University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Environmental Implications Related to Natural Asbestos Occurrences in the Ophiolites of the Gimigliano-Mount Reventino Unit (Calabria, Southern Italy)40541891310.22059/ijer.2015.913ENJournal Article20150424Metabasites and serpentinites of the ophiolitic sequence of the Gimigliano-Mount Reventino Unit<br />(Calabria, southern Italy), also known as greenstones, are employed and marketed for building and ornamental<br />purposes since prehistorical times. The main topic of our research focuses on the occurrence, within the above<br />lithotypes, of asbestiform minerals that may be potentially harmful for human health. A detailed mineralogical and<br />petrographic characterization by means of Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM), X-Ray Powder Diffractometry<br />(XRPD), Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with Energy-Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM/EDS), and Thermo<br />Gravimetry together with Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TG/DSC) pointed out as asbestiform minerals may<br />occur in outcrops as well as in quarries located in surroundings of Mount Reventino. Indeed, tremolite resulted to<br />be the main constituent among the asbestos minerals contained in metabasites, followed by actinolite; moreover,<br />other amphiboles (not regulated by the Directive 2003/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the European<br />Council of 27th March 2003) detected are crossite, glaucophane, hornblende and gedrite. As far as serpentinites,<br />chrysotile is the dominant asbestos phase. Obtained results hold environmental implications, since they can be<br />used in order to take decisions for the realization of health protecting measures during human activities such as<br />road construction and quarry excavations and may also provide new data for the compulsory Italian mapping of<br />natural sites that are characterized by the presence of the asbestos commonly known as NOA (Naturally Occurring<br />Asbestos).University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Accumulation of PAHs,Me-PAHs, PCBs and totalMercury in sediments andMarine Species in CoastalAreas ofDakar, Senegal: Contamination level and impact41943291410.22059/ijer.2015.914ENJournal Article20150424Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have widely aroused public concern due to their ubiquity,<br />environmental persistence, long-range transportability, bioaccumulation capacities and potentially adverse effects<br />on living organisms. Dakar is located in the industrial zone of Senegal (80% of industrial activities) and inhabits<br />25% of Senegalese population leading to an ideal sink of these persistent organic pollutants. In the present paper,<br />Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclicAromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in sediments and<br />marine organisms. The contamination level of PAHs,Me-PAHs and PCBs in surface sediment and aquatic organisms<br />(one macroalgae, two invertebrate species, four fish species and macroalgae) were determined. The concentration<br />levels in the sediment were detected from 2 to 636 μg/kg dw for Σ16PAHs, from 3 to 31 μg/kgdw for Σ18Me-PAHs<br />and from 4 to 333 μg/kg dw for Σ28PCBs for the selected stations in Dakar costal area. PAHs concentrations<br />determined in edible tissues were lower than sediment samples. Tilapia species present the highest mean levels of<br />PAHs and Me-PAHs at 92 ± 54 and 183 ± 39 μg/kg dw respectively. For PCBs, the highest level was determined<br />in Perna perna species (up to 1228 μg/kg dw) and the lowest level was found in Penaeus kerathurus species. At<br />the base of the food chain, Ulvalactula species displayed low PCB concentrations detected at 7 ± 6 μg/kg dw. The<br />totalmercury concentration was also reported in this paper in order to complete the background of pollution degree<br />and to study the potential processes of biomagnification and/or bioaccumulation of contaminants in marine food<br />chain. Mercury concentration were detected in the sediment ranging from 5 to 95 μg/kg dw. For marine species,<br />considering all organisms, the mean concentration of mercury varies between 5 and 442 μg/kg dw. Pyrogenic<br />process was the predominant source of PAHs contamination in our sampling sites. Based on Sediments Quality<br />Guidelines (ERM–ERL/TEL–PEL approaches) rare biological adverse effects of total mercury, PCBs and PAHs<br />on aquatic ecosystems were expected in Dakar coastal area. Finally, in the context of human health, the edible<br />marine species qualities obtained from three stations of Dakar coastal areas have been also evaluated. Based on<br />the European Union legislation, the selected species present good quality for human consumption based on PCBs,<br />PAHs and mercury.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Hyperaccumulation ofCadmiumand DNAChanges in PopularVegetable, Brassica chinensis L.43343891510.22059/ijer.2015.915ENJournal Article20150424Brassica chinensis L. is a popular vegetable, especially in Asian dishes. For plant growing with<br />inorganic fertilizer, cadmium (Cd) has been one of the highest metal and health-risk factors included. This<br />research aimed to assess the bioaccumulation of Cd by the plant and its genetic changes. The plant was grown<br />in the soil supplemented by Cd at 0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 mg/kg. The accumulations in the roots, stems and<br />leaves, were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), then the Bioconcentration Factor<br />(BCF) and translocation Factor (TF) were calculated. DNA changes were accessed by random Amplified<br />polymorphic DNA (RAPD) with Genomic Template Stability (GTS) tests. The Cd accumulation in the plant<br />parts after 30 days of the treatments ranged from 80.93 to 5053.48 mg/kg, 35.53 to 2439.61 mg/kg, and 21.21 to<br />2231.02 mg/kg, respectively. The BCF and TF values ranged from 4.54 to 12.66 and 0.70 to 1.67, respectively.<br />From RAPD fingerprints, the GTS values ranged from 51.34 to 80.96%. At the highest concentration of Cd<br />supplemented (120 mg/kg), the DNA resulted in the highest changes (GTS = 51.34%). These results, including<br />BCF and TF values, also indicated that B. chinensis is a Cd-hyperaccumulator, therefore, consuming the plants<br />growing in the Cd-polluted area is a health riskUniversity of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Removal of ChromiumFromGroundwater using NeemLeaves asAdsorbent43944491610.22059/ijer.2015.916ENJournal Article20150424The effluents of tannery industries are the major source of chromium contamination in the<br />groundwater. In most of the sub-urban areas ground water is the major source of drinking water. For human<br />being Long term exposure to chromium is detrimental. The main objective of this study is to assess the<br />groundwater contamination and to adopt appropriate methods and to develop suitable techniques either to<br />prevent chromium contamination or to reduce it to very low levels with due consideration to cost optimization.<br />Bore well samples were collected from 6 location from the proximity of tannery industry at a distance of 25m<br />interval and at different depth during 2014 in the month of March. To remove the chromium from the<br />groundwater neem leaves is used as the adsorbent. The column study was conducted to determine the effect<br />of adsorbent to remove the chromium concentration from the ground water. To investigate the influences of bed<br />height on the performance of chromium adsorption on to the neem leaves in a fixed-bed column. The results<br />reveal that the concentration of chromium is high near the tannery industry in Chrompet so the study<br />concluded that usage of groundwater in Chrompet should be avoided.