list of dominant phytoplankton species, increasing of phyto/zooplankton biomass ratio from less than 5 to more than 10 and also increasing of deposit feeder species abundance of macrobenthos are some evidences that indicate to disturbance and stress condition of the Caspian Sea

Improving formaldehyde removal from water and wastewater by fenton, photo-fenton and ozonation/fenton processes through optimization and modeling

This study aimed to assess, optimize and model the efficiencies of Fenton, photo-Fenton and ozonation/Fenton processes in formaldehyde elimination from water and wastewater using the response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN). A sensitivity analysis was used to determine the importance of the independent variables. The influences of different variables, including H2O2 concentration, initial formaldehyde concentration, Fe dosage, pH, contact time, UV and ozonation, on formaldehyde removal efficiency were studied. The optimized Fenton process demonstrated 75% formaldehyde removal from water. The best performance with 80% formaldehyde removal from wastewater was achieved using the combined ozonation/Fenton process. The developed ANN model demonstrated better adequacy and goodness of fit with a R2 of 0.9454 than the RSM model with a R2 of 0. 9186. The sensitivity analysis showed pH as the most important factor (31%) affecting the Fenton process, followed by the H2O2 concentration (23%), Fe dosage (21%), contact time (14%) and formaldehyde concentration (12%). The findings demonstrated that these treatment processes and models are important tools for formaldehyde elimination from wastewater

Studying the impacts of the rainbow trout farms effluents on Sabzkooh River in Charmahal-O-Bakhtiari Province

Sabzkooh in Ardal and Gandoman region in Charmahal province with annual production of 1300 metric tons of rainbow trout, is one of the most important rivers in the province. The effects of fish farms effluent on the river water quality and the possibilities to develop or limit the existing ones were studied. Flora and fauna of the river including Phyto and zooplankton, macroinvertebrates and fishes were sampled and studied. Moreover some key physico-chemical water quality parameters, concentrations of stable pollutants (heavy metals: Zn, Cu, Fe, Pb, Cd and agricultural poisons (herbicides or pesticides: DDT, Lindane, Alderine and indosulfate) and Coliform contamination were also measured. All phytoplankton genus were of tow taxa, Cianophyta and Chrysophyta and zooplankton fauna belonged to Rotatoria, Protozoa and meroplanktonic chirinomids and nematodes. Four fish species from 3 families were identified of which rainbow trout had the highest relative frequency (94.6%).All the measured heavy metals including Zn, Cu, Fe, Pb, Cd and the agricultural poisons concentrations such as DDT, Lindane, Alderine and indosulfate were lower than the hazardous level suggested for the surface waters. According to the benthic macroinvertebrates populations study, stations at downstream (no. 6 and 7) which received the Chartakhteh and Rudarud farms effluent had least EPT richness and the hilsenhof family level biotic index at this locations was greater than 5.25, classifying them as having organic pollution. Even though measured key physico-chemical parameters such as nutrients (N and P compounds and BOD5) in the receiving stations and effluent water never exceed the maximum permitted range but in downstream stations these factors were very close to the range. One way analyze of variance (P 95%) for TN, TP, No_2, NH_4, BOD_5, pH, PO_4 and Ec revealed no significant differences between stations before and just after receiving the effluents, however these parameters in the effluents themselves significantly differ from upstream stations 1,2 and 3 proving relatively lower organic pollution and the potential for constructing new farms or expanding the existed ones in upstream region from Chartagh to Dehnoo. At downstream from Dehnoo to Rudarud and lower parts, dense trout farm effluents in addition with point and non point pollution (municipal, agricultural and other coming run off from the catchments area) had remarkable effects on the river water quality and as a result no farm construction or expansion is recommended. To avoid or reduce the existing farms effects on the river system there should be certainly some remediation actions carried out. Constructing sedimentation ponds before releasing the effluents, obeying the rule of water extracting, preventing fish escape, increasing feeding efficiency and controlling the lateral inlets from catchments area which are potentially pollutant, should be considered to improve the situation and prevent further environmental problems caused by fish farms effluent in these area

Designing and establishment of ISO/IEC 17025 in 3aboratories of Caspian Sea ecological research center

The project was carried out between March of 2007 and November of 2009.Five laboratories of research center (Clinical pathology, Plankton, Molecular genetics, Pollutants, Analysis Instrument were selected for accreditation. The main stages for establishment of the system consisted of: 1-Conducting a gap analysis to compare the present state of the laboratories with ISO/IEC 17025 Training 2 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories Validation of methods Estimation of uncertainty Internal audits 3- Performing of technical and management requirements 4-Submit of quality manual to Iran Accreditation System (IAS) in order to accredit In January of 2010 the laboratories were accredited by Iran Accreditation System (IAS). The main results were including: 1-Increase the accuracy of measurement 2-Improvement of the Repeatability and Reproducibility of the test methods 3-Traceability and standardization of test methods 4- Calibration of measurement instruments 6- Updating of test methods 7-Standardization of physical condition of the laboratories 8- Getting the certification from Iran Accreditation System (IAS)