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      • Open Access Article

        1 - Prioritizing the Amount of Contamination of Metals Using Pollution Load Factors and Potential Biologic Hazards in the Surface Sediments of the Rivers of the Southeast Coast of the Caspian Sea
        Sahabeh talesh pour Lobat taghavi Nasrollahzadeh Saravi
        Abstract: Sediments are the most important storage and uptake of metals and other pollutants in aquatic ecosystems and can reflect the quality of aquatic systems. In this study, sediment contamination to zinc, copper, lead and cadmium metals based on pollution index (PL More
        Abstract: Sediments are the most important storage and uptake of metals and other pollutants in aquatic ecosystems and can reflect the quality of aquatic systems. In this study, sediment contamination to zinc, copper, lead and cadmium metals based on pollution index (PLI) and evaluation of metal element hazards on living organisms based on biological hazard potential index (MERMQ) in surface sediments of rivers in the southeast coast of the Caspian Sea was performed. Methods: In order to measure and determine the indicators of metal pollution, sampling of surface sediments of the estuary and a distance of 1000 meters from the estuary of some rivers on the southeastern shores of the Caspian Sea including Gorganrood, Qarahsu, Nekaroudeh, Tajna, Talar and Babolrood was performed. Samples were prepared in the laboratory using a mixture of three nitric acids, fluoride and hydrochloric acid and then analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Results: The results of the present study indicate that the MERMQ index of metallic elements in the sediments of rivers on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea ranged from 0.073 to 0.12 and the PLI pollution index ranged from 0.36 to 0.58. The results of comparing the concentration of metals in surface sediment samples with the sediment quality standard (NOAA) showed that in all studied stations the amount of measured elements is less than the amount of ERL. Conclusion: Results of MERMQ for sediments demonstrated that in estuaries of Gharesou and Talar river and 1000 metres from Babolroud, the prioritization of biological hazards is in low to medium level and in other stations in the study is in low level. Besides, the results of PLI in sediments Indicated that level of sediments’ pollution to heavy metals is in low level. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        2 - The Relationship between Renewable Energy Consumption and Economic Growth in Iran
        MohammadSharif Karimi Kiomars Sohaili Shima Barzegari
        Background and Objective: Iran is one of the examples of growth patterns relying on natural resources, especially fossil fuels. Considering the end of the oil and gas resources of the country, from now on, there should be alternative sources of thought. One way of doing More
        Background and Objective: Iran is one of the examples of growth patterns relying on natural resources, especially fossil fuels. Considering the end of the oil and gas resources of the country, from now on, there should be alternative sources of thought. One way of doing this is to using renewable energies instead of fossil fuels. From the point of view of energy economy, it is logical to create diversification in energy sources and utilize a basket of different fuels. Also, production-related pollution is expected to decrease as well by increasing the use of renewable energy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in Iran using ARDL bounds and VECM. Method: In this study, using the Eviews 9 software and the ARDL Bounds econometric method and the VECM model, a case study of Iran in the years 1981 to 2014 has been conducted. Findings: The results show that there is no causal relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in the long run, and there is only one-way relationship between labor force and economic growth. But in the short run, there is a one-way relationship between economic growth and renewable energy use, as well as a one-way relationship between labor force and economic growth, renewable energy consumption and capital. Investigating the short-run dynamics of the pattern using instantaneous response functions showed that the shock eventually vanishes and often affects the response variable positively. Therefore, in the long run, shocks from independent variables, such as renewable energy consumption per capita, will be balanced against economic growth. Discussion and Conclusion: Considering the positive and statistically significant effects of renewable energy, capital and labor force variables on economic growth in Iran, it is suggested that by saving energy consumption, improving production technologies, reducing costs, the use of new energies, the promotion of appropriate and efficient policies and the creation of supportive laws will increase the use of renewable energy, which has a major role in the economy and the environment. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        3 - The study of oil-contamination groundwater due to Shazand Refinery
        Abdorreza Vaezi hir Sanaz Qobadiyan Alireza Golmohamadi
        Background and Purpose: Shazand oil refinery, as the biggest producer of gasoline in the Middle East, is located 22 km to the Southwest of Arak and the Northeast of Shazand plain. Due to presence of various storage tanks of crude oil and oil products, processing unites More
        Background and Purpose: Shazand oil refinery, as the biggest producer of gasoline in the Middle East, is located 22 km to the Southwest of Arak and the Northeast of Shazand plain. Due to presence of various storage tanks of crude oil and oil products, processing unites and conveyance lines of oil products, it is very possible the leakage of pollution from tanks and conveyance lines into the soil and groundwater. Shazand plain aquifer is an unconfined and consists of coarse-grained alluvial deposits with a flow direction from the refinery to the agriculture wells which are located at the center of plain. Hence, groundwater contamination, which was resulted from the oil pollution of Shazand refinery was investigated. Material and Method: In this study, 16 wells were sampled in study area on Jun 2015 and they delivered to laboratory for analyzing. Compound BTEX and MTBE analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detector (GC-FID[1]). To investigate contamination in study area, results of analyses of BTEX and MTBE were compared with valid standards of drinking and agriculture water. Result: The results show that 6 wells are polluted at the East and South of refinery and the east and Northeast of petrochemical complex. A part of the groundwater contamination was due to atmospheric washout and the other part relates to leak from utilities, tanks and conveyance lines. Discussion & Conclusion: Considering the already existing and the other possible forms of contamination in the area, it is proposed that before taking, the exact source of contamination be identified and proper measures to clean the area be chosen based on expert opinion.   Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        4 - Modeling of Precipitation-Elevation Spatial Relationships in the Northeast of Iran by Using the GWR Model
        Mokhtar Karami Elham Kadkhoda
        Background and Objective: Precipitation is one of the most variable climatic parameters. These changes occur both in terms of location and time in terms of the region's climate. This study was conducted to model the spatial relationships of seasonal rainfall in the nort More