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Application ofDPSIR Framework for Integrated EnvironmentalAssessment of UrbanAreas:ACase Study of Tehran44545691710.22059/ijer.2015.917ENJournal Article20150424Investigating urban environmental conditions, informs us about the unsustainability and excessive<br />degradation of ecological context, which result in rising environmental concerns among the society. Classified<br />information about the status and trends of environmental components is needed as a rational tool to help urban<br />sustainable planning and SOER reports can help provide such information. Preparing the state of environment<br />report (SOER) for cities around the world has become a pervasive action and fortunately Tehran is among<br />pioneer cities in this aspect. This research is based on the results of Tehran’s second state of environment report,<br />in which different aspects of environmental problems are investigated in city of Tehran. The results show an<br />increase in environmental loads, which is evident from the rate of land cover change, water consumption and<br />waste production. Degradation of ecological environment in Tehran is severe for soil pollution, biodiversity loss<br />and climate change which can be the result of other environmental factors degradation such as air and water. In<br />the end, according to components of DPSIR causal chain, different responses are proposed that can serve as a<br />framework to develop strategies and action plans for a more efficient environmental planning of city of Tehran.<br />We conclude that DPSIR model can link different aspects and depict the interaction and interconnectedness of<br />different components of environmental issues in urban areas.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Leachate andGroundWaterAssessment at Kirkuk SanitaryLandfill Site in ZindanaVillage, Iraq45746691810.22059/ijer.2015.918ENJournal Article20150424In Iraq, waste generation was increased after 2003 war events due to intensepopulation development<br />and economic growth. The limitation of designable system for Municipal SolidWaste (MSW) management led to<br />serious problems regarding environment and human health. Sanitary landfill in the south of Kirkuk is the first kind<br />of effective system for municipal solid waste management in Iraq. In the first effort to assess the pollution<br />potential of leachate and its impact on ground water, leachate samples from pre-treatment basin, post treatment<br />basin and leachate pond were analyzed for physico-chemical characteristics (pH, EC, TSS, TDS, BOD, COD,<br />Cl-, SO4<br />-2, PO4<br />-3, NO3<br />- and NO2<br />-) and heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Mn, Ni and Cd). Similar analysis was done on<br />two monitoring wells around landfill site (MW1, directed leachate pond and MW2 directed landfill site). The<br />leachate pollution index (LPI) was also determined. The results showed that the main concentrations of BOD,<br />COD, SO4<br />-2, PO4<br />-3, and NO3<br />- in the monitoring well samples are above the permissible limits of WHO<br />standards regarding drinking water quality. It may particularly be due to the impact of leachate outflows on<br />groundwater quality and surface drainage during rainy season. Analytical results of leachate samples indicate<br />the early acidic biodegradation stage of Kirkuk landfill. The high LPI value of 6.651 was recorded for leachate<br />before treatment indicating the role of leachate treatment to minimize the levels of pollutants.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401GroundwaterTreatment using the Fenton process: Changes in Natural OrganicMatterCharacteristics andArsenic Removal46747491910.22059/ijer.2015.919ENJournal Article20150424This work investigates the use of Fenton’s process (pH 5.5 and 6; 0.10-0.50 mM Fe(II); molar<br />ratios Fe(II) to H2O2 of 1:5-1:20) combined with flocculation for the treatment of groundwater which is rich<br />in natural organic matter (NOM) (10.6±0.37 mg C/L) and arsenic (110±6.7 μg/L). Changes to the character of<br />the residual NOM fractions were followed, as well as the removal efficiencies of NOM and arsenic. Under<br />optimal reaction conditions at pH 5.5, 55% of theDissolvedOrganic Carbon (DOC) was removed, whilst removals<br />of specific disinfection by-product precursors of trihalomethanes (THM), haloacetic acids (HAA) and<br />haloacetonitriles (HAN) were 80%, 75% and 98%, respectively. Total arsenic concentrations were reduced to<br />below 5 μg/L under all investigated experimental conditions. After the Fenton treatment, the percentage of the<br />hydrophobic NOMfraction (humic acid and fulvic acid fraction) decreased, and the percentage of the hydrophilic<br />fraction (acidic and non-acidic fractions) increased. The hydrophilic fraction, which was the most abundant in<br />the treated water, was also the most reactive fraction towards THM and HAA formation, whereas the residual<br />fulvic acid fraction contributed the most to the formation of HAN.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Isolation of Extremely Heavy Metal Resistant Strains of Rare Actinomycetes fromHighMetalContent Soils in Iran47548092010.22059/ijer.2015.920ENJournal Article20150424Using of microorganisms to remove industrial pollutions of environment is an efficient method<br />that mimics natural process and decrease remediation cost. In this study, 450 actinomycete strains were<br />isolated from high metal content soils in Iran. Heavy metal salt solutions in different concentrations were used<br />to isolate the resistant strains. 40 resistant actinomycetes which they showed highly resistance to the most<br />applied heavy metals were selected. After examination of these strains in broth media with high levels of<br />metals, 13 resistant isolates were selected as high resistant actinomycetes. Some strains showed resistance to<br />140 mM ZnCl2, 7 mM CuSO4, 9.2 mM CdCl2, and 60 mM NiCl2. Molecular identification revealed that<br />resistant strains belonged to different actinomycetes genera including Streptomyces,Nonomuraea, Saccharothrix,<br />Streptosporangium and Promicromonospora which was the first report on occurrence of highly metal resistant<br />strains in Nonomuraea, Streptosporangium and Promicromonospora genera. Cadmium removal studies by<br />Promicromonospora sp. UTMC 2243 indicated 96.5% reduction in cadmium residual concentration, reflecting<br />cadmium removal capacity in Promicromonospora sp. UTMC 2243.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Feasibility ofAnaerobic Digestion of Potato peels for Biogas asMitigation of Greenhouse gases Emission Potential48148892110.22059/ijer.2015.921ENJournal Article20150424Processing of round potatoes (Solanum tuberosum (L.) into chips in Tanzania and particularly<br />Dar es Salaam city is a growing business that attract low wages employees and unemployed occupants. Proliferation<br />of chips vendors with low knowledge, poor attitude and practice towards environment have resulted into poor<br />management of potato peels waste which are haphazardly disposed of thus causing unhealthy environment,<br />health risks and dilapidated infrastructure. In this paper, the contribution of potato peels to emission of greenhouse<br />gases (GHGs) was analyzed for Dar es Salaam city adapting the UNFCCC baseline scenario model. Based on<br />the 2012 city population of 4.37million with 5.6% growth rate, peels generation and GHGs emission potential<br />have been quantified and projected for 20 years. The global warming potential as CO2 equivalent cumulatively<br />stands at 2 kilotons of peels to 1 ton GHGs emission. Field investigation to assess feasibility of using the peels for<br />biogas production as mitigation measure for the GHGs emission was conducted. Availability, quantitative and<br />qualitative attributes of the peels for the biogas production in Dar es Salaam are hereby presented.