UV Activation of Persulfate for Removal of Penicillin G Antibiotics in Aqueous Solution

Penicillin G (PG) is one of the most widely consumed antibiotics around the world. Release of PG in environment may lead to contamination of water resources. The aim of the present work is to assess feasibility of applying UV-activated persulfate process in removal of PG from aquatic environments. The study examined the effect of pH (3–11), persulfate initial concentration (0.5–3 mM), reaction time (15–90 minutes), and initial concentration of PG (0.02–0.14 mM) on PG decomposition. Also, the pseudo-first-order kinetic model was used for kinetic analysis of PG removal. The results indicated that UV-activated persulfate process can effectively eliminate PG from water. The highest PG removal efficiency was obtained as 94.28% at pH 5, and the decomposition percentage was raised by increasing persulfate dose from 0.5 to 3 mM and the reaction time from 15 to 90 minutes. Besides, the removal efficiency decreased through increasing the initial concentration of PG. UV-activated persulfate process effectively decomposes PG and eliminates it from water

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of dental clinics waste in Zabol city, Iran

Dental clinics are one of the sources of waste production that are important due to producing infectious and potentially infectious waste, chemical and pharmaceutical waste, and toxic waste. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze dental clinics in Zabol quantitatively and qualitatively. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2014 on waste produced in dental clinics in Zabol. Sampling of 25 dental clinics was performed three times per week. At the end of the working day, the samples were transferred to a suitable site and weighed carefully after separation of the components. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Excel software. 5457 kg of waste is annually produced in the dental clinics of Zabol that the amount of infectious and potentially infectious waste, household-like waste, chemical and pharmaceutical waste, and toxic wastes are approximately 48.08, 43.75, 7.82 and 0.35%, respectively. Given that proper management of waste produced is not performed in dental clinics in Zabol, special attention to waste produced in this sector through programs of reduction in source, separation and recycling can reduce the waste volume significantly. Keywords: Dentistry waste, Dental clinics, Waste composition, Infectious waste, Toxic wast

Evaluation of Noise Pollution in Small Workshops in Qom, Iran; and Its Situation Compared to National Noise Standards

Background & Aims of the Study: Noise is one of the most important environmental pollutants. It is a global health problem, especially among industrial workers. Since there was little information about noise levels in small workshops in Qom city, this study aimed to evaluate noise in small workshops and compare it with national standards. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Initially jobs and workshops that were causing noise pollution were identified. Then, noise was measured with a calibrated sound dosimeter, model CASELLA CEL-320, in A-network, in 108 working places. The results were compared with national noise standards. Results: The total number of workers in the workshops were 317 people, and inside the workshops 76.3% of the workers and 66.7% of the workshops were exposed to noise over the standard threshold. Outside the workshops, in 89% noise pollution was higher than the standard city values. Only 11% of noise pollution in the city workshops, had a 1 or less than 1 dB difference with the standard noise threshold. Conclusion: Small workshops cause a significant amount of noise pollution in Qom city. This can affect the workers’ and the public’s health. Noise control procedures such as controlling the source, and direction of noise distribution, as well as setting up workshops in the right location, and far from residential areas is necessary

Association of Lactobacillus, Firmicutes, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, and Enterococcus with colorectal cancer in Iranian patients

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the primary causes of cancer-associated deaths worldwide, and growing evidence shows that alteration in the gut microbiota may be a contributing factor to the development and progression of the disease. This study investigates the correlation between CRC and specific intestinal microbiota abundance, including Firmicutes, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Clostridium, and Bifidobacterium. Material and methods: In this study, 100 CRC samples and adjacent normal tissues were obtained from Iranian patients. Afterward, we assessed the abundance of the mentioned bacteria in matched tumor and normal tissue samples from 100 CRC patients, by TaqMan quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results: Most of the patients (55 %) had grade II cancer (moderately differentiated), followed by grade III (poorly Differentiated) in 19 %, and the distribution of the tumor location was 65 % in the colon and 35 % in the rectum. Our research showed a substantial difference in the relative abundance of specific bacteria in tumors and healthy tissues. To this end, four genera of bacteria, including Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Clostridium, and Firmicutes, exhibited statistically significant reductions in tumor tissues compared to adjacent normal tissue (p < 0.05). Conversely, Enterococcus demonstrated a statistically significant increase in tumor tissue samples (p < 0.05). Noteworthy, statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between Enterococcus and prior cancer (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings provide significant insight into the complex association between the gut microbiota and CRC and may pave the way for future research on novel screening methods, preventive measures, and therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiota in CRC patients