An Investigation of the Linkage between Minimum Household Water Requirement and Health in the Greater Irbid Area

The quantities of water secured for humans for their daily domestic use including hydration and hygiene requirements have an effect on their health conditions. Guidance on the minimum household water requirement to assure good health is lacking. This study aims at the development of such guidance using data for daily water consumption and diarrhea incidences in children below five as an indicator for health conditions. The study area selected is the Greater Irbid area in the northern part of Jordan. Statistical analysis of these data led to the development of a mathematical relationship between the daily water consumption and diarrhea incidences. Using this relationship, a minimum household water requirement can be determined corresponding to an acceptable diarrhea incidence rate as an indication for good health conditions. Data of the study area reflect a need to increase the share of water supplied to the citizens of Greater Irbid area

Effect of Soil-Water Separation Technique on the Estimation of Bacterial Adsorption onto Soil

Adsorption is one of the most significant processes in dictating the fate of bacteria and viruses in soils. Knowledge of adsorption characteristics is, therefore, essential for the prediction of the migration path of such microorganisms. These characteristics include the adsorption capacity, soil-microorganism partitioning coefficient, the state of equilibrium and the applicable isotherm. The techniques used for the determination of those characteristics may have an effect on the outcome in terms of the parameters involved. In this study, laboratory batch experiments using a tracer bacterium, nalidixic acid resistant Escherichia coli (E.coli NAR), were carried out to study the effect of three soil-water separation techniques on determining the adsorption characteristics of bacteria onto soil. The techniques used are: centrifugation, sedimentation and filtration. The procedure involved measurements of biotracer concentration in the soil solution before and after the soil-water separation. The filtration technique was found to have the most pronounced effect on the adsorption of E.coli NAR onto soil. On the other hand, separating soil and water using the sedimentation technique gave the smallest amount of biotracer adsorption

Systematic Literature Review

Abstract This study was conducted to assess the risk of cancer associated with air pollution in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) by summarizing the existing knowledge from previous studies in the region and to identify knowledge and research gaps to support further research efforts. Combinations of search terms from three categories ("country" keywords AND 'air pollution" keywords AND "cancer" keywords) were used to search for the relevant literature published between January 2000 and June 2016 using MEDLINE and other databases. Six case-control studies and three studies of other designs had assessed the association between air pollution and cancer in the EMR and met the inclusion criteria. These studies have assessed the effect of various indoor and outdoor air pollutants on the risk of different types of cancer. In this review, cancers were classified into: lung cancer; nasopharyngeal cancer; urinary bladder cancer; overall incidence of cancer in adults; and childhood cancer incidence. Limited epidemiological studies were found in the literature that properly address cancer incidence and air pollution in the EMR countries. Outdoor air pollution was not properly addressed in the included studies. Studies showed that using fuel for heating and living near an electricity generator and diesel exhaust exposure were significant contributors to lung cancer. NO 2 has been shown to increase the risk of lung and breast cancer incidence. PAHs exposure did not increase the risk of cancer incidence. In conclusion, studies on the link between air pollution and cancer in EMR are limited to few studies in few countries. The reviewed studies have many limitations that make the evidence about the link between air pollution and cancer weak

Exposure to Air Pollution and Pregnancy Outcomes in the East Mediterranean Region: a Systematic Review

The East Mediterranean region suffers from high levels of air pollution which has a negative impact on pregnancy outcomes. This work systematically reviews the epidemiological evidence on maternal exposure to air pollution and adverse pregnancy outcomes in the region. Relevant papers and reports published between 2000 and 2014 were searched. Combinations of search terms including countries, exposures, and pregnancy outcomes were used to search for the relevant literature. Twelve articles from 6 countries met the inclusion criteria. There was a pattern of an association between outdoor air pollution and preterm birth and spontaneous abortion; indoor wood fuel smoke and birth weight; and second-hand smoke and birth weight, preterm birth, and spontaneous abortion.The quality of evidence on the impact of air pollution on pregnancy outcomes in the EMR is inadequate to form a base for future adaptation strategies and action plans. Therefore, more quality research is needed to portrait the actual situation in the regio