Iraqi Journal of Science

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of imidazo (2, 1-b) Thiazole
derivatives is reported. Under Mannich conditions, a series of new imidazo (2, 1-b)
Thiazole derivatives were synthesized. Starting from the reaction of 2- amino
thiazole with 4- bromo phenyl bromide to produce 5-(4-bromo phenyl) imidazo (2,
1-b) thiazoles, following by introduce the substituted aminomethyl at position 6-by
reacting with different aromatic amines under Mannich conditions to afford 6-
secondary amine-5-(4-bromo phenyl) imidazo (2,1-b) thiazole in high yields.
FT-IR, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR techniques were used to characterize the
synthesized derivatives. In addition, all compounds were tested for their antioxidant
activity, and three of them were examined for cytotoxic activity against kidney
cancer using an MTT assay. The product (A9) has shown an excellent anti-cancer
activity with 69.69 value.

Iraq is a developing country with a high population. In Iraq, heavy metal and
metalloid contamination has resulted from both industrialisation and environmental
sources, providing serious health risks to the local population. We conducted one of
the most comprehensive analyses on the current state of Iraq's heavy metal and
metalloid pollution in this paper, which included water, soil, paddy, and rice. A
study was carried out to determine the concentration of heavy metals including Lead
(Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), Cobalt (Co), Magnesium (Mg),
Aluminum (Al), and Copper (Cu) of 39 irrigation water samples, 75 soil samples, 75
paddy samples, and 75 rice samples in two Iraqi governorates (Diyala , and Salah al-
Din ). Samples were taken from three fields in each province.. Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer was used to determine heavy metals concentrations. Iraqi Quality
Standardization (IQS( and World Health Organization (WHO) were considered as
the permissible limits. The results showed that all irrigation water samples were
exceeded the permissible limit for Pb, Cd, Fe, and Mn metals, while all soil samples
were exceeded for Mn and Mg metals. Paddy and rice samples were exceeded for
only Pb metal permissible limit, which was high, for example, Pb metal
concentrations of rice and paddy ranged from 1.805-4.776 mg/kg, 0.642-3.481
mg/kg respectively, while the permissible limit was 0.2 mg/kg. Consequently, rice
samples were deemed unfit for human consumption, with the contamination coming
from irrigation water. therefore, this paper has suggested that the Irrigation water
treatment should be strongly advised and evaluated.

The main objective of this study would be that if serum lipocalin-2 and Vaspin
levels may be utilized as indicators for chronic in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)
patients. T2DM treatment is to maintain a healthy glycemic level. If this goal is not
met, diabetes consequences, both acute and chronic, may emerge, one of which is
obesity. As a result, researchers have investigated the levels of Lipocalin-2 and
Vaspin, as well as their connection to obesity and insulin resistance. In this study,
we included 60 T2DM (ages 35 to 65 years) and 30 healthy controls. After an
overnight fast, blood serum samples were collected, and routine biochemical
parameters such as lipocalin-2, Vaspin, and glucose were measured in all samples.
At a P <0.05 level, the data were declared significant. Using an ELISA kit, the
levels of serum Lipocalin-2 and Vaspin were measured. The results have shown that
patients with T2DM had substantially greater blood serum levels of Lipocalin-2 and
Vaspin than normal controls (P <0.001 for all comparisons). Also, results revealed
Lipocalin-2 and Vaspin have a high positive correlation with each of BMI and
Homeostasis Model Assessment for insulin resistance HOMA-IR and moderate
positive correlation between Vaspin and Fasting blood glucose.

