Mohammad Reza Samaei; Mohammad hasan Ehrampoush; Hoshang Maleknia; Zahra Elhamiyan; Ebrahim Shahsavani; Asghar Ebrahimi
Volume 4, Issue 2 , April 2016, , Pages 83-88
Abstract
Background: Heavy metals have destructive and irreversible effects on the human, plants and animals. Some industries in Yazd enter industrial wastewater to municipal wastewater collection system. This can lead to high levels of heavy metals in wastewater and in turn in the wastewater treatment plant ...
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Background: Heavy metals have destructive and irreversible effects on the human, plants and animals. Some industries in Yazd enter industrial wastewater to municipal wastewater collection system. This can lead to high levels of heavy metals in wastewater and in turn in the wastewater treatment plant effluent. Methods: This study was carried out during four months from December 22, 2009 to May 20, 2010. The experiment was performed on the inflow, outlet of anaerobic pond and first and second facultative ponds of wastewater treatment plant and then transferred to the laboratory and measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results: The results of the experiments showed that the average cadmium concentrations in the inflow, anaerobic pond outlet, and first and second facultative pond outlet were 0.0066, 0.0087, 0.0076, and 0.0083μg/l, respectively. The average amounts of chromium in the inflow, anaerobic pond outlet, and first and second facultative pond outlet were 0.0076, 0.0065, 0.0043, and 0.0056 μg/l, respectively. Cadmium concentration in the effluent was higher than standard. Conclusion: The comparison of the obtained data with Iranian standards for wastewater treatment for reuse in irrigation shows that the cadmium concentration exceeded the standard and the chromium concentration was lower than the standard. Therefore, it is not suitable for reuse in the crop farms and aquatic life.
Masoud Neghab; Parisa Azad; marzieh Honarbakhsh; Fatemeh Zarei; Ebrahim Ghaderi
Volume 3, Issue 3 , July 2015, , Pages 119-124
Abstract
Background: Despite wide application of chromium in electroplating industry, the pulmonary effects of chronic exposure to this chemical have not been extensively studied and are subject of debate and controversy. This study was, therefore, undertaken to further address this issue. Methods: The study ...
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Background: Despite wide application of chromium in electroplating industry, the pulmonary effects of chronic exposure to this chemical have not been extensively studied and are subject of debate and controversy. This study was, therefore, undertaken to further address this issue. Methods: The study population consisted of a group of 15 workers with a history of past and present occupational exposure to chromium mists and 15 unexposed healthy subjects (referent). Subjects were interviewed, respiratory symptom questionnaires were filled out for them, and their parameters of pulmonary function (PFT) were measured during the shift and a few days after exposure ceased. Results: Both groups were similar as to the number of smokers, their length of smoking, and demographic factors such as age, weight and height. Although the unexposed group, on average, were slightly older than their exposed counterparts, statistical analysis of the data revealed that symptoms such as productive cough, phlegm, wheezing and shortness of breath were significantly (P<0.05) more prevalent among the exposed workers. Furthermore, the parameters of pulmonary function (PFT) of the exposed workers, while at work, were significantly lower than those of referent individuals. Interestingly, PFT of the exposed subjects generally showed some improvement a few days after their exposure ceased. However, despite this relative recovery, the differences of PFT values between the exposed and referent groups, from statistical point of view, remained significant. Conclusion: Our data support the proposition that exposure to chromium mists induces abnormal respiratory symptoms as well as both acute, partially reversible and chronic irreversible lung functional impairments.