Marsh Bulletin

Thirteen organochlorine compounds have been identified in the surface
sediments of six stations along the Shatt Al-Arab estuary for the period from Sep.
2020 – Mar. 2021 as organochlorine pesticides, namely DDD, DDE, Aldrine,
Dieldrin, Heptachlor, Epoxyheptachlor, Endrine, Endrine ketone, Lindane,
Methoxychlor, Endosulfan, Alpha-lindane, and Delta-lindane, using a gas
chromatographic device connected to a GC- mass spectrometer equipped with an
electronic hunting detector GC-ECD.
The highest total concentration of pesticides (41.54 µg/kg dry weight) was recorded
in Al- Fao station, while the lowest total concentration of pesticides (21.61 µg/kg
dry weight) was in the Al-dayer station. The percentage of organic matter TOC%
in sediments and the texture of the sediments were also measured. positive
correlation between TOC% and the total rate of pesticides in the six stations, and
there is a correlation between the percentage of each silt and mud with the total rate
of pesticides in sediments.

This research paper aims at studying the diversity of Mollusca available in aquatic plants for three
stations in the southern part of the Euphrates River; Abu Subatt, Abu Choolana, and al-Khinziri
from September 2019 to August 2020. The study has included the calculation of some
physiochemical variables at these stations. The results of ANOVA statistical analysis have shown
that there were significant differences among stations (p<0.05) as to turbidity, transparency, and
nitrates, while no differences between stations were registered as to temperature, pH, salinity,
dissolved oxygen, and phosphates.
During this study, nine species of Mollusca, of Class Gastropoda in the Euphrates River were
recorded. The species Radix auricularia has registered the highest monthly and annual numerical
abundance 66.34 – 87.39 %, respectively. The highest population density was recorded on the
Ceratophyllum demersum plant, 3.94 ind/m2
. As for the environmental indices, it recorded the
highest value of diversity in Abu Subatt station was 1.481 during August 2020, the highest value
of the richness index was 1.412 during August 2020, and the highest value of the evenness index
was 0.971 during September 2019, while the dominance index recorded the highest value of 0.777
during February 2020.

The current study deal with the measurement of heavy metals pollution in sediment core at six
stations taken from Shatt AL-Basra, these metals (lead, nickel, copper, chromium, zinc, cobalt,
cadmium, and iron) were determined in the Exchangeable and residual phase by using the In
conductivity Coupled Plasma (ICP). The percentage of total organic carbon and grain size analysis
were also determined. The results of the concentrations in the Exchangeable phase of (Pb, Ni, Cu,
Cd, Zn, Cd, Co, and Fe) showed that the highest concentration was (4.24, 8.15, 27.23, 10.33, 14.65,
0.79, 80.18, 900) μg/ gram dry weight respectively while the lowest concentration was (2.5, 1.16,
1.7, 56.06, 16.82, 0.02, 9.13, 43.5 μg/g weight respectively). The higher concentrations in the
Residual phase of (Pb, Ni, Cu, Cd, Zn, Cd, Co, and Fe ) was (55.91, 76.07, 5.36, 35.4, 50.24,
16.52, 1080) dry weight, respectively, while the lowest concentration was (25.02, 1.73, 0.27, 0.05,
2.45, 0.25, 7.22, 660) µg/g dry weight. The results showed that the concentrations of the Metals
were high, except for cobalt and zinc, which were relatively few, the concentration arranged as
fellow(Fe > Cd> Cu> Ni > Pb > Cr >Zn > Co). The highest value of total organic carbon
concentrations (TOC %) was (0.25 µg/g) at (25-20cm) depth at the third station while the lowest
value was (0.05 µg/g) at (15-10 cm) depth at the second station and the highest average value (0.18
µg/g) in the first station. Average value (0.13 µg/g) in the second area. These results showed that
organic matter pollution was mainly from the direct discharge of domestic wastewater into Shatt
AL- Basra. The grain size analysis was mainly silt and clay are the most predominant in the study
area.