Iraq is a developing country with a high population. In Iraq, heavy metal and
metalloid contamination has resulted from both industrialisation and environmental
sources, providing serious health risks to the local population. We conducted one of
the most comprehensive analyses on the current state of Iraq's heavy metal and
metalloid pollution in this paper, which included water, soil, paddy, and rice. A
study was carried out to determine the concentration of heavy metals including Lead
(Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), Cobalt (Co), Magnesium (Mg),
Aluminum (Al), and Copper (Cu) of 39 irrigation water samples, 75 soil samples, 75
paddy samples, and 75 rice samples in two Iraqi governorates (Diyala , and Salah al-
Din ). Samples were taken from three fields in each province.. Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer was used to determine heavy metals concentrations. Iraqi Quality
Standardization (IQS( and World Health Organization (WHO) were considered as
the permissible limits. The results showed that all irrigation water samples were
exceeded the permissible limit for Pb, Cd, Fe, and Mn metals, while all soil samples
were exceeded for Mn and Mg metals. Paddy and rice samples were exceeded for
only Pb metal permissible limit, which was high, for example, Pb metal
concentrations of rice and paddy ranged from 1.805-4.776 mg/kg, 0.642-3.481
mg/kg respectively, while the permissible limit was 0.2 mg/kg. Consequently, rice
samples were deemed unfit for human consumption, with the contamination coming
from irrigation water. therefore, this paper has suggested that the Irrigation water
treatment should be strongly advised and evaluated.

Bio-treatment is considered as one of ecologically most efficient methods of
wastewater treatment. This study was done in order to reduce the negative effects
phenolic compounds included in the olive mill wastewater added to the cultivated
soil and to study the individual and collective ability of fungal and bacterial isolates
to dismantle them. The experiment, conducted in 2020 with randomization in
experimental design, consisted of six treatments and three replications. First four
treatments had olive mill wastewater treated with fungal isolates Penicillium sp,
Aspergillus flavos and bacterial isolates Pseudomonas sp,Bacillus sp individually.
The fifth treatment included collective use of both isolates, in addition to the control
which was without any treatment. The results of the statistical analysis showed that
the phenolic compounds amount remained in the treated water which indicated the
superiority of Penicillium sp over all treatments, where the apparent superiority of
phenolic compounds dismantling was over bacterial isolates. However it was
significantly over the collective effects of fungal and bacterial isolates, Aspergillus
flavos and the control.

Bio-treatment is considered as one of ecologically most efficient methods of
wastewater treatment. This study was done in order to reduce the negative effects
phenolic compounds included in the olive mill wastewater added to the cultivated
soil and to study the individual and collective ability of fungal and bacterial isolates
to dismantle them. The experiment, conducted in 2020 with randomization in
experimental design, consisted of six treatments and three replications. First four
treatments had olive mill wastewater treated with fungal isolates Penicillium sp,
Aspergillus flavos and bacterial isolates Pseudomonas sp,Bacillus sp individually.
The fifth treatment included collective use of both isolates, in addition to the control
which was without any treatment. The results of the statistical analysis showed that
the phenolic compounds amount remained in the treated water which indicated the
superiority of Penicillium sp over all treatments, where the apparent superiority of
phenolic compounds dismantling was over bacterial isolates. However it was
significantly over the collective effects of fungal and bacterial isolates, Aspergillus
flavos and the control.

Bio-treatment is considered as one of ecologically most efficient methods of
wastewater treatment. This study was done in order to reduce the negative effects
phenolic compounds included in the olive mill wastewater added to the cultivated
soil and to study the individual and collective ability of fungal and bacterial isolates
to dismantle them. The experiment, conducted in 2020 with randomization in
experimental design, consisted of six treatments and three replications. First four
treatments had olive mill wastewater treated with fungal isolates Penicillium sp,
Aspergillus flavos and bacterial isolates Pseudomonas sp,Bacillus sp individually.
The fifth treatment included collective use of both isolates, in addition to the control
which was without any treatment. The results of the statistical analysis showed that
the phenolic compounds amount remained in the treated water which indicated the
superiority of Penicillium sp over all treatments, where the apparent superiority of
phenolic compounds dismantling was over bacterial isolates. However it was
significantly over the collective effects of fungal and bacterial isolates, Aspergillus
flavos and the control.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen. Quorum sensing (QS) is
one of processes that are responsible for biofilm formation. P. aeruginosa can live in
different environments, some of which are pathogenic (clinical isolates) and some
that are found outside the body (environmental isolates). The present study aimed to
determine the presence of a number of genes responsible for QS in clinical and
environmental isolates of P. aeruginosa. In the present study full DNA was
separated from all environmental and clinical isolates that contained seven genes
(rhlA, rhlR, rhlI, lasR, lasI, lasB, phzA1) associated with QS occurrence. The total
DNA was separated from all environmental and clinical isolates (PAE1, PAE2,
PAE3, PAE4, PAE5, PAE6, PAE7, PAE8, PAE10, PAE11, PAE12, PAE14, PAC1,
PAC2, PAC5, PAC7, PAC8, PAC9 and PAC10). This study found that all studied
environmental and clinical isolates contained the seven genes rhlA, rhlR, rhlI, lasR,
lasI, lasB, phzA1, which was associated with QS occurrence.

