Concentration, Distribution and Comparison of Total and Bioavailable Metals in Top Soils and Plants Accumulation in Zanjan Zinc Industrial Town-Iran

AbstractHeavy metal contamination of metal-mined soils is a widespread problem in parts of Zanjan province. The province located in North West of Iran is highly polluted by heavy metals due to the presence, improper utilization of its mineral resources notably Lead and Zinc, and also the development of a number of related industries. Soils are basically polluted by Pb, Zn and Cd and their concentrations in top soils are very high exceeding European and USEPA standards. The main objective of this study is to evaluate heavy metals concentration and bioavailable fractions of heavy metals and accumulation of such toxic metals in native plants growing naturally on the polluted sites. The information obtained from this study is of great value to obtain bioavailability of the toxic metals and their potential harmful effects for plants, animals and humans

Study on the physical and chemical characteristics of electric arc furnace dust from steel plant of Esfarayen and its reuse as an adsorbent

Background and Aims: EPA classifies dust from electric arc furnaces as hazardous waste. The purpose of this study was to measure the amount of heavy metals in dust and to investigate the removal of organic pollutants using this hazardous waste. Materials and Methods: Dust samples were collected from the Esfarayen Steel Plant by coordinating the factory management. Following digestion of samples by Aqua regia solution in the laboratory, the concentration of heavy metals was measured using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. To determine the rate of heavy metals recovery from the dust, distilled water was used with different pH of 11, 7, 5, 3, and 1. In addition, UV-spectrophotometry was used to investigate the ability of dust to adsorb organic pollutants. All stages of this research were conducted ethically.Results: The average concentration of heavy metals in dust, in mg/kg, was obtained as iron> magnesium> zinc> manganese> nickel> lead> copper> cadmium> cobalt. The leaching study of this waste showed that cobalt metal ion has the highest leaching levels at different pH levels. Methylene Blue, Eriochrome Black T, Rhodamine, and Dexamethasone had the highest amount of adsorption by dust among the organic pollutants studied.Conclusion: The present study showed that the recovery of iron concentrates in comparison with other metals is convenient and cost effective. Furthermore, the electric arc furnace dust can be used as a suitable inexpensive adsorbent.Keywords: Dust Arc Furnace, Adsorbent, Heavy Metals, Organic Pollutants, Leachin

Root Morphology and Canal Configuration of First and Second Maxillary Molars in a Selected Iranian Population: A Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Evaluation

Introduction: The aim of this investigation was to evaluate root canal morphology of maxillary first and second molars and also to assess the prevalence and morphology of the second mesiobuccal canal (MB2) in these teeth, using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods and Materials: In this cross-sectional study, the total of 470 CBCT images from the archive of Radiology Department of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Iran, was evaluated and 295 images were selected. The number of roots, and canal configuration were determined based on Vertucci’s classification system. The data was analyzed using SPSS 20, and P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: A total of 295 images from 295 patients (165 females and 130 males), including 389 maxillary first (197 right and 192 left) and 460 maxillary second (235 right and 225 left) molars were evaluated. The prevalence of MB2 canals were 70.2% and 43.4% in the maxillary first and second molars, respectively. The most common type of Vertucci’s classification was type II (53.1%), followed by type I. Conclusion: The second mesiobuccal canal was present in almost two thirds of first and less than half of second molars. The morphology and canal configuration of a maxillary molar can almost predict the morphology of contralateral molar. However, it does not relate to the ipsilateral molar.Keywords: Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; Maxillary Molar; Mesiobuccal Canal; Root Canal Configuratio

Study on the physical and chemical characteristics of electric arc furnace dust from a steel plant and its reuse as an adsorbent

