Iranica Journal of Energy and Environment (IJEE)

86-91

Authors: N. Awang, S. A. Azmi

Air pollution is defined as the presence of any air pollutants in the air that have the potential to cause health effect or cause harm to the environment. This study was conducted to investigate the exposure levels to air pollutants among workers in a depot, and the relationship between the exposure levels and the respiratory level of the workers in the depot. The methods used in this study included measuring the concentration of air pollutants namely CO, CO2, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), PM10 and two types of heavy metals namely lead (PB) and arsenic (As). Lung function test was also done for workers who were exposed. Three sampling points were chosen to measure the concentrations of air pollutants, namely Loco, power generating car (PGC) and coach lines. Kuala Lumpur Central Office Depot was selected as the control station. Low volume sampler and sampling devices were used to measure the concentration of the air pollutants. This study found that there were three air pollutants with concentrations exceeding the standard limits of suspended particles PM10, lead, and arsenic. The highest concentrations of PM10 and Pb recorded were in the PGC line with 0.49 ± 0.03 mg/m3 and 160 ± 5.13 μg/m3, respectively. The highest concentration of As recorded was in coach line with 36.00 ± 15.50 μg/m3. Statistical test results showed that only the concentration of As had a significant difference between the sampling stations. For the lung function test, the values of forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) for the exposed group were below normal. These findings showed that the depot workers had a lower respiratory level compared to the workers at the depot office. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between spirometry diagnosis of employees who had served more than ten years and spirometry diagnosis of employees who had served for ten years and less. In conclusion, the depot workers who had long exposure to air pollutants had low respiratory levels.

98-102

Authors: A. A. Alexeev, A.S. Syromyatnikova, K. N. Bolshev, A. M. Bolshakov, A. R. Ivanov

In this article, fracturing in large-scale metal structures such as main gas pipelines, fuel and oil tanks operated in Arctic were investigated. It is shown that catastrophic accidents involved in large thin-walled metal structures in large diameter pipelines, tanks and pressure vessels. The fractures occurred not only due to stretch propagation of brittle or viscous fractures, but also followed branching that leads to fragmented fractures with simultaneous movement of many cracks. The character of the fracture depends on the level of the fracture strength. At high levels cracks propagated at a high speed by a mechanism of separation; as a result of crack branching fragment damage occurred. At low level, cracks propagate at a low speed by a cutting mechanism; that does not cause extensive fracturing. The cracks may cause structural and environmental damages.

111-118

Authors: R. Jain, V. Garg

Pesticides poses great threat to the environmental sustainability by affecting its microbial flora and fauna. Fungi are well known for the secretion of extracellular hydrolases for the degradation of these hazardous chemicals from its ambient environment. Hydrolase secreting soil fungi Penicillium aculeatum ITCC 7980.10 was selected for the study of its monocrotophos degrading efficiency under in vitro conditions in phosphorus free liquid culture medium. Fungal strain was molecularly characterized by 18S rDNA analysis as Penicillium aculeatum JQ660374. Monocrotophos degrading efficiency of the isolate was studied under optimum conditions each, at an interval of 5 days for 15 days incubation period. The isolated strain possessed meagre extracellular phosphatase activity 28.33 ± 0.40 U which resulted in the formation of 614.62 ± 0.38 μg ml-1 inorganic phosphates. Degradation process was studied by spectrophotometric analysis at 254nm, HPTLC and FTIR. Spectrophotometric analysis revealed 98.88% degradation of monocrotophos with a prominent decrease in the standard peak of monocrotophos (standard rf 0.19- 0.21) within 15 days of incubation as evident by HPTLC chromatograms. Molecular mechanism as studied by FTIR analysis revealed hydrolytic cleavage of vinyl bond with the formation of PO–4. Degradation of monocrotophos followed first order kinetics with the rate constant (kdeg) of 0.0115 day-1 and half life of 2.53 days. The results of the study conclude that Penicillium aculeatum JQ660374 could be used as an efficient candidate for the detoxification of monocrotophos contaminated sites.

127-133

Authors: M. Derradji, L. Souiki, A.H. Belaze, A. Alayat, H. Berrebbah, M.R. Djebar

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the physicochemical quality of urban sewage from the Annaba region and to recommend appropriate treatment for their reuse and reducing their harmful receptors such as Boukhadra (Site 1), El Bouni (Site 2) and Oued Forcha (Site 3). Analysis carried out for duration of one year (from March 2012 till February 2013). It was revealed that as an organic pollution resulted in a high BOD5 and COD which can reach respectively (140.66 ± 26.62 mg/l of O2) and (298.83 ± 84.40 mg/l of O2) in Site 1, Site 2 is (147.16 ± 33.10 mg/l of O2) for BOD5, and (280 ± 55.67 mg/l of O2) for COD and in site 3 the pollution load is represented by BOD5 (149.5 ± 22.71 mg/l of O2) and COD (287.33 ± 19.09 mg/l of O2). Regarding the TSS, their annual average in three sites were 352.83, 340.83 and 369.26 mg/l, respectively. The reported data were far exceeded the Algerian standard (50 mg/l). The annual average ratio BOD5/ COD for sites 1, 2 and 3 were in the order of 0.47, 0.52 and 0.5, respectively. These results lead the conclusion that the three sewage sites were polluted by organic pollution which was characterized by partially degradable.

141-146

Authors: Md P. Abdullah, Y.F. Abdul Aziz, M. Rozali Othman, W.M.A. Wan Mohd Khalik

The occurrence of organochlorine pesticide (OCPs) residues in surface water of Bertam and Terla River, Cameron Highlands was investigated. Monitoring work was carried out starting from August to December 2014 consisted of six stations. Nine of organochlorine residues were detected throughout that period of study, namely aldrin, heptachlor epoxide, endosulfan II, endosulfan sulfate, methoxychlor, endrin ketone, 4,4'-DDE, beta and gamma HCH. The level concentration of pollutant were found to be in the order endrin ketone (mean 0.317 μgL-1)> beta HCH (0.153 μgL-1)> endosulfan sulfate (0.112 μgL-1)> endosulfan II (0.072 μgL-1)> aldrin (0.071 μgL-1)> methoxychlor (0.06 μgL-1)> heptachlor epoxide (0.023 μgL-1)> 4,4'-DDE (0.011 μgL-1)> gamma HCH (<0.002 μgL-1). The highest total organochlorine residue is detected at 0.955 μgL-1. The highest concentrations for compounds namely methoxychlor (0.06 μgL-1), endrin ketone (0.63 μgL-1) and 4,4'-DDE (0.018 μgL-1) were found at station S2 (Kuala Terla). An analysis in tap water (station S5; Brinchang town) also found some compounds namely aldrin, endosulfan II, endrin ketone and 4,4'-DDE to be within the range of 0.008 to 0.18 μgL-1. To mitigate this present status from continuing to become worse, improving water quality for water supply or reuse for agriculture purpose in Cameron Highlands must be put in high priority among all stakeholders.