The current study aims to get local bacterial isolates isolated from wastewater
samples, w the highest ability to ediouoloced one selected Azo dye (Congo red as a
model), and then test its ability to decompose Congo red dye, to obtain the most
efficient bacterial isolate
Four samples of wastewater collected from sewage transport pipes were used for the
bacterial isolation. yoooF-two bacterial isolates were obtained after inoculating these
samples in the liquid MS medium, pH 7 with 1% glucose, and then on solid MS
medium supplemented with50 ppm of Congo red dye. Results from primary tests
showed that only eighteen bacterial isolates own varying abilities to ediouoloced
Congo red dye and the isolates WR7, WR18 and WR30 give high clear zones (20
mm).
The secondary screening was achieved to determine the most efficient isolates
to degrade the Congo red dye. The results indicated that the isolates WR7, WR18,
and WR30 appeared to have the highest ability to decolorize Congo red dye
reaching 88.6%, 83.9%, and 92.8%, respectively.
The results from the optimum conditions experiment revealed that the isolates WR7,
WR18 and WR30 appeared to have the highest ability to degrade dye reached
88.7%, 83.9%, and 92.9% respectively when 100 ppm of Congo red dye was used
after 3 days of incubation as compared with other studied concentrations. While the
second step in this experiment confirmed that the isolate WR30 has the highest
percentage to degrade the Congo red dye during all incubation periods, which
reached 14.6%, 42.7%, 92.9%, 92.4% and 91.8% after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 days of
incubation when 100 ppm of Congo red dye was used respectively as compared with
WR7 and WR18 isolates which showed lower values of degradation for all studied
periods.
The three isolates which have the highest capability to decolorize Congo red dye
were identified according to morphological, physiological and biochemical tests.
The results indicated that the isolates WR7, WR18 and WR30 were Bacillus subtilis,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus cereus respectively.

The issues related to the development of permafrost and seasonally frozen soils
without their preliminary loosening by various earthmoving machines with active
working bodies, magnetostrictive vibrators, that soften dense and frozen soils using
acoustic elastic waves, are considered. The analytical studies allowed us to establish
the regularities of the process of destruction of frozen soil by active teeth of bucket
working bodies, according to which, the formulas for calculating the critical tensile
stress and shear resistance were obtained. The research results allow us to determine
the main parameters of wave loading for both a single radiation source and a group
of "n" in-phase radiation sources. The intensity of the acoustic field from the group
of "n" emitters increases in proportion to the number of vibration exciters.

This study aims to provide verification between measured and calculated
radiation dose using three different ionization chamber detectors in Grid plans to
select the best ones To the best of our knowledge, this is the first practical
experiment in such subject. Grid radiotherapy is an unconventional method for
bulky tumors treatment. It is characterized by a single-fraction and high radiation
dose. Ten cases (scenarios) were selected to achieve Grid plans by MLCs, with a
single dose of 1500-2000 cGy. Three ionization detectors were employed to measure
the maximum, mean, and point doses (cGy), and match them with those calculated
by the linear accelerator used in this study. The results showed significant
differences among the three detectors in measuring the maximum and mean doses,
with p-value = 0.0016 and 0.06, respectively. While the differences among the
measured three detectors and calculated doses for the point dose were nonsignificant,
p = 0.12. The variation in the results of the corresponding percentage
between calculated and measured doses depended on the type and position of the
detector, the scattering, and the leakage of the radiation. In conclusions, the Semiflex
chamber gives the best results.