The aquatic plant is an essential biofilter to remove different pollutants from the watershed. This study
focuses on the ability of Ceratophyllum demersum L. to remediate cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), and
Cobalt (Co) from aqueous solution and also examines some toxicological effects of metals on this plant
species. Ceratophyllum demersum L. was exposed to 3 mg/L of selected metals in single and
combination experiments, and a plant without metals was set as a control. The experiments were done
in a laboratory for ten days. The parameters were measured at the beginning and end of the experiments.
It included metals in the plant, bioconcentration factor (BCF), fresh and dry weight, relative growth rate
(RGR), total chlorophyll, protein, and proline content, and tolerance index rate. The metal residual in
the water and the removal efficiency were measured at the end of the experiments. The results revealed
that the removal efficiency of metals in single metal experiments was higher than in combined metal
experiments. It was Co > Cr > Cd. The results also improved that the reduction of fresh and dry weight,
relative growth rate, total chlorophyll, and protein content was highest in combinations of three metals;
it was 2.23 g, 0.309 g, 0.218, 2.714 µg/g, and 18.32%, respectively. The proline content was increased
as a response to heavy metals. In combinations of three metal experiments, it was 355.76 mg/g. The
conclusion indicates that Ceratophyllum demersum was a good candidate to remediate polluted water
with a low concentration of heavy metals.

Two types of constructed wetland (CW), vertical subsurface flow (VSSF) and
horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF), both planted with Phragmites australis, were
established to treat wastewater. It was retained for three days in which the samples were
collected 24, 48, and 72 hours after the initial filling. The present study aimed to
evaluate the applicability of the HPI index using some heavy metals and investigate the
degree of heavy metal pollution using this index. The dissolved metals declined in
general throughout the operation days in both systems. Vertical and Horizontal
subsurface flow systems effectively removed Al, Cd, Cu, and Ni. The decline in
dissolved metals concentration was clearly observed in the HPI value. Therefore, HPI
can be a very effective method and easy tool to review the level of pollution in heavy
metals.

Phosphorous (P) is one of the most common metallic element in the earth\'s crust.
Phosphorous is a component of important compounds, including nucleic acids, phospholipids,
and ATP. Plants uptake only inorganic P as phosphate anions (HPO4 or H2PO4) from the soil.
Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are present in every ecological habitat; these bacteria are
more effective than fungi at phosphate solubilization in soil. A variety of PSB has been isolated
and identified from various ecological habitats. Numerous media have been utilized to screen
and isolate PSB, such as Pikovskaya’s (PVK) agar/broth, bromophenol blue dye method, and
National Botanical Research Institute’s phosphate growth medium (NBRIP). PSB employs
various mechanisms to make phosphorus available to absorb by plants depending on the type
of insoluble P source. PSB promotes the growth and production of many crops by direct or
indirect mechanisms. The genetics of phosphate solubilization is studied to understand the
mechanism of phosphate solubilization at the molecular level. The genes involved in the
solubilization of insoluble phosphate have been isolated and identified. Genetic engineering
and gene manipulation are promising methods for developing PSB strains with improved
phosphate solubilizing capacity.

Water is the essential element for forming societies, the emergence and prosperity of cities.
Therefore, water treatment is one of the essential processes in daily life to obtain water safe
for human health and reduce the damage from liquid waste resulting from human and
industrial activities for possibility of its reuse. One of the most water quality treatment
techniques is the Ionizing Radiation. Current study showed that the exposing raw water of
Shatt al-Arab river to gamma rays (caused by the radioactive isotope of cobalt Co60) in the
intensity of the radiation (0.029, 0.087, and 0.70) mSv/y for different periods (1, 3, and 48
hrs). The result showed that treated samples for 48 hours have lower values of (turbidity,
dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and nitrite) as compared
with control. The total number of fecal coliform bacteria decreased sharply in the treated
samples for 3 hours, while the values of active nitrates increased after treatment for one hour.
Also, the pH and active phosphates values were increased compared to the control treatments .