Introduction: Adverse effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including general and specific effects like carcinogenic of benzene are well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate occupational exposure to BTEX compounds in the painting unit of an automotive industry and subsequently health risk assessment of exposure to these compounds.Material and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the paint unit of an automotive industry including painting cabin, pre-painting salon and painting salon sections. After analyzing samples, gathered from different sections, by GC-MS, BTEX compound were identified as the main contaminants. In the next step, NIOSH1501 and EPA methods were used to measure and analysis of BTEX and risk assessment, respectively.Result: Findings showed that benzene concentration in painting cabin was higher than occupational exposure limits provided by the Environmental and Occupational Health Center of Iran. Life time cancer risk for benzene per 1000 has been reported10, 3.63 and 1.27 in the painting cabin, pre-painting and salon sections, respectively. It was also for ethyl benzene 2.5m 1.8 and 38.0 in the mentioned sections, respectively. The non-cancer risk for benzene and xylene in the painting cabin and pre-painting sections were higher than recommended allowable level.Conclusion: Regarding the high level of cancer risk values obtained for benzene and ethylbenzene in the studied units and also high values of non-cancer risk for benzene and xylene, it is recommended to conduct biological exposure assessmnet of the workers and improve existence control systems using modern engineering control systems.

Introduction: Adverse effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been known, including general as well as carcinogenic effects of benzene. The aim of this study was to evaluate occupational exposure to BTEX compounds in the painting unit of an automotive industry and subsequently health risk assessment of exposure to these compounds. Material and Method: In this cross-sectional study which was conducted in the painting plant of an automotive industry, including cabin painting, pre-painting and painting sections, BTEX compound were identified as the main contaminants by analyzing samples by GC-MS from those sections, . In the next step, NIOSH1501 method was used to measure and analysis the BTEX compounds. EPA method was applied to assess the risk of cancer and non-cancer. Result: Sample analysis indicated that benzene concentration in painting cabin was higher than occupational exposure limits provided by Iranian Environmental and Occupational Health Center. Life time cancer risk for benzene per 1000 has been reported 10, 3. 63 and 1. 27 in the painting cabin, pre-painting salons, respectively. For ethyl benzene it was 2. 5m 1. 8 and 38. 0, respectively in above-mentioned sections. Also, the non-cancer risk for benzene and xylene in the painting cabin and pre-painting sections were higher than the recommended allowable level. Conclusion: Regarding the high level of cancer risk values obtained for benzene and ethylbenzene in the studied units, and also high values of non-cancer risk for benzene and xylene, it is recommended to conduct a biological exposure of the workers and improve existence control systems using an advanced engineering control to control the exposures to those compounds.

The first basic step in formulating any quality improvement program is recognizing consumers perceptions and expectations of service quality and determining quality gap. The objective of this study is assessing quality gap of primary health services and exploring quality gap differences between urban and rural health centers in Kashan District. This descriptive - analytic survey consists of a sample of 300 females health services consumers (150 individuals in urban centers and 150 individuals in rural centers) who completed the research questionnaire by themselves. The SERVQUAL instrument administrated to assess the quality of services provided by health centers. For statistic analysis, Man - Whitney and Wilcoxon statistics and correlation coefficient were applied. Analysis of data revealed that there was quality gap in fivefold service quality dimensions. Quality gap differed in rural and urban health centers. In rural and urban centers the smallest quality gap was in tangibility dimension. The largest quality gap in rural centers was in responsiveness and in urban centers in reliability. Age and literacy respectively had direct and indirect significant correlation to quality gap. There was a quality gap in services in rural and urban centers. Thus, improvements are required across all the dimensions, namely, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy.    

Background and aims: The present study carried out to evaluate health effects associated with chronic occupational exposure to low levels of mercury vapors.Methods: The study population consisted of 46 male workers occupationally exposed to mercury vapors and 65healthy unexposed employees. Subjects were administered a questionnaire on symptoms experienced and underwent clinical examinations as well routine biochemical tests.Additionally, using standard methods, atmospheric and urinary concentrations of mercury were Measured.Results: Environmental and urinary concentrations of mercury were estimated to be 3.97±6.28 mg/m2 and 34.30±26.77 mg/lit, respectively. While these values were blow there commended TLV and BEl for this substance, exposed subjects had significantly higher concentrations of urinary mercury levels than their unexposed counterparts. No significant differences were noted between CBC, BUN, serum creatinine or serum activity of liver enzymes of both groups. Conversely, analysis of the data revealed that symptoms such as somatic and mental fatigue, anorexia, loss off memory and personality change were significantly more common among exposed individuals.Likewise, painful spasm of the extremities, irritability, vague fears and insomnia were more frequent among exposed population, although the differences were not statistically significant.Conclusion: Theses observations indicate that occupational exposure to mercury vapors, even at low levels, is likely to be associated with neurological and psychological symptoms.

Biogas is the mixture of gases produced by the breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Biogas can be produced from raw materials such as agricultural waste, manure, municipal waste, plant material, sewage, green waste or food waste. The purpose of this study was investigation the feasibility of biogas production from domestic wastewater in an industrial unit. In this research, firstly the characteristics, production sources, importance, usage and models of biogas production systems were studied. Then, the calculations related to the amount of biogas production of the mentioned industry were performed based on influent and effluent wastewater flow rate and biological tests. According to the results, because of the low flow rate of influent wastewater, the amount of produced biogas production was not considerable and it could not supply the heating/cooling demand of the industrial unit and only the electrical energy of the lighting of the area will be supplied by the energy of produced biogas. However, in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the production of liquid and solid contaminated solid fertilizers can be considered. However, if the wastewater is added to the wastewater of adjacent animal husbandry, poultry houses and slaughterhouses and the flow reaches at least 1300 m3 per day, the biogas production will be considerable and economical.

Introduction: Organizations try to have a safe and healthy work environment without any pollution and damages. Health Safety Environment (HSE) system is a tool for improving health, safety, and environmental conditions in all industrial and non-industrial development programs. The system uses all human and financial resources to provide people with a safe environment without any risk (Farshad et al., 2006). Hydrocracker unit in refinement of Oil Company of Bandar Abbas is an important refinement unit. Its activities may cause many environmental and hazardous problems. The purpose of this study is to assess the situation of health, safety, and environment by Environmental Failure Mood and Effect Analysis (EFMEA) to minimize the negative effects and provide a risk management program. Failure Mood Effect Analysis emerged for assessment of safety in systems is used to detect any possible defects in systems and subsystems based on quantitative analyses. This was modified in some ways into EFMEA as a qualitative method.

Objective(s): This paper explores the sexual health education needs and appropriate content for such education in Tehran.Methods: 21 married female in reproductive age from Tehran were recruited using snowball sampling and participated in qualitative interviews using focus group techniques.Results: Participants addressed four themes: women’s sex education needs, husbands' sex education needs, behaviors that women dislike in their sexual relationship, women’s ideas about sex education. Sex education needs encompasses various subjects including basic concepts of sexuality and sexual behaviors. A considerable number of women disliked some sexual behaviors and had questions along those lines. They believed that sex education can influence their sexual life in a positive way.Conclusion: Attention to cultural sensitivities, realities of couples’ sexual relationship and conceiving their needs as it is, seems to help to design and implementation of a program that is going to meet people real needs.