In this research, a type of gram negative bacteria was exposed to non-thermal
plasma at a distance of (2 and 3 cm) from the plasma flow nozzle, with the use of an
alternating power supply (5KHz), where exposure was made at two different
voltages (4.9 and 8 kV). A negative gram of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria was
isolated and exposed to non-thermal plasma at different flow rates of argon gas
whose value ranged from (1-5) liters/minute. The results showed that bacterial
killing rate is directly proportional to distance while exposing the samples to nonthermal
plasma, and the best factors by which a complete killing rate was obtained
were at a distance of 2 cm with a voltage of 8 kV and a gas flow rate of 5 liters/min,
while complete killing of bacteria was not achieved at a distance of 3 cm where the
percentage was 95% at the same argon gas flow rate.

In this study, the electron energy distribution function (EEDF), the electron
swarm parameters , the effective ionization coefficients, and the critical field
strength (dielectric strength) in binary He-H2 gas mixture which is used as cryogenic
for high-temperature superconducting power applications, are evaluated using twoterm
solution of the Boltzmann equation over the range of E/N ( the electric field to
gas density) from 1 to 100 Td ( 1 Td=10-17 Vcm2) at temperature 77 K and pressure
2MPa, taking into account elastic ( momentum transfer) and inelastic cross-sections.
Using the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) electron swarm parameters
(electron drift velocity, mean electron energy, diffusion coefficient, electron
mobility, ionization and attachment coefficient) are calculated. At low reduced
electric field strength E/N, the EEDF is close to Maxwellian distribution, at high
E/N, due to vibrational excitation of H2, the calculated distribution function is non-
Maxwellian. Besides, the Boltzmann equation analysis showed as the small mole
fraction of H2 in the He-H2 mixture is increased, the electron energy distribution
function EEDF shifts to lower energy region, the density-reduced ionization
coefficient α/N and density-reduced effective ionization coefficient (α-η)/N
decreases, whereas density-reduced attachment coefficient η/N, density-reduced
critical electric field strength increases, (E/N)crt and critical electric field Ecrt
increases. It is found that dielectric field strength depends on pressure and
temperature. To confirm the validity of the two term solution of Boltzmann equation
analysis, a set of elastic and inelastic cross-sections for each gas He and H2 are used
to calculate the electron swarm parameters and dielectric field strength. Compared
with previous experimental and theoretical literatures, the values obtained are
generally in good agreement.

This study aims to determine the exposure of dentists to radiation resulting from
the use of light therapy units and to assess their risk and impact on dental clinics .
This study was conducted in private dental clinics in the city of Erbil in northern
Iraq. Surveys were conducted to collect information about light-curing units. The
results were analysed using the multi-response logistic regression to determine the
factors affecting the radiation values of light-curing units. The results of the study
showed that five major variables have a major effect by radiation. This is shown
with a value of P ≤ 0.05. Typical treatment times with radiant light, with a typical
number of daily restorations, may exceed the risk limits for blue light reflected on
eyes. This is given that the responding dentists did not protect their eyes with
enough blue light .Technology in dentistry requires the operator to have knowledge
of basic technical specifications and the safe use of devices and tools routinely used
in dental treatment.

Ni2O3 nanomaterial, a phase of nickel oxide, is synthesized by a simple chemical
process. The pure raw materials used in the present process were nickel chloride
hexahydrate NiCl2.6H2O and potassium hydroxide KOH by utilizing temperature at
250 oC for 2 hour. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the
synthesized specimens of Ni2O3 were investigated employing diverse techniques
such as XRD, AFM, SEM and UV-vis., respectively. The XRD technique confirms
the presence of Ni2O3 nanomaterial with crystal size of 57.083 nm which indexing to
the (2θ) of 31.82; this results revealed the Ni2O3 was a phase of nickel oxide with
Nano structure. The synthesized Ni2O3 will be useful in manufacturing electrodes
materials for fuel cell and production catalytic materials for electrolysis cell.