        Background and Objective: Precipitation is one of the most variable climatic parameters. These changes occur both in terms of location and time in terms of the region's climate. This study was conducted to model the spatial relationships of seasonal rainfall in the northeast of the country with a joint monthly statistical period of 30 years (1980-2010). Method: In order to achieve spatial variation of rainfall, new methods of spatial statistics such as spatial autocorrelation, global Moran, spatial dispersion index and geographic weight regression model (GWR) were used in GIS software. Findings: The results of this study showed that rainfall changes in northeastern Iran have a high cluster pattern or positive. The Global Moran Index for each of the four seasons and the annual sum is above 0.93, the highest Global Moran index with the value of 0032191 is for the summer season. Discussion & Conclusion: The results of the GWR model showed that rainfall in the northern parts of the study area had positive spatial auto-correlation and in the southern parts, which are mostly desert areas had negative spatial auto-correlation. Also, the results of dispersion data were the result of cluster pattern of precipitation in the northeast of the country. Based on the frequency index of clusters or the ICF, the winter season is the largest cluster with a numerical value of 2646.26 in Northeast of the country. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        5 - Use of Flare Gas to Produce Liquid Fuel and Prevent the Environment from Polluting (Case Study: Third Refinery- Phases 4 and 5 of South Pars)
        Mohammad Taghi Abadi Mohammad Irani Ahmad Tavassoli
        Background and Purpose: In the last hundred years, to reach more manufacturing, supplying and consumption, using fossil fuel increased in industries, such as refineries, petrochemical and industrial complexes, etc. which spread severely environmental pollution worldwide More
        Background and Purpose: In the last hundred years, to reach more manufacturing, supplying and consumption, using fossil fuel increased in industries, such as refineries, petrochemical and industrial complexes, etc. which spread severely environmental pollution worldwide consequently. The pollution as a complex problem has many reasons and also leads many negative effects, including environmental concerns, economic cost and fatal impact to human health. One of the most important cause is flare gas of industries. According to the world statistics, Iran is considered as third largest position in burning flare gas. A huge reduction in emission of these gases is one of the main goals to be achieved with the help of all international communities. Materials and Methods: Hence different methods such as gas to liquid seems necessary as one option to recovery the flare gas. In this study, the data related to flare gas of a particular refinery with the help of simulation software Aspen Hysys, the GTL unit isanalyzed. Results: The simulation shows that when the flare gas used as a raw material to unit GTL, it will be achieved 1549 GTL product barrels per day. Discussion and Conclusions: This case study shows that one of the most important flare gas recovery method is GTL. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        6 - Trace Metals Concentration Study in Feathers of Laughing Dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) for Pollution Monitoring in Central Iran (Case Study: Yazd City)
        Hesan Akhavan Ghalibaf Mohamad Hosein Iran Nejad Parizi Farhad Nejadkoorki Mahmoud Reza Hemami Hamid Reza Azimzadeh
        Background and Purpose: Feathers as an excellent way to monitor trace metals in the environment from the 1960s have already been used. The aim of this study is using feather of laughing dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) as an indicator of urban environmental pollution. More
        Background and Purpose: Feathers as an excellent way to monitor trace metals in the environment from the 1960s have already been used. The aim of this study is using feather of laughing dove (Streptopelia senegalensis) as an indicator of urban environmental pollution. Materials and Methods: The concentration of Cadmium, Lead, Copper and Zinc were evaluated from 58 laughing dove's feather samples from 19 different locations within the city of Yazd. Chemical digestion and atomic absorption spectrometer was used for measuring the concentration of trace metal. Weighing method by 0.001 g accuracy digital scale were used to study the index of two wing asymmetry. Results: Mean concentration of Lead, Cadmium, Copper and Zinc were 20.13 ± 1.27 μg g-1, 0.85± 0.04 μg g-1, 15.56 ± 0.28 μg g-1 and 209.72 ± 8.77 μg g-1. Due to heterogeneity of human activity and structure in urban environment the concentration of trace metals (lead, cadmium and zinc) showed significant differences in different local scale regions. In this study correlation was observed between Lead and Cadmium with Zinc. Discussion and Conclusions: Correlation pattern could simply result from correlated concentrations of these metals in the environment and could be a kind of positive feedback protection against Lead and Cadmium pollution. The results showed considerable trace metals absorption by laughing dove's feather that caused by human activity and efficiency of laughing dove's feather as an indicators of trace metal pollution in urban environment. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        7 - Isolation and Identification of Cadmium Resistant Proteus sp. and Its Potential in Cadmium Bio Removal
        Marjan Mirhosseininia Maryam Ghane Parisa Nejatkhah
        Background: The contamination of ecosystems with heavy metals is an important issue in current world. Removal of heavy metals from contaminated sites using microorganisms is a cheaper alternative to chemical technologies. The aim of present study was isolation and chara More
        Background: The contamination of ecosystems with heavy metals is an important issue in current world. Removal of heavy metals from contaminated sites using microorganisms is a cheaper alternative to chemical technologies. The aim of present study was isolation and characterization of Cadmium resistant bacteria, determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and bio removal potential of the isolates. Materials and Methods: Isolation of Cadmium resistant bacteria was carried out by enrichment method by medium supplemented with Cadmium chloride. The minimum inhibitory concentration of Cd2+ was determined by the agar plate dilution method and the Cadmium removal evaluated by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Identification was carried out in accordance with Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology and phylogenetic analysis was performed based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Results: A total of 40 Cadmium resistant strains were isolated from Salour River in Islamshahr. The results showed that bacterial strain ST1 isolated from sediments was highly resistant to Cadmium. The MIC of Cd2+ for selected isolate was 6 mM. The isolate was able to remove 65.2% of Cadmium at Cadmium concentration of 1 mM. Phylogenetic analysis showed that ST1 belongs to the genus Proteus with 99% similarity to Proteus mirabilis then designated as Proteus sp. HM_AF12. The strain had a wide pH tolerance of 5.5–9.0, and salt tolerance was up to 7.5% NaCl. Conclusion: The results implied that Proteus sp. HM_AF12 can be a low cost and environmental friendly bio sorbent that may have important application in Cd2+removal from polluted environment. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        8 - Groundwater Contaminantion Analysis Using Fuzzy-Topsis, Case Study: ZANJAN Plain
        Mahmoud Mohammad Rezapour Tabari Pouya Salehi Dopolani
        Introduction: Assessing the quality of available water is especially important to meet drinking needs. Therefore, it is important to prepare and formulate an approach that can provide a more appropriate evaluation with higher accuracy and taking into account the inaccur More
