Samira Barakat

Investigating the relationship of mental health with job stress and burnout in workers of metal industries

Introduction: Since job stress and burnout are considered as basic factors in reducing efficacy and engendering physical and mental side effects, the present study was conducted with the aim of determining the mental health state and its relationship with job stress and burnout. Methods: The present study is a descriptive-analytical one which uses a cross-sectional design. In line with the research objectives, 125 workers of the metal industry were randomly selected. To collect data, the Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire, the US Institute of Mental Health Job Stress Questionnaire, and Maslach Job Burnout Inventory (with Chronbachs alpha coefficients of 0.89, 0.92, and 0.86, respectively) were used. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-20. Results: The mean scores of mental health, job stress, and burnout are 47.97 ± 10.8, 147.54 ± 17.8, and 54.69 ± 13.94, respectively. According to Pearson correlation coefficient, mental health has a direct correlation with job stress and burnout. It means that by increasing the degree of job stress and burnout, the mental health state was unfavorable. Conclusions: Regarding the results of the present study in which there is a direct correlation between mental stress on job stress and burnout. If job stress and burnout in workplaces are not identified and controlled, they have negative effects on general health. Therefore, by identifying the resources and reasons of occurring job stress and burnout, and presenting practical and applied strategies for coping with and preventing the occurrence of job stress and burnout can supply and retain general health of the workers in workplaces.

Investigation of TiO 2 /zeolite photocatalytic activity for Safranin dye removal of aqueous solution

Aims: This study was aimed to determine the TiO 2 /zeolite photocatalytic activity for removing red Safranin dye form aqueous phase. Materials and Methods: In this study, TiO 2 nanoparticles were produced using sol-gel method and 2.5 ml sol-gel was coated on 1.2222 g of zeolite. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were applied to specify the structure and morphology of TiO 2 nanoparticles. The effect of TiO 2 coating on zeolite, ultraviolet (UV) radiation intensity, initial concentration of dye and the type of photocatalyst substrate (fixed and moving) on photocatalytic process was investigated. Results: According to XRD results, the TiO 2 nanoparticles had two phases including anatase (80.5%) and rutile (19.5%). The uniformity of nanoparticles was obvious in the SEM images. The removal efficiency of TiO 2 coated on zeolite was higher than TiO 2 photocatalysis with increasing UV radiation intensity from 2.4 w/m 2 to 3.9 w/m 2 , the photocatalytic efficiency was also enhanced. The removal efficiency decreased from 91.61% to 77.91% by increasing the red Safranin dye concentration from 10 mg/L to 50 mg/L. The moving bed of TiO 2 /zeolite photocatalyst had a higher efficiency than the fixed bed. Conclusion: In over all, the TiO 2 /zeolite photocatalyst was much more effective than TiO 2 photocatalyst for Safranin dye removal from the aqueous phase. With increasing UV radiation intensity and decreasing dye concentration photocatalytic efficiency, was improved. TiO 2 /zeolite photocatalyst with fixed bed is recommended to be used in water treatment. The most important problem of using moving-bed TiO 2 /zeolite photocatalyst in the water treatment is opacity.

The photocatalytic removal of azo dye by nickel-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles coated on Iranian natural zeolite clinoptilolite fixed substrate

Aims: The purpose of this study was to remove azonium compound using the photocatalytic property of nickel (Ni)-doped titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles coated on Iranian natural zeolite. Materials and Methods: Nickel-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles with the molar ratios of 0, 0.17, 2, 9% Ni/TiO 2 were prepared via the sol-gel process and coated on Iranian natural zeolite clinoptilolite (CLI). Afterward, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma studies were conducted to describe Ni and titanium. Photocatalytic removal of azo dye in concentrations of 25 and 50 mg/L was performed by fixing the composite under ultraviolet irradiation. Results: TiO 2 nanoparticles in both the anatase and rutile phases were obtained via the sol-gel method with the ratios of 86.33%, (34.44 nm particle size) and 13.67% (18 nm particle size) and were then coated on Iranian natural CLI zeolite. The results indicated that the photocatalytic removal efficiency of the 9% Ni/TiO 2 -CLI samples, in which the azo dye concentrations were 25 and 50 mg/L, was 93% and 79% at 160 min. In addition, the composition of the 9% Ni/TiO 2 -CLI possessed the greatest removal rate difference of azo dye at the concentrations of 25 and 50 mg/L. Conclusion: Application of Iranian CLI as a substrate is the most cost-effective way to increase the photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, adding Ni to TiO 2 can increase the photocatalyst removal efficiency of azonium compound.