Journal of Environmental Health and Sustainable Development

Microplastics: A Boon or a Bane?

2024-04-07T08:58:40+00:00

The Article Abstract is not available.

Application of Rodenticides for the Control of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Iran: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2024-04-07T09:00:23+00:00

Introduction: Rodent control programs have a long history of controlling zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in Iran. The present systematic review reports the effect of rodenticides in reducing ZCL in Iran.

Materials and Methods: Various electronic databases were explored for reliable research using appropriate keywords between January 1970 and September 2023. Relevant studies were included based on the inclusion criteria. All articles identified from the systematic search were added into Endnote X9 (Clarivate Analytics) and duplicate articles were removed. This study followed standard procedures for systematic reviews and reported results according to systematic reviews guidelines.

Results: Overall, 637 documents were identified after screening based on the PRISMA checklist, and finally, 13 papers were included in this systematic review. The findings indicated that most of studies used zinc phosphide (2.5%) and Klerat® mixed with wheat grains in rodents control programs in Iran. The results showed that rodent control programs were implemented in five provinces of Iran, including Esfahan, Yazd, Semana, Golestan, Kermanshah, and Fars, with the highest number of studies in Esfahan province. According to results, the incidence rate of ZCL significantly reduced after rodenticide implementation.

Conclusion: This review study provides a better understanding of rodent control programs trends as a promising and practical approach to reducing ZCL incidence in Iran over the past 50 years and can serve as a reference for planning future control and research programs.

Investigating the Effects of Music and Temperature Changes on Heart Function and Human Error

2024-04-07T09:01:40+00:00

Introduction: Exposure to music and temperature variations can influence physiological state and impact human error. This study aims to investigate the combined and independent effects of music and temperature changes on heart rate (HR) and human error.

Materials and Methods: This interventional study was conducted on 14 participants (7 men and 7 women) under controlled conditions in 2018. The subjects experienced four types of music (Rock, Rap, Pop, and Iranian traditional music) at the noise pressure level of 75 dB, along with temperatures of 20, 25, and 30 °C independently and in combination, within an acoustic room with controlled temperature conditions. HR and human error rate were measured using a HR meter and a researcher-made text with spelling mistakes, respectively.

Results: Using SPSS 19, data analysis revealed that exposure to traditional Iranian and rock music in temperatures deviating by 5 °C from 25 °C was associated with increased errors in detecting spelling mistakes (p < 0.05). Interestingly, traditional and rock music did not significantly affect HR across temperatures of 20, 25, and 30 °C (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Listening to traditional Iranian and rock music in conditions with approximately 5 °C cooler or warmer than room temperature can have a positive and constructive effect on HR and reduce human error. The use of this type of music has potential implications for optimizing environmental conditions, especially in workplaces where such factors are critical.

Determining Effective Factors Regarding Weather and Some Types of Air Pollutants in Seasonal Changes of PM10 Concentration Using Tree-Based Algorithms in Yazd City

2024-04-07T09:02:16+00:00

Introduction: This study was carried out with the aim of determining weather parameters and air pollutants affecting seasonal changes of particulate matter of less than 10 microns (PM₁₀) in Yazd city using Random Forest (RF) and extreme gradient boosting (Xgboost) models.

Materials and Methods: The required data was obtained from 2018 to 2022. Levene’s test was applied to investigate the significant difference in the variance of PM₁₀values in 4 different seasons, and Boruta algorithm was used to select the best predictive variables. RF and Xgboost models were trained using two-thirds of the input data and were tested using the remaining data set. Their performance was evaluated based on R², Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and Nash–Sutcliffe Model Efficiency Coefficient (NSE).

Results: The RF showed a higher performance in predicting PM₁₀in all the study seasons (R²> 0.85; RMSE < 22). The contribution of dust concentration and relative humidity in spring PM₁₀ changes was more than other variables. For summer, wind direction and ozone were identified as the most important variables affecting PM₁₀ concentration. In the autumn and winter, air pollutants and dust concentration had the greatest effect on PM₁₀, respectively.

Conclusion: RF model could explain more than 85% of PM₁₀seasonal variability in Yazd city. It is recommended to use the model to predict the changes of this air pollutant in other regions with similar climatic and environmental conditions. The results can also be useful for providing suitable solutions to reduce PM₁₀ pollution hazards in Yazd city

Awareness, Attitude, and Performance of Residents in Using Disinfectants to Prevent COVID-19 in 2022: a Case Study in Iran

2024-04-07T09:02:29+00:00

Introduction: It is essential to adopt preventive measures to reduce the prevalence and severity of COVID-19. Given the insufficient information about the use of disinfectants against the virus, which leads to various risks, this study aims to investigate awareness, performance, and attitudes of the residents of Yazd city regarding using disinfectants to prevent COVID-19.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, the sample consisted of 271 people residing in Yazd using convenience sampling method. The tool used was a researcher-made questionnaire, which was reliable, valid, and was divided into two parts; after that the collected data was analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests. SPSS software was used for data processing, and Amos software was used for model design.