Hydrothermal process method using different dimensions reactors with volume
100 ml (homemade) was employed to prepare titanium sub-oxide Ti6O11, where one
gram of TiO2 nanoparticles 30-50 nm and 3M (20 ml) of NaOH as suspension was
used . The samples are characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy,
and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM). X-ray diffraction
revealed the formation of sub- oxide titanium Ti6O11 of triclinic structure with
Magneli phase, when the temperature applied was 363K for 9h.While FE-SEM
showed uniform hierarchical structures with planar grass-like shapes. A novel phase
has been found from rutile titanium.

This study was achieved to calculate the annual effective dose equivalent
(AEDE) in units of (mSv.y-1), and the average radiation dose rate (ADR) in units of
(μSv.h-1) which were measured by portable devices. The study was carried out on
the workers of the destroyed radiochemistry laboratory located at Al-Twuitha
nuclear site (south of Baghdad). Radiation background was determined for
comparison with the radioactive dose of soil samples measured with HPGe detector
and portable devices type LUDLUM. The radioactivity levels of the area around the
radiochemistry laboratory building were within the limits of radiation background.
The result showed a significant increase of the annual effective dose of C1
laboratory workers, as the annual effective dose of the lysate cell 1 (AHC1)in the lab
was about 18.995 mSv/y, with an occupancy factor of 0.042, for an average working
hours of one hour per day. An annual effective dose of 24.073 mSv/y was also
recorded in hot cell 2 (HCL2), an increase of more than 4 mSv/y, for an occupancy
factor of 0.083, equivalent to 2 hours of work per day. The glove boxes 11 (GB11)
of Laboratory C2 recorded an annual effective dose of 19,720 mSv/y for an
occupancy factor of 0.125, equivalent to 3 working hours per day. The C3
Laboratory and the rest of the laboratories and the health physics rooms recorded an
annual effective dose within the workers’ allowable limits of 20 mSv/y.

Surface wettability plays a significant role in determining the function of the
wound dressing. They should have hydrophobic surfaces for the adsorption of
bacteria and a hydrophilic surface necessary to improve cell attachment for most
anchorage-dependent cell types. Furthermore, the Hydrophobicity / Hydrophilicity
of the surface can be used to direct cellular processes such as cell initial correlation,
adhesion, and migration during wound healing, as a result such surface can change
its surface wettability which increases the dressing's usefulness.
In this research, nanomembres were prepared from polycaprolactone and
chitosan solution (with different amounts of CS (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4) % (w/w)) by
the electrospinning method. These membranes were characterized by Fouriertransform
infrared FTIR spectroscopy and their wettability, contact angle, porosity
and swelling values were determined. These were improved by plasma treating the
electrospun nanomebranes. Best results were obtained for the plasma treated
electrospum nanomembranes at 4% chitosan. It resulted in a surface with a
combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic patterns, which has a lot of promise in
the realm of tissue engineering for things like cell patterning and guiding.

The characteristics of atmospheric-pressure glow discharge (APGD)
produced by rod-plate electrodes are experimentally determined. APGD is
sustained by applying a high DC voltage between the electrodes. At
atmospheric pressure, the shift from corona discharge to glow discharge is
investigated. A rod-plate discharges configuration's volt–ampere properties
show the existence of three discharge regimes: corona, glow, and spark. The
variations in the electrical field distribution in the various regimes are mirrored
in the discharge luminosity. The rod-plate patterns are created under a dark
region, and are visible mainly due to the effect of electrons heated by the local
enhanced electric field at the interface, according to the optical emission
spectra of the entire discharge.