        Introduction: Assessing the quality of available water is especially important to meet drinking needs. Therefore, it is important to prepare and formulate an approach that can provide a more appropriate evaluation with higher accuracy and taking into account the inaccuracies caused by instrumental errors and measurements. The aim of this study was to evaluate the groundwater quality of Zanjan plain based on a method similar to fuzzy ideal solution. Material and Methods:To achieve this goal,  57 and 59 groundwater quality samples in dry and wet seasons were used and the 28 quality parameters were analyzed in each sample. The relative closeness coefficient of each samples were determined based on fuzzy weight specified by the opinions of experts in this field for each quality parameters and the fuzzy decision matrix based on drinkable water quality standards. By calculating the relative closeness coefficient of each samples, the contamination ranking for each sample was determined. Results and Discussion: The results show that the more polluted areas are mainly concentrated in the center and northwest of the plain and this is in complete harmony with the location of industrial centers (such as lead and zinc complexes) and the hydrogeological characteristics of the aquifer. In order to evaluate the accuracy of the ranking, the results of the proposed method were compared with the definite case of the method similar to the ideal solution. Examination of the qualitative parameters related to rank 1 (lowest pollution rate) shows that most of the parameters in this rank, which should represent the lowest pollution rate, have high values ​​in the definite method compared to the fuzzy method (for example, the amoun of the arsenic parameter located in rank 1 of the definite and fuzzy methods is equal to 0.4 and 0 micrograms per liter, respectively) and this has been repeated in reverse regarding the 59th rank (maximum pollution rate), which indicates the reliability of the rankings and the high accuracy of the proposed method. Conclusion: The results showed that the pollution is concentrated in the central plains and partly in the North and Northwest plain due to the significant polluting industries, pesticides, and manure storage depot in these areas. Based on proposed approach can be calculated the rank pollution of groundwater quality samples with high accuracy, especially in cases where the assessment of water quality for drinking purposes must be considered. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        9 - Electrochemical Determination of Bisphenol A at Adenine and Carbon Nanotubes Modified Carbon Paste Electrode
        Hoda Ezoji Mostafa Rahimnejad Maryam Asghary Farid Talebnia
        Background: Bisphenol A (BPA), as a major component of polycarbonate and epoxy resins is widely used in the plastic industry. This compound is a well-known endocrine disruptor that can interfere with the normal, hormonal function of human or animal, and thus, pose a pot More
        Background: Bisphenol A (BPA), as a major component of polycarbonate and epoxy resins is widely used in the plastic industry. This compound is a well-known endocrine disruptor that can interfere with the normal, hormonal function of human or animal, and thus, pose a potential threat to the environment and human health. The polycarbonate and epoxy resins containing BPA are commonly used to produce baby bottles, food packages, and beverage containers; thus bisphenol A may enter food and the environment. Therefore, developing a simple and highly sensitive analytical method for the determination of BPA is of great importance. Methods: In this study, an electrochemical sensor based on an adenine/carbon nanotube (Adenine/CNT) modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) was proposed for determination of BPA. Results: The obtained results demonstrate that the modified electrode used in this research had strong catalytic activity toward the oxidation of BPA. Also, applying adenine and carbon nano-tubes in carbon paste electrode resulted in reduction of the electron transfer resistance and significant increase of electron transfer rate. Discussion: According to the results, type of the employed modifier has a significant effect on sensitivity and selectivity of detection. Therefore, novel sensing materials with high stability, good catalytic activity and excellent conductivity can improve its measurement process.    Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        10 - Investigation of Effects of Bio Chars Derived from Wheat and Corn Straw on Zinc Adsorption in Aqueous Solutions
        hamidreza boostani hanieh askari
        Introduction: In recent years, use of bio char as bio sorbent for pollution control of aqueous solutions containing heavy metals, has been considered by researchers. In the present study, the efficiency of wheat straw bio char and corn straw bio char for the removal of More
        Introduction: In recent years, use of bio char as bio sorbent for pollution control of aqueous solutions containing heavy metals, has been considered by researchers. In the present study, the efficiency of wheat straw bio char and corn straw bio char for the removal of Zinc from aqueous solutions had been investigated under the influence of various factors such as pH, contact time, adsorbent dose and adsorbent concentration. Material and Methods: Langmuir and Freundlich models were used to describe the adsorption isotherm and Pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order kinetic models were applied for description of adsorption kinetics. Results: The optimum pH for Zn adsorption was found to be 5 by two bio chars. With increasing contact time, Zn adsorption efficiency was increased by two adsorbents and at 24 hours reached to equilibrium. The increase of bio char dosage until 20 g.L-1, the percentage of Zn removal in solutions was enhanced by tow adsorbents; however, the upper dosage of adsorbent caused a decrease in removal efficiency. The results indicate that the Langmuir model better fits on adsorption data than Freundlich model. Accordingly, Zn adsorption capacity by corn straw bio char (9.60 mg. g-1) was higher than the wheat straw bio char (6.77 mg.g-1). The kinetic data were better represented by the pseudo-second-order than the pseudo-first-order kinetic model, so it seems that the dominant process of Zn adsorption to be a chemisorption. Conclusion: The results showed that the bio chars which used in this experiment can be applied as a low-cost, effective and available adsorbent for removal of Zn from aqueous solutions. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        11 - The Role of Wind Flow on Sources of Carbon Dioxide Concentration in the Provincial Scale
        Seyed Mohsen Mousavi Samereh Falahatkar Manochehr Farajzadeh
        Background and Purpose: One of the most important problems in the world is the increase of global climate change due to excessive greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide gas is known as the most important greenhouse gas and the first factor in climate change. Various f More