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401TheApplication of RecycledAggregates of Construction Debris inAsphalt ConcreteMix Design48949492210.22059/ijer.2015.922ENJournal Article20150424The purpose of this research was to evaluate the application of recycled aggregates of construction<br />debris such as concrete, cement block and rubbles from Pars-Kangan site in asphalt concrete mix design. To<br />evaluate the performance of aggregates different mix designs with recycled aggregate percentages of 0, 10,<br />30, 50 and bitumen percentages of 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, and 6.5 were provided and two Marshall specimens (Totally<br />48 specimens) prepared for each mix design. Marshall test was conducted on the specimens to evaluate their<br />physical and mechanical properties. The test results indicated that the increase of recycled aggregates<br />percentage in asphalt concrete mix design leads to lower strength in Marshall specimens. Hence, in the next<br />round of research the same asphalt concrete mix designs with bitumen-sulfur proportion of 60-40 were<br />provided in order to increase the strength of aggregates. The Marshall physical and mechanical test results<br />specified that sulfur has a significant role in increasing the strength of specimens. But increasing the<br />recycled aggregates resulted in decrease of strength. By comparing the test results, it was inferable that sulfur<br />doesn’t have a significant role in increasing the technical specifications of aggregates, and it only increases the<br />strength of specimens.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Assessment of the Conservation Status of Natural and Semi-Natural Patches Associated with urbanAreasThroughHabitat Suitability Indices49550492310.22059/ijer.2015.923ENJournal Article20150424Urban environments rely on the surrounding natural ecosystems remnants as providers of ecosystem<br />functions, therefore these areas not only support a unique biodiversity but also have a social value for maintaining<br />public health andwellbeing. For this reason, urbanization is considered to be one the biggest threats to ecosystems,<br />leading to native biodiversity simplification and, thus, to a detriment of the provided ecosystemservices.Moreover,<br />this change in land use results in high levels of landscape fragmentation and modification in areas surrounding the<br />habitat remnantswhich, in consequence, become inadequate formany native species. In this context, it is important<br />that urban planners have the information to assess the possible consequences of future changes in land use in<br />order to increase the landscape chances of supporting both, native biodiversity and the needs of a growing human<br />population. The objective of the present work is to evaluate the ecological integrity of natural and semi-natural<br />vegetation patches immersed in an urban area in order to generate a conceptual framework for landscape<br />assessment that allows urban planners to envision the best choice for city development at a given place. To do so,<br />we developed a quantitative integral environmental evaluation index that includes ecological characterization,<br />geological characterization, and environmental characterization (presence of anthropic disturbance) of the assessed<br />area. We conclude that the index we have generated in this work is suitable to be used as a management tool to<br />allow an unbiased valuation and to identify managing situations that require a short term response.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Application ofDonnanDialysis forCyanide Removal fromAqueous Solutions50551092410.22059/ijer.2015.924ENJournal Article20150424Cyanide ion, is an environmentally significant pollutant in many industrial wastewaters.<br />Therefore, a considerable number of methods have been studied for the wastewater treatment containing<br />cyanide. the goal of our work consists in applying a simple and economic process for solving this problem of<br />pollution. The removal of cyanide ions by using three anion exchange membranes has been studied under<br />Donnan dialysis conditions as a function of initial concentration of cyanide, receiver phase composition and<br />co-existence anions in the feed phase. The feasibility of the system was examined and the highest cyanide<br />removal was obtained when the initial concentration of cyanide on the feed phase was 10-2 M. In addition, the<br />accompanying counter-anions were also influenced in the cyanide transport in the order chloride ><br />hydrogenocarbonate > sulphate. It was also observed that the cyanide transport efficiency of the Neosepta<br />AFN was higher than that of the Neosepta AM3 and IONAC MA3475XL membranes. The better result for<br />AFN membrane was obtained with chloride ion as a counter-anion in the receiver phase.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401IntegratedAnalysis ofUrban Landscape Fragmentation (Case Study: Historical-ReligiousCity of Ray)51152292510.22059/ijer.2015.925ENJournal Article20150424Landscape fragmentation has threatened the landscape continuity of Ray which was maintained<br />from prehistoric times until recent decades. From 19th century that Tehran sprawl growth affected Ray’s<br />landscape as a satellite city of Tehran, Ray experienced rapid landscape fragmentation and underwent many<br />changes. In order to cope with the threat, the process of changes from landscape fragmentation should be<br />studied. For this purpose, integrated approach was applied to assess landscape fragmentation. Landscape<br />fragmentation is analyzed based on physical and quantitative evaluation using landscape metrics and perceptual<br />and quantitative evaluation through an in-depth interview with natives. The results have cleared an image of<br />the structural changes and also great change of people’s perception during the time. Based on the results, Ray’s<br />landscape is structurally fragmented, but native do not perceive it. This is while people perceive landscape<br />functional fragmentation. This inconsistent perception of landscape has caused the native’s dissatisfaction<br />about their living place. With the prepared image of landscape fragmentation in the City of Ray, city managers,<br />designers, and planners will be able to deal with rapid changes and preserve landscape continuity of Ray.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Hydrogeological Characterization of a Geothermal system: the case of the Thermo-mineral area ofMondragone (Campania, Italy)52353492610.22059/ijer.2015.926ENJournal Article20150424This paper dealswith thermo-mineral groundwater of theMondragone plain (Campania, southern<br />Italy) and the possibility to use this low enthalpy geothermal resource. In the NW sector of this plain, at the<br />bottom of Mt. Pizzuto, near the sea, there are thermo-mineral waters (50 °C) of sodium-chloride type,<br />sulfureous and rich in CO2 whose recharge is from the Mt. Pizzuto groundwater body. In the SE sector of the<br />plain, close to the calcareous Mt. Petrino, a 80 m deep well has intercepted, in the carbonate basement of the<br />plain, thermo-mineral groundwater (33 °C), sulfureous and rich in CO2, as in the NW sector, but displaying a<br />calcium-bicarbonate composition. The chemical and the isotopic analyses allowed to verify that these types<br />of groundwater are due both to meteoric waters infiltration and to enrichment of endogenous CO2 and H2S, at<br />fairly high temperature. In the Petrinum well, the gases involve “connate waters”, affecting upwards the<br />groundwater body of Mt. Petrino. Moreover, the rising of the gases increases the dissolution of the carbonate<br />aquifer, determining very high values of HCO3 ions in the thermo-mineral groundwater. In the case of Mt.<br />Pizzuto, the upwelling gas intercepts also evaporitic formation and, probably, causes saltwater intrusion. The<br />upwelling of the gases occurs along the major fault that crosses NE-SW the plain of Mondragone. Finally, the<br />understanding of the mineralization patterns allowed to identify in the plain the best location for a geothermal<br />exploration well.