زمینه و اهداف: گرد و غبار حاصل از کوره های قوس الکتریکی توسط EPA جزء پسماندهای خطرناک طبقه بندی شده است. این مطالعه باهدف سنجش مقدار فلزهای سنگین در گرد و غبار و بررسی حذف آلاینده های آلی با استفاده از این پسماند خطرناک انجام گرفت. مواد و روشها: با هماهنگی مدیریت کارخانه از محل دپوی گرد و غبار کوره قوس الکتریکی کارخانه فولاد اسفراین، نمونه ها برداشت گردید. در آزمایشگاه پس از هضم نمونه ها توسط تیزاب سلطانی، غلظت فلزهای سنگین با استفاده از دستگاه جذب اتمی اندازه گیری شد و برای تعیین مقدار شستشوی فلزهای سنگین از گرد و غبار، از آب مقطر با pH های مختلف1 ، ۳، ۵، ۷ و ۱۱ استفاده شد، ضمن اینکه برای بررسی توانایی گرد و غبار در جذب آلاینده های آلی از دستگاه اسپكتروفتومتری فرابنفش استفاده شد. تمامی مرحله های مطالعه حاضر طبق موازین اخلاقی اجرا گردید. یافته ها: روند تغییر میانگین غلظت فلزهای سنگین در غبار برحسب mg/kg به صورت آهن<منیزیم<روی<منگنز<نیکل<سرب<مس<کادمیوم< کبالت به دست آمد. مطالعه آبشویی این پسماند نشان داد، یون فلزی کبالت در pH های بشترین میزان آبشویی را نسبت به عنصرهای مورد مطالعه دیگر دارد. متیلن بلو، اریوکروم بلاک T، رودامین و دگزامتازون در بین آلاینده های آلی مورد مطالعه ، بشترین مقدار جذب توسط گرد و غبار را داشتند. نتیجه گیری: مطالعه حاضر نشان داد، بازیابی کنسانتره های آهن نسبت به فلزهای دیگر حاصل از این گرد و غبار، مناسب و مقرون به صرفه است و استفاده از گرد و غبار کوره قوس الکتریکی می تواند به عنوان جاذب مناسب، جایگزین جاذب های گران قیمت گردد.Background and Aims: EPA classifies dust from electric arc furnaces as hazardous waste. The purpose of this study was to measure the amount of heavy metals in dust and to investigate the removal of organic pollutants using this hazardous waste.  Materials and Methods: Dust samples were collected from the Esfarayen Steel Plant by coordinating the factory management. Following digestion of samples by Aqua regia solution in the laboratory, the concentration of heavy metals was measured using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. To determine the rate of heavy metals recovery from the dust, distilled water was used with different pH of 11, 7, 5, 3, and 1. In addition, UV-spectrophotometry was used to investigate the ability of dust to adsorb organic pollutants. All stages of this research were conducted ethically. Results: The average concentration of heavy metals in dust, in mg/kg, was obtained as iron> magnesium> zinc> manganese> nickel> lead> copper> cadmium> cobalt. The leaching study of this waste showed that cobalt metal ion has the highest leaching levels at different pH levels. Methylene Blue, Eriochrome Black T, Rhodamine, and Dexamethasone had the highest amount of adsorption by dust among the organic pollutants studied. Conclusion: The present study showed that the recovery of iron concentrates in comparison with other metals is convenient and cost effective. Furthermore, the electric arc furnace dust can be used as a suitable inexpensive adsorben

Assessing of oil pollution in suburbs of Shahid Tondgoian Oil Storage in Zanjan Province (July 2020)

Background: Soils have a key role in establishment and growth of biota and also are as a natural resource, national capital and life substrate in any country. Therefore, every contamination can be transferred from soils to higher food levels with its negative impacts. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to investigate oil pollution in soils caused by the establishment of Shahid Tondgovian Oil Storage in Zanjan province. The depot has three storage tanks with capacity of 47, 35 and 26 million liters of oil and gasoline and kerosene, respectively. Methods: Soil samples were collected from a depth of 5-15 cm at 20 sites and the values ​​of EC, pH and PAHs were measured. Then T-test was used to compare the results with standards and control sites. Results: The mean of pH and EC results were 8.24 and 281 µ/cm, respectively. The results showed PAHs values ​​were lower than the standard and there was no statistically significant difference between the study sites and the control one (P > 0.05). Also, the amount of benzo (a) pyrene compound, used as an indicator of total PAHs to study carcinogenic effects, was lower than standard in study area. Therefore, there is no health risk for the oil residents in collected samples from Shahid Tondgoian Oil Storage. Conclusion: Currently, oil pollution is not observed in the soils around the study area and there is no health risk for the residents in the suburbs

Application of imidazole modified clinochlore for adsorption of ibuprofen residues from polluted water: preparation, characterization, kinetic and thermodynamic studies