        Background and Purpose: One of the most important problems in the world is the increase of global climate change due to excessive greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide gas is known as the most important greenhouse gas and the first factor in climate change. Various factors such as topography, rainfall, air currents and the presence of wind are important factors in the diffusion, dilution and displacement of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Method: In the present study, using ECMWF wind speed data and GOSAT satellite carbon dioxide data, the role of wind in detecting local sources or areas of carbon dioxide emissions and such an investigation was made into the possible sources of emissions of this gas on a provincial scale. Findings: The largest aggregate of carbon dioxide gas in both southern and southeastern Iran is located in both cold and hot seasons. However, the dispersion and concentration of this gas in winter is higher than in the summer. The results showed that in most of Iran's provinces, local resources are responsible for increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere in winter. Discussion and Conclusion: High concentration of carbon dioxide gas in winter is due to the more consumption of fossil fuels for heating and lack of photosynthesis process in cold season. While in summer, according to the geographical location of the studied provinces, the role of regional sources of carbon dioxide emissions is more than local sources. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        12 - Study the Role of Organizational Factors and Green New Product Development Effects on financial Performance of Iran Nanotechnology Firms
        mohsen moradian HassanAli Aghajani
        Background and Objective: Today, organizations have to accept environmental responsibilities in providing products and services in order to paint a desirable social image of themselves. Therefore, they should be able to improve their environmental performance, promote m More
        Background and Objective: Today, organizations have to accept environmental responsibilities in providing products and services in order to paint a desirable social image of themselves. Therefore, they should be able to improve their environmental performance, promote moral and social values ​​in their organization and at the same time be able to ensure the economic and financial success of their enterprise. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of organizational factors and mediating effects of the success of the new green product on the financial performance of nanotechnology organizations in the country. Accordingly, senior managers, sales managers and employees of manufacturing companies active in the nanotechnology industry are considered as the statistical community. Methodology: The research method was analytical in nature and 150 samples were collected through sampling of respondents in the 8th International Exhibition of Nanotechnology Industries. To collect the data, a questionnaire was used to determine its validity and reliability. Validity included content validity and construct validity. Content validity was verified based on the opinions of supervisors and consultants as well as a number of management experts. Confirmatory factor analysis was used for construct validity. Also, a prototype was used for the reliability of the questionnaire and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated and more than 0.7 was obtained for all variables. Data were also analyzed by structural equation modeling using PLS software. Findings: The collected experimental data confirms all research hypotheses. Also, as is clear in the conceptual model of the research, organizational factors directly affect the development of a new green product and indirectly affect the financial performance of organizations. In fact, the success of the new green product will lead to the economic success of nanotechnology companies. Discussion and conclusion: Findings suggest that organizational factors include environmental commitment, environmental benchmarking, cross-functional integration and R & D strength has a positive impact on the success of green new product. Also, the performance of green product innovation has a positive impact on financial performance of nanotechnology companies. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        13 - Determination of Physical-Ecological Carrying Capacity of Coastal Tourism and its Effectiveness of Satisfaction of Tourists (Case Study: Bandar Gaz)
        Keramatollah Ziari Mohammad Reza Rezvani sajad ferdowsi
        Background and Objective: Carrying capacity is one of the issues which are considered the goals of sustainable tourism. Accordingly, present study was conducted to determine the physical-ecological carrying capacity of beach of Bandar Gaz and effectiveness of the touris More
        Background and Objective: Carrying capacity is one of the issues which are considered the goals of sustainable tourism. Accordingly, present study was conducted to determine the physical-ecological carrying capacity of beach of Bandar Gaz and effectiveness of the tourists' satisfaction. Method: The method of data analysis in this research is descriptive and analytical. Data collected by the library and field observations and questionnaires. To determination of physical-ecological carrying capacity have been used from the instructions of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources and also to understand the satisfaction level of tourists due to expectations from service performance to have been used from analysis Importance-Performance. Results: Based on the results, it is estimated to physical carrying capacity 7089 people, real carrying   capacity 3863 people and the effective carrying capacity 1880 people per day. The results of analysis Importance-Performance show that among 24 indicators studied, there are 8 indicators in the second quarter, 14 in the first quarter and 2 indicators in the third quarter. Conclusion: According to the analysis Importance-Performance indicators more than 50 percent in the first quarter, indicating that most indicators of the respondents' views are very important but the performance of destination management has been weak in this regard that whereby effective carrying capacity than real carrying capacity has fallen 48.66 percent. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        14 - Assessment of Environmental Knowledge and Factors Influencing Environmental Behavior Among Tourists in North Iran (A case study in Zanjan & Golestan provinces)
        Mohammad Abadi Parastoo Beigverdi Abbasali Zamani Abdolhossein PariZanganeh
        Background and Objectives: Environmental education can be defined as raising environmental consciousness among every segment of the society, bringing for awareness to environment-friendly, permanent and positive behavioral changes. The final purpose of environmental con More
        Background and Objectives: Environmental education can be defined as raising environmental consciousness among every segment of the society, bringing for awareness to environment-friendly, permanent and positive behavioral changes. The final purpose of environmental conservation is thus related to improving environmental awareness and betterment of environmental culture in all segments of the society. In this article, the rate of environmental knowledge among tourists visiting northern parts of Iran is assessed and factors influencing environmental behavior and people opinion about sustainable development is evaluated. Methods: The statistical background of this research includes one thousand families residing in different parts of the country. Questionnaires were distributed accidentally among tourists from all over the country visiting some points of interest in West (Zanjan province) and Northeast (Golestan province) of the country using interview method. The obtained data were classified and summarized in multidimensional frequency tables using statistical descriptive analysis such as ANOVA, Duncan, Mann Whitney and the relationship/differences among environmental variables being effective on the rate of personal concern and environmental awareness were determined. Data were analyzed using SPSS and Excel software. Findings: Identifying and evaluating effective factors influencing the rate of personal knowledge and concern about environmental problems at country level will ensure the accurate planning, comprehensive efforts, conservation and promotion of environment with people’s considerable cooperation and participation. Discussion and Conclusion: The obtained results show that a set of different factors are influencing environmental concern and awareness among tourists living in the society such as; the level of literacy, the duration of education and age of the respondents. Significant relationships were also obtained among gender, marital status, level of income and occupation. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        15 - Ecological Capability for Forest Development Using AHP (Arangeh Watershed, Alborz Town (