Results: Most participants (51.3%) were female. The majority of participants (117 (43.2%)) aged between 30-40, and with an average age of 34.39 ± 9.6. The highest level of education attained by most participants was master's degree by 83 (30.6%) people. The mean and standard deviation for awareness (10.59 ± 2.7), attitude (40.74 ± 7.1), and performance (17.50 ± 5.1) were obtained. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis showed that the total effect had the greatest impact on the use of disinfectants, with performance (β = 0.032) and education (β = 0.068) having the strongest effects. Increase in disinfection and having a higher level of education increased the use of disinfectants as well.

Conclusion: As increasing people's awareness, attitude, and performance can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, implementing educational programs and timely comprehensive information dissemination about the use of disinfectants is recommended.

Evaluation of Oxidative Stress Induced by Occupational Inhalation Exposure to N2O, an Anesthetic Gas

2024-04-07T09:03:38+00:00

Introduction: Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is the most common anesthetic gas used in operating rooms. The major objective of this investigation is to measure N₂O values in two modes: first, when the ventilation system is on, and second, when it is off; and to determine the biomarkers of oxidative stress associated with this exposure among operating room personnel.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 operating room personnel as the N₂O exposed group, and on 60 nurses as the referent group. N₂O concentrations were determined according to NIOSH method 6600. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were also measured.

Results: The concentrations of N₂O in the presence and absence of ventilation systems were significantly higher than the recommended exposure limit (REL) of 25 ppm recommended by NIOSH. The levels of TAC and SOD were significantly lower in participants exposed to N₂O in comparison with the referent group. Adjusted for age, work experience, and sex, exposure to N₂O was found to be an occupational risk factor for low levels of TAC and SOD, so that exposure to N₂O reduced TAC and SOD levels by 0.16 mM and 0.75 U/ml, respectively.

Conclusion: The present study shows that the operating room personnel are exposed to levels of N₂O several times more than the REL of this gas and this heavy exposure is associated with a significant increase in oxidative stress.

Health Effects Associated with Occupational Exposure to Gamma Radiation in Aircrew: A Case Study on Mehrabad Airport in 2021

2024-04-07T09:03:58+00:00

Introduction: Aircrew is exposed to harmful levels of gamma radiation with unknown effects. This study aims to investigate occupational exposure to cosmic gamma radiation and its associated health effects among the aircrew members of Iran Airlines.

Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on the crew from four internal flights departing from Mehrabad Airport in 2021. The participants were divided into two groups of 100 aircrew members flying on low-altitude and high-altitude routes, and the history of their illnesses in the past thres years was extracted from medical records. The average annual effective dose (ED) of gamma radiation for the aircrew was measured by dosimeter (CEM DT-9501), and data analysis was done using SPSS16 software.

Results: This study found that the average annual ED of gamma rays was approximately 1.5 millisieverts higher in flight crews on high-altitude flights compared to the low-altitude ones. Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between exposure to gamma and occupational disease in the studied subjects (P < 0.05). Therefore, the risk of gastrointestinal, skin, and cardiovascular diseases was 3.55, 3.63, and 12.4 times higher for the crew on high-altitude flights compared with those on low-altitude flights.

Conclusion: High-altitude flights are associated with increased exposure to gamma radiation, leading to a threefold higher risk of occupational diseases such as gastrointestinal, skin, and cardiovascular conditions among aircrew members. These findings highlight the importance of reducing health risks of exposure to gamma rays in aviation industry and emphasize the need for preventive measures to protect the well-being of aircrew personnel.

Assessing the Rate of Recyclable Plastic Wastes and Recycling Economic Value in Hospitals of Yazd in 2022

2024-04-07T09:05:29+00:00

Introduction: Special and infectious wastes are the most significant wastes generated in hospitals, health centers, and similar facilities. Reducing and recycling such wastes at the source pose significant challenges to waste management. Therefore, this study assesses the components of healthcare waste in terms of their recyclability, emphasizing different types of plastic.

Materials and Methods: Data collection involved sampling normal and infectious waste in selected hospitals over three months using monthly checklists. The total waste generated in these hospitals was analyzed on a daily basis. Moreover, the average microbial load of infectious waste was determined through microbial strip tests and biological tests following patient companion. Tests were performed with the acceptable performance of safe hospital devices with the destruction of microorganisms.

Results: Average waste composition in the selected hospitals included 65-70% general waste and 30-35% infectious waste. The most common generated infectious waste was polyethylene (PE) sets (800 kg/month), while the predominant general waste was nylon bags for polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) packaging (520 kg/month). Hospital 1 had the highest per capita production of recyclable waste, generating 7,900 kg and 2,550 kg of normal and infectious waste per month, respectively. The total revenue generated from selling normal and infectious plastic waste was 1.4 and 0.2, respectively.

Conclusion: The mixing of waste can be prevented by properly segregating normal and infectious waste and adequate staff training. Given the escalating disposal costs of health-care waste (HCW) and the shrinking space in landfills, efforts to minimize waste generation are crucial for effective recycling and reuse processes.