Abdulmannan Rouhani - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Abdulmannan Rouhani

International journal of environmental science and technology, Jun 15, 2024

International journal of environmental science and technology, Jun 20, 2024

With a substantial rise in both domestic and worldwide copper mining rates over the past decade, ... more With a substantial rise in both domestic and worldwide copper mining rates over the past decade, Iran has become a major producer of copper in the Middle East. The increasing need for copper-based products in a variety of industries, including as information technology, electronics, transportation, and construction, is driving this rise. However, the expansion of copper mining activities has led to environmental degradation, particularly in mining sites where potentially hazardous elements (PTEs) have contaminated the soil. Despite these significant environmental impacts, they have often been overlooked, posing long-term environmental challenges as copper extraction continues. This research extensively reviews the literature (from 2000 to 2023) on soil contamination in Iran's copper mining districts, focusing on PTEs. It evaluates the extent of potentially hazardous elements' pollution in soils, comparing findings with global data, and explores remediation strategies employed in these regions. Results suggest that studies predominantly center around the Sarcheshmeh copper mine, highlighting copper, lead, and molybdenum as dominant PTE pollutants. Phytoremediation emerges as the primary remediation method used in these areas, indicating Iran's sustainable approach to addressing potentially hazardous elements' contamination. This review recommends comprehensive monitoring of PTEs across all Iranian copper mines and further exploration of native plant species that successfully grow and stabilize potentially hazardous elements grow in copper mining areas remediation.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Environmental Geochemistry and Health , 2023

Coal mining activities are causing an extensive range of environmental issues at both operating a... more Coal mining activities are causing an extensive range of environmental issues at both operating and abandoned mine sites. It is one of the most environmentally destructive practices, with the capability to eliminate fauna and flora, impact the groundwater system, and pollute the soil, air, and water. The Czech Republic relies almost exclusively on coal as its primary domestic source of energy. The combined reserves of hard and brown coals in this country are 705 million tons. About 50 million tons of coal is produced annually, making it the 14th biggest producer in the world. Soil degradation is an inevitable outcome of the coal production from surface coal mining procedures in the Czech Republic. Significant changes have taken place in soil productivity, hydraulic characteristics, horizon, and texture as a result of soil pollution, bioturbation, compaction, and weathering. The current review has evaluated the impact of reclamation and coal mining on soil characteristics, including biological, chemical, and physical properties. Additionally, the study has outlined the process of soil formation in reclamation areas in the Czech Republic. In nutshell, research gaps and future directions in understanding coal mining areas and their influences on soils in the Czech Republic are identified.

Chemistry Africa

A total of 167 samples of agricultural soil, atmospheric dust and food crops (wheat and maize) we... more A total of 167 samples of agricultural soil, atmospheric dust and food crops (wheat and maize) were collected, and four heavy metals, including Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr, were analyzed for their concentrations, pollution levels and human health risks. The mean heavy metal contents in the agricultural soil and atmospheric dust were exceeds background values and lower than their IEQS (Iranian Environmental Quality Standard) with an exception of Ni. A pollution assessment by Geo-accumulation Index (I geo) showed that the pollution levels were in the order of Ni > Cu > Cr > Zn for agricultural soils and Ni > Cu > Zn > Cr for atmospheric dust. The Ni levels can be considered "moderately to heavily contaminated" status. The human health risk assessment indicated that noncarcinogenic values were below the threshold values (1), and main exposure pathway of heavy metals to both children and adults are ingestion. The carcinogenic risks values for Ni and Cr were higher than the safe value (1 × 10 −6), suggesting that all receptors (especially wheat) in Kermanshah province might have significant and acceptable potential health risk because of exposure to Ni and Cr. The carcinogenic risk for children and adults has a descending order of Ni > Cr, except for wheat. These results provide basic information on heavy metal contamination control and human health risk assessment management in the Kermanshah province.

