Identification of the quality of surface waters in the city of Fez by the SEQ-GIS approach and analysis of variance

In Morocco, water resource conservation has become a priority, due to the diversity of potential sources of its pollution.To date, the city of Fez is experiencing dynamic industrial, artisanal and large farming with extensive use of toxic chemicals, part of which is carried by the water nearby in oueds or infiltrated by the soil into groundwater. This threatens ominously and alarming environmental and man.The objective of this study is, firstly, to identify the most polluted areas near polluting industries estimated the city of Fez, and secondly, know their impact on the quality of surface waters in the city of Fez. For this, we performed a thorough diagnosis of the activities of all industrial areas of the city to determine the points of water samples to identify their quality. Next, we performed a spatiotemporal monitoring of the quality of these waters for 3 months of 2017 by the SEQ-GIS approach and statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA). The diagnostic results show that the city of Fez consists of five main business areas of variables and different activities: Ain Nokbi, Sidi Boujida, Dokkarat, Bensouda and Sidi Brahim.Oueds through the raised areas are respectively Oued Tghat, Oued Zhoun, Oued Fez upstream Oued Ain Smen and Oued Lmahraz and are characterized by strong organic fillers, mineral, metal and fecal contamination.The most polluted oueds are located in the oued downstream Fez (Tghat and Zhoun) mainly to industrial districts Ain Nokbi (S1) and Sidi Boujida (S2). The evaluation of their quality by coupling techniques Evaluation Systems Quality (SEQ) and Geographical Information (GIS) and ANOVA statistical analysis reveals that they are of very poor quality

Effects of sludge compost as an amendment on the morphological responses and on production parameters of radish and potato

The elimination of sewage sludge is one of the current environmental problems; their valorisation appears as a matter of organization and optimization of the techniques of their management or elimination can play the role of organic fertilizer because of their richness of organic matter and mineral compounds.This study examines the use of sludge compost elaborated as a fertilizer and compares it with compost without sludge, Manure (traditional input) and bare soil (no input). We studied the impact of these fertilizers on the soil (before and after cultivation), on the parameters of vegetative growth (morphological) and on the parameters of production. The application test was carried out on two crops: radishes and potatoes.The obtained results showed a significant increase in vegetative growth and production levels compared to bare soil (without input) and manure. For the physicochemical characterizations studied of the soil before and after the planting of the culture tested, the results show that the compost has an effect on soil

Agronomic valorization of the composts with olive waste

In the Mediterranean countries, olive waste, a co-product of the olive oil trituration process, presents a serious environmental problem because of their polyphenol charge, given the quantities rejected each year. In previous works, this waste has been co-composted with other substrates and has been transformed into non-phytotoxic substances in conformity with the French standard NFU44-051 due to their composition in nutritional elements like soluble sugars, proteins and mineral elements. This study examines the efficacy of these substances on radish and potato crops. To do this, seeds were sown on the plot. For each crop, 4 plots were planned: land amended with manure (M), NPK fertilizer (F), the vegetable water substance (VW) and the olive-pomace substance (OP) in addition to the vegetable water. The first three substances served as controls. A statistical study of correlation between the latter and those that characterize the soil after amendment was carried out.  The obtained results showed that there are two strong correlations between pH, organic matter, dry matter and soil moisture amended by the OW compost and, on the one hand, the morphological growth parameters of the two crops and, on the other hand, the parameters of their production

The impact of chronic exposure on the Dokkarat district population of Fez city to endocrine disrupting chemicals

 In Morocco, the industrial revolution and agricultural activities are contributing to the increase of water pollution, leading to possibility to the appearance of serious diseases of endocrine origin. The objective of this study is to focus on the impact of industrial pollution in the Dokkarat district of the Fez city on the appearance of some endocrine diseases in the adjacent population and equally important on the waters upstream from Oued Fez. The results of the diagnosis show that the Dokkarat district includes several modern tanneries and other food industries that use chemicals identified as toxically. The physicochemical and bacteriological characterization of Oued Fez water downstream from the industries diagnosed, displays that they are slightly basic, carring a high bacterial load, a mineral and organic load in the surface water quality standards, a metallic charge at the limit of the standards with the exception of arsenic. The statistical analysis of the survey data recorded the presence of six endocrine diseases (diabetes, neurological disorders, hormonal imbalance, obesity, thyroid and growth disorders) and a strong correlation between age, years of experience, length of exposure and occurrence of endocrine pathological signs.                                                                                                    

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular testing in Asia: the IAEA INCAPS-COVID study

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected management of cardiovascular disease around the world. The effect of the pandemic on volume of cardiovascular diagnostic procedures is not known. OBJECTIVES This study sought to evaluate the effects of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular diagnostic procedures and safety practices in Asia. METHODS The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a worldwide survey to assess changes in cardiovascular procedure volume and safety practices caused by COVID-19. Testing volumes were reported for March 2020 and April 2020 and were compared to those from March 2019. Data from 180 centers across 33 Asian countries were grouped into 4 subregions for comparison. RESULTS Procedure volumes decreased by 47% from March 2019 to March 2020, showing recovery from March 2020 to April 2020 in Eastern Asia, particularly in China. The majority of centers cancelled outpatient activities and increased time per study. Practice changes included implementing physical distancing and restricting visitors. Although COVID testing was not commonly performed, it was conducted in one-third of facilities in Eastern Asia. The most severe reductions in procedure volumes were observed in lower-income countries, where volumes decreased 81% from March 2019 to April 2020. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic in Asia caused significant reductions in cardiovascular diagnostic procedures, particularly in low-income countries. Further studies on effects of COVID-19 on cardiovascular outcomes and changes in care delivery are warranted

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Co-composting of Olive Mill Waste and Wine-Processing Waste: An Application of Compost as Soil Amendment

In order to decrease the environmental harm produced by the agro industries’ wastes’, an investigation of the co-composting of olive mill waste (olive mill wastewater (OMW), olive mill sludge (OMS)) and wine by-products (grape marc and winery wastewater) was done. Three aerated windrows of variable compositions were performed; these windrows differ in terms of their initial composition and the liquid used for their humidification; OMW and wastewater winery were used for humidification to replace water for windrow moistening. Moreover, the main physicochemical parameters (temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and C/N) were monitored to evaluate the co-composting process. The latter lasted around three months. The elaborated composts were characterized by low C/N ratio, and they were rich in fertilizing and nutriment elements and of low heavy metal contents. The humidification of the windrows with OMW showed effectiveness in improving the windrows temperature, reflected by the high temperatures monitored during the composting process in comparison with the windrow humidified with winery wastewater. Furthermore, a longer thermophilic phase was held in windrows carrying OMS. The valorization of the produced composts for soil amendment significantly improved the soil fertility. Indeed, field experiments showed an increase in radish yield by 10%, the composts were harmless and did not have any phytotoxic effect on radish growth