Environmental Health Engineering and Management Journal

9-14

Authors: Sri Slamet Mulyati, Nia Yuniarti Hasan, Ade Kamaludin, Redi Yudha Irianto, Salma Aripin

Background: Inappropriate management of textile wastewater results in environmental pollution. To counter this, biofilters or biofilm systems serve as alternatives. Biofilters work like a filter, with a media stack that aids in the filtration process. In this study, pozzolan and sawdust were used as media. The present study aimed to identify the difference in average color content, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and chromium of textile wastewater after passing through a single biofilter versus a combination biofilter. Methods: This study employs a post-test with a control design experimental research design. The research population is the total textile wastewater produced by the X industry located in Cimahi city, Indonesia. The grab sampling technique was employed to collect 30 L of textile wastewater for each treatment using both the single biofilter (composed solely of sawdust) and the combination biofilter (mixture of sawdust and pozzolan). Results: There are significant differences in color, COD, and chromium content averages between single and combined biofilter treatments, supported by P values of 0.012, 0.004, and 0.010. The single biofilter exhibited higher percentage reductions in color and chromium (14.25% and 90.83%, respectively) compared to the combination biofilter. In contrast, the combination biofilter achieved a remarkable COD reduction of up to 79.45%compared to the single biofilter. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the single biofilter had a higher capacity to remove color and chromium compared to the combination biofilter. Meanwhile, the combination biofilter was found to be more effective in removing COD compared to the single biofilter.

25-30

Authors: Habib Ansari Samani, Masumeh Rouzbahani, Hadis Dalvandi, Reza Sadeghi

Background: Despite the detrimental environmental and distributional effects of economic activity in Iran, these effects are not uniform across provinces. Environmental degradation and income inequality are increasing in some provinces of Iran. This study aimed to determine the causal relationship between environmental degradation and income inequality in provinces. It investigates whether environmental degradation is a cause or consequence of income inequality. Methods: Data were collected from official statistical publications in Iran. Then, two simultaneous regression models were estimated to investigate the causal relationship between environmental degradation and income inequality. Finally, Granger causality tests were performed to verify the results. Results: The results show a one-way causality from income inequality to environmental degradation, and environmental degradation is not the cause of income inequality. While income inequality leads to environmental degradation, other factors are at play in causing income inequality. Income inequality, per capita gross domestic product (GDP), and industrial structure increase environmental degradation. Energy intensity, education, and environmental government budget reduce environmental degradation. Environmental degradation, education, and per capita GDP negatively impact income inequality, while the environmental protection budget and taxation worsen income inequality. Conclusion: To reduce environmental pollution and income inequality, policies should be adopted that aim to improve the level of education, increase per capita income, increase the budget for environmental protection, reduce polluting industrial structure, and reduce energy intensity. Also, attention should be paid to better management and improvement of the quality of life in different regions of the country to improve the compatibility of different parts of the society with the environment.

39-50

Authors: Makkiyah Abdulhssein Hammood, Atefeh Chamani, Soheil Sobhanardakani

Background: Heavy metals (HMs) are toxic pollutants whose concentrations in confined spaces might cause severe health impacts. This study aimed to determine the concentration and health risk of As, Cd, Co, Pb, Mn, Ni, and V in indoor household dust in Isfahan during 2022-2023. Methods: Ninety dust samples were collected from 30 sampling homes. After preparation and acid digestion of the samples in the laboratory, the concentrations of the elements were determined using the ICP-OES method and analyzed statistically. Results: Except for Pb, the HMs’ mean concentrations were significantly lower than the permissible limit (P < 0.050). The maximum daily exposure through ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact for children and adults were 66.1 and 79.1 mg/kg/d, respectively, with Pb as the relevant element in both groups. Furthermore, the maximum lifetime daily exposure doses of 8-10 × 26.1 mg/kg/d belonged to Pb. The maximum non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk values through direct ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact were 4.83 × 1-10 and 1.40 × 8-10 for children and 5.23 × 2-10 and 7.91 × 9-10 for adults, which were associated with Pb in both groups. Conclusion: The results showed that the HMs content in indoor household dust in Isfahan followed a decreasing trend of Pb > Mn > Ni > V > As > Co > Cd. Moreover, direct ingestion followed by dermal contact and inhalation were the most important exposure pathways to the HMs-contaminated dust for both children and adults.