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401An Effective and Low-Cost TiO2/Polystyrene Floating Photocatalyst for EnvironmentalRemediation53554492710.22059/ijer.2015.927ENJournal Article20150424A floating polymer-supported photocatalyst based on polystyrene impregnated with titanium<br />dioxide particles was developed using a facile solvent-cast method at ambient temperature. The prepared<br />photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and fourier transform<br />infrared spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the developed photocatalysts was investigated using<br />methylene blue dye. The prepared polystyrene-supported titanium dioxide photocatalysts successfully<br />removed color from the aqueous solution without any additional pH adjustment under ultraviolet (254 nm)<br />irradiation and non-stirred, non-anchored conditions. The maximum color removal achieved by the optimized<br />photocatalyst (10 weight percent loading of Degussa P25 with respect to amount of polystyrene) was around<br />93% after 7.5 h of ultraviolet light exposure. Further, the photocatalyst sheets were also tested for recovery<br />and reuse. The efficiency of color removal achieved by the optimized photocatalyst on reuse was in the range<br />of 99–100%. The developed photocatalyst seems to be a promising candidate that can be further investigated<br />for large scale commercial applications.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Assessing HumanHealth Risk ofMetalAccumulations in a wild carp fish from Selected Sites of a RiverLoaded withMunicipal and IndustrialWastes54555292810.22059/ijer.2015.928ENJournal Article20150424This 4x2 factorial study compared the effect of four sites (A=Siphon as upstream, and<br />B=Shahdera, C=Sunder and D= Balloki as 3 downstream sites) during low and high flow seasons of river Ravi<br />on metal cconcentrations in muscles from Cirrhinus (C) mrigala, a bottom feeder carp. While weight and<br />length of studied specimens did not differ significantly (P>0.05). Overall metal accumulations appeared in the<br />order of calcium (Ca) > sodium (Na) > potassium (K) > magnesium (Mg) > zinc (Zn) > iron (Fe) > manganese<br />(Mn) > copper (Cu) > chromium (Cr) > lead (Pb) > nickel (Ni) > cadmium (Cd). The sampling sites were<br />significantly different (P<0.001) for all the metals except Mg. The metal accumulation pattern for sites was C<br />> B > D > A, except Mg, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn and Fe. The macro metal contents, except K and trace metals except<br />Cd were significantly higher during low flow than the high flow season. The bioaccumulation of Cd, Cr and Mn<br />were greater than those permissible for human consumption by the WHO standards. The most alarming<br />results contradict the views of local fish consumers that riverine fish are more healthy and valuable than the<br />pond fish. This fish species inhabiting the downstream sites was more polluted and may be a source of risk to<br />consumer health. Regular monitoring is obligatory to evaluate eco-health of the river Ravi by choosing perhaps<br />C. mrigala as a bio-indicator which might provide reliable measurements to frequently assess environmental<br />quality of rivers.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401The Effect of Zeolite and Nitrifying Bacteria on Remediation of Nitrogenous Wastewater Substances Derived fromCarp Breeding Farm55356092910.22059/ijer.2015.929ENJournal Article20150424Limitation of water resources and necessity in profitable production, and consequently<br />productivity enhancement has taken crop production by means of unconventional water into consideration. In<br />this study, the effect of different levels of zeolite and nitrifying bacteria were investigated on nitrogenous<br />compounds absorption in a closed system of carp breeding with alfalfa. Treatments of zeolites at three levels<br />(with a weight percent of 0, 5, and 10%) and bacterial treatments including two levels (without bacteria and<br />with nitrifying bacteria) were used for six weeks in such way that produced effluent of the carp breeding from<br />an experiment unit were entered to alfalfa culturing medium; so a closed cycle was established. The results of<br />this studyshowed that use of zeolite and nitrifying bacteria significantly decreased ammonia values in comparison<br />to the control in effluent, in addition, nitrate amount in treatments containing zeolite and bacteria were<br />significantly (P> 0.05) more than the control treatments. Dry weights of alfalfa in the treatments containing<br />zeolite and bacteria were more than the control treatments; additionally, use of bacteria was also significant on<br />dry weight of alfalfa (P> 0.05).This study showed that application of zeolite and nitrifying bacteria to soil,<br />conversion of ammonia to nitrate happens during nitrification that improves water quality of aquaculture and<br />causes more uptake of nitrate by plant that reduces water and soil pollution by this element.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401TotalMaterial Requirement assessment of Phosphorus sources from Phosphate ore and urban sinks: Sewage Sludge andMSWincineration fly ash56156693010.22059/ijer.2015.930ENJournal Article20150424Diversification of phosphorus sources can bring substantial synergy effects within all the<br />sustainable development domains: environmental, economic and social, and such an opportunity should not be<br />overlooked. Urban sinks accumulate phosphorus and other elements and may serve as sources of secondary<br />raw materials. This paper evaluates phosphorus sources based on their total material requirement (TMR).<br />Resource requirements and emissions of the conventional phosphorus production from mining through the<br />acid route processing have been quantified and have been used as a yardstick against which to measure the<br />performance of two recycling options: spreading of sewage sludge and phosphorus recovery from municipal<br />solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWA). The sludge spreading had the lowest TMR. Phosphorus extracted<br />from the MSWAhad four-fold higher TMR than the conventional production. However, method modifications<br />were suggested and are currently being tested, which reduce the methods TMR well below the TMR of the<br />phosphorus production from the ore. The entire impact of the Swedish mineral fertilizer demand can be<br />avoided by recycling urban sinks of phosphorus. Sweden can become self-sufficient in mineral fertilizer<br />because the phosphorus quantities imported in food and later found in the urban sinks such as food waste,<br />sewage sludge and MSW incineration residues cover the entire necessary quantity.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401The Fate of Polychlorinated Biphenyls inKarstic Soil56757493110.22059/ijer.2015.931ENJournal Article20150424During the Croatian Homeland war in 1991, the capacitor batteries of the Zadar electric power<br />substation (TS 110/35 kV) were damaged, resulting in the severe pollution of the soil with polychlorinated<br />biphenyls (PCBs). Due to porosity of karstic soil PCBs represent great environmental and human health risks<br />that need some action. The polluted soil was collected and an experimental field was formed. This paper<br />reports the behaviour of PCBs in karstic soil over an extended period of time under field conditions. Vertical<br />movement of PCBs through the soil profiles was also observed. The soil was sampled four times. The initial<br />median levels of Aroclor 1248 in the surface soil layer were 76.5 μg g-1. The levels of PCB in the soil layers<br />collected after initial stage were quite variable. In general, PCB patterns were dominated by low-chlorinated<br />homologue groups (<5 Cl groups). The dominant indicator PCB congeners initially present in the soil were<br />PCB 28 and PCB 52. At the end of the experiment, in surface soil layer, the levels of PCB 28 decreased<br />significantly (38%), while the levels of PCB 52 decreased at a smallier rate with time (15%). In the observed<br />time periods the levels of higher PCBs (n>6) were relatively stable. The results show that the total PCB<br />concentration in the soil around the roots significantly dropped by 36% while in the deeper soil layer<br />decreased for 18%.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Selected Organic Compounds in Fine ParticulateMatter at the Regional Background, Urban Background and UrbanTraffic Points in Silesia (Poland)57558493210.22059/ijer.2015.932ENJournal Article20150424Suspended particles with aerodynamic diameters not greater than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) were sampled<br />at the urban background, regional background and urban traffic points in southern Poland. In total, 120 samples<br />were collected between 2nd August 2009 and 27th December 2010. 