Urban Climate

The present study evaluated the air pollution tolerance index (APTI), anticipated performance ind... more The present study evaluated the air pollution tolerance index (APTI), anticipated performance index (API), enrichment factor (EF), pollution load index (PLI), bioaccumulation coefficient (BAC), and metal accumulation index (MAI) in grown plants of industrial ecosystems of Najafabad County near the Isfahan megacity (Iran). The existence of major, minor and trace mineral elements, physiological (pH of leaf extract and relative water content) and biochemical (proline, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, and total chlorophyll content) factors in Clerics siliquastrum, Melia azedarach, Caesalpinia gilliesii, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Morus alba were evaluated to assess their suitability for phytoremediation and/or phytomonitoring. The results showed that M. azedarach and E. camaldulensis had higher APTI and API values and were categorized in the tolerant plant group. The most important factors influencing the APTI of R. pseudoacacia, E. camaldulensis, C. gilliesii, M. azedarach, C. siliquastrum and M. alba were ascorbic acid (88.1%), the pH of leaf extract (45.7%), ascorbic acid (78.9%), the pH of leaf extract (98.8%), the total chlorophyll content (56.1%), and the relative water content (54.6%), respectively. Proline showed a strong and negative correlation with the APTI (r = −0.72). Reducing sugar showed a moderate and negative correlation with the total chlorophyll (r = −0.63). The PLI showed a high pollution load for all species, especially M. azedarach. The highest values of EF, BAC, and MAI were obtained in C. siliquastrum (117.46), R. pseudoacacia (417.79), and M. azedarach (8.92), respectively. Based on the overall results of this study, it is recommended that M. azedarach be used as a tolerant species for green space development and C. siliquastrum and R. pseudoacacia as both passive bio-monitors and bio-mitigators in industrial ecosystems.

Multi-element analysis in historical sites is a major issue in archaeological studies; however, t... more Multi-element analysis in historical sites is a major issue in archaeological studies; however, this approach is almost unknown among Iranian scholars. Geochemical multi-element analysis of soil is very important to evaluate anthropogenic activities. The aim of this study consists of assessing the potential usefulness of multi-elemental soil analysis, obtained by Analytical Jena atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and ICP-MS, to recognize ancient anthropogenic features on the territory of Tappe Rivi (North Khorasan, Iran). For that purpose, a total of 80 ancient soil samples were sampled from each soil horizon and cultural layer. The research involved Fe, Al, Cd, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, Pb, and P which trace element samples were extracted according to the International Standard ISO 11466 and phosphorus samples by Olsen method. Besides, the contamination of the soils was assessed based on enrichment factors (EFs) by using Fe as a reference element. This geochemical/archaeological approach highlights that the content of most elements in the Parthian and Sassanid ages were significantly higher than the contents of the elements in other zones, which shows that by the development of the eras, the content of the elements has also increased. Also, the accumulation of metals in the Rivi site was significantly higher than in the control area. Among the sampled zones, enrichment factor (EF) indicated that the enrichment of Cu and phosphate at the Parthian and Sassanid had the highest content. This result is important because it shows that the amount of metals and human activities are directly related to each other during different ages.

Sustainability

Recently, one of the major environmental issues is the pollution of soil with Antimony (Sb), whic... more Recently, one of the major environmental issues is the pollution of soil with Antimony (Sb), which is ecologically detrimental and potentially carcinogenic to humans. In developing countries such as Iran, Sb concentrations in soils have not yet been accurately determined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the levels of Sb and the other HMs (Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Hg and Cr) in the surface soils of Bojnourd, Iran, as well as their distribution and potential risks to the environment and human health. A total of 37 soil samples (0–20 cm) were taken from different sampling stations: 900 × 900 m regular grid for traffic areas (TA), residential areas (RA) and suburb areas (SA). The contamination factor (CF) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) are two indices that were used to reflect the potential ecological risk from HMs. Geographic information system (GIS), Spearman correlation matrix and health risk indexes were utilized to investigate the source and potential hazard of HMs. T...

Chemistry Africa

This research evaluated the health risks of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, and Pb) in ancient ... more This research evaluated the health risks of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, and Pb) in ancient soil samples from Tappe Rivi, Iran, where human activities have changed the chemical properties of soil. A total of 79 soil samples (including control soils) were collected and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks were evaluated via three exposure pathways inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact for children and adults (archaeological workers and archaeologists). The Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) were less than 1, suggesting no significant non-cancerous risks on humans. The carcinogenic health risk (CR) indicated ingestion was the leading pathway of heavy metal exposure, which illustrated acceptable health impact from Cd, Cu, and Cr for adults with values of 10–5 in the entire site. However, no cancer risk was found from the dermal and inhalation pathways. The CR ingestion and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) of Cd and Cu only for children and Ni for both children and adults were higher than the acceptable limit of 1.0 × 10 − 4, suggesting possible cancer development. Cluster analysis (CA) demonstrated that Cr-Pb, Co-Cd, and Co–Cu are strongly correlated metals, which means they could have a common source. Further investigations are required to reach representative and reliable results for HHRA in archaeological soils.

Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2022

One of the environmental consequences of the growing urban population is the exponential increase... more One of the environmental consequences of the growing urban population is the exponential increase in municipal solid waste, which landfill disposal is currently the primary method in many countries, including Iran. Environmental monitoring of landfills is crucial due to their high potential for pollution. A total of 31 soil samples from the study area were collected, and six heavy metals (HMs), Cu, Co, Ni, Cd, Zn, and Pb, were analyzed for their concentrations, pollution levels, and health risks. Results indicated that the mean content of HMs in the study area exceeded background values and was lower than the Iranian soil standard (IDOE), FAO/WHO, and EU Guidelines. Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and contamination factor (CF) showed that all HMs were at unpolluted or unpolluted to moderately polluted levels in the study area, while the pollution load index (PLI) showed extremely high pollution levels for soils inside the landfill. The human health risk assessment in the investigated region revealed that non-carcinogenic values of HMs were below the threshold values (1), and the main exposure pathway to both children and adults is ingestion. The carcinogenic risk values of Cd, Cu, and Ni for adults and Cd for children were higher than the safe value (1 × 10−6), indicating that receptors in the study area might have a significant and acceptable potential health risk. In addition, children were undergoing potentially high carcinogenic risks due to Cu exposure. Children had larger health risks in non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks than adults who may be associated with their behavioral and physiological features. These results give basic information on HM pollution control and human health risk assessment management in the Landfill of Khesht city.

Journal of Sistan and Baluchistan Studies, 2022

Phosphate is unique among the elements in being a sensitive and persistent indicator of human occ... more Phosphate is unique among the elements in being a sensitive and persistent indicator of human occupation. It has long been of interest to archaeologists because of its potential to inform them about the presence of past human activity and to offer clues regarding the type and intensity of human occupation. In fact, the soil of settlements is part of the phosphorus reservoir. The reconstruction of the human activities areas of archaeological sites using soil phosphate analysis is a well-known technique. This study aims to identify and compare the activity area at ancient mounds of Rivi through the measurement of the quantity of phosphates in the soil. In this study, 29 soil samples were collected from the study area, and phosphorus quantity was measured using Spectrophotometry. Multivariate statistical methods were used to classify the obtained results. The results showed that the phosphorus concentrations in the ancient areas were higher than in the control area, and among the ancient areas, the phosphorus quantity related to Rivi B was higher than in other mounds. Previous studies have shown that the Rivi area has been inhabited from around 2900 years ago to the last Sassanian years (1,500 years ago), and in the middle of the Islamic age (1000 years ago), it was a great village. In total, the archaeological site of Rivi was inhabited during the Iron Age, Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid, and Islamic periods, and that is why there was a high concentration of phosphorus in the Rivi area compared to the control area.

SN Applied Sciences, 2020

Ancient soils may be highly polluted with heavy metals because of intensive anthropogenic activit... more Ancient soils may be highly polluted with heavy metals because of intensive anthropogenic activities over the centuries. Soils in the archaeological site of Rivi are an example of an ancient soil that is exposed to heavy metal pollution. The current study focused on pollution levels of potentially harmful elements (Fe, Co, Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb) using various indices in the soil of Rivi in North Khorasan province, Iran. For this purpose, a total of 93 soil samples were collected from different parts of site (n = 5) and the pollution level of heavy metals were analyzed based on the Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), Degree of contamination (Cd), the Pollution Load Index (PLI), and the individual potential risk (Eri). Pollution indices were determined based on local geochemical backgrounds. Results showed that: The mean concentrations obtained in mg/kg were Cu (18.88), Pb (36.20), Cr (28.14). Co (21.00) and Cd (5.31). Cr showed a partially moderate pollution level, Pb showed a slight pollution level, and Co and Cd showed no-pollution level, compared to the classification standard. Based on the Risk index values, for heavy metals in the study area was ranked in the order of: Pb > Cu > Cr > Cd > Co. Co and Cd of ancient soils were mainly originated from the soil parent material and topography of the study area. Cu was mainly originated from human activities, and Cr and Pb may be originated from both natural and anthropogenic factors in the study area. Results of this study can reveal a long-term exposure of ancient humans to these elements, via their activities, which may have played particular role in environmental-pollution tolerance. Therefore, studying the effects of these potentially toxic elements on archaeologist's health, the results are crucial to identifying and dealing with risk during their excavations.

The design and implementation of the municipal waste management system aim to solve the urban iss... more The design and implementation of the municipal waste management system aim to solve the urban issues and ultimately contribute to the citizens' health and welfare. The first step in this system is to select a site for the safe disposal of wastes. This survey aimed to select the most suitable landfill site for municipal solid waste using the geographic information system (GIS) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model following the environmental, economic, and engineering criteria. Therefore, by reviewing the literature and backgrounds, the parameters required for locating the landfill site were extracted, and the most important ones (15 sub-criteria) were selected and divided into four groups. The results showed that the sub-criterion of distance to the river with the weight of 0.218 was identified as the most critical parameter, followed by groundwater depth. In this way, the flooding parameter with the weight of 0.010 was considered the least important variable. In addition, it was found that the moderate suitability class with 50% of the area had the highest area, and the very high suitability with 0.8% had the lowest area. The inconsistency rate was equal to 0.04, which illustrates the high consistency of matrices. Then, the overlaying was carried out, and three sites were determined as the best place for a landfill in Khesht county.

