High nitrate concentration in drinking water has the potential to cause a series of harmful effects on human health. This study aims to evaluate the health risk of nitrate in groundwater resources of Hormozgan province in four age groups, including infants, children, teenagers, and adults, based on the US EPA methodology and Monte Carlo technique to assess uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to investigate the spatial distribution of nitrate levels in the study area. The nitrate concentration ranged from 0.3 to 30 mg/L, with an average of 7.37 ± 5.61 mg/L. There was no significant difference between the average concentration of nitrate in all study areas (p > 0.05). The hazard quotient (HQ) was less than 1 for all age groups and counties, indicating a low-risk level. The HQ95 for infants and children in the Monte Carlo simulation was 1.34 and 1.22, respectively. The sensitivity analysis findings showed that the parameter with the most significant influence on the risk of toxicity in all age groups was the nitrate content. Therefore, implementing a water resources management program in the study area can reduce nitrate concentration and enhance water quality.

The slaughterhouse industry produces large amounts of highly polluted wastewater which needs to be treated before being discharged water. Thus, this work was conducted to investigate the feasibility of treating slaughterhouse wastewater using combined chemical coagulation and electro-Fenton methods. We studied the effect of process parameters such as polyaluminum chloride (PAC) concentration (25, 50, 75, 100 mg/L) for chemical coagulation and hydrogen peroxide concentration (500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000 mg/L), the pH of the solution (3, 5, 7, 10), and the reaction time (5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 75, 120 min) and the voltage (10, 20, 30, 40 V) on the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and fecal coliforms (FC). The optimum removal efficiency for the electro-Fenton process was obtained at PAC = 75 mg/L, reaction time = 75 min, pH = 3, H₂O₂ = 2500 mg/L, and V = 20 V, which resulted in the removal efficiency of 89.55% for COD, 88.88% for BOD, 91.27% for TSS, 69.23% for TKN, and 100% for FC. The findings demonstrated that combined chemical coagulation and electro-Fenton processes effectively and efficiently treat slaughterhouse wastewater. The results of this research can be used by competent authorities to increase the efficiency of slaughterhouse wastewater treatment and to protect the environment.

In many regions, access to clean and safe drinking water remains a critical concern due to the potential health risks associated with water contamination. Thus, this study focused on assessing the water quality and associated health risks of drinking water in Minab County, located within Hormozgan Province. The computed WQI values were between 27.5 and 105 with the average of 60.5 in this study, where fluoride had the most significant impact. In the probabilistic approach, approximately 50% of the collected samples showed very good water quality, while less than 0.03% was classified as poor quality. Furthermore, to evaluate the effect of different input parameters on the precision of an artificial neural network (ANN) model for the prediction of F concentration in the water, a sensitive analysis was performed. The dominant water compositions in this area consisted of Na–K–Cl and Na–K–HCO₃ types. The results showed that the average values of hazard quotient (HQ) for all the pollutants in all age groups were below 1. Moreover, the non-carcinogenic risk according to the health risk assessment in children was higher than adults and teenagers. The Sobol analysis results indicated that the nitrate concentration (C_W) in children, teenagers and adults and water intake rate in infants were the most sensitive parameters. Based on the results, chloride, NO₃, and TH had the most significant effects as independent variables on the determination of F concentration in water, as determined by the sensitivity analysis. Therefore, it is necessary to implement a comprehensive management program for water resources aimed at reducing non-carcinogenic pollutants and improving the quality of drinking water for the local population.

While a large body of literature has shown the health problems of illicit drug use, research is needed on how substance abuse impacts DNA damage and contaminants in blood, especially given Pb-contaminated opium. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the levels of lead (Pb), 8-hydroxy di-guanine (8-oxo-Gua), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the blood serum of opium addicts and non-addict people. The current study is a case–control study with a cross-sectional design. A sample of 50 opium-addicted and non-addict adults were chosen for this study using convenience and random sampling methods. Participants were divided into two groups: addicts and non-addicts. The atomic absorption spectroscopy method was used to measure the quantity of Pb, and the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method was used to measure the amount of 8-oxo-Gua and MDA. The data were analyzed using an independent t-test. The results show that the amount of Pb in the blood serum of addicted women and men was higher than levels in non-addict men and women, for the study participants (p-value = 0.001). Blood levels were not significantly different between addicts and non-addicts for men or women for 8-oxo-Gua (p-value = 0.647 for women and p-value = 0.785 for men) and MDA (p-value = 0.867 for women and p-value = 0.995 for men). In general, addicts’ blood Pb levels were found to be substantially higher than those of normal non-addict persons in this pilot study. As a result, testing for blood Pb levels in addicts may be informative in instances when symptoms are inconclusive.

Studies conducted in the last four years show conflicting findings on the role of the environment in the survival, stability, and transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Based on the current evidence, the factors that affect the severity of COVID-19 include host interaction, environmental stability, virus volume, stability, transmission, social interactions, and restriction measures. Moreover, the persistence of the virus depends on different environmental conditions, videlicet temperature, humidity, pH, salinity, and solar radiation. The outbreak of respiratory viruses is related mainly to temperature and humidity, and geographical locations (latitude). In SARS-CoV-2, mainly temperature and humidity seem to play a fundamental role. Moreover, studies have indicated that social health factors such as equitable health systems, hygiene, and underlying diseases have played a pivotal role in the incidence and outbreak of COVID-19. Therefore, addressing health issues associated with reducing SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks plays an essential role in global health. In contrast, the environmental stimuli of the COVID-19 outbreak are mainly unknown. Given the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to understand the stimuli to respond quickly to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants while implementing long-term and sustainable control strategies. This review discusses the role of environmental factors and health conditions in the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2.