The Umm Er Radhuma unconfined aquifer Hydrogeochemistry in the Saudi –
Iraq border desert was studied to identify the main hydrogeochemical processes and
rock-water interaction. The measurements were done using standard APHA
procedures. The results indicated that Na+ and Cl- are the dominant ions in the
groundwater. The average contribution of cations in the aquifer is Na+ + K+ ( 26 %),
Ca2+ (14 %), and Mg2+ (10%) ; whereas anions contribution is Cl- (24 %) , SO4
2- (20
%), and HCO3
- (6 %). The results reflect that the examined water is hard water of
neutral to slightly alkaline, slightly brackish, with mineralized pH conditions. The
main conclusion of chemical reactions indicated carbonates, evaporate dissolution,
and clay minerals water interaction through ionic exchanging.

The electrical resistivity method is one of the geophysical methods for detecting
weak subsurface zone. The 2D resistivity data were used to compare three electrode
configurations, Wenner, Dipole-dipole, and Schlumberger, to detect weak
subsurface zones along a profile south of Baghdad near the Bismayah pumping
station. The results show many zones of low resistivity that may be weak zones. A
dipole-dipole array is a large number of measurements and is more sensitive than
others. The Wenner-Schlumberger array has a depth also higher than other arrays.
Wenner array has higher signal strength than other arrays. Because it is more
sensitive to horizontal and vertical structures, the dipole-dipole array is the optimum
for mapping subsurface weak zone.

Age and paleoenvironment of part of the Damlouk Member, Ratga Formation
from a surface section in the Iraqi Western Desert are investigated. Twenty-nine
species of Larger Benthic Foraminifera (LBF) belonging to 13 genera are recognized
from the studied section. The LBF assemblage is dominated by the following
groups, Nummulites, Alveolina, Rotalia, and Lockhartia. Two species of corals with
fragments of bryozoan, red algae and mollusca had also been identified.
The palaeontological investigation aimed at identification of LBF assemblages to
evaluate their abundance and distribution with respect to sedimentary environment
and to determine its age. Based on the recognized Larger Benthic Foraminifera of
the studied part of the Damlouk Member, it is subdivided into two biozones:
Nummulites gizhensis -Nummulites moculatus Assemblage Zone and Assilina spira-
Lokharatia hunti Concurrent Range Zone. Both biozones suggest a Middle - Late
Lutetian to Early Bartonian age.
The LBF are concentrated around shallow marine carbonate bank-controlled
limestone unit and the associated ramp facies. Two basic environmentally
significant assemblages were recognized based on the vertical distribution and the
relative abundance of the LBF. The Nummulites bank assemblage is characterized
by lensoidal and robust Nummulites of different species. The other group is the forebank
assemblage which shows relatively higher diversity, including flat LBF such
as: Nummulites, Assilina, Lockhartia, Heterostigina and Operculina. The third
back-bank assemblage is not well presented in the studied section, shows the limited
distribution, and is considered part of the back-bank lagoon facies. This group is
characterized by the occurrence of Alveolina and other imperforated forams. The
recognized assemblages represent the transition from inner to middle ramp facies
with a water depth not exceeding 50m in relatively low energy conditions.

Five subsurface sections and a large number of thin sections of the Hartha
Formation (age Late Campanian – Early Maastrichtian) were studied to unravel the
depositional facies and environments. The Hartha Formation is important as an oil
reservoir in Iraq.
Petrographic and microfacies analysis of selected wells from Balad and East
Baghdad oil fields in Central Iraq, enable the recognition of three main Sedimentary
paleoenvironments. These are restricted marine, the shallow open marine
environment within the inner ramp, deep outer ramp.
The studied Formation represents by two asymmetrical cycles bounded below by
sequence boundary (SB1) the contact between Hartha and Saadi Formations. The
deep outer ramp facies of the transgressive systems tract continue with the lower
part of the Hartha Formation. Two depositional sequences consist of transgressive
system tract and high stand system tract, separated by maximum flooding surface.
These happened and represented the transgressive systems tract of the cycle that
continues until the Shiranish Formation, which overlies the Hartha Formation.