Brilliant Engineering, 2020

Urbanization and urban development is undoubtedly one of the most crucial aspects of modern civil... more Urbanization and urban development is undoubtedly one of the most crucial aspects of modern civilization, causing various changes in the environment. Shiraz an area identified for rapid urban growth is less explored in the matter of study. In this context, this study presents a combined approach of remote sensing and GIS techniques for monitoring land use changes of Shiraz city in Fars Province, Iran. Firstly, various satellite images, including MSS 1982, TM 1996, ETM 2006, and OLI 2018 based on five classes, namely agriculture, urban areas, bare land, tree cover and street were classified. For classify the remote-sensing data maximum likelihood algorithm was used. Then, digital topographic maps 1:50000 of Geographic Organization of the Armed Forces and Mapping Organization were used as ancillary data for interpreting the images, also for geometric correction of the images. In the final phase of the study, the extent and status of changes in each application were determined, and the...

Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, 2020

The development of civilizations and human societies has been dependent on water. Without the qan... more The development of civilizations and human societies has been dependent on water. Without the qanats, many human settlements could not be built, and the qanat is still a major source, and in some cases, the only source of agricultural and potable water supply in many parts of world. However, in densely populated areas, the qanat has lost its importance as a valuable source of water and has been replaced by the well. This study set out to compare the utility of using the qanats and deep wells through the library and laboratory studies. A total of 26 samples were collected and analyzed for: pH, Chlorides (Cl − ), Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR). Also, 40 soil sample were taken from the farms irrigated with qanat and well water and analyzed for the EC, SAR, pH, lime percentage and soluble sodium and exchangeable sodium. An area outside the study area was selected and surveyed as the control area with the same conditions as the well and qanat tailwater. The samples were transferred to the Atomic Absorption Laboratory of Yazd University of Natural Resources. The results of soil samples showed that the lime percentage in qanat water-irrigated soil sample was higher than well water-irrigated soils, whereas there were no significant differences in other quality indexes between the irrigation with qanat and the deep well water. Finally in the taken water samples the EC, Cl − , SAR values of the qanat water were lower than the well water but the pH values of the qanat water was slightly higher than the well water. With regard to the high amount of water loss in the world, the studies on finding the most optimal way to use this vital agent are very important.

JANSET Vol 1 Issue 1 January 2021, 2020

Today, the production of various types of solid waste and the occurrence of related social, econo... more Today, the production of various types of solid waste and the occurrence of related social, economic and environmental inconsistencies have faced the management of municipal services and waste with many problems in the areas of collection, transportation, processing and disposal of such waste. The purpose of this study is to assess the life cycle of the current management system in Yazd, Iran from the environmental and economic point of view and to determine the priority in the decision-making to improve waste management. There are many tools for assessing the environmental impacts and determining the priority in the decision-making, but one of the widely used methods is life cycle assessment (LCA). In this study, three different scenarios of waste management were defined. The first scenario is the unsanitary separation and landfill (according to current situation in Yazd), the second scenario is the separation, composting and anaerobic digestion, waste incineration plant, disposal ...

Urban development causes fundamental changes in the ecological structure and functioning of lands... more Urban development causes fundamental changes in the ecological structure and functioning of landscape and gradual change in the spatial structure and landscape
pattern. Landscape ecology concepts can be used in landscape planning to reduce the
negative impacts of urbanization. Landscape ecology, based on landscape metrics, is an appropriate tool for mapping and quantifying spatial land use characteristics. The aim of the current study is to quantify the spatial pattern of Shiraz metropolitan area using landscape metrics over a 36-year period. The metrics used for the analysis were Number of points (NP), Point density (PD), Edge density (ED), The edge effect (TE), Largest point index (LPI), Landscape index (LSI), Shannon diversity index (SHDI) and Shannon equality index (SHEI). These metrics were produced for the years 1982, 1996, 2006, and 2018. The classes of urban area, agriculture, tree cover, bare land, and street/road were the subjects for analysis. Results of the study reveal fragmentation of agricultural land and tree cover over the third period of the study (2006-2018). Increase in suburban area between 1982 and 2006, due to the increasing growth of urbanization, has taken place in different directions, which shows disorientated and disorderly trend; however, the trend has declined between 2006 and 2016, indicating orientation of outskirt development as a result of building ring roads within the study area. Economic growth and increased urbanization have been identified as the most important factors affecting land use in the area.

