Health Risk Assessment of Fluoride Exposure in Soil,Plants, and Water at Isfahan,Iran

Fluoride is a potentially toxic element, with a narrow range of tolerable amounts taken up via food or drinking water. To evaluate F content in surface soils, 255 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) in an area of 6800 km² in Isfahan province of central Iran were collected. Crop plants and randomly sampled water samples from wells were evaluated during the spring and summer seasons. Total F concentration in 96% of soil samples was lower than the global suggested average of 200 mg kg^?1. The mean F concentration of water samples in the study area was 0.05 and 0.3 mg L^?1 in summer and spring, respectively. Fluoride concentrations in different plant species were in the range of normal values. The total hazard quotient (HQ) for both population groups via consumption of cereals, vegetables, and water; incidental ingestion of soil; inhalation of soil particulates; and dermal contact with water and soil was less than 1.0, resembling no obvious risk. It is suggested that neither age group in Isfahan province will experience a significant potential health risk through their dietary intake of cereals, vegetables, and water; ingestion of soil; inhalation of particulates; and dermal contact.     

Yellow Death: A Disease of Date Palm in Iran Caused by Fusarium solani

In December 2003, a severe general yellowing and death of the fronds of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) occurred in a grove in the vicinity of Kazeron district, west of Fars province, Iran. Fusarium solani was isolated from the crown, and xylem rays sampled from the trunk 1.5 m above soil level. In pathogenicity tests using artificially infested soil and 1‐year‐old date palm seedlings, an isolate from the trunk (FST) induced general chlorosis and death of seedlings 25–28 days after inoculation. Similar results were obtained when seedlings were planted in naturally infested soil. In both procedures, distal portions of the roots and crown were affected. The fungus was re‐isolated from the crown and leaf bases of the inoculated seedlings. This is the first report of a serious disease of date palm, which we call yellow death, incited by F. solani in Iran.     

Fumonisin production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium</Emphasis> species isolated from freshly harvested corn in Iran

Fifty-one strains of Fusarium verticillioides and F. proliferatum isolated from corn collected from four different geographic areas in Iran, namely Fars, Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Mazandaran (an endemic oesophageal cancer (OC) area) were evaluated for their ability to produce fumonisins B₁ (FB₁), B₂ (FB₂) and B₃ (FB₃) in corn culture. Fumonisin levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. All tested strains of F. verticillioides and F. proliferatumproduced fumonisins within a wide range of concentrations, 197–9661 g/g, 18–1974 g/g, and 21–1725 g/g for FB₁, FB₂, and FB₃, respectively. The highest mean concentrations of FB₁, FB₂, and FB₃ were 3897, 806 and 827 g/g, respectively. Overall, 61% of the F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum strains produced higher levels of FB₃ than FB₂. The mean ratios of FB₁:FB₂, FB₁:FB₃ and FB₁:total fumonisins were 8, 7 and 0.7 for F. verticillioides and 5.7, 10.7 and 0.7 for F. proliferatum, respectively. Significant differences in some of the meteorological data (rainfall, relative humidity and minimum temperature) from the four provinces were observed. Fumonisin levels produced by F. verticillioides strains isolated from Khuzestan province (tropical zone) were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than the other three provinces. This is the first report of the fumonisin-producing ability of F.verticillioides and F. proliferatum strains isolated from corn harvested from different geographic areas in Iran.     

Alterations in blood pressure due to chronic exposure to natural sour gas leakage containing sulfur compounds

In order to show the alteration of blood pressure in subjects chronically exposed to natural gas containing sulfur compounds, the present study was done. The blood pressure of 94 (43 males, 51 females) of healthy individuals living in the polluted area of Masjid-i-Sulaiman (Khozestan province, southwest of Iran) was measured. The non-parametric Sign test was applied in order to detect differences between the study subjects and the normal mean values according to the sex and age of subjects. Statistical analysis showed that the systolic blood pressure significantly decreased (Z=-2.74; P=0.0031) while the diastolic blood pressure (Z=+2.11; P=0.0174) and heart rate (Z=+3.62; P<0.001) significantly increased in individuals living in the contaminated areas compared with those of normal mean values. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased and increased, respectively, in individuals chronically exposed to natural sour gas containing sulfur compounds.     

Leishmania species: Detection and identification by nested PCR assay from skin samples of rodent reservoirs

Many rodent species act as reservoir hosts of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in endemic areas. In the present study a simple and reliable assay based on nested PCR was developed for the detection and identification of Leishmania parasites from rodent skin samples. We designed Leishmania-specific primers that successfully amplified ITS regions of Leishmania major, Leishmania gerbilli and Leishmania turanica using nested PCR. Out of 95 field collected Rhombomys opimus, 21 were positive by microscopic examination and 48 by nested PCR. The percentage of gerbils infected with L. major, L. gerbilli and L. turanica was 3.2%, 1.1% and 27.4%, respectively. In 15.8% of the rodents, we found mixed natural infections by L. major and L. turanica, 1.1% by L. major and L. gerbilli, and 2.1% by the three species. We concluded that this method is simple and reliable for detecting and identifying Leishmania species circulating in rodent populations.     

