Amount of fumonisin B1 in 46 corn samples which were collected preharvest, at harvest and post harvest stages (after drying, befor and after silage) from Golestan province in northern Iran was evaluated. The samples were milled using analytical Romer mill. Fumonisin B1 was extracted with methanol-water (80:20 v/v) solvent, purified by immunoaffmity columns (IACs) and converted to fluorescent derivatives by OPA (Ortho-phetaldehyde).The mycotoxin was quantified through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detector (Em=335 nm, Exi=440 nm). Standard curve was drawn between 0.3125-40 mg/ml using 6 fumonisin working standards. Validation of the method was estimated by Certified Reference Material (CRM). The percentage mean of recovery obtained using this method was 90.7 %. All samples were contaminated with fumonisin B1, the range of Contamination varied from 261 to 6891 ng/g and the mean of Contamination was 2658.35 ng/g. There was in significant difference on the Contamination of samples at different sampling stages.

Purpose: Methods of tooth brushing are amply described, but procedures for maintaining their cleanliness are discussed infrequently. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of microbial Contamination of toothbrushes.Methods & Materials: The study has been done in a descriptive, retrospective, analytical way. Information about the methods of toothbrush care were obtained by a questionnaire filled by 100 individuals. Toothbrushes were gathered and examined in two culture media; Blood agar for gram positive microorganisms and E.M.B for gram negative microorganisms. All surfaces of a toothbrush were separately pulled three times on two culture media. Then culture media were incubated in 37°C and were read in three stages: 24, 48, 72 hours by eye and microscope. Level of microbial Contamination was divided into three groups on the basis of colony count. Low Contamination: colonies < 10000, moderate Contamination: 10000 - 30000, high Contamination: > 30000. Statistical analysis in this study was as follows: 1- Chi - square for trends, 2- Fisher exact test, 3- Spearman correlation coefficient and 4 -Mann - Whitney test.Results: Overall 96% of toothbrushes were contaminated. Some variables such as type of toothbrushes, frequency of tooth brushing, time of toothbrush usage had no effect on CFU (Coloni forming unit). However, location of toothbrush for example toilet or bathroom, washing and drying method, use of cover after tooth brushing, oral hygiene had relationship with CFU. (P<0.05)Conclusions: Toothbrushes in regular use can become heavily contaminated with microorganisms. Storage conditions and skill in washing and toothbrush care are effective in reducing the level of their Contamination.

This study aimed to assess the occurrence and diversity of mold species in raw milk and its products along with the identification of potential Contamination sources. For this reason, a total of 260 samples consisting of 80 raw milk, 100 dairy products (i.e., pasteurized milk, yoghurt, cheese and buttermilk) and 80 environmental (i.e. ingredients, packaging materials, surface of processing equipments and air) specimens were collected. Using culture assay and microscopic observation, the occurrence as well as the diversity of mold species was investigated. According to the results, 82.3% of the samples were identified as positive for mold Contamination. The percentage of mold Contamination for raw milk was estimated as 97.5%. In the case of pasteurized milk, yoghurt, buttermilk, cheese and environmental samples, it was determined as 52%, 76%, 52%, 56% and 96.25%, respectively. Mold diversity among various samples consisted of Aspergillus, Geotrichum, Penicillium, Mucor, Alternaria, Rhizopus, Stemphylium, Cladosporium, and Fusarium. Results revealed a significant (p<0.01) correlation between kind of mold species isolated from raw milk and dairy products. Similarly, a correlation was observed between dairy products and environmental sources. Regarding the high occurrence of mold Contamination in raw milk and environmental sources, it seems that in some instances heat treatment was not effective enough to inactivate all molds; whereas in some other cases, cross Contamination may have resulted in mold Contamination. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain hygienic conditions during raw milk handling as well as processing steps. These practices could efficiently reduce the occurrence of mold Contaminations in dairy products.

Pollution and geoaccumulation of heavy metals in soil and agricultural products owing to human activities and natural factors pose significant environmental issues that pose severe risks to human health and food security. To address these concerns, the concentrations of heavy metals, including As, Sb, Cu, Mo, Pb, and Zn, were randomly collected from 20 soil samples taken from depths of 0–30 cm in the eastern agricultural area of eastern Urmia. After sample preparation, the total concentrations of these elements in the soil samples were extracted using hydrochloric and nitric acids and then measured using ICP-OES. The results indicated that the mean concentrations of total As, Sb, Cu, Mo, Pb, and Zn in the study area were 7.04, 1.02, 21.57, 0.357, 7.60, and 57.19 mg/kg, respectively. These concentrations were lower than the limits set by the Iranian Environmental Protection Agency. The mean pollution factor and enrichment coefficient in the region were the highest for As, followed by Sb, Zn, Pb, Cu, and Mo. The average infection index was 13.46, which indicated a moderate degree of soil Contamination. The Earth Repletion Index for Cu and Mo was between 0 and 1, suggesting a natural origin, whereas for As, Cu, Pb, and Mo it was greater than 5, indicating high pollution levels. Based on the Pearson coefficient, there was a high correlation between Pb, Sb, Cu, and Zn, suggesting a common origin or similar geochemical behavior.

Background and purpose: Soil Contamination resulted from either natural or anthropogenic factors reduces environmental quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the geoaccumulation, Contamination factor, and principal component analysis indices to estimate topsoil Contamination in Aran-Bidgol town.Materials and methods: 135 topsoil samples were collected from Aran-Bidgol town and the metal concentrations of Cd, Pb, Ni, Cu, and Zn in each sample were determined. The index of geoaccumulation (Igeo), Contamination factor (CF), and principal component analysis (PCA) techniques were applied to determine the status and trends of soil Contamination in this region. The inverse distance weighting (IDW) was then used to map these soil Contamination indices.Results: The research found that the means concentrations of Cd, Pb, Ni, Zn, and Cu were 0.72, 11.41, 29.87, 48.59, and 14.82 mg/kg respectively; all exceeded the background values. Mean Igeo and CF of elements followed the order: Cu>Cd>Ni>Zn » Pb. The Igeo and CF maps showed higher values of Cd, Pb, and Zn in areas near industrial estates, brick kilns, and urban areas whereas higher levels of Cu and Ni occurred in urban and agricultural areas. According to the PCA index, two principal components were identified that Cu, Ni and Zn were highly loaded in PC1 and Cd and Pb occurred in PC2.Conclusion: Results indicated that the concentration of Pb and Cd are mostly affected by human activities, whereas Ni, Zn, and Cu contents are controlled by both anthropogenic and natural sources.