International journal of environmental science and technology, Jun 15, 2024

International journal of environmental science and technology, Jun 20, 2024

With a substantial rise in both domestic and worldwide copper mining rates over the past decade, ... more With a substantial rise in both domestic and worldwide copper mining rates over the past decade, Iran has become a major producer of copper in the Middle East. The increasing need for copper-based products in a variety of industries, including as information technology, electronics, transportation, and construction, is driving this rise. However, the expansion of copper mining activities has led to environmental degradation, particularly in mining sites where potentially hazardous elements (PTEs) have contaminated the soil. Despite these significant environmental impacts, they have often been overlooked, posing long-term environmental challenges as copper extraction continues. This research extensively reviews the literature (from 2000 to 2023) on soil contamination in Iran's copper mining districts, focusing on PTEs. It evaluates the extent of potentially hazardous elements' pollution in soils, comparing findings with global data, and explores remediation strategies employed in these regions. Results suggest that studies predominantly center around the Sarcheshmeh copper mine, highlighting copper, lead, and molybdenum as dominant PTE pollutants. Phytoremediation emerges as the primary remediation method used in these areas, indicating Iran's sustainable approach to addressing potentially hazardous elements' contamination. This review recommends comprehensive monitoring of PTEs across all Iranian copper mines and further exploration of native plant species that successfully grow and stabilize potentially hazardous elements grow in copper mining areas remediation.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Environmental Geochemistry and Health , 2023

Coal mining activities are causing an extensive range of environmental issues at both operating a... more Coal mining activities are causing an extensive range of environmental issues at both operating and abandoned mine sites. It is one of the most environmentally destructive practices, with the capability to eliminate fauna and flora, impact the groundwater system, and pollute the soil, air, and water. The Czech Republic relies almost exclusively on coal as its primary domestic source of energy. The combined reserves of hard and brown coals in this country are 705 million tons. About 50 million tons of coal is produced annually, making it the 14th biggest producer in the world. Soil degradation is an inevitable outcome of the coal production from surface coal mining procedures in the Czech Republic. Significant changes have taken place in soil productivity, hydraulic characteristics, horizon, and texture as a result of soil pollution, bioturbation, compaction, and weathering. The current review has evaluated the impact of reclamation and coal mining on soil characteristics, including biological, chemical, and physical properties. Additionally, the study has outlined the process of soil formation in reclamation areas in the Czech Republic. In nutshell, research gaps and future directions in understanding coal mining areas and their influences on soils in the Czech Republic are identified.

Chemistry Africa

A total of 167 samples of agricultural soil, atmospheric dust and food crops (wheat and maize) we... more A total of 167 samples of agricultural soil, atmospheric dust and food crops (wheat and maize) were collected, and four heavy metals, including Zn, Cu, Ni, and Cr, were analyzed for their concentrations, pollution levels and human health risks. The mean heavy metal contents in the agricultural soil and atmospheric dust were exceeds background values and lower than their IEQS (Iranian Environmental Quality Standard) with an exception of Ni. A pollution assessment by Geo-accumulation Index (I geo) showed that the pollution levels were in the order of Ni > Cu > Cr > Zn for agricultural soils and Ni > Cu > Zn > Cr for atmospheric dust. The Ni levels can be considered "moderately to heavily contaminated" status. The human health risk assessment indicated that noncarcinogenic values were below the threshold values (1), and main exposure pathway of heavy metals to both children and adults are ingestion. The carcinogenic risks values for Ni and Cr were higher than the safe value (1 × 10 −6), suggesting that all receptors (especially wheat) in Kermanshah province might have significant and acceptable potential health risk because of exposure to Ni and Cr. The carcinogenic risk for children and adults has a descending order of Ni > Cr, except for wheat. These results provide basic information on heavy metal contamination control and human health risk assessment management in the Kermanshah province.

Urban Climate

The present study evaluated the air pollution tolerance index (APTI), anticipated performance ind... more The present study evaluated the air pollution tolerance index (APTI), anticipated performance index (API), enrichment factor (EF), pollution load index (PLI), bioaccumulation coefficient (BAC), and metal accumulation index (MAI) in grown plants of industrial ecosystems of Najafabad County near the Isfahan megacity (Iran). The existence of major, minor and trace mineral elements, physiological (pH of leaf extract and relative water content) and biochemical (proline, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid, and total chlorophyll content) factors in Clerics siliquastrum, Melia azedarach, Caesalpinia gilliesii, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Morus alba were evaluated to assess their suitability for phytoremediation and/or phytomonitoring. The results showed that M. azedarach and E. camaldulensis had higher APTI and API values and were categorized in the tolerant plant group. The most important factors influencing the APTI of R. pseudoacacia, E. camaldulensis, C. gilliesii, M. azedarach, C. siliquastrum and M. alba were ascorbic acid (88.1%), the pH of leaf extract (45.7%), ascorbic acid (78.9%), the pH of leaf extract (98.8%), the total chlorophyll content (56.1%), and the relative water content (54.6%), respectively. Proline showed a strong and negative correlation with the APTI (r = −0.72). Reducing sugar showed a moderate and negative correlation with the total chlorophyll (r = −0.63). The PLI showed a high pollution load for all species, especially M. azedarach. The highest values of EF, BAC, and MAI were obtained in C. siliquastrum (117.46), R. pseudoacacia (417.79), and M. azedarach (8.92), respectively. Based on the overall results of this study, it is recommended that M. azedarach be used as a tolerant species for green space development and C. siliquastrum and R. pseudoacacia as both passive bio-monitors and bio-mitigators in industrial ecosystems.

