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This 6-year retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the health effects of exposure to BTEX compounds in a petroleum products distribution company in Iran. Blood samples were collected annually from both exposed and control groups at the start of each work shift and analyzed for a range of hematological, biochemical, and liver function parameters, including lymphocyte, neutrophil, ALT, AST, Hb, HCT, MCV, MCHC, platelet, WBC, RBC, TG, LDL, and HDL. Annual monitoring of BTEX exposure was conducted using the standard NIOSH 1501 method. The study found significant time-dependent effects of BTEX exposure on liver function, lipid profile, and hematopoietic parameters. Linear mixed-effects models revealed consistent increases in ALT, TG, Hb, and MCHC levels in the exposed group compared to the control group, with statistically significant differences (β = 1.10, p = 0.029; β = 6.56, p = 0.016; β = 0.85, p = 0.013; β = 0.87, p = 0.027). Additionally, the model fitting results for LDL indicated a decreasing trend in the exposed group compared to the control group, which was also statistically significant (β = -1.76, p = 0.034). These findings suggest that long-term exposure to BTEX compounds may have adverse health effects on the liver, lipid profile, and hematopoietic system. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is needed to confirm these findings and explore the long-term health effects of BTEX exposure., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from School of Public Health and Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences IR.SBMU.PHNS.REC 0.1402.028. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Crop diseases and agricultural pests and pathogens are causing huge economic losses. The actual means for dealing with them involve the use of damaging chemical pesticides that harm the environment, threaten biodiversity, and undermine human health. This research was aimed at developing an environmentally friendly means to cope with emerging oomycete disease from tomato fields in the province of East-Azerbaijan. The oomycete disease causal agent was isolated and identified as Ovatisporangium sp. using a combination of morphological features and molecular methods. Six wood vinegars (pyroligneous acid) belonging to pine, pomegranate, pistachio, almond, walnut, and cypress were produced during this study and examined against Ovatisporangium sp. Their inhibition of volatile metabolites (VOCs) using different dilutions (1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and 1/10) was assessed against the mycelial growth of Ovatisporangium sp. In vitro analysis demonstrated that pistachio, cypress, and almond dilution 1 (D 1) wood vinegar VOCs had the ability to stop the mycelial growth of Ovatisporangium sp. All other treatments including pine, walnut, and pomegranate with relevant dilutions significantly reduced the mycelial growth of Ovatisporangium sp. compared with the control (p ≤ 0.05). Wood vinegar is therefore a potent means to cope with pathogenic infections and allows plant protection against oomycete diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was derived to investigation of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) concentrations in printing and copying centers (PCCs) in Ardabil city of Iran. Fifty-three PCCs were randomly selected from all the 136 number of PCCs and BTEX was sampled form their indoor air. The results showed that the concentration of BTEX in the indoor air PCCs is lower than the OELs (occupational exposure limit) in all cases. The obtained mean concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene were 93.6±63.2, 150.6±99.2, 34.3±16.8, and 29.5±15.2 μg/m3 respectively. Type of printer, number of printing and copying device, and type of ventilation system had significant influence on the BTEX concentration. The mean inhalation lifetime cancer risk (LTCR) value for benzene and ethylbenzene in the indoor air of the PCCs with LaserJet and inkjet printers was 44.4 × 10−6 and 153.3 × 10−6, and 23.4×10−6 and 54.2× 10−6, respectively, which were higher than EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommended limits. The hazard quotient (HQ) of benzene in the indoor air of the PCCs with inkjet printers was >1, which indicates that the non-carcinogenic risks associated with exposure to these compounds are considerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the biodegradation of n-hexane as single pollutant, and in a mixture with benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in a scoria/compost-based biofilter. Initially, the biofilter was fed with n-hexane and maximum elimination capacities (ECmax) of 10.7 and 8.1 g m−3 h−1 were obtained for inlet loading rates (ILR) of 14.0 and 11.6 g m−3 h−1 at empty bed retention times (EBRT) of 138 and 108 s, respectively. Michaelis–Menten kinetic model was well fitted to the experimental EC of n-hexane in the single pollutant condition. In the presence of BTEX, the removal efficiency of n-hexane dramatically decreased from 76 to 21% at EBRT of 108 s. In this condition, BTEX was easily degraded with an ECmax of 110.6 g m−3 h−1 for ILR of 119.1 g m−3 h−1. A competitive inhibition kinetic well described the n-hexane removal in the presence of BTEX with an inhibition constant of 0.151 g m−3. Moreover, the interaction index of benzene with the addition of BTEX was −0.702, indicating the significant inhibitory effect of BTEX on n-hexane biodegradation. This study revealed that, in the biofiltration of n-hexane/BTEX mixture, a significant decrease in BTEX concentration is a prerequisite for the efficient removal of n-hexane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of in-vehicle exposure in Tehran, Iran to formaldehyde and acetaldehyde for different models of taxis, and to explore the effects of city zone, taxi vehicle type, the taxi's age (<1, 1–5, 5–10), fuel type (gasoline, CNG, and LPG), and refueling activities on the estimated health risks based on previously measured concentrations. The overall and age-specific carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of these compounds for taxi drivers and passengers were estimated separately using Monte Carlo simulations. Three scenarios of exposure frequency were defined for taxis commuting in different zones of city: Restricted Traffic Zone (RTZ) and Odd-Even Zone (OEZ) as two plans to reduce air pollution, and no-restriction zone (NRZ). The carcinogenic risks for drivers and passengers, the average risks of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde for most cases were above the 1 × 10−4. The health risks were greater in Restricted Traffic Zone (RTZ) and Odd-Even Zone (OEZ) in comparison to no-restriction zone (NRZ). The carcinogenic risk from formaldehyde exposures were higher than those for acetaldehyde in all cases. Taxis fueled with LPG showed lower cancer risks for both acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. Refueling increased the carcinogenic risk from both compounds. For non-carcinogenic risks from acetaldehyde, the average hazard ratios for both drivers and passengers were >1, indicating a non-negligible risk. Cancer and non-cancer risks for the taxi drivers were greater than the passengers given the higher time of occupancy. The present study showed that transportation in taxis can impose significant long-term health risks to both passengers and drivers. Development and investment in cleaner choices for public transportations are required. Image 1 • Many health risks for drivers and passengers were above protective limits. • The risks from formaldehyde exposures were higher than those for acetaldehyde. • The risks in zones designed for air pollution control were higher than other areas. • Cancer and non-cancer risks for the taxi drivers were greater than the passengers. This study investigates the cancer and non-cancer risks of two hazardous pollutants inside the cabins of taxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]