Evaluation of mercury contamination in soils of industrial estates of Arak city

Background and Aims: Mercury is generally considered one of the most toxic heavy metals that rapid industrial development and industry uses of mercury cause accumulation of mercury in soil. The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration and degree of mercury pollution in topsoil of three major industrial estates of Arak city.Materials and Methods: In this study three estates was investigated. Soil samples were collected from thedepth of 0 to 20 cm . 22 samples were taken and analyzed. Mercury concentrations in soil samples were determined by Advanced Mercury Analyzer (Model; Leco, AMA 254).Results: The mercury concentrations in soil samples range from 68.43 to 137.03 μg/ kg for soils, with a mean value of 102.07 μg/ kg. Means comparison showed significant difference among industrial town 2 with other industrial towns .Also there was no significant correlation between soil pH and Hg concentration.Conclusion: The result of this research showed that: Compared to earth crust, surface soils in industrial towns had higher mercury concentrations, but compared to other soils around the world, it did not show high levels of mercury and it seems that most of the sources of mercury pollution are natural. Despite the concentration of total Hg in soils are not acute, however the planning for emission control of this metal and other pollutants, with application of green plants purification technology should be considered seriously.Key words: Mercury, Soil, Industrial estate, Arak cit

Frequency of Intestinal Parasitic Infections among Individuals Referred to the Medical Center Laboratories in Nahavand City, Hamadan Province, Western Iran

Background: Intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) cause serious public health problem in the world, especially those located in tropical and subtropical areas. This study was conducted with the aim of obtaining frequency of intestinal parasites in referred people to the Nahavand city laboratories, Hamadan province, western Iran.Materials and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among checkup individuals and patients referred to laboratories of Nahavand County. A total of 371 stool samples (150 from checkup individuals and 221 from patients) were selected by using systematic random sampling during summer 2014.  The stool specimens were examined macroscopically, and microscopically by using direct slide smear (saline wet mount and lugol staining), formaldehyde - diethyl ether concentration, trichrome staining and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining techniques. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and Chi-square test.Results: Ninety two patients (24.8%) were infected with single or multiple intestinal parasites. The overall prevalence of IPIs in checkup individuals and patients was 21.3% and 27.1%, respectively. The frequency of the observed intestinal parasites was: Blastocystis spp. 72 (19.4%), Entamoeba coli 7 (1/9%), Endolimax nana 7 (1/9%), Giardia lamblia 5 (1/3%), Cryptosporidium spp. 3 (0.8%), Entamoeba hartmanni 3 (0.8%), Entamoeba histolitica/E. dispar 1 (0.3%), Trichomonas hominies 1 (0.3%), Chilomastix mesnili 1 (0.3%), Iodamoeba butschlii 1 (0.3% ) and Enterobius vermicularis egg l (0.3%).Conclusion: The proportion of observed protozoan parasites 91 (24.5%) is higher than helminthes infection 1 (0.3%). The worm infections in Nahavand city was dramatically decreased over the past decades, induced increases in public health at the community level.  Blastocystis spp. was the predominant intestinal parasite in people referred to the Nahavand city laboratories.  Proportion of pathogenic IPIs among patients 4.07% (9 of 221) was higher in compare to the checkup individuals in which only one out of 150 (0.66%) Giardia lamblia was observed.

بررسي ميزان آلودگي جيوه در خاك شهرك هاي صنعتي اراك

Background and Aims: Mercury is generally considered one of the most toxic heavy metals that rapid industrial development and industry uses of mercury cause accumulation of mercury in soil. The purpose of this study was to investigate the concentration and degree of mercury pollution in topsoil of three major industrial estates of Arak city.Materials and Methods: In this study three estates was investigated. Soil samples were collected from thedepth of 0 to 20 cm . 22 samples were taken and analyzed. Mercury concentrations in soil samples were determined by Advanced Mercury Analyzer (Model; Leco, AMA 254).Results: The mercury concentrations in soil samples range from 68.43 to 137.03 μg/ kg for soils, with a mean value of 102.07 μg/ kg. Means comparison showed significant difference among industrial town 2 with other industrial towns .Also there was no significant correlation between soil pH and Hg concentration.Conclusion: The result of this research showed that: Compared to earth crust, surface soils in industrial towns had higher mercury concentrations, but compared to other soils around the world, it did not show high levels of mercury and it seems that most of the sources of mercury pollution are natural. Despite the concentration of total Hg in soils are not acute, however the planning for emission control of this metal and other pollutants, with application of green plants purification technology should be considered seriously.زمينه و هدف: جيوه يکي از سمی ترين فلزات سنگين م يباشد که توسعه سريع صنعتي و استفاد ههاي صنعتي از اين فلز سبب تجمع آندر خاک می شود. اين تحقيق با هدف تعيين مقادير و درجه آلودگي جيوه در خاک سطحي سه شهرک صنعتي عمده واقع در شهر اراکصورت گرفت.مواد و رو شها: در اين مطالعه سه شهرك مورد بررسي قرار گرفت. نمونه ها از عمق ۰ تا ۲۰ سانت يمتري خاک شهر کهاي مورد مطالعهجمع آوري شدند. تعداد ۲۲ نمونه مركب مورد آزمايش قرار گرفت. یافته ها: در این مطالعه غلظت جیوه کل در خاک در محدوده68/43 تا 137/03 مبکروگرم بر کیلوگرم با میانگین102/07 میکروگرم بر کیلوگیرم تعسسن شد. مقایسه میانگین ها اختلاف معنی داری بین شهرک 2 با سابر شهرک ها نشان داد. نتيجه گيري: يافت ههاي پژوهش نشان داد که مقادير جيوه کل در خاک در مقايسه با مقادير پوسته زمين بالاتر بود اما در مقايسه با محدودهآن در خا کهاي جهان مقادير كمي بالاتر است. هر چند غلظت اين آلاينده در منطقه مورد مطالعه حاد نمي باشد ولي برنامه ريزي جهتكنترل انتشار اين فلز و آلايند ههاي ديگر بايد مورد توجه جدي قرار گيرد. همچنين كاربرد فن آوري سبز گياه پالايي به عنوان روش جديدجهت رفع آلودگي خاک مورد استفاده قرار گيرد