Mesopotamia Environmental Journal

The present study discusses spatial and temporal distribution of aquatic
oligochaetes community as sorted from macrobenthic fauna collected during River
Euphrates in Iraq. Extending from Al-Musayab district ( S1), Saddat Al-Hindiah district
(S2) to Al-Hindiah district ( S3) .
Twelve species of oligochaetes ( 9 genera ; 3 families) were determined during
study period . Highest individual number were recorded in S3 ( 9954.56 ind../m2) during
Jan. 2014 and the lowest number were recorded in S3 ( 222.2 ind./m2 ) during Oct.2013.
The highest average monthly dencity was recorded during Dec. 2013 and Jan 2014, while
the highest site average density was recorded in S3.
Tubificid worms made up the majority component of aquatic oligocheata in
investigated area of the river specially Limnodrilus spp. which include four species
Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri (Claparede1862), L. claparedeians (Ratzal 1869), L.
profundicola (Verrill,1871 ) L. udekemianus (Claparede1862). Stylaria lacustris was the
most abundant Naidid worms.
This study recorded two species as new records on Euphrates river {Spirosperma
ferox (Eisen,1879), Pristina jenkinae (Stephenson ,1931) } and one species as new record
on Iraqi fauna{ Bothrioneurun pyrrhum (Marcur,1842)}.

Seasonal ecological indices were calculated for three keystone biological groups (macroinvertebrates, fishes and aquatic birds) during the period 2005-2007 in three types of restored southern Iraqi marshes freshwater non-tidal (Huwaiza), oligosaline non-tidal (West Hammar) and mesosaline tidal (East Hammar). It seem that each marsh have its own timing for increase or decrease of diversity, richness and evenness. In general high modes for ecological indices appeared in summer and spring for macroinvertebrates and fishes lower ones in autumn and winter respectively, aquatic birds have high score in winter–spring period and low one in summer. Differences did existed in styles and timing of highest and lowest values in three types of marshes due to different prevailing ecological situation. Summer was the time for higher score for ecological indices for macroinvertebrates and fishes, winter recorded the lowest values. Aquatic birds have different mode. Non-tidal freshwater marsh was similar to non-tidal oligosaline marsh especially in timing of high mode of ecological indices. Tidal mesosaline marsh partly similar to non-tidal oligosaline and wildly different to that non-tidal freshwater marsh. The ecological indices of aquatic birds improved gradually to reach integrated status. The improvement of hydrological situation of the restored marshes led to improve of ecological indices especially those of aquatic birds.

The presence of trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water has attracted the attention of both researchers and professionals, because of the harmful effects of these substances on human health. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is an alternative to chlorine because it is an oxidizing agent rather than a chlorinating agent, and therefore, will not form chlorinated disinfection byproducts such as THMs under typical water treatment conditions.The study was conducted to determine the capability of ClO2 on the formation of THMs, and coliform bacteria. A small-scale pilot plant of a compact model is designed and constructed at Environmental Engineering Department laboratory (Babylon University).It is simple to operate and made of galvanized iron and locally available materials.Raw-water source is synthesized water preparation from tap water with average characteristics (pH 8.1, Turbidity 3.04 NTU, Alkalinity 150 mg/L as CaCO3, Temperature 17.5oC). Tap water was first passed through a tank and predetermined the concentration of turbidity and total organic carbon. Turbidity and TOC adjustment of water were finally performed by addition of natural clay screened for 200 μm containing leaves and stems of plants and other organic carbon to change the amount of turbidity and TOC of water. Characterizing of synthesized water was done at the Environmental lab of Babylon University. These characteristics are turbidity 27 NTU, alkalinity 140 mg/L as CaCO3, pH 8.22, temperature 28 oC, and total organic carbon 1.4 mg/L Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), and their compounds and varieties of water quality parameters were monitored in the pilot plant, by the addition of different doses of chlorine dioxide and alum to synthesized water pipe entering the pilot plant and monitoring THMs concentration. The synthesizedand finished water quality parameters included; Hydrogen ion concentration, Temperature, Turbidity, Total Trihalomethane concentration.(HS – GC - ECD) with Gas chromatography analysis techniques were used to measure the THMs concentrations. It was noticed that TTHMs concentration increases as temperature, and turbidity increase,and average TTHM levels detected in all runes not exceed the USEPA’s Stage I limit of 80 μg/L while it exceeded the limits in stage II for all sampling measurements.

