Marsh Bulletin

This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of isolates of Pleurotus ostreatus and Trichoderma harzianum to the antagonistic activity of eight fungi isolated and identified from a wastewater treatment plant in Al-Najaf. Eight fungal isolates were identified based on their morphological features. These results indicate that the following fungi are common: Acremonium sp., Alteraria alternatie, Aspergillus terrus, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus oryza, and Aspergillus caespitosis. Through dual cultivation on Petri plates and PDA medium, this study demonstrated the significant antagonistic capability of Pleurotus ostreatus and Trichoderma harzianum against isolated filamentous and pathogenic fungi. It also showed a significant variance in the inhibitory spectrum of the biocontrol fungus against pathogenic fungi isolated from wastewater and effluents. Upon diagnosis, it was found to be at the (1 and 2) degrees on the five-degree Bell scale. Additionally, the weight of the fungal mass increased significantly after 21 days of cultivation of both harmful and biocontrol fungi. This suggests that Pleurotus ostreatus and Trichoderma harzianum both have significant antagonistic potential against filamentous and pathogenic fungi during dual growth on the PDB culture medium. There were also notable differences in the biomass weights. After 21 days of culture, the weights of P. ostreatus were 4.54, 4.69, 4.87, 4.88, 4.96, 5.12, 5.23, and 5.43 g, and 3.22 and 4.10 g for the control. T. harzianum generated eight isolates, and their weights were 3.55, 4.67, 4.77, 4.85, and 4.98 g respectively.

This study was conducted to evaluate the sediment quality of the Main Outfall Drain (MOD) River and Al-Sanaf marsh in southern Iraq by measuring (Mn+2, Ni+2, Pb+2, Fe+2, Cr+3, Zn+2, Cd+2, and Cu+2) and application some indices like Contamination factor (Cf), Modified contamination degree (mCd), Metal index (MI) in the sediments. Sediment samples were collected from 3 locations in 2022. The results revealed that the heavy metal concentrations in the MOD and Al-Sanaf Marsh were Fe+2 (5324.90 mg.kg-1), Mn+2 (663.81 mg.kg-1), Ni+2 (227.41 mg.kg-1), Zn+2 (153.03 mg.kg-1), Pb+2 (113.70 mg.kg-1), Cu+2 (88.68 mg.kg-1), Cr+3 (18.99 mg.kg-1) and Cd+2 (14.02 mg.kg-1). Fe+2 has the highest level in sediments. The average Cf values were in sequence: Fe> Cd > Mn> Ni >Pb>Cu> Zn>Cr. The values of the degree of contamination of the heavy metals showed that all the sites had a high degree of contamination, and mCd was over 3. The altered contamination degree (mCd) of Cr and Zn+2 was less than 1.5, and that is why the contamination of the sediment is insignificant. On the contrary, Cu+2 and Pb had moderate contamination, Ni+2 had extreme contamination, and both Mn+2 and Cd had an extremely high degree of contamination in the sediments. Fe+2 registered a supreme level of pollution. High concentration of Fe+2 in the sediments could be related to the extreme weathering and erosion of the parent soil, where most of the Fe+2 is obtained and then carried by the streams. The spatial values of modified contamination degree (mCd) for heavy metals revealed that the upper reaches of the MOD (site1 and site2) had the higher metal content in sediments which were located near Al-Nassiriya City, this may be closely related to the concentration of industries near the MOD Basin near the city, in contrast, the site 3 (in Al-Sanaf marsh) was less influential than these sources. According to metal index findings, all selected sites fell into the “threshold of warning” category (MI > 1). The metal content in the aquatic environment in the southern part of Iraq is significantly high, which was related to the more effluents from agricultural, residential, and industrial activities, and it was discharged along the main outfall drain basin. The results provide invaluable information to policy-makers as they allow the development and implementation of evidence-based sustainable management measures that will reduce the likelihood of further trace-metal contamination of the studied location in the future.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are persistent environmental pollutants with carcinogenic and mutagenic properties, and often enter the food chain through contaminated soil and crops. This study examined the distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in wheat and barley crops grown at three stations in Al-Qurna District, north of Basra Governorate. The first station was Nahr Al-Ezz, the second station was Al-Turaba, and the third station was Umm Al-Shuwaij. The results showed the presence of different concentrations of total PAHs in wheat and barley crops at all study stations, as follows: the first station was 0.0738 and 0.1012, the second station was 0.0220 and 0.1070, and the third station was 0.1341 and 0.1400, respectively. When comparing the pollution levels and sources with global data, the third station recorded the highest level of pollution. Significant similarities were found between the PAH content in the two crops and the dispersion patterns. When analyzing wheat and barley samples from three stations for PAHs, benzo[a]pyrene and other hazardous PAHs were present in varying quantities. Despite differences in the concentration levels and distributions of the compounds, the data show that PAH contamination is present in both crops.