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)<br />and organic carbon (OC) were determined in each sample. The samples were collected with a high volume<br />sampler (Digitel). Afterwards, they were chemically analysed with a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame<br />ionization detector (Perkin Elmer Clarus 500) and thermo-optical carbon analyser (Sunset Laboratory Inc.).Over<br />the whole measurement period, the mean concentrations of the sum of 16 PM2.5-bound PAHs and particular<br />compounds within this group were very high at each measurement point. Particularly high values were observed<br />for the heating season, in which the concentrations of the PAH sum and BaP exceeded 56 and 7 ng/m3 (regional<br />background), 343 and 25 ng/m3 (urban background), and 166 and 14 ng/m3 (urban traffic), respectively. It was<br />showed that the emission related to heat production, particularly municipal emission (coal combustion in home<br />furnaces in cities and coal and wood combustion in the countryside) were the main sources of the air pollution<br />with PAHs in Silesia.Additionally, the traffic emission had probablya slight influence on the ambient concentrations<br />of the PM2.5-bound PAHs.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Toxic Effect ofAluminum OxideNanoparticles on GreenMicro-Algae dunaliella salina58559493310.22059/ijer.2015.933ENJournal Article20150424Aluminum oxide nanoparticles are the most widely used nanoparticles in various industries.The<br />increasing use of nanoparticles in the past two decades and their entry into the industrial and non-industrial<br />waste water necessitates the assessment of potential effects of these substances in aquatic ecosystems. OECD<br />standard method was applied to determine the toxicity of this substance. After performing the detection range<br />testing, the cells of 7 treatments and 2 controls were counted every 24 hours for 72 hours in three replicates for<br />each concentration. After extraction, chlorophyll a and carotenoid were measured using spectrophotometry.<br />Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to image the exposure of the algae cells to nanoparticles. The<br />72-hour levels of EC10, EC50, EC90, and NOEC, specific growth rate (μ), doubling time (G), and percent<br />inhibition (I%) were also calculated. The obtained 72-hour levels were EC10=1.6610-3, EC50=0.162, EC90=15.31,<br />and NOEC=16.2×10-2mg/L. The control and treatment algae had a significant difference in terms of cell density<br />and growth inhibition rate (p<0.05). Aluminum oxide nanoparticles had a significant impact on the shape and<br />topography of Dunaliella salina cells and resulted in their swelling and enlargement. A significant difference<br />existed in chlorophyll a and carotenoid concentrations between the treatment and control groups and the levels<br />of carotenoid decreased following increase in concentration of treatments (p<0.05). Aluminum oxide<br />nanoparticles have a significant toxic effect on Dunaliella salina. With increasing nanoparticles concentration,<br />Dunaliella salina chlorophyll and carotenoid concentration reduced significantly (p<0.05).University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Trace and Rare Earth Element Geochemistry of Croatian ThermalWaters59560493410.22059/ijer.2015.934ENJournal Article20150424Concentrations of 42 trace elements, including rare earths, in Croatian thermal waters were<br />investigated. Originating from different parts of Croatia, i.e. different types of aquifers, studied thermal waters<br />provide insight into the range of concentrations of broad spectrum of elements in Croatian thermal waters.<br />Covering a wide range of temperature (30 - 92 °C), studied thermal waters are generally classified as geothermal<br />springs (Hrvatsko Zagorje and Lipik) and low-temperature geothermal reservoirs (Bizovac), differing from<br />each other not only by temperature but also by geochemical composition. Thermal waters from Bizovac Spa,<br />from the eastern part of Croatia, were found significantly enriched in majority of measured elements in<br />comparison with waters from Hrvatsko zagorje and Lipik. Significant variability between studied waters was<br />also observed regarding the rare earth elements levels and fractionation patterns, substantially different<br />normalized REE patterns and wide range of Eu and Ce anomalies, ranging from 0.10 to 0.84 and from 3.48 to<br />159, respectively. Characterized by near-neutral to alkaline pH (6.8 - 8.1) and great variability with respect to<br />the geochemical composition, studied waters were found to primarily reflect the underlying geology.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401AdsorptionMechanismofDi-n-butyl Phthalate Easter onBrown Soil and Red Soil60561293510.22059/ijer.2015.935ENJournal Article20150424The study aimed to investigate the adsorption mechanism of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) on<br />brown soil and red soil in Shenyang and Hunan province, respectively, China. Adsorption kinetics and<br />isotherms experiments were conducted at 288, 298 and 308 K, respectively. Results of kinetics showed that<br />adsorption of DBP exhibited a two-step process in both brown and red soil. Different models were used to<br />simulate adsorption isotherms and the linear form of Freundlich model fitted to the data best. Sorption<br />capacity was larger and sorption intensity was weaker on the brown soil than the red at same temperature.<br />Sorption capacity decreased and sorption intensity enhanced with temperature increased on both soils. In<br />addition, the thermodynamic data were analyzed which suggested that the process was a spontaneous and<br />exothermal process on the two soils. The values of enthalpy changes were around 40 kJ/mol in the two soils,<br />indicating that the dominant affection was physical adsorption. Furthermore the main forces were hydrogen<br />bond and ion exchange proved by thermodynamic data and infrared spectral analyses.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Effects ofMetal Toxicity on Growth and Pigment Contents ofAnnual Halophyte (A. hortensis and A. rosea)61362093610.22059/ijer.2015.936ENJournal Article20150424The toxicity of four potentially toxic trace elements (Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) to Annual Atriplex (A.<br />hortensis and A. rosea) was examined to determine if this plant showed sufficient tolerance to be used to<br />phytoremediate soils polluted with these heavy metals. The soils, which contained up to (per kilogram) 501<br />mg Cu, 1674 mg Ni, 1334 mg Pb and 3588 mg of Zn were sampled around metal-contaminated site in<br />southwest of France. We submit therefore that it could be that the presence of some heavy metals accumulated<br />in the plants may have reached toxic levels thereby causing inhibition to their growth and pigment contents.<br />The plant growth expressed as shoot and root dry weight of Atriplex plant was adversely inhibited when<br />exposed to high concentrations of polluted soil. Significant increases in chlorophyll content were observed in<br />leaves for three Atriplex varieties after the plants were exposed to stress treatments. The carotenoid and<br />anthocyanin content also decreased. Red variety of Atriplex accumulated more anthocyanins in leaves than<br />green and rosea ones. The lipid peroxidation increased, considerably at 100% polluted soil, which is a typical<br />plant reaction to the oxidative stress. We proposed for the reduction state of photosynthetic parameters to be<br />a useful tool in bioassay toxicity testing of metal polluted soil. These results demonstrate that heavy metal<br />contamination of soil has adversely affected the photosynthetic parameters of annual Atriplex. The present<br />study shows that exposure to heavy metals induced oxidative stress which was accompanied by growth<br />inhibition, enhanced lipid peroxidation levels, increase content of chlorophyll, decrease content of carotenoids<br />and anthocyanins. Finally, it was concluded that annual Atriplex has a high ability to tolerate Cu, Ni, Pb and<br />Zn, so it might be a promising plant to be used for phytostabilization of metal contaminated soil.