The Tigris River is one of the longest rivers in Western Asia and runs through
heavily populated areas, especially in Kut and Amara Cities, with nearly 8 million
inhabitants. Due to the climatic change and altering the upstream hydrological
conditions along the Tigris River, its discharge has severely declined in the last
decade, combined with the climate change impact. Hence, studying the impact of
climate change on the river and decreasing the annual flow is vital to understand
their effect on the river water quality between Kut and Amara sites. The data of this
study covers annual flow conditions of the Tigris River, the total dissolved solids
(TDS), and the main ions on monthly bases for the period 2005-2010 for the two
sites: Kut and Amara. These data were used to establish the relationships between
water discharge (m3/sec) with total dissolved solids (mg/l) and main cations (Na+,
Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+) and anions (Cl‾, SO4
2, HCO3‾). The Climatological data for
1980-2020 show that the annual rainfall values for Kut and Amara sites range
between 301-577 mm and 69-200 mm respectively. The annual mean minimum
temperature of the Kut ranges between15.7-18.8Co. For Amara, it ranges between
16.6-20.7 Co. It is noticed that the rainfall values of both sites decreased over time,
and the temperature is constantly increasing due to the climate change effects over
the years. The average annual flow of the Tigris River at Kut site ranged from 13 to
367 m3/sec with an average of 233.2 m3/sec, and for Amara ranged between
22 and 101 m3/sec with an average of 50.2 m3/sec. The mean annual TDS
ranged from 466 to 1150 mg/l, with an average mean annual 758.30 mg/l for Kut
station. For Amara, it is ranged between 634 and 2075 mg/l with an average of
1168.61 mg/l. The decrease in the Tigris River discharge affects the chemistry.
Calcium, magnesium, and sulfate ions in Kut station are dominated. While at
Amara, sodium and sulfate ions are dominant. Such variation is related to the
decrease in the Tigris River discharge and the effect of the dissolution of ions from
the geological outcrops by the action of natural waters. Moreover, the entry of the
transported dissolved load, the city’s sewage, and the agricultural lands’ water that
flows into the river increase as the transportation distance increase from Kut to
Amara.

The study area is located in Al-Anbar Governorate, western Iraq. The climatic
data were collected from Al-Ramadi Meteorological Station for the period 1990 to
2020 and used to assess the climatic condition of the study area. The total annual
rainfall, relative humidity, monthly average temperature, evaporation, wind speed
and sunshine duration are 108 mm, 52.7 %, 22.6˚C, 2814.3 mm, 2.2 m/s and 8.8
h/day, respectively. The climate of the study area is described as an arid to sub arid
and relatively hot in summer and cold with low rain in winter. During the data used,
the highest potential evapotranspiration was 217.1 mm in July, while the lowest
value was 10.7 mm in January, with a total amount of 1170.07 mm. The highest and
lowest corrected evapotranspiration becomes 264.2 mm in July and 9.4 mm in
January, with 1310.3 mm. water Surplus (WS) is 2.1mm, 10.71mm, and 5.65mm in
December, January and February, respectively. The WS was 18.46mm, forming
17.09 % of the total annual rainfall. The groundwater recharge (18.46 mm) with a
rate of 17.09% represents the recharge from the total rainfall zero surface runoff. It
has been found that the low amount of rain and sandy soil are among the most
important factors causing the absence of surface runoff.

The Shiranish Formation is cropped out in several areas in northern Iraq. A
stratigraphic and facies study was conducted within the Duhok region to determine
the sedimentary environment. Three microfacies, reflecting the various
subenvironments within different shelf parts of the deep sea, have been identified
within the Shiranish Formation. Four depositional environments are identified:
slope, the toe of slope, deep shelf, and deep-sea or cratonic deep basin. The
Shiranish Formation in the Duhok region, Northern Iraq, was deposited in an open
shelf carbonate platform. The Shiranish Formation sequence is divided into six
third-order cycles in the study area. These asymmetrical cycles reflect an imbalance
between the relative level of the sea and the production of carbonate, and each one
reflects a rise in the sea level following a period of standstill. There is a twosequence
boundary type SB-2 that defines the surface. The Shiranish sequence
developed in a high-subsidence area that played the main role in the evolution of the
formation. It was deposited on a carbonate platform with high subsidence due to
major transgression, wherever the successive sea-level rise and stillstand episodes
persist.