Nuts are considered a healthy food rich in beneficial fats, proteins, and vitamins, and they are widely consumed for their health benefits. However, nuts can be exposed to microbial contamination, including fungal contamination. This study aimed to evaluate the diversity of fungi associated with three common types of dried nuts available in local markets in Basrah, namely pistachios, cashews, and walnuts. The isolated and identified methods revealed 11 fungal genera, including 25 fungal species, with ascomycetous fungi in their asexual stage being the predominant. Aspergillus niger was identified as the dominant and most prevalent species, with a 100% occurrence rate in all nut samples, both surface-sterilized and non-sterilized. Ecological indices were used to analyze the structure of the fungal community in nut samples. The results showed that Shannon–Wiener index values were low, ranging from 0.707 to 1.625 in both sterilized and non-sterilized samples, which can be attributed to the dominance of A. niger. An inverse relationship was observed between the diversity index and the Berger–Parker dominance index, with values ranging from 0.549 to 0.8235 in both types of samples. In contrast, a positive relationship was recorded between the diversity index and the Evenness index, with values ranging from 0.3836 to 0.7058, which is used to assess the uniformity of individual distribution among different fungal species. The Margalef index, which reflects species richness, ranged from 0.948 to 3.538 in both sterilized and non-sterilized samples, with walnuts showing the highest prevalence and diversity of fungal species compared to the other nut types. These findings indicate that dried nuts available in Basrah markets may harbor fungal species that pose potential risks to public health, highlighting the need to implement effective programs for monitoring the quality and safety of these food products before they reach consumers.
Keywords: Fungal diversity, Diversity Indices, Nuts.

The Shatt al-Arab River is considered one of the most important water resources in southern Iraq; however, it faces increasing environmental challenges, including bacterial pollution resulting from human, industrial, and agricultural activities. The aim of this research was to assess the bacterial diversity in the waters of the Shatt al-Arab through water cultivation and DNA sequencing analysis of bacterial isolates. Five water samples were collected from different locations along the river to ensure representation of the environmental and geographical changes in the aquatic system. The samples underwent physical and chemical tests including measuring pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and total dissolved solids (TDS), as well as analyzing the concentrations of ions such as calcium, magnesium, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, phosphate, carbonate, potassium, and phosphorus. The samples were cultured using general and selective media, and then the growing bacterial isolates were selected and genetically analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing technique. The results showed significant diversity in bacterial communities, with dominance of genera belonging to Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Differences in bacterial composition between the locations were also observed among the five sites, reflecting the varying impacts of local pollution sources. This study highlights the importance of using molecular analyses in assessing microbial pollution and identifying its sources, providing essential information that could contribute to the development of management plans for the Shatt Al-Arab water and improving its quality. These results also serve as a preliminary basis for future studies targeting the relationship between chemical pollutants and bacterial communities, as well as assessing the potential risks of some discovered species to public health.

This study deals with the preparation of clay/iron oxide nanocomposite by co-precipitation method. Different techniques were used to characterize the prepared composite, such as FE-SEM, FT-IR, XRD, EDX, and Zeta Potential. XRD examinations revealed that the crystalline state of the composite was pure, while the particle size was 17.57 nm. In addition, the potential of the prepared nanocomposite as an adsorbent for lead was investigated. Four temperatures were used to study the adsorption isotherms and the Freundlich-Langmuir equation was applied. As a result, the Langmuir equation showed a stronger correlation than the Freundlich equation. The thermodynamic results of the study revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous, as shown by the appearance of a negative value for (ΔG). The adsorption process was also endothermic, as the value of (ΔH) was positive, while the increased randomness was shown by the positive value of (ΔS). The practical application included the process of removing lead ions from samples in three locations: the first is Al-Faw (Ras Al-Bisha), the second is Shatt Al-Basra near the outlet of the main sewage station of the Basra Governorate Sewerage Directorate, and the third is Shatt Al-Basra (near the mangrove nursery) using a prepared absorbent surface. The removal rate was (93.87%) for the first location, (81.38%) for the second location, and (85.71%) for the third location.

This study investigated the species and genera of microorganisms, total organic carbon, and sedimentation patterns in oil field areas in southern Iraq, focusing on twelve fields across Basrah and Amara Governorates. Sedimentation analysis revealed that the Halfaya and Amara fields in Amara Governorate experienced the most severe sedimentation, followed by the Majnoon field. Moderate sedimentation was observed in Al-Zubair, West Qurna 1, and West Qurna 2, while Safwan, Artawi, and Umm Qasr had minimal sedimentation. The study also examined microfossil groups, including Foraminifera, Ostracoda, and Mollusca, to infer environmental conditions. Foraminifera species such as Ammonia beccarii, Ammonia tepida, and Elphidium incertum were abundant, indicating a shallow, mixed saltwater environment with fluctuating temperatures. The presence of Ammonia sp. and Elphidium species suggested periods of drought and varying salinity. Ostracoda genera like Cyprideis torosa, characterized by shell nodules, indicated environments with low salinity and high organic material or silica content. Other genera, such as Candoniella and Hemicytheridea paiki, pointed to fluctuating freshwater to brackish conditions and shallow to deep marine environments, reflecting turbulent marine advance and retreat. The findings suggest that the study areas experienced significant environmental fluctuations, including marine transgression and regression, uplift, and erosion, particularly in Amara Governorate. These processes influenced sedimentation patterns and the distribution of microfossils, providing insights into the region\'s paleoenvironmental history. The study highlights the complex interplay of geological and environmental factors shaping the oil fields of southern Iraq.