Phenol is discharged in large quantities to in the environment, and because of its persistence andhigh toxicity, can be a potential threat to human health; therefore, biodegradation be recognized as a bestway for removing phenol from the environment. Industrial water is often polluted with metal ions, whichmay effect on phenol degradation. Some metal ions are useful for microorganisms but other metal ions mayhave toxic effects, perhaps increased metal ions in wastewater have negative impact on microorganisms.Phenol degrading bacterium was isolated from soil samples by enrichment method and has been identifiedas Rhodococcus pyridinivorans GM3. Rhodococcus pyridinivorans was studied to degrade phenol (1.5and 2.0 g/L concentrations of phenol) with different concentrations of 19 different metal ions. The resultsshowed that R. pyridinivorans GM3 was degraded phenol on concentrations 1.5 and 2.0 g/L at 150 ppm 2+ 5– 2+ + 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+ 2+concentrations of Ba , As and Pb , while metal ions Ag >Cd >Hg >Zn >Cu >Co have inhibited degradation of phenol (2.0 g/L concentration) was observed. The results clearly indicated that R. pyridinivorans GM3 can degrade phenol with many of metal ions and has may be employed for degradation of phenol in industrial wastewaters that are contaminated with metal ions.

This paper presents the results of statistical analysis of a set of physico-chemical water quality parameters, monthly collected from December 2012 to November 2013 at seven sampling stations spread over the Shatt Al-Arab River. Seventeen parameters were treated using Multivariate statistical technique; principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) were applied for the evaluation and interpretation of a water quality data set for the Shatt Al-Arab River. The results of PCA identified four latent factors, which are responsible for the data structure explaining 78.64% of the total variance of the dataset these factors are: Water mineralization, Seasonal effect of temperature and organic pollution, Nutrients content and water visibility. CA showed four different groups of similarity between the sampling stations reflecting the different physicochemical characteristics features and natural background sources types. This study suggests that PCA and CA techniques are useful tools for identification of important surface water quality monitoring stations and parameters.

Biochemical markers (Total protein, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Acetylcholinesterase, and Metallothioneins) induced by acute exposure of Zn&pb in Snail (Viviparus bengalensis) to show their response against these metals. These makers in snail sp. showed different significance response according to Zn acute exposure. So increased and decreased as reaction against acute exposure, The same trend adapted from biomarkers after pb acute exposure in snail sp. while the different response was appeared from these biomarkers after interaction acute exposure.

A comprehensive ecological study was conducted on Al-hussainya river during the period from October , 2012 To Septemper 2013 . This study includes measuring some chemical and physical properties of water , in addition to the study of Phytoplankton community quantitatively and qualitatively .The values of the parameters ranged between 12.7 – 31.3 C°, 8.5 – 45C° for water and air temperature respectively , 7.5–9.4forPH,840–1416.67μs/cm,413.33–700mg/l, 6.33–55.07mg/l,0.54‰–0.91‰for each of electrical conductivity (EC ) , Total dissolved solids (TDS) , Total suspended solids (TSS) and salinity respectively , 11.68 – 37.77 cm / sec. , 33.67 – 148.67 cm for each of water current velocity and water penetration respectively , 4.97 – 12.63 mg/l , 0.4 – 4.84 mg/l for dissolved oxygen (DO) and BOD5 respectively. Nutrients such as silica , total nitrogen and total phosphorous showed variation during this study , their values ranged between 1.63 – 6.26 mg / l , 1.4 – 3.5 mg/l and 1.33 – 17.29 μg/l for each of them respectively .A total of 242 taxa of phytoplankton identified during this study belonged to six classes of algaedominated by Bacillariophyceae which constitute 62.81 % of the total number of the species followed byChlorophyceae by 20.66 % and Cyanophyceae by 11.16 % respectively . Dinophyceae andEuglenophyceae constitute the 2.07 % , while the the Cryptophyceae constitute the lower percentage whichamounted to 1.24 % of the total species , some genera like as Nitzschia , Navicula , Cymbella ,fragilaria , Scenedesmus and Oscillatoria were dominated by their species numbers in the Phytoplankton 3community .The total numbers of Phytoplankton cells ranged between (446.8 - 9177) × 10 cell / l recorded for March and October respectively .