The contamination of water resources with various pharmaceutical residues confirms the importance of developing their removal methods by introducing new efficient adsorbents. In this study, the potential of imidazole modified clinochlore (Im@clin) as a new adsorbent for removal of Ibuprofen (IBP) from polluted water was assessed. The characterization studies of synthesized Im@clin by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), SEM-mapping, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirms that the Im@clin is convenient for adsorption. Then, the adsorption capacity of synthesized Im@clin was assessed with regard to removing ibuprofen under different conditions such as varying pH levels of IBP solutions (2–11), initial IBP concentrations (5–200 mg L−1), contact time (5–60 min), and the amount of Im@clin as adsorbent (1.7–33.3 g L−1). The results demonstrate that maximum adsorption capacity of Im@clin for removal of IBP in aqueous solutions is 5.8 mg g−1. The pseudo-second-order and the Langmuir model successfully represented the adsorption kinetic and isotherm of procedure. The thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG0 (the Gibbs free-energy difference), ΔH0 (Enthalpy change difference), and ΔS° (Entropy change difference) are calculated. The endothermic nature (ΔH0 16.19 kJ mol−1) and spontaneous nature (Gibbs free energy change, ΔG0 − 2.03 kJ mol−1) of the IBP adsorption process by Im@clin were confirmed and this process is entropy derived (ΔS0 0.06 kJ mol−1).The authors are grateful to Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS) Research Council, Zanjan University and Iran National Science Foundation (INSF-Grant number of 4000252) for support of this work. We also gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) (projects CTQ2013-43446-P and CTQ2014-51912-REDC), the Spanish Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER, EU) (projects CTQ2016-76782-P and CTQ2016-81797-REDC), the Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEOII/2014/017) and the University of Alicante

The Survey of hydro-geochemical and health related of water quality in Ramian city, Golestan province

Background and Purpose: Investigation of water quality is an important step for the suitable use of water resources in order to drinking and irrigation. Water quality affects agriculture programming.  Hence the need of the study of water quality is strongly considered in the water resources management. Material and Methods: In this study Hydro-geochemical quality of ground water resources in the Ramian city -Golestan province has been studied for drinking and agriculture purpose. For this purpose, 15 qualitative characteristics of the 13 wells of Golestan province in two dry and wet seasons in 2011-2012 were analyzed by Aua Chem and Aq-qa. Results: The results showed that the ground water in the study area is classified in hard and very hard water. The original cations and anions in water are Ca2+> Mg2+> Na+ and HCO3-> Cl-> SO42-. Based on hydro-chemical diagram the dominant of water type is classified as Ca-HCO3. Salinity index of water indicated that more samples in two seasons are in the middle class. According to Schuler and Wilcox groundwater quality index, they are moderate suitable for agricultural and drinking consumption and in for agricultural purpose and 77% cases are in C3-S1 category. Conclusion: The results show that too much salt is one of the most important problems of water supply in the Ramian city for irrigation. This reduced plant growth or even stops the growth of some plant. If water resources in this area do not manage, after shortly time the soil will be suffered and polluted

Selective Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Lead Ions Using Newly Synthesized Extractant 2-(Dibutylcarbamoyl)benzoic Acid

A new carboxylic acid extractant, named 2-(dibutylcarbamoyl)benzoic acid, is prepared and its potential for selective solvent extraction and recovery of lead ions from industrial samples was investigated. The slope analysis indicated that the lead ions are extracted by formation of 1:2 metal to ligand complexes. The effect of the parameters influencing the extraction efficiency including kind of the organic diluent, extractant concentration, type of the salt used for ionic strength adjustment, contact time and temperature was evaluated and discussed. Under optimized conditions (aqueous phase: 5 ml, initial lead concentration 1 × 10-4 M, pH 4, sodium chloride 0.1 M; organic phase: 5 ml dichloromethane, ligand concentration 0.05 M), a quantitative (75.2 ± 0.8%) and highly selective extraction of lead ions in the presence of zinc, nickel, cobalt and cadmium ions (each 1 × 10-4 M) was achieved, after 20 min. magnetically stirring of the phases, at      25 °C. The extracted lead ions were stripped from the organic phase by diluted nitric acid (0.1 M) solution. The proposed method was successfully applied for separation of lead from industrial samples. The study of the effect of temperature allowed evaluating the thermodynamic parameters of the extraction process of lead ions by the studied extractant into dichloromethane