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401The Development of Strategies forWetland Restoration by Comprehensive Assessment ofHydrological, Land Use and Climate Changes62163493710.22059/ijer.2015.937ENJournal Article20150424Wetlands are ecosystems with specific features and functions which have been unfortunately<br />damaged by recent pressures and limitations. Fast reduction of surface flows, water and wind erosion of soil,<br />changes in the quality of water and soil resources, increasing exploitation of underground water, agricultural<br />development, climate change, etc. have had the most effect on these ecosystems. So this study shows that in the<br />last two decades, the level of groundwater has dramatically decreased as a result of human activities. Together<br />with the decrease of water resources in Agh-Gol wetland area, land use has been also changed with a faster<br />pace. Considering the studies on land use changes it can be stated that the amount of water in the area have had<br />a decreasing rate so that it has been completely dried up these days. But hydrology studies warn us that there has<br />been a thirty- five-meter reduction of water level in last years the main reason of which is planting products with<br />the high water requirement. Also the minus water balance of this sub-area shows the unsuitable situation there.<br />In general, this area has been faced with an instability which is caused by mismanagement. With a precise<br />observation and control on water withdrawal from wells, using counters and plumbing illegal wells, banning<br />planting close to thewetland, changing the planting patterns toward the productswith lesswater requirement and<br />also optimizing watering,we can be hopeful that in future the situation will be improved andAgh-Golwetlandwill<br />revive.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Batch and ContinuousRemoval of Copper and Lead fromAqueous Solution using CheaplyAvailableAgriculturalWasteMaterials63564893810.22059/ijer.2015.938ENJournal Article20150424The potential of six economically cheap agricultural waste materials, viz. rice husk, betel nut<br />peels, sugarcane molasses, tea waste, mustard oil cake and saw dust, was investigated for copper and lead<br />removal from aqueous solutions under batch and continuous conditions. The effect of pH, contact time,<br />sorbent dose and initial metal ion concentration on the uptake of copper and lead was first examined in batch<br />mode. Rice husk was found to be the best among the tested biosorbents with a maximum removal of 72.17 %<br />and 85.87 % for copper and lead, respectively. The batch sorption data correlated well with SIPS, Redlich-<br />Peterson, Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms models. Heavy metal sorption kinetics was best explained by<br />the diffusion based second order kinetics model. Fourier transform infrared analysis of rice husk, before and<br />after heavy metal sorption, revealed the involvement of mainly hydroxyl, amine, and carboxyl functional<br />groups in lead and copper removal by rice husk. Dynamic removal of lead and copper by rice husk was<br />examined as a function of different bed height and flow rate using fixed-bed columns, which yielded a maximum<br />saturation time of 14 hours. The metal breakthrough curves obtained were analysed using the Thomas, BDST,<br />Yoon-Nelson and Clark breakthrough models. The simulation of breakthrough curve for the metals was<br />successful with BDST, Yoon-Nelson and Clark models. Removal of bound lead/copper from the loaded<br />column was finally achieved by using 0.1M HCl as the eluant, which yielded complete desorption of the<br />metals in nearly 60 min.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Cobalt FunctionalizedOrderedMesoporous Carbon as EffectiveAdsorbent forRemoval ofOrganic Pollutants fromAqueousMedia64965693910.22059/ijer.2015.939ENJournal Article20150424Ordered mesoporous carbon CMK-3 (OMC) have been synthesized using mesoporous SBA-<br />15 silica as template and modified with cobalt carbonate. Morphologies and surface texturing of materials were<br />characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and N2 adsorption-desorption<br />isotherms. The cobalt modified ordered mesoporous carbon were found to have a surface area of 490.06m2/g<br />and pore volume of 0.42cm3/g. The adsorption behavior of 1, 10-Phenanthroline (OP) and 2, 2'-bipyridine<br />(BP) on cobalt modified ordered mesoporous carbon (Co+2-OMC) were studied in aqueous system. The<br />parameter such as temperature, contact time and initial OP and BP concentrations was investigated. Batch<br />adsorption studies demonstrate that the cobalt containing CMK-3 has significant capacity for adsorption of<br />OP and BP from aqueous solution. The adsorption processes of OP and BP are tested with langmuir and<br />freundlich isotherm models. According to the langmuir isotherms, the maximum adsorption capacities of OP<br />and BP on Co+2-OMC were 595 and 500 mg/g, respectively.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Evaluation of Sediments Decontamination by ChelatingAgents using ThermogravimetricAnalysis65766294010.22059/ijer.2015.940ENJournal Article20150424This study investigated single-step extraction of heavy metals from contaminated sediments<br />collected in the port of Cádiz. Experimental tests of washing with an aqueous solution of a chelating agent were<br />performed at selected solid/liquid (S/L) ratios. Two chelating agents were chosen: 0.3 M EDTA(pH 3.8 and 8)<br />and sodium citrate (1 M). The objective of the tests was to investigate extractive decontamination by the<br />washing treatment. The study was focused on the extraction of Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd. The experiments showed<br />that the decontamination efficiencies of the extractants were of the order: EDTA (pH 3.8) > EDTA (pH 8) ~<br />sodium citrate. EDTAsolution with slightly acid pH was optimal for the extraction of Pb, Cu, Zn and Cd. The<br />data obtained from the thermal analysis of sediments after the decontamination process indicated the success<br />of the extraction procedurewhich is proposed as a technique for controlling the behaviour of the decontamination<br />process.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401GeochemicalMethods to Investigate the Hydrocarbon Seepage Samples in Adiyaman a Southeastern Province of Turkey66367294110.22059/ijer.2015.941ENJournal Article20150424The southeastern part of Turkey is quite rich, fertile and mature in terms of hydrocarbon<br />seepages. While the use of the related sources meet the energy demand, it damages the environment and human<br />health. In this study, several geochemical methods were applied to analyze the hydrocarbon sepage samples<br />obtained from seven towns in the province of Adiyaman where is very close to the oil production areas and<br />located in the Southeastern part of Turkey. First of all, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Rock Evil Paralysis, Gas<br />Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry analyses (GC – MS) were performed<br />for the samples in question. In the light of these results, oil/bitumen mechanisms, source rock correlations,<br />formation and migration mechanisms of the related geological environments were found. Then, Inductively<br />Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis of Fe, Al, Mn, Mn, Zn, B, Pb, Ni, Cu<br />metals were performed. Chemical and mineralogical features of the samples were investigated by IR and<br />combined with ESR spectra. The samples display typical ESR spectra of Mn+2 ions hyperfine sextet whose<br />last line was used to check the stones homogenity with respect to manganase content. In this study, heavy<br />metal pollution and hydrocarbon compounds were determined to damage the environment and several suggestions<br />were made to overcome the pollution and to enhance the productivityUniversity of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Analyzing andTracing ofDustHazard inRecentYears inKermanshah