        Shadi Sharifian mohammad rezvani faeahnaz rashidi
        Background and Objective: Due to the natural forests degradation rate, increasing human population and increasing need to ecosystem services, forest development and afforestation process will be unavoidable. In this respect, before any implementation of afforestation pr More
        Background and Objective: Due to the natural forests degradation rate, increasing human population and increasing need to ecosystem services, forest development and afforestation process will be unavoidable. In this respect, before any implementation of afforestation project, site selection of suitable areas and evaluation of ecological potential should be considered. This research has been done with the aim of evaluating the ecological potential of Arangeh watershed located in Alborz province and locating suitable areas for afforestation.  Methods: According to the purpose of the study, in order to evaluate the ecological potential, effective environmental criteria including physical factors (physiography, climate and soil) and biological factors (vegetation) were identified. Then, area information was collected, including reports and data, as well as maps were produced. In the next step, by stacking and combining the information layers, homogeneous units were produced. Using Boolean logic, lands with absolute and permanent constraints were removed from the evaluation process and finally 108 unrestricted units were identified for evaluation. Then, the weights of the main indicators were determined using the AHP method (pairwise comparisons) and expert opinions. Qualitative values ​​The main indices were converted to quantitative scale using the bipolar distance method and then the final value of each homogeneous unit was calculated by the SAW method. Results: In this study, land potentials for afforestation in three categories including: excellent (9/5 ha), good (1015/9 ha), and average (578/5 ha) were determined and finally an ecological potential map for the development of forest was produced. Discussion & conclusion: It can be concluded that, in 15% of the area, there is potential for afforestation, that ecological potential has relatively suitable conditions in these areas. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        16 - Technical and Economical Assessment of a Net Zero Energy Commercial Building Connected to the Network in Ahvaz, Considering Reliability Constraint
        sayedmohammadamin mousavisadat Hossein Mohammadnejad Shourakayi Soudabeh Soleimani
        Background and Objective: The expansion of wind and solar power generators has led to the development of buildings equipped with renewable sources. The main purpose of this article is to design a zero energy building from a technical and economic point of view. In the t More
        Background and Objective: The expansion of wind and solar power generators has led to the development of buildings equipped with renewable sources. The main purpose of this article is to design a zero energy building from a technical and economic point of view. In the technical dimension, the capacity of renewable sources, type of materials, location and direction of construction, height are determined according to the type of electric cooling and heating charges. In the economic dimension, with the help of cost-benefit analysis, the cost-effectiveness of constructing such buildings is examined. Methods: In this paper, first the amount of solar energy potential is calculated, then according to the climatic characteristics of Ahvaz city, the amount of electric, heating and cooling load is calculated and using software models, these data are correct. They are measured. By examining software and modeling using AutoCAD software and Design builder analytical software, the best technical design is extracted and System Advisor model (SAM) software is used to select the system size and the cooling system software model is used. The solar is simulated with PISTACHE software and the Net Present Value (NPW) measurement and COMFAR software are used for economic analysis. The landscape intended for the design of the building is 20 years old. Finding: Using numerical and software technical evaluation, the selection of the best technical design in a commercial building with a total land area of ​​1500 square meters and 460 square meters of infrastructure with 15 commercial units on two floors was reviewed. The research results show that the building with Paying attention to the weather conditions in the city of Ahvaz, 15 degrees to the south should be designed and constructed so that we have the most radiation towards the roof of the building in summer and also the body of the building in winter. In addition, considering the reliability and connectivity of the building to the electricity of the national network, it was determined that the problems of load supply in the building are minimized and the building can trade with the network so that in summer, electricity must be supplied from the national grid and in winter, additional electricity must be injected into the grid. Discussion and Conclusion: Finally, using technical analysis, it is shown that the thermal and refrigeration needs of the building can be met from solar energy with regard to reliability, and also economic analysis shows that the design of the building is zero energy compared to The non-optimal condition of the building has a net profit and is economically viable. Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        17 - Analyzing the Conflict of Allocating Environmental Water Share Among Rival Governmental Organizations
        Hossein Zanjanian Mohammad Hossein Niksokhan Mojtaba Ardestani Hamid Abdolabadi Mehdi Ghorbani
        Background and Objective: Since allocating water to satisfy environmental water share can cause a conflict among governmental organizations supplying water, withdrawing water, and protecting the ecosystem, recognizing and analyzing such situations is paramount significa More
        Background and Objective: Since allocating water to satisfy environmental water share can cause a conflict among governmental organizations supplying water, withdrawing water, and protecting the ecosystem, recognizing and analyzing such situations is paramount significance and can avoid encountering serious conflicts. In this research, we analyzed the actions of involved organizations which are either using or supplying water from Ilam’s dam to find the equilibria and the possible outcomes of the conflict. Method: We used Graph Model for Conflict Resolution to study the actions and strategies of rival organizations managing water allocation and involving in water conflict. The involved organizations are determined based on uses of Ilam’s dam. To define the strategies, all the measures and decisions of these organizations have been studied since 2005. In addition, the effect of drought years on the players’ actions is taken into account. Finally, we compared the status-quo with the results of the base line strategy of the model. Findings: Equilibria results suggest that in states 27 and 32 the Jihad Agriculture Organization and the Water and Wastewater Companyare interested in withdrawing more water to achieve their goals. As a result, the Department of Environment will complain against them to protect ecosystem and provide the required environmental water share. In this case, the Regional Water Authority and the Governorship can play a dominant role in accomplishing to the stable outcomes. Furthermore, it is shown that the status-quo is not stable. Discussion and Conclusion: Analyzing this conflict indicates that all players have enough power to change the game's output. Therefore, their goals and measures can effectively change the equilibria and the future of the conflict Manuscript profile