Phenotypic analysis of adults of Fasciola hepatica, Fasciola gigantica and intermediate forms from the endemic region of Gilan, Iran

Fascioliasis is an important human and animal disease caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. In Iran, the distribution of these two species overlaps in most areas, including the northern human endemic province of Gilan where both fasciolids are simultaneously found in individual cattle and buffaloes. A phenotypic study of fasciolid adult flukes from naturally infected bovines from Gilan was carried out by means of an exhaustive morphometric analysis using traditional microscopic measurements and an allometric model. The Iranian fasciolids were compared to F. hepatica and F. gigantica standard populations, i.e. from geographical areas where both species do not co-exist (Bolivia and Burkina Faso, respectively). Although morphometric values somewhat overlapped, there were clear differences in allometric growth. The allometric function was adjusted to 25 pairs of variables. Results obtained revealed that Iranian F. hepatica-like specimens are larger than the F. hepatica standard and Iranian F. gigantica-like specimens are longer and narrower than the F. gigantica standard, but with smaller body area. Measurements which permit a specific differentiation in allopatric populations (distance between ventral sucker and posterior end of the body; ratio between body length and body width) overlap in the specimens from Gilan, thus proving the presence of intermediate forms. When compared to the standard populations, the different Iranian fasciolid morphs show greater differences in F. gigantica-like specimens than in F. hepatica-like specimens. This study shows that simple, traditional microscopic measurements may be sufficient for the morphometric characterisation of fasciolids, even in areas where intermediate forms are present.     

Human Dietary Exposure to Fumonisin B1 from Iranian Maize Harvested During 1998–2000

Fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) is the most abundant of the fumonisin mycotoxins, mainly produced in maize by F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum. A previous study on the FB1 contamination of maize harvested in Mazandaran and Isfahan Provinces of Iran in 1998 and 1999 demonstrated contamination in both provinces. This present study was undertaken to further investigate the variation in levels of contamination and to estimate possible levels of human exposure to fumonisins in Iran. The mean level of FB₁ in 49 visually healthy maize samples collected from Mazandaran Province during 2000 was 6.14 mg/kg, which is higher than that found during 1998 and 1999 (2.27 and 3.18 mg/kg, respectively). Although these levels are higher than the Iranian legislative limits for fumonisins in maize intended for humans, the relatively low estimated consumption of maize in Iran (3.3 g/person/day) implies that average exposures (0.011 and 0.215 μg/kg body weight/day in Isfahan and Mazandaran, respectively) are within the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake of 2 μg/kg body weight/day set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Nevertheless, certain sections of the population who may consume higher amounts of maize or who may replace all or some of their consumption of other cereals with maize, could well exceed this limit.     

New cytogenetic information on Allium iranicum (Alliaceae) from Iran

Karyotype analysis and chromosome behaviour in tetraploid Allium iranicum is reported. The somatic karyotype 2n = 32, consists of 12 pairs of metacentric chromosomes, two pairs of submetacentric chromosomes and two pairs of submetacentric satellite chromosomes. Chromosome complement follows two sets of 16 pairs of homologous chromosomes. A detailed analysis of Pachytene, Diplotene and Metaphase I of meiosis in pollen mother cells in this taxon showed that the most common chromosome configurations were bivalents at all subphases mentioned. It is concluded that A. iranicum is most likely a natural allotetraploid and certainly differs from related species A. ampeloprasum, A. commutatum and A. porrum.     

Elevated Concentrations of Pesticides and PCBs in Soils at the Southern Caspian Sea (Iran) are Related to Land Use

Soil contamination by organochlorine pesticides or PCBs is almost undocumented for Iran. Here we report a soil survey in Mazandaran and Guilan provinces that hold >30% of the agricultural areas of Iran where pesticide use is widespread. Concentration of DDTs, HCHs, cyclodienes, and PCBs were measured in 45 soil samples from different agricultural land uses and forest land. The average concentrations of ∑DDT (37 μg kg^?1) and ∑HCH (21 μg kg^?1) in agricultural soils are among the largest ever reported and exceed international soil screening standards. All residues were larger in agricultural than in forest soil. Within agricultural land, ∑DDT were largest for tea gardens, lindane was largest in rice fields, and cyclodiens largest in citrus orchards. The ratio of (DDD + DDE)/DDT is an index of the extent of DDT degradation in soil and was lower in tea gardens than in other soils (0.7 versus 2–5), indicating either ongoing DDT input or lower degradation rate in the tea gardens that are more acid than the other soils (pH 4.5 versus 6.5–7.0). The o,p′–DDT/p,p′–DDT ratio was about 3 in forest soils, suggesting that DDT is derived from dicofol application and not from technical DDT as in agricultural soils. The PCB 28, 180, and 138 showed the highest mean concentration compared with other PCB congeners in all land uses. This survey is the first of this kind for Iran and illustrates that concentrations of organochlorine pesticide in soil are relatively large.