Multi-element analysis in historical sites is a major issue in archaeological studies; however, t... more Multi-element analysis in historical sites is a major issue in archaeological studies; however, this approach is almost unknown among Iranian scholars. Geochemical multi-element analysis of soil is very important to evaluate anthropogenic activities. The aim of this study consists of assessing the potential usefulness of multi-elemental soil analysis, obtained by Analytical Jena atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) and ICP-MS, to recognize ancient anthropogenic features on the territory of Tappe Rivi (North Khorasan, Iran). For that purpose, a total of 80 ancient soil samples were sampled from each soil horizon and cultural layer. The research involved Fe, Al, Cd, Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, Pb, and P which trace element samples were extracted according to the International Standard ISO 11466 and phosphorus samples by Olsen method. Besides, the contamination of the soils was assessed based on enrichment factors (EFs) by using Fe as a reference element. This geochemical/archaeological approach highlights that the content of most elements in the Parthian and Sassanid ages were significantly higher than the contents of the elements in other zones, which shows that by the development of the eras, the content of the elements has also increased. Also, the accumulation of metals in the Rivi site was significantly higher than in the control area. Among the sampled zones, enrichment factor (EF) indicated that the enrichment of Cu and phosphate at the Parthian and Sassanid had the highest content. This result is important because it shows that the amount of metals and human activities are directly related to each other during different ages.

Sustainability

Recently, one of the major environmental issues is the pollution of soil with Antimony (Sb), whic... more Recently, one of the major environmental issues is the pollution of soil with Antimony (Sb), which is ecologically detrimental and potentially carcinogenic to humans. In developing countries such as Iran, Sb concentrations in soils have not yet been accurately determined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the levels of Sb and the other HMs (Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Hg and Cr) in the surface soils of Bojnourd, Iran, as well as their distribution and potential risks to the environment and human health. A total of 37 soil samples (0–20 cm) were taken from different sampling stations: 900 × 900 m regular grid for traffic areas (TA), residential areas (RA) and suburb areas (SA). The contamination factor (CF) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo) are two indices that were used to reflect the potential ecological risk from HMs. Geographic information system (GIS), Spearman correlation matrix and health risk indexes were utilized to investigate the source and potential hazard of HMs. T...

Chemistry Africa

This research evaluated the health risks of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, and Pb) in ancient ... more This research evaluated the health risks of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Ni, and Pb) in ancient soil samples from Tappe Rivi, Iran, where human activities have changed the chemical properties of soil. A total of 79 soil samples (including control soils) were collected and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks were evaluated via three exposure pathways inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact for children and adults (archaeological workers and archaeologists). The Hazard Quotient (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) were less than 1, suggesting no significant non-cancerous risks on humans. The carcinogenic health risk (CR) indicated ingestion was the leading pathway of heavy metal exposure, which illustrated acceptable health impact from Cd, Cu, and Cr for adults with values of 10–5 in the entire site. However, no cancer risk was found from the dermal and inhalation pathways. The CR ingestion and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) of Cd and Cu only for children and Ni for both children and adults were higher than the acceptable limit of 1.0 × 10 − 4, suggesting possible cancer development. Cluster analysis (CA) demonstrated that Cr-Pb, Co-Cd, and Co–Cu are strongly correlated metals, which means they could have a common source. Further investigations are required to reach representative and reliable results for HHRA in archaeological soils.

Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2022

One of the environmental consequences of the growing urban population is the exponential increase... more One of the environmental consequences of the growing urban population is the exponential increase in municipal solid waste, which landfill disposal is currently the primary method in many countries, including Iran. Environmental monitoring of landfills is crucial due to their high potential for pollution. A total of 31 soil samples from the study area were collected, and six heavy metals (HMs), Cu, Co, Ni, Cd, Zn, and Pb, were analyzed for their concentrations, pollution levels, and health risks. Results indicated that the mean content of HMs in the study area exceeded background values and was lower than the Iranian soil standard (IDOE), FAO/WHO, and EU Guidelines. Geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and contamination factor (CF) showed that all HMs were at unpolluted or unpolluted to moderately polluted levels in the study area, while the pollution load index (PLI) showed extremely high pollution levels for soils inside the landfill. The human health risk assessment in the investigated region revealed that non-carcinogenic values of HMs were below the threshold values (1), and the main exposure pathway to both children and adults is ingestion. The carcinogenic risk values of Cd, Cu, and Ni for adults and Cd for children were higher than the safe value (1 × 10−6), indicating that receptors in the study area might have a significant and acceptable potential health risk. In addition, children were undergoing potentially high carcinogenic risks due to Cu exposure. Children had larger health risks in non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks than adults who may be associated with their behavioral and physiological features. These results give basic information on HM pollution control and human health risk assessment management in the Landfill of Khesht city.

Journal of Sistan and Baluchistan Studies, 2022

Phosphate is unique among the elements in being a sensitive and persistent indicator of human occ... more Phosphate is unique among the elements in being a sensitive and persistent indicator of human occupation. It has long been of interest to archaeologists because of its potential to inform them about the presence of past human activity and to offer clues regarding the type and intensity of human occupation. In fact, the soil of settlements is part of the phosphorus reservoir. The reconstruction of the human activities areas of archaeological sites using soil phosphate analysis is a well-known technique. This study aims to identify and compare the activity area at ancient mounds of Rivi through the measurement of the quantity of phosphates in the soil. In this study, 29 soil samples were collected from the study area, and phosphorus quantity was measured using Spectrophotometry. Multivariate statistical methods were used to classify the obtained results. The results showed that the phosphorus concentrations in the ancient areas were higher than in the control area, and among the ancient areas, the phosphorus quantity related to Rivi B was higher than in other mounds. Previous studies have shown that the Rivi area has been inhabited from around 2900 years ago to the last Sassanian years (1,500 years ago), and in the middle of the Islamic age (1000 years ago), it was a great village. In total, the archaeological site of Rivi was inhabited during the Iron Age, Achaemenid, Parthian, Sassanid, and Islamic periods, and that is why there was a high concentration of phosphorus in the Rivi area compared to the control area.

SN Applied Sciences, 2020

Ancient soils may be highly polluted with heavy metals because of intensive anthropogenic activit... more Ancient soils may be highly polluted with heavy metals because of intensive anthropogenic activities over the centuries. Soils in the archaeological site of Rivi are an example of an ancient soil that is exposed to heavy metal pollution. The current study focused on pollution levels of potentially harmful elements (Fe, Co, Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb) using various indices in the soil of Rivi in North Khorasan province, Iran. For this purpose, a total of 93 soil samples were collected from different parts of site (n = 5) and the pollution level of heavy metals were analyzed based on the Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), Degree of contamination (Cd), the Pollution Load Index (PLI), and the individual potential risk (Eri). Pollution indices were determined based on local geochemical backgrounds. Results showed that: The mean concentrations obtained in mg/kg were Cu (18.88), Pb (36.20), Cr (28.14). Co (21.00) and Cd (5.31). Cr showed a partially moderate pollution level, Pb showed a slight pollution level, and Co and Cd showed no-pollution level, compared to the classification standard. Based on the Risk index values, for heavy metals in the study area was ranked in the order of: Pb > Cu > Cr > Cd > Co. Co and Cd of ancient soils were mainly originated from the soil parent material and topography of the study area. Cu was mainly originated from human activities, and Cr and Pb may be originated from both natural and anthropogenic factors in the study area. Results of this study can reveal a long-term exposure of ancient humans to these elements, via their activities, which may have played particular role in environmental-pollution tolerance. Therefore, studying the effects of these potentially toxic elements on archaeologist's health, the results are crucial to identifying and dealing with risk during their excavations.

The design and implementation of the municipal waste management system aim to solve the urban iss... more The design and implementation of the municipal waste management system aim to solve the urban issues and ultimately contribute to the citizens' health and welfare. The first step in this system is to select a site for the safe disposal of wastes. This survey aimed to select the most suitable landfill site for municipal solid waste using the geographic information system (GIS) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model following the environmental, economic, and engineering criteria. Therefore, by reviewing the literature and backgrounds, the parameters required for locating the landfill site were extracted, and the most important ones (15 sub-criteria) were selected and divided into four groups. The results showed that the sub-criterion of distance to the river with the weight of 0.218 was identified as the most critical parameter, followed by groundwater depth. In this way, the flooding parameter with the weight of 0.010 was considered the least important variable. In addition, it was found that the moderate suitability class with 50% of the area had the highest area, and the very high suitability with 0.8% had the lowest area. The inconsistency rate was equal to 0.04, which illustrates the high consistency of matrices. Then, the overlaying was carried out, and three sites were determined as the best place for a landfill in Khesht county.