      • Open Access Article

        18 - Impact of Coastal Fabric Variables on Climatic Variables in Hot and Humid Regions (Case Study: Bandar Abbas)
        Shahin Heidari Hojat Ghaedi
        Background and Purpose: The city structure and street canyons have a major impact on the micro climate and thermal comfort situation in urban areas. The hot and humid weather of Bandar Abbas, especially in long summers, poses problems against urban activities especially More
        Background and Purpose: The city structure and street canyons have a major impact on the micro climate and thermal comfort situation in urban areas. The hot and humid weather of Bandar Abbas, especially in long summers, poses problems against urban activities especially among the affectionate people in the Persian Gulf region who are known for their social activities. Creating favorable climatic conditions for coastal urban spaces will increase the social interactions of the inhabitants of the area. Material and Methods: The research method is experimental and electronic tools are applied for collecting climate data and SPSS software is devised for data analysis. This research has investigated the relationship between urban structure and climatic conditions to find suitable climatic conditions in the coastal strips using the appropriate urban structure. Results: The results of the study showed that vernacular coastal fabrics are more predictable than the modern fabrics. In vernacular fabric the passages with  have coefficient of determination of 0.28 and in modern fabric the passages with  have coefficient of determination of 0.34 significant relationship was found with air flow velocity. Further, in vernacular fabrics with passages  have coefficient of determination of 0.29 and with passages  have coefficient of determination of 0.95 significant relationship was found with air temperature difference. Discussion and Conclusion: The results of the research are used to provide regression equations for the relationship between physical and climate variables to be applied by the designers and architects. Manuscript profile
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        19 - The Effect of Thrombus Wall System on Thermal Comfort in Temperate and Humid Climates (Case study of a residential building in Gonbad Kavous)
        Negin Mirrashid Leila Mirsaeedie
        Background and objectives: Due to high energy consumption in the building sector in Iran, using strategies such as passive systems in order to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels seems appropriate. Use of passive systems helps to improve thermal comfort and reduce en More
        Background and objectives: Due to high energy consumption in the building sector in Iran, using strategies such as passive systems in order to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels seems appropriate. Use of passive systems helps to improve thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling in buildings. Method: In this study the effect of Thrombus wall system on the indoor air temperature and thermal comfort, in both heating and cooling has been investigated in a residential building in Temperate Climate Zone. To do this design Builder software is used for building simulation. Findings: After selecting a building as a hypothetical example located in Gonbad Kavoos, which climatic design principles used in it, simulation in two models, basic model and model with Thrombus wall, was done, and simulation findings were compared. Results: The results of this simulation show that the thrombus wall system can be useful in heating in the desired climate, but it has a lesser role in improving the cooling conditions of the building and more study on energy consumption should be done. Manuscript profile
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        20 - Capability of Land Cover Mapping in Local-Scale Using Supervised Algorithms (Case study: Guilan Province)
        seyed ahmadreza nouredini Amireslam Bonyad
        Background and Objective: There was a possibility to study earth coverage on a large scale using remote sensing data. The support vector machines (SVM), artificial neural network ‏)ANN( and maximum likelihood )ML‏( algorithms were used to Land cover classificati More
        Background and Objective: There was a possibility to study earth coverage on a large scale using remote sensing data. The support vector machines (SVM), artificial neural network ‏)ANN( and maximum likelihood )ML‏( algorithms were used to Land cover classification on OLI sensors data and 4 kernels in Guilan province. Methods: Classifications were based on training samples of 10 different covers in the entire Guilan province. To improve the classification accuracy on OLI image data, the MODIS atmospheric products used in 6SV atmospheric correction model. The OLI atmospheric corrected image segmented to 219000 polygons based on homogeneity. In this study 2% of polygons were used to test and training samples by the random statistical method. Polygons labeled to classes by field survey. Findings: Applying ANN, SVM and ML algorithms on the OLI images after atmospheric corrected by 6SV model, the overall accuracy of classification improved 0.11%, 0.8%, and 1.9% respectively. The results indicated that the land cover map by RBF-SVM had overall accuracy and kappa coefficient with 75.6% and 0.72 respectively. In this algorithm accuracy of agriculture, range‏ shrub land and water body classes were ‏93.16%, 72.55% and‏ 96.57% respectively. The results of this study indicated that SVM algorithm improved overall accuracy 1.67% compared to the ML algorithm. Discussion and Conclusion: This research indicated that in land cover classification and mapping of Guilan province, the nonparametric SVM algorithm had more accurate than the ML parametric algorithm. According to the results of this research, it is suggested that atmospheric correction models should be used especially on the large and local images. Manuscript profile
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        21 - Phytoplankton, Diatoma ,Cyanobacteria, Ecosystem, The River Gilan Bijar
        Kheizaran Ebrahimi Sabet Masomeh Jamal Omidi Jannat Sarmad
        Background and objective: Phytoplankton in the structure and function of freshwater ecosystems play an important role. Quality and quantity of phytoplankton depend on in part on water the load nutritious. Therefore, the use of phytoplankton in different ecosystems, wate More
        Background and objective: Phytoplankton in the structure and function of freshwater ecosystems play an important role. Quality and quantity of phytoplankton depend on in part on water the load nutritious. Therefore, the use of phytoplankton in different ecosystems, water is used to measure water quality or water pollution. Method: The river of Bijar city in Gilan area, which is one of the most important rivers in the country, in addition to the main source of drinking water supply in the region, is important for various uses in agriculture. 48 samples were taken for a wet year from July 2015 to June 2016 in 4 designated stations along the main tributary of Bijar city and the effect of physicochemical factors on the composition and frequency of phytoplankton in different seasons were studied and analyzed. Finding: The results of the study of biological River Bijar, indicates the presence of 5 branches and 57 Genus in the region. The frequency of Bascillariophyta branches on other branches were dominant in all seasons. Discussion and Conclusion: Using Spss software and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, it was found that the collected data for all parameters have a normal distribution and the number of phytoplankton has a significant correlation with temperature, pH and nitrogen. Manuscript profile