Province67368294210.22059/ijer.2015.942ENJournal Article20150424Different patterns of pressure systems together with local factors, leads in generation, rising<br />and spread of dust in West of Iran. In this study, to investigate the factors causing the occurrence of dust in<br />Kermanshah province, 132 cases of dust phenomena (code: 06) were selected and analyzed using Kermanshah<br />synoptic station data for the spring and summer seasons in a period of 5 years (2005-2009). The Factor<br />analysis had been implemented and days with higher correlation coefficient extracted, then clustering operation<br />was performed on the data. 4 dust emission patterns were identified and from each pattern, a certain pattern<br />was selected as a representative day. Using GRADS and NCEP data, maps of geopotential heights, wind speed<br />and vorticity advection were produced and analyzed. To identify the source of dust generation, tracing and<br />simulating the path of dust, HYSPLIT model Lagrangian approach of backward trajectory was used. Generally<br />existence of low pressure cells in the central and southern regions of Iran can lead to the convergence and air<br />intake at near ground levels and strong positive vorticity, which result in cyclonic movements in western<br />regions of Iran Including Kermanshah. These results in the transfer of dust from the dry desert areas of Iraq and<br />high speed winds in the lower levels of dust particles in the region has accelerated the transfer rate. Based on<br />the HYSPLIT outputs, major sources of dust generation, were arid zones of Southern Turkey, Iraq deserts,<br />Syria, North East of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401HeavymetalContaminations of Urban soils inOstrava, Czech Republic: Assessment ofMetal Pollution and using PrincipalComponentAnalysis68369694310.22059/ijer.2015.943ENJournal Article20150424This study investigates the status of heavy metals contaminations in urban soils of Ostrava in<br />the Czech Republic. The main aim of this study was determination of concentration of Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn,<br />V and Hg, assessment of contamination levels of metals in urban soils and verification of potential source of<br />metals contamination. Soil samples were collected from soil layer of 20 cm and metals were determined by<br />atomic spectroscopy methods (F AAS, GF AAS, AMA 254). It was concluded that metals concentrations in<br />studied soils increased in the following order:Hg < Cd < Cu < Pb < V < Zn <Mn, with mean values of Hg (0.17<br />mg/kg), Cd (0.20 mg/kg), Pb (66.93 mg/kg), Zn (209.51 mg/kg), Cu (38.49 mg/kg), V (105.18 mg/kg) and Mn<br />(1349.85 mg/kg). The results obtained fromassessment ofmetals pollution bymeans of index of geoaccumulation<br />(Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), pollution index (PI) and<br />integrated pollution index (IPI) confirmed that urban soils were contaminated in the range from moderately<br />through strongly polluted up to highly contaminated soils. Multivariate statistics approach (Principal<br />Component Analysis) was adopted for the data treatment for identification of contamination sources. This<br />study verified that soil contamination was the result of the industrial processing that occurred in the studied<br />area. All of these data confirmed that Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, V and Hg come from anthropogenic activities,<br />especially from industrial processes.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Seasonal patterns of Potamoplankton in a Large Lowland River of Temperate zone (Upper Ob as a case study, Russia)69771094410.22059/ijer.2015.944ENJournal Article20150424The paper presents the results of seasonal potamoplankton dynamics in a Siberian lowland river<br />and its relationships with environmental variables. The sampling was carried out every 10-15 days from April to<br />September 2001 at the left and right banks including the midstream of the Upper Ob River close to the big<br />industrial center,Barnaul city(53º21’24"N, 83º47’14"E). Thepresence of 145 species (158 taxa) with predominance<br />of diatoms (45.6% of total number of species) and green algae (35.8%) was noted. Remarkable seasonal<br />potamoplankton variations were revealed using measures of inclusions and amultigraph. The correlation analysis<br />indicated that physical factors (e.g. hydrological variables) and major nutrients (e.g. nitrates) were of equal<br />importance for controlling the variation in structure and abundance of the large lowland Upper Ob River<br />potamoplankton. Based on the regional trophic classification, the Upper Ob River can be currently characterized<br />as oligo-mesotrophic since the total abundance and biomass of algae were less than 1260×103 cells/L and 780<br />mg/m³ throughout the sampling seasons. The results of the saprobiologic analysis showed that the greatest<br />number of bioindicators belong to β-mesosaprobionts that is indicative of the β-mesosaprobic environment.<br />Water qualitywas ranked among I-III classes.Our studypresents a baseline formonitoring theplanktonic component<br />in the river ecosystem as a main factor of its stability. In spite of the regional aspect of the study, the investigation<br />of potamoplankton in the environments of the south ofWest Siberiawill be useful for understanding of phytoplankton<br />development in large unregulated lowland rivers.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Boron Removal fromAqueous Solutions using anAmorphous ZirconiumDioxide71172094510.22059/ijer.2015.945ENJournal Article20150424Anovel adsorbent, an amorphous zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), was prepared and characterized for<br />the removal of boric acid from water. The adsorption behavior of this adsorbent for boron was investigated in<br />a batch system and found to obey Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. Due to<br />Langmuir model, boron adsorption on ZrO2 was monolayer, favorable and irreversible in nature. The adsorption<br />energy value calculated from Dubinin-Radushkevich model corresponds to chemisorption of boron onto ZrO2.<br />Boron removal occurred both by adsorption on external surface and by formation of sparingly soluble compounds<br />and variable compositions, e.g. Na[ZrO(OH)x(B4O7)n] following the chemical reaction. The influence of pH,<br />temperature, contact time, initial boron concentration and adsorbent dose on the removal of boron were<br />studied. The results showed that the adsorption was strongly dependent on the pH of solution and was<br />optimum in pH range 8-9. Furthermore, at pH of 8.5 and at contact time of 24 hrs the removal of boron<br />increased while the adsorbent dose increased and the temperature decreased. At optimum conditions, the<br />maximum boron percentage removal from the solution containing 20 mg B/L was 97.5% and the final boron<br />concentration reached under the recommended limit for drinking water (< 1.0 mg/L). The thermodynamic<br />studies indicated the spontaneous and exothermic nature of the adsorption process while the kinetic researches<br />confirmed the chemisorption as a dominating mechanism of boron removal using amorphous ZrO2. The<br />pseudo-second-order model adequately described the boron adsorption on the adsorbent.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Discoloration ofAqueous Direct Blue 71 Solutions using UV/H2O2/Nano-SiO2 Process72173494610.22059/ijer.2015.946ENJournal Article20150424The photolytic capability of SiO2 nanoparticles (SiO2-NP) for the discoloration of Direct Blue 71<br />as an environmentally pollutant dye via UV irradiation in the presence of H2O2was assessed and optimized using<br />response surface methodology (RSM) with a D-optimal design. The response of DB71 degradation was found to<br />be sensitive to the independent factors of reaction time, SiO2-NP and H2O2 concentrations. The discoloration<br />process was not pH-dependent and the pHwas not a significant factor in DB71 discolorationmodel. The approach<br />provided statistically significant quadratic models, which were adequate to predict responses and to carry out<br />optimization under the conditions studied. The maximum value of discoloration under the optimum operating<br />conditions was determined to be 99.03% with a time of16 min of irradiation and concentrations of 220 and 155<br />mg/L for H2O2 and SiO2-NP respectively. The results showed that the discoloration increased about 11%by<br />increasing SiO2-NP concentration from10 to 155 mg/L. The possiblemechanism of SiO2-NP catalytic performance<br />was assessed. The kinetic study was also examined and indicated that the degradation of DB71 dye obeys<br />Langmuir-Hinshelwoodmodel.