Volume 22 - 2020

We utilized satellite and GIS technologies to address the relationship between urban land uses and Noise Pollution (NP) in one of the most crowded regions of Tehran city. Leq was determined in 170 stations of the studied area and an acoustic map was created. Moreover, using satellite remote sensing data and a land use map, the density map for nine types of the most important urban land use was provided and the relationship between different land use densities and NP was investigated. We found that the investigated region was highly polluted and the NP level was higher in the morning (76.29±5.61 dB[A]) and afternoon (76.46±4.88 dB[A]) in comparison to the noon period. Furthermore, the prepared acoustic map revealed that in the east and southwest of the studied area, the NP was highest and lowest, respectively. Also, cultural (73.48±4.7 dB[A]) and parking (79.02±4.3 dB[A]) areas had the lowest and highest levels of Leq. Also, the high density of road, commercial, industrial, mixed commercial and residential and parking land uses had a direct significant relationship with Leq and this relation was inverse for green space. It was concluded that land use variations significantly affect the NP levels and it can be utilized to predict and manage the NP in different cities.

At this study, electrochemical oxidation of cefaclor antibiotic was investigated with new generation Sn/Sb/Ni-Ti anodes. Platinized titanium was used as cathode material. Chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC) and cefaclor (CEF) active substance parameters were used to evaluate the process efficiency. Salt (KCl) addition (mg L-1), pH value, current density (mA cm-2) and reaction time (minute) were the factors controlling the reactions. Kinetic evaluations were performed during the application of electrochemical oxidation processes to obtain pseudo-first degree kinetics. 750 mg L-1 KCl, pH 7 and 50 mA cm-2 current density were found as the optimum conditions at room temperature (25 °C). Thus, ≤ % 99 removal efficiencies were found for COD and TOC parameters after 60 min reaction and complete mineralization of CEF was occured in just 30 min at the optimum conditions. Consequently, Sn/Sb/Ni-Ti anodes were found very useful and successful for cefaclor oxidation and mineralization. The advantages of the processes are, complete mineralization at shorter reaction time with low current densities and there is no need to pH arrangement.

The aim of this study is to determine the shrub species which can be used as the biomonitor of air pollution originating mainly from the traffic and could provide the opportunity to increase the air quality in urban areas. To this end, Berberis thunbergii, Buxus sempervirens, Juniperus horizontalis, and Platycladus orientalis, mostly preferred species for roadside plantations, were chosen for the study. First, three regions with heavy traffic intensities were determined. Next, the levels of 4 heavy metals were examined by using Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectrometry. The results obtained indicate that since the deposition of Cu and Zn is more in the leaves and barks of four species, these shrub species are more effective in the accumulation of Cu and Zn. Furthermore, the results of the study show that Platycladus orientalis is more effective in Cu and Pb accumulation, while Buxus sempervirens is more effective in terms of Ni and Zn accumulation. Determining high levels of traffic-originated heavy metals of Cu, Pb and Zn, particularly in the leaves of Platycladus orientalis in the city center indicates that air pollution is more intense in the city center and that Platycladus orientalis can be used as a biomonitor for traffic-originated air pollution.

Oil spill cleanup is a complex and expensive activity. There are several commonly used techniques available today. The paper suggests criteria for the selection of the best available technique that could be employed in case of oil spills in the Mediterranean Sea under specific circumstances, i.e. calm sea and presence of marine protected areas, in order to prevent pollution. Not all the available techniques could be considered. Only three of them could be selected, as these allow the preservation of natural areas, as well as the protection of threatened species and their habitats. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method has been preferred among the great variety in multi-criteria decision making tools for the selection of the best available technique. This is a widespread decision support tool suitable for the selection of the best alternative solution to a particular problem. Twenty professionals with different expertise evaluated, through pair-wise comparisons, the alternative options to choose in a protected area. The selected emergency cleanup technique must be readily available and operational in a short time. The results give a preference to new sorbents, followed closely by the magnetic nanocomposites technique.