Brilliant Engineering, 2020

Urbanization and urban development is undoubtedly one of the most crucial aspects of modern civil... more Urbanization and urban development is undoubtedly one of the most crucial aspects of modern civilization, causing various changes in the environment. Shiraz an area identified for rapid urban growth is less explored in the matter of study. In this context, this study presents a combined approach of remote sensing and GIS techniques for monitoring land use changes of Shiraz city in Fars Province, Iran. Firstly, various satellite images, including MSS 1982, TM 1996, ETM 2006, and OLI 2018 based on five classes, namely agriculture, urban areas, bare land, tree cover and street were classified. For classify the remote-sensing data maximum likelihood algorithm was used. Then, digital topographic maps 1:50000 of Geographic Organization of the Armed Forces and Mapping Organization were used as ancillary data for interpreting the images, also for geometric correction of the images. In the final phase of the study, the extent and status of changes in each application were determined, and the...

Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, 2020

The development of civilizations and human societies has been dependent on water. Without the qan... more The development of civilizations and human societies has been dependent on water. Without the qanats, many human settlements could not be built, and the qanat is still a major source, and in some cases, the only source of agricultural and potable water supply in many parts of world. However, in densely populated areas, the qanat has lost its importance as a valuable source of water and has been replaced by the well. This study set out to compare the utility of using the qanats and deep wells through the library and laboratory studies. A total of 26 samples were collected and analyzed for: pH, Chlorides (Cl − ), Electrical Conductivity (EC) and Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR). Also, 40 soil sample were taken from the farms irrigated with qanat and well water and analyzed for the EC, SAR, pH, lime percentage and soluble sodium and exchangeable sodium. An area outside the study area was selected and surveyed as the control area with the same conditions as the well and qanat tailwater. The samples were transferred to the Atomic Absorption Laboratory of Yazd University of Natural Resources. The results of soil samples showed that the lime percentage in qanat water-irrigated soil sample was higher than well water-irrigated soils, whereas there were no significant differences in other quality indexes between the irrigation with qanat and the deep well water. Finally in the taken water samples the EC, Cl − , SAR values of the qanat water were lower than the well water but the pH values of the qanat water was slightly higher than the well water. With regard to the high amount of water loss in the world, the studies on finding the most optimal way to use this vital agent are very important.

JANSET Vol 1 Issue 1 January 2021, 2020

Today, the production of various types of solid waste and the occurrence of related social, econo... more Today, the production of various types of solid waste and the occurrence of related social, economic and environmental inconsistencies have faced the management of municipal services and waste with many problems in the areas of collection, transportation, processing and disposal of such waste. The purpose of this study is to assess the life cycle of the current management system in Yazd, Iran from the environmental and economic point of view and to determine the priority in the decision-making to improve waste management. There are many tools for assessing the environmental impacts and determining the priority in the decision-making, but one of the widely used methods is life cycle assessment (LCA). In this study, three different scenarios of waste management were defined. The first scenario is the unsanitary separation and landfill (according to current situation in Yazd), the second scenario is the separation, composting and anaerobic digestion, waste incineration plant, disposal ...

Urban development causes fundamental changes in the ecological structure and functioning of lands... more Urban development causes fundamental changes in the ecological structure and functioning of landscape and gradual change in the spatial structure and landscape
pattern. Landscape ecology concepts can be used in landscape planning to reduce the
negative impacts of urbanization. Landscape ecology, based on landscape metrics, is an appropriate tool for mapping and quantifying spatial land use characteristics. The aim of the current study is to quantify the spatial pattern of Shiraz metropolitan area using landscape metrics over a 36-year period. The metrics used for the analysis were Number of points (NP), Point density (PD), Edge density (ED), The edge effect (TE), Largest point index (LPI), Landscape index (LSI), Shannon diversity index (SHDI) and Shannon equality index (SHEI). These metrics were produced for the years 1982, 1996, 2006, and 2018. The classes of urban area, agriculture, tree cover, bare land, and street/road were the subjects for analysis. Results of the study reveal fragmentation of agricultural land and tree cover over the third period of the study (2006-2018). Increase in suburban area between 1982 and 2006, due to the increasing growth of urbanization, has taken place in different directions, which shows disorientated and disorderly trend; however, the trend has declined between 2006 and 2016, indicating orientation of outskirt development as a result of building ring roads within the study area. Economic growth and increased urbanization have been identified as the most important factors affecting land use in the area.