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        22 - Analysis of Factors Affecting Pattern Green City with Futures Study Approach in Mashhad
        Seyed Mostafa Hosseini Mohammad Rahim Rahnama Mohammad Ajzae Shokuhi Omid Ali Kharazmi
        Introduction: Today, in order to achieve sustainable urban development, future research and environmentally friendly models and approaches such as the green city must be used to improve the quality of life in the current conditions of urban environments, these environme More
        Introduction: Today, in order to achieve sustainable urban development, future research and environmentally friendly models and approaches such as the green city must be used to improve the quality of life in the current conditions of urban environments, these environments as a part of environmental protection. Therefore, in this research, an attempt has been made to identify the driving and key indicators with a future-oriented view of the green city approach in order to provide scenarios appropriate to the conditions of Mashhad metropolis in order to achieve a green city model in the future. Material and Methods: This research is applied in terms of purpose, which has been done by using descriptive-analytical method and using the matrix of interaction analysis in Mick Mac futures research software. Results: The results showed that the data filling index with two rotations is equal to 79.04%, which indicates the high impact of green city indicators on each other. The results also showed that the environmental participation index with a score of 68 has the highest rate of direct impact on other research indicators. Discussion and Conclusions:In general, the distribution of indicators in the direct-indirect dependence effect map showed that Mashhad metropolis is in a state of instability in terms of green city indicators. Manuscript profile
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        23 - Investigation on the Concentration of Suspended Particulate Matters in Tehran Underground Subway Stations and Compare it with Ambient Concentrations
        Ameneh Bolourchi Farideh Atabi Faramarz Moattar Mehdi Ali Ehyaei
        Background and Objectives: Metro lines are responsible for 20% of the total passenger traffic in Tehran. Particulate matter is one of the most important major pollutants in subway stations and increasing their concentration leads to numerous health consequences for pass More
        Background and Objectives: Metro lines are responsible for 20% of the total passenger traffic in Tehran. Particulate matter is one of the most important major pollutants in subway stations and increasing their concentration leads to numerous health consequences for passengers and subway employees. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 in four underground metro stations (Azadi, Enghelab, Tohid and Vali Asr) and compare them with the concentration of these particles in the open air. Research Method:Seasonal sampling (April 2016 - April 2017) of particulate matters was conducted in the middle months of all four seasons for one week in the middle months of each season at peak traffic times from 8 am to 12 am, at three locations (entrance, middle, and exit in each station) and also at outside ambient of each station. The results were then compared with the relevant standards. Results and Discussions: The main sources of suspended particulate matter in the underground subway stations were due to passenger traffic, train piston pressure, floor cleaning, maintenance operations, wheel-rail wear and braking and the performance of ventilation system in the subway station. The results of the monitoring measurements in this study showed that the annual average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in the four underground subway stations were 68 µg/m3 and 47 µg/m3 and in the outdoor ambient around these stations were 42 and 29 µg/m3, respectively.   Conclusions: The results of this study showed that in the four underground subway stations, the annual average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 were 1.5 - 1.7 times higher than those in the outdoor ambient, respectively. Manuscript profile
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        24 - Strategies to Achieve Sustainable Aquaculture in Guilan Province with an Emphasis on Its Environmental Dimension
        fatemeh ghorbani piralidehi Hossein Agahi Kumars Zarafshani Mohammad Karim Motamed
        Introduction: The aquaculture industry as a very important agricultural activity in the current situation is influenced by the concept of sustainability that can be with minimal harm to the environment ensure of food security and health of rural society. This study was More
        Introduction: The aquaculture industry as a very important agricultural activity in the current situation is influenced by the concept of sustainability that can be with minimal harm to the environment ensure of food security and health of rural society. This study was carried out with the study the current status of aquaculture to develop strategies to achieve sustainable aquaculture in Guilan province with an emphasis on its environmental dimension. Material and Methods: The general approach of this research is qualitative that was used from qualitative content analysis for the purpose of analyzing data. Sampling was targeted and was confirmed the validity of research findings through triangulation. In the present study various techniques (individual interviews and group discussions) were used. Also data were obtained from various sources such as members and managers of aquaculture cooperative, aquacultures and fishery experts from the directorate general of Guilan province. Results and Discussion: The results showed that in the current situation to achieve sustainable aquaculture inputs management, production management, waste management and control and marketing management is needed. Based on research findings suggestions were made that can help to province aquaculture practitioners to achieve sustainable aquaculture. Manuscript profile
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        25 - Investigating the Environmental Impacts for Four Varieties of Corn Based on Nitrogen Fertilizer Consumption through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
        Seyyed Mustafa Sadeghi Seyyed Ali Noorhosseini
        Background and Objective: The use of chemical fertilizers has many negative effects on the environment. Therefore, in order to evaluate the environmental effects of four maize cultivars based on the use of nitrogen fertilizer, research was conducted using the life cycle More
