Amir Mohammadi

Human health impact assessment of exposure to particulate matter: an AirQ software modeling

The aim of this study was to assess the health impacts related to particulate matter less than 10xa0μm (PM10) exposure in the city of Yazd, Iran. For this aim, AirQ 2.2.3 software was used to model relationship between short-term exposure to PM10 and disease cases proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The annual mean concentration of PM10 was 97xa0μg/m3. The maximum concentration value of PM10 was measured during the summer (731xa0μg/m3). 4.988% (95%CI: 3.381–6.542%) of the total mortality, 7.3% (95%CI; 4.19–10.21%) of cardiovascular mortality, and 10.21% (95%CI; 4.19–14.89%) of respiratory mortality were related to the PM10 concentrations. Consequently, the AirQ software can provide valuable information about the importance of air pollution and the substantial impacts of PM10 on the society for policymakers.

Removing heavy metals from Isfahan composting leachate by horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland.

Composting facility leachate usually contains high concentrations of pollutants including heavy metals that are seriously harmful to the environment and public health. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate heavy metals removal from Isfahan composting facility (ICF) leachate by a horizontal flow constructed wetland (HFCWs) system. Two horizontal systems were constructed, one planted with vetiver and the other without plant as a control. They both operated at a flow rate of 24xa0L/day with a 5-day hydraulic retention time (HRT). The average removal efficiencies for Cr (53xa0%), Cd (40xa0%), Ni (35xa0%), Pb (30xa0%), Zn (35xa0%), and Cu (40xa0%) in vetiver constructed wetland were significantly higher than those of the control (Pu2009<u20090.05). Accumulations of heavy metals in roots were higher than shoots. Cd and Zn showed the highest and the lowest bioconcentration factor (BCF), respectively. Vetiver tolerates the extreme condition in leachate including high total dissolved solids.

A time series analysis of environmental and metrological factors impact on cutaneous leishmaniasis incidence in an endemic area of Dehloran, Iran

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the environmental and metrological variables and cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) transmission and its prediction in a region susceptible to this disease prevalence using a time series model. The accurate locations of 4437 CL diagnosed from 2011 to 2015 were obtained to be used in the time series model. Temperature, number of days with temperature over 30xa0°C, and number of earthquake were related to CL incidence using the Seasonal Auto-correlated Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model according to the Box-Jenkins method. In addition, the relationship between land use and surface soil type in 500- and 1000-m radius around the CL patients were investigated. The SARIMA models showed significant associations between environmental and meteorological variables and CL incidence adjusted for seasonality and auto-correlation. The result indicated that there are need more robust preventive programs in earthquake-prone areas with high temperature and inceptisol soil type than other areas. In addition, the region with these characteristics should be considered as high-risk areas for CL prevalence.

Cardiovascular, respiratory, and total mortality ascribed to PM10and PM2.5exposure in Isfahan, Iran

BACKGROUND: Air pollution is an important environmental issue due to its proven serious impacts on human health. The aim of this study was to estimate the attribution of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameters of ≤ 2.5 and 10 (PM2.5 and PM10) in the prevalence of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and premature deaths in Isfahan in 2013–2014. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive, ecological study was conducted to assess health impacts of PM2.5 and PM10 on the population using Air Q2.2.3 software, suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO). RESULTS: The results showed that the annual mean, winter mean, summer mean, and the 98 percentile of PM10 concentration in Isfahan were 108, 100, 116, and 264 μg/m3, respectively. The number of deaths per year related to PM2.5 was 670 and that for PM10 was 713 cases. The number of annual deaths due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases attributed to PM10 was 316 and 68 cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed that about 44.3% of total annual death due to cardiovascular diseases and 9.55% of that due to respiratory diseases were attributed to PM10 exposure. In the other word, residents were exposed to PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations higher than the WHO guidelines which caused a notable increase in the rate of mortality.