61-70

Authors: Hadjira Benhedid, Mansour Achour, Mustapha Daddi Bouhoun

Background: Heavy metals are one of the most harmful groundwater contaminants due to their toxicity and persistence in the environment. This study aimed to assess the impacts of heavy metals on the quality of groundwater within the M’Zab Valley used for human consumption and irrigation and its potential impact on public health. Methods: In this study, the samples taken from eight phreatic aquifer wells situated along the M’Zab Valley, from upstream to downstream, were analyzed, and chronic daily intake (CDI) of cadmium, hazard quotient (HQ), and target organ risk (TOR) for the kidney were computed for child, infant, and adult age groups. Results: It was revealed that the superficial aquifer water is of poor quality and frequently exceeds the drinking water standards, particularly for Cd, Cr, and Zn, which poses a health risk for inhabitants. The study found that the CDI values for Cd for each age group (infants, children, and adults) were below the safe limit established by the World Health Organization (WHO), but the data reveals that the concentration of the HQ is considerably greater in infants than in children and adult groups, considering that infants have the highest estimated daily intake of Cd and TOR for the kidney. Thus, infants may be exposed to a greater health risk associated with cadmium exposure. Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, continuous monitoring of water quality and treatment measures to reduce elevated pollutant levels that harm human health are strongly advised to preserve and safeguard groundwater quality from various forms of pollution.

83-92

Authors: Neamatollah Jaafarzadeh, Sedigheh Nouhjah, Hajieh Shahbazian, Bamshad Shenavar

Background: Despite the serious impacts of air pollution on human health, few studies have focused on the adverse effects of air pollution on pregnancy outcomes based on the geographic information system (GIS) approach. Therefore, adopting the GIS approach, this study aimed to determine the extent to which of overlap of air pollution hotspots overlap with gestational diabetes density in Ahvaz, an airpolluted metropolis in Iran. Methods: Data from an ongoing population-based cohort study was used for gestational diabetes mapping. Three methods were used for air pollution assessment. The inverse distance weighting (IDW) technique was used for spatial interpolation. ArcGIS10.8 was used for preparing maps. Results: The lowest rate of gestational diabetes was estimated in District One (2.4%) while the highest rate was observed in Districts Six and Four (20.6% and 20.2%, respectively). As far as air pollution was concerned, 32.6% of mothers with gestational diabetes were residents in low-risk areas whereas 67.4% lived in high-risk areas. A higher density of gestational diabetes was estimated in high-risk air-polluted districts based on any method of air pollution assessment. Conclusion: The density of gestational diabetes incidence increased with residence in air-polluted areas. Residence in more polluted areas is a higher risk factor for developing gestational diabetes and its complications. Providing preventive services in these areas is a priority.

105-125

Authors: Mohammad Ali Zazouli, Zabihollah Yousefi, Esmaeil Babanezhad, Reza Ali Mohammadpour, Alireza Ala

Background: Leachate, containing challenging-to-degrade organic substances and persistent toxins, poses significant environmental concerns. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have emerged as a promising solution for effective leachate treatment. This research provides a comprehensive review of the impact of various AOPs in leachate treatment. Methods: This systematic review was conducted, encompassing commonly used AOPs such as ozone, peroxone, O3/catalyst, Fenton, photo-Fenton, UV/TiO2, photolytic persulfate, O3/UV, and O3/H2O2/ UV. Extensive searches were performed using reputable databases, including EBSCO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Specific keywords and inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied. Data regarding leachate treatment parameters were meticulously summarized and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Results: The efficiency of AOPs in removing leachate organic matter varied, with chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal ranging from 41% to 83% in treatment systems. The order of effectiveness was found to be: O3/UV/H2O2 > photo-Fenton > UV/TiO2 > Fenton > persulfate (PS) > O3/UV > O3/H2O2 > O3/ catalyst > ozonation (O3). The highest COD removal efficiency of 83.75% was achieved using the O3/UV/ H2O2 AOP approach. The removal efficiency of color also varied, ranging from 32% to 100%, depending on the leachate’s characteristics, concentration, and specific treatment process utilized. Conclusion: AOPs, particularly the hybrid approach using O3/UV/H2O2, significantly enhance waste leachate treatment by effectively degrading persistent organic compounds through the generation of hydroxyl radicals. Further research is required to optimize AOPs and improve their efficiency in waste leachate treatment.