        Background and Objective: The use of chemical fertilizers has many negative effects on the environment. Therefore, in order to evaluate the environmental effects of four maize cultivars based on the use of nitrogen fertilizer, research was conducted using the life cycle assessment method in Lahijan region. Method: For this purpose, a field experiment was performed as a split plot in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments were consisted different nitrogen levels (300, 400 and 500 kg/ha urea) as the main plot and four varieties of corn (KSC 647, KSC 700, KSC 704 and Local) as the subplots. In this studysix groups were investigated; the global warming, acidification, terrestrial eutrophication, the depletion of fossil resources, the depletion of potassium and the depletion of phosphate. Production of one ton of corn was considered as a functional unit to evaluate the environmental impacts. Findings: The results showed that maximum environmental index (1.53) and resources depletion index (1.11) was in production of one-ton local variety of corn with treatment 500 kg/ha urea. The minimum environmental index (0.39) and resources depletion index (0.45) was in production of one ton KSC 647 variety of corn with treatment 300 kg/ha urea. Discussion and Conclusion: Although there was not a difference between the different treatments of nitrogen in terms of corn yield, but the selection of superior varieties in terms of yield, by reducing nitrogen consumption, reduced damage to the environment. Manuscript profile
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        26 - Preparation of Land Use Map Using ETM+ Landsat (A Case Study in Hendodar Watershed)
        Rezvan davodpour Hamid Toranjzar
        Background and Objective: High population growth rate has led to excessive use of capacity and double pressure on natural resources, resulting in rapid land use changes. Therefore, quick and accurate identification of types of land cover can play an effective role in pl More
        Background and Objective: High population growth rate has led to excessive use of capacity and double pressure on natural resources, resulting in rapid land use changes. Therefore, quick and accurate identification of types of land cover can play an effective role in planning and management. Satellite data because of vast and integrated sight covering with different electromagnetic spectrums and updated images are very suitable for making applicable Land use maps. The aim of this study is preparation of land use map using ETM+ landsat (a Case Study in Hendodar Watershed) Method: The Landsat 7 satellite images were used to determine the land use changes of Hendodar watershed in Markazi province. The GPS was used to determine the position of land use and land cover types on the basis of taking test and ground control points on field investigation. Obtained samples were used for supervised classification with four different algorithms including maximum Likelihood, minimum distance, Minimum Mahalanobis Distance and Box Classification.  Findings: The optimum index factor (OIF) for the main bands and PCA (principal coordinate analysis) were used to select the optimum combination of three bands in a satellite image to create a color composite, sample set and other operation and classification. Among the algorithms, the maximum likelihood classification algorithm had better results from the types of coverage and lands use on the images.  Discussion and Conclusion: The maximum likelihood classification algorithm with combination of b7, b4, b1 bands with 81.25% accuracy is the best algorithms of land use determination and classification comparing with real ground map of the area. Manuscript profile
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        27 - Ardabil Alluvial Plain Aquifer Vulnerability Zoning Using a Combination of GIS and DRASTIC Method
        Hojatollah Mardan Bahman Yargholi
        Background and Objective: Groundwater resources are the second largest fresh water resources in the world and almost one third of the world population depend on these resources. These resources that are accessible through wells, canals and springs are utilized for diffe More
        Background and Objective: Groundwater resources are the second largest fresh water resources in the world and almost one third of the world population depend on these resources. These resources that are accessible through wells, canals and springs are utilized for different uses and in return they receive ample amount of domestic, industrial and agricultural waste waters. Assessment of aquifer vulnerability is very useful in land uses management and development, groundwater quality monitoring and prevention of water resources pollution. Method: In current study, DRASTIC model in conjunction with GIS is used for zoning Ardabil plain vulnerability and aquifer quality data processing and analysis is performed accordingly by these tools. It also uses the measurement results of nitrate in groundwater, DRASTIC model is calibrated to the Ardabil plain.  Findings: The results of the drastic model show that the vulnerability of the Ardabil plain aquifer is more in the moderate vulnerability group. According to the findings of this study, moderate vulnerability is 39.3%, low vulnerability is 32.4% and high vulnerability is 21.1%, very low vulnerability is 6% and very high vulnerability is 1.1%, respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: The level of contaminations of Ardabil aquifer was observed to be high and the result of this research revealed that its potential to be polluted is high. Therefore, given the importance of the groundwater resources in the region, it is necessary to establish a management plan to optimize the usage of this valuable resource. Manuscript profile
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        28 - Optimum Dioxide Titanium Nanoparticles in Dioxide Titanium /Bentonite Composite for Sono Photo Catalytic De-Colorization of Methyl Orange dye
        Mehran yousefi mohammad ghorbanpour
        Background and Objectives: Dye is considered as one of the most important environmental pollutants in industrial wastewater due to its harmful effects on both human and environment. This study was aimed to determine Optimum Dioxide Titanium Nanoparticles in Dioxide Tita More
        Background and Objectives: Dye is considered as one of the most important environmental pollutants in industrial wastewater due to its harmful effects on both human and environment. This study was aimed to determine Optimum Dioxide Titanium Nanoparticles in Dioxide Titanium /Bentonite Composite for sono photo catalytic de-colorization of Methyl Orange dye.  Methods: In this study, bentonite was used as the substrate to stabilize titanium dioxide photo catalyst and the optimum amount of stabilized titanium dioxide nanoparticles in titanium dioxide/ bentonite composite was evaluated for sono photo catalytic removal of methyl orange dye. Accordingly, the optimal conditions for the photo catalytic process performance in dye removal included the effect of pH, methyl orange concentrations and nanocomposite doses. Findings: Structural properties of bentonite/titanium dioxide composites and pure titanium dioxide nanoparticles were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) and Xray diffraction (XRD). Finally, the possibility of reuse of photo catalyst was investigated in three periods. Based on SEM results, reducing the amount of titanium dioxide reduced the number of nanoparticles formed on the bentonite surface. XRD and DRS analyses showed successful composite formation. The optimum amount of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in titanium dioxide/bentonite composite was obtained for sono photo catalytic dye removal of methyl orange with the titanium dioxide powder to bentonite ratio of 1: 2.5 in the primary mixture. Discussion and Conclusion:  The study showed that increasing the amount of photo catalyst in the reaction medium increased the speed and efficiency of the dye removal but its excessive increase had a negative effect on the reaction. The best conditions for dye degradation were obtained using titanium dioxide/bentonite nanocomposite at pH 4. According to the results, the increase in concentration increased dye removal time. Finally, the sono photo catalytic composite efficiency was acceptable after three times of reuse. Manuscript profile