Marsh Bulletin

The current study estimated the concentrations of heavy metals Zinc(Zn), Copper(Cu),
Lead(Pb), Nickel(Ni) and Cadmium(Cd) in each of the dissolved and particulate phases
water, sediments and in two species of plants (Typha domingensis and Vallisneria
spirallis) in Al-Chibayish marsh in Thi-Qar province, southern Iraq. Samples were
collected during the winter and spring of 2013 from two stations within the AlChibayish marshlands. Station one was exposed to various types of pollution, while the
station two was not exposed to contaminated. Also the percentage of organic carbon in
sediments as well as sediment texture were analyzed to identify their impact on the
concentration of heavy metals. The results indicated that the mean concentration of
heavy metals in all phases(water and sediment) and selected plants were highest at
station one compared with station two , the results indicated that the accumulation
patterns of heavy metals was greatest in the particulate phase followed by the sediment
and plants respectively. Higher concentration of the studied heavy metals were
observed in Typha domingensis more than their concentration in Vallisneria spirallis
the range of concentration were Zn(87-131),(64-93); Cu(1.1-1.7), (0.9-1.4); Pb (0.7-
4.6), (1.8-3.3); Ni (42-69), (32-66); Cd (0.7-1.8), (0.4-1.5) µg/g dry
weight respectively, so it can be use this species in removing this type of pollutants
from the aquatic environment. Metals accumulated by aquatic plants were mostly
distributed in roots, suggesting that an exclusion strategy for metal tolerance widely
exist in them. This technology involves efficient use of aquatic plants to remove
detoxify or immobilize heavy metals. .

The present study dealt with record the invasion of the freshwater snail Pomacea canaliculata to Shatt Al-Arab
River during 2014. Occurrence of P. canaliculata was studied from April 2014 to March 2015. Occurrence and
abundance of the invasive snail with six native gastropod snails were recorded during this study from Shatt al- Arab
River. The mean population density of P. canaliculata in Shatt Al-Arab were ranged from 2-26 ind./m² during
December and July, respectively. Some morphological features were measured

Richness and abundance of some freshwater snails were determind in Basrah province
southern Iraq since October 2008 until July 2009, Six stations of East Hammar marsh
and it's lower reaches were chosen for getting samples for aquatic gastropods. Ten
species were found, Bellamya bengalensis (Lamarck, 1822), Bellamya unicolar
(Olivier, 1804), Bithynia hareerensis (Glӧer, and Nasser, 2009), Gyraulus ehrenbergi
(Beck, 1837), Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774), M. costata (Olivier, 1804), M.
nodosa (Fѐrussac, 1823), Physlla acuta (Draparnaud, 1805), Lymneae auricularia
(Linnaeus,1758), and Theodoxus jordani (Sowerby, 1832). Individual density varied
from zero to more than 100 ind./metre2 for many species according to spatial and
temporal changes

This study included the determination of six chemical elements (Cadmium, Cobalt,
Copper, Lead, Manganese, and Nickel) in the muscles , liver and digestive canal for two
male and female species of aquatic birds Moorhen (Gallinula choropus) and Teal ( Anas
crecca). Samples were collected from marshes of Kahla district within Maysan
Governorate. Chemical elements were detected by flame atomic absorption
spectrophotometry. Recorded Copper and lead concentrations were found to be the highest
in the range ( 8.275 - 120.780) and (12.321- 54.085) µg / gm dry weight respectively,
being the highest values in liver of the Teal ( Anas crecca ) . Nickel is found in the
concentration of ( 26.24 and 31.49) µg / gm dry weight for males and females respectively
in liver of Teal ( Anas crecca ). The concentrations values of Cadmium, Cobalt, and
Manganese ranged (ND-2.676), (ND-23.195), (ND-19.480) µg / gm dry weight
respectively. The results showed that the liver tissues of both birds recorded high
concentrations compared with the muscle tissues and digestive canal, and chemical
elements reported higher concentrations during winter compared to their concentrations
during spring. The concentrations of all studied chemical elements in muscles were within
the tolerance limits with the exception of Lead, which was higher compared to the
literature.

Concentration and accumulation of six trace elements (Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Fe and Zn) were
measured in water (dissolved and particulate) phase, sediment and two species of aquatic plants
Phragmits australis and Ceratophyllum demerssum collected during summer season, 2014 from
the Euphrates river, some environmental parameter (Temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity,
pH) of water were measured, also total organic carbon (TOC%) and sediment texture were
measured and expressed as percentage.
Higher concentration of elements under study were observed in sediment more than their
concentrations in water and plants, while particulate phase of water concentrated trace elements
more than their concentration in dissolved phase,
whereas the accumulation of trace elements in plants, showed that their concentration in
Ceratophyllum demerssum was more than their concentration Phragmits australis in
The study observed that it can use the two species of plants as bioindicator for accumulation of
trace elements also the concentration of TE in the study samples were in acceptable range, when
its compared with world wide range. The study showed that the possibility of using both plants
to remove these type of pollutant from the aquatic environment and can be used in
bioremediation for processes