Recently, adsorption process has been introduced as a favorable and effective technique for the removal of metal ions from aqueous solutions. In the present study, bimetallic nanoparticles consisting of zero valent iron and silver were loaded on the activated carbon powder for the preparation of a new adsorbent (PAC-Feo/Ag). The above adsorbent was characterized by using XRD, SEM and TEM techniqes. Experimental data were exploited for kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic evaluations related to the adsorption processes. The Cr(VI) adsorption process was found to be favorable at pH 3 and it reached equilibrium state within 60 min. The stirring rate did not have a significant effect on the adsorption efficiency. Furthermore, the monolayer adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) based on the Langmuir model was measured to be 100 mg/g. The experimental equilibrium data were fitted to the Freundlich adsorption and pseudo second-order models. According to the thermodynamic study, the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature, indicating the adsorption capacity increases with increasing the temperature. The results also revealed that the synthesized composite can be potentially applied as a magnetic adsorbent to remove Cr(VI) contaminants from aqueous solutions.

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During the last century, most of people around the world moved from communicable to non-communicable diseases, mainly due to air pollution. Air pollutants and dust storm increase risk of morbidity, for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and increase the number of deaths. The city of Ahvaz is considered as the focal point of air pollution and dust storm in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the number of Hospital Admission Respiratory Disease (HARD) including asthma attacks, acute bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease attributed to PM by a descriptive study during normal and dust event days in Ahvaz during the time period 2010-2012. The hourly PM data was collected from the Iranian Environmental Protection Agency and Razi hospital. The annual PM mean concentrations reached 282, 288 and 278 μg/m in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. The number of HARD attributed to PM was 1438, 1945 and 1393 people, respectively, and the highest number of daily admissions was attributed to the highest daily PM concentration in Ahvaz. The average number of daily HARD during dusty days was higher than normal days, and a significant positive correlation, between the number of hospital admissions and dusty days, was found. Dust had significant impact on HARD in Ahvaz.

Background: Mucormycosis is an uncommon life-threatening fungal infection. The major risk factors of this infection include uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, prolonged steroid therapy, persistent neutropenia, hematological malignancies, autoimmune disorders, trauma, burns and surgical wounds. Objectives: The current study aimed to determine the epidemiology and treatment outcome of mucormycosis in Khuzestan province, southwest of Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed during a period of 10 years from April 2004 to March 2014 at Razi hospital in Ahvaz, southwest of Iran, during years 2004 to 2014. Demographic data, laboratory data, clinical features, antifungal treatment, the need for surgical debridement and the outcome were collected. Data were summarized using descriptive statistical methods and analyzed by SPSS version 15 software. Results: The study included 20 patients with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of mucormycosis. Regarding the findings, the mean age was 51.4 ± 9.7 years. Eighty-five percent of patients had uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Findings showed that all the cases received amphotericin B, but surgical debridement was performed on 10 patients (50%). Most prevalent season of mucormycosis was winter (40%). Conclusions: Prognosis of patients that underwent surgery and medical therapy was significantly better than medical therapy alone (90% vs. 50% patient's survival).

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Drinking water provides many vital elements for the human body, but the presence of some dissolved elements more than permissible concentration can endanger human health. Among the dissolved elements in drinking water, fluoride is noticeable, because both the very low or very high concentrations have adverse health impacts such as dental caries. Therefore, fluoride concentration should be kept in acceptable levels. In this study Pumice was used for fluoride removal. It was found that Fluoride sorption kinetic was fitted by pseudo-second-order model. The maximum sorption capacity of Pumice was found to be 13.51 mg/g at laboratory temperature (24°C). Maximum sorption study occurred at pH= 3. Results of Isotherm showed the fluoride sorption has been well fitted with Freundlich isotherm model. This study has demonstrated that Pumice can be used as effective adsorbents for fluoride removal from aqueous solutions. The adsorbent prepared in this study was cheap and efficient in removal of fluoride than other adsorbents.

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