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Biodegradation of Different Concentration of dye (Congo red dye) by using Green and Blue Green Algae73574494710.22059/ijer.2015.947ENJournal Article20150424Releasing of textile dye effluents into general water bodies is a major environmental and health<br />problem. Color removal, in particular, has recently become of major scientific interest, as indicated by the<br />multitude of related research reports. During the past two decades, several physico-chemical decolorization<br />techniques have been reported, few, however, have been accepted by the textile industries.<br />Their lack of implementation has been largely due to high cost, low efficiency and inapplicability to a wide<br />variety of dyes. The ability of microorganisms to carry out dye decolorization has received much attention.<br />Green algae and blue green algae are considered as an important source for decolorizing dye and textile effluent.<br />The dye Congo red and textile dye effluent is chosen for this investigation and the green algae Haematococcus<br />sp., Chlorella sp., Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus obliquuss, S. officinalis, and S. quadricauda and blue green<br />algae Arthospira maxima was used for the decolorization process. Chlorophyll, protein content of this<br />organism was tested before and after the treatment. Haematococcus sp shown the maximum degradation<br />among all the seven microalgae was found at 10ppm which was 98%, which decolorize the textile effluent<br />efficiently in short period of time.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Seasonal Distribution of PCDDs/PCDFs in the Small urban Reservoirs74575294810.22059/ijer.2015.948ENJournal Article20150424Man-made reservoirs constructed on running waters, where a decrease in flow velocity and an<br />increase in flocculent settling occurs, create perfect conditions for the deposition of allohtonic matter and<br />adsorbed pollutants, such as toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated<br />dibenzofurans (PCDFs). The results obtained from the research on a cascade of five small reservoirs located<br />along an urban river (Lodz, Poland) showed significantly lower concentrations of PCDDs/PCDFs in the spring<br />season in the first three reservoirs; whereas the other two demonstrated an opposite tendency with the lower<br />values observed during the autumn. Also, analysis of the seasonal variations of the TEQ concentrations<br />showed lower values in the reservoirs located at the beginning of the cascade (I, II and III) in spring, while in<br />the lower ponds (IV and V) lesser values were observed during autumn. The winter and spring snow and ice<br />melting, and the accelerated run-off washing out organic and mineral matter with the associated micropollutants<br />accumulated during this period, were recognized as the main reasons for such seasonal distribution of PCDDs/<br />PCDFs. Intensive rains occurring during the autumn, especially after dry summers, may be in turn responsible<br />for the raised total PCDDs/PCDFs and TEQ concentrations during the autumn sampling period. Furthermore,<br />the discharges of polluted stormwater and illegal domestic sewage through the stormwater outlets located<br />along the river boosted the reservoirs sediments in the PCDDs/PCDFs.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Assessing Regional Habitat Changes for the Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamicus) usingMaximumEntropymodeling approach in Khouzestan province, Iran75376094910.22059/ijer.2015.949ENJournal Article20150424This study was conducted in Dez and Karkheh regions in southwestern Iran to model habitat<br />suitability of the Persian fallow deer Dama dama mesopotamicus and assessing trend of habitat changes since<br />1989. A total of 22 confirmed presence records of the species were collected from 1988 to 2003. MaxEnt<br />approach was used to develop habitat suitability model with regards to nine environmental variables, including<br />density of farmlands, forests, and disturbed forests, density of livestock, vegetation, residential areas and<br />distance to the forest edge, residential areas, protected areas and frequency of surface water bodies. After<br />validation of the model for all parameters used for 1989, relative developed map was extrapolated to the<br />habitat conditions in 2007. Comparing the habitat suitability maps developed for 1989 and 2007 reveals that<br />area of suitable habitats for the Persian fallow deer has declined by 30% within 18 years. A total of 1000 ha of<br />forests (within suitable habitats for the species) has been degraded. About 100 ha of these habitats were<br />converted to farmlands and less than 0.5 ha was altered to the residential areas. In addition, area of about 1000<br />ha has lost the suitability without any land use changes. Currently, reintroduction of the Persian fallow deer to<br />the area is under consideration by Department of Environment of Iran. Therefore, results of this study are<br />recommended for choosing reintroduction sites based on the predicted suitable maps to enhance the probability<br />of survival for reintroduced individuals.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Promotion and Support of theNaturalCapital: Research on Ensuring the Financial Resources for the Conservation of Biodiversity (CBD) in theRomanian Space76176895010.22059/ijer.2015.950ENJournal Article20150424Our research is directed at revealing the way CBD is approached in terms of the decision to<br />finance the actions it entails, with specific reference to the case of Romania, in the context of the international/<br />European and national regulations. After referring to the foreign and Romanian professional literature, we shall<br />proceed with a synthetic approach of the objectives related to CBD and the sustainable use of its components in<br />Romania, with specific focus on the aspects related to solving the critical issues encountered in the field. An<br />important part of the present research is dedicated to the problems related to the financing of CBD in Romania,<br />both for the period between 2007 and 2013, as well as for the foreseeable future, up to 2020. We will also try to<br />identify the difficulties that may arise and, to a certain extent, provide solutions to these issues.University of Tehran/SpringerInternational Journal of Environmental Research1735-68659220150401Assessment of Bio-Trickling Filter Startup forTreatment of Industrial Wastewater76977695110.22059/ijer.2015.951ENJournal Article20150424The aim of the present study was to assess the bio-trickling filter startup for the treatment of<br />wastewater produced by Pegah Dairy Company at psychrophilic condition. The startup time of a bio-trickling<br />filter is directly proportional to the concentration of microbial population. Abio-trickling column with a height of<br />150 cm was packed with lava rocks with the liquid recirculated through the packing. The startup flow rate for the<br />pilot was 0.0035 L/min, with hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 10 days at 7-13ºC. Results indicated that for HRT<br />of 10 days, the efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was more than 85% for less than 100 g<br />COD/m3/h. Subsequently, dairy wastewater was added to the reminder of activated sludge with the HRT of 8<br />days, and the nutrients were added to the pilot tank with a daily ratio of carbon/nitrogen/phosphorous: 100/5/1.<br />For the subsequent 5 days, the pilot was maintained in a steady state. The results revealed that the pilot startup<br />was performed completely.