Mesopotamia Environmental Journal

This study is to compare the removal efficiency of methylene blue dye from synthetic solutions by using commercial granular activated carbon with different operational conditions and with different types of adsorbers in a continuous system for bothfixed-bed and fluidized-bed. Twenty experiments and different column systems were carried out at various initial concentrations, flow rate and bed depth. Activated carbon in fluidized bed achieved higher removal efficiencies than activated carbon in fixed bed. Column experiments (continuous system) showed that the use of fluidized bed instead of fixed bed reduces the contact time by about (11-21) % under the same operating conditions. It was showed that fluidized bed makes the process of adsorption faster due to increasing the adsorption surface area of the adsorbent which leads to reduce dead zones between the particles.

This study was designed to evaluate the growth response of young common carp Cyprinus carpio to dietary salt levels. Five different test diets were prepared as a control diet without added salt, and four diets with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% added salt. Fish (20.15 ± 0.21 to 20.65 ± 0.64 gm /fish) was randomly distributed into the aquaria at a rate of 12 fish / 40 L . The water temperature was in the region of 27 ± 0.130 °C. Fish were fed either a diet containing 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% sodium chloride with a feeding rate of 3% of life body weight twice daily for 7 days a week for 60 days. No significant difference between the treatments was noticed. The best Final body weight, percent weight gain, and specific growth rate (SGR) were found with 1.5 % salt diet (P<0.05), whereas the lowest growth was gained in 2% salt. Generally, Food conversion ratio (FCR) and food conversion efficiency (FCE) were improved for carp fingerlings fed on diets contain NaCl ranged from 0.1 to 1.5% (P<0.05). The results suggested that dietary supplementation of NaCl influenced the body composition and can be beneficial for the young common carp reared in freshwater used in the fish culture.

Four halophytes species Cressa cretica, Aluropus lagopides, Alhagi maurorum and Juncus acutus L.were chosen from four sites within Babylon Provinus o study their stem anatomical adaptations to elevated soil salinity. Adaptations vary among species and main aptations were increased in fibers content in each of them ; while number of vascular bundle decease in both , Alhagi maurorum and uncus acutus L, and cortex thickness decrease in Alhagi maurorum but increased in Cressa cretica .

This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of the flow patterns in a strongly-curved 60o open channel bend. Corresponding numerical model is based on the Fluent software and ANN,SVM methods. The use of artificial intelligence methods and Support vector Machine in different hydraulic sciences has become conventional in recent years. In this study the turbulence model is used to simulate turbulent flow parameters and Compared of flow pattern in a 60° sharp bend by Using FLUENT software and ANN, SVM Methods. The results show that , enjoying low error values, the FLUENT model has an acceptable level of consistency with the available experimental results. ANN model can predict velocity pattern fairy accurately. The error values of FLUENT and ANN models are smaller in the outer wall (contraction zones) in comparison with the inner wall (separation zone). It could therefore be said that the error value is greater in high- velocity areas (erosion- prone areas) than in low- velocity areas (sedimentation- prone areas). Careful examination of these models will make it clear that both FLUENT and SVM model underestimate and the ANN model overestimates. The error value is very small in the cross sections after the bend in all three models.

The present communication was dealt with morpho-taxonomic descriptions of two Chlorophycean algal Species namely Ankistrodesmus densus Korshikov and Kirchneriella lunaris (Kirch.) Möebius, belonging to the two separate genera Ankistrodesmus Corda and Kirchneriella Schmidle.They are included in the order Chlorococcales of class Chlorophyceae. These species were grown in association with other coccoid green algal members and explored from two aquatic ecosystems viz. pond and river in Hooghly district, West Bengal, India. Both are formed colonies of aggregation of green cells. In the former species, colony of elongated acicular cells with pointed ends was observed while, the later showed colony of lunate cells with rounded ends.They prefer to grow from late monsoon to winter season. These two taxa are being reported as new records from this area. The limnological study revealed that they can tolerate fluccuation of temperature and turbidity in water bodies. Moderately alkaline water and total alkalinity values affect their occurrences. In addition to these, inorganic nitrate-nitrogen and phosphate availability in aquatic bodies help their growth.

Chlorococcum humicola (Näg.) Rabenh., Coelastrum astroideum De Notaris, Scenedesmus bijuga var. irregularis (Wille) G. M. Smith and Comasiella arcuata var. platydisca (G. M. Smith) E. Hegewald & M. Wolf are very common freshwater Chlorococcalean algal taxa in the geographical occurrence of Hooghly district, West Bengal, India. The members of the order Chlorococcales exhibited wide morphological diversity in shape and size of vegetative cells and, colonies. They reproduced mainly by autospores. Besides these, they also propagated by zoospores or aplanospores. During the taxonomic investigation, it was noticed that the above said species were grown better in lentic aquatic bodies as well as most of the taxa showed higher periodicity in hot and humid monsoon (August) and summer (March- April). Except, Chlorococcum humicola (Näg.) Rabenh. other three algal taxa are coenobial types. Scenedesmus Meyen colony is flat, whereas Coelastrum Näg. is spherical in a morphological point of view. It was also observed that the two varieties of the genus Scenedesmus Meyen occurred in polluted water bodies, so they are good ecological indicator of water pollution. All these taxa are being reported first time from this area and Comasiella arcuata var. platydisca (G.M. Smith) E. Hegewald & M. Wolf and, Coelastrum astroideum De Notaris for the first time from West Bengal. The study of physicochemical parameters of water bodies showed that they can tolerate the fluccuation of chemical oxygen demand values. Higher temperature (˃25°C), moderate alkalinity (<8.5), dissolved oxygen values above 6.0 mg/l and lower inorganic nutrient contents as well as turbidity accelerated their occurrences, growths and periodicities in aquatic bodies.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a pathogenic Gram-negative halophilic bacterium, a natural inhabitant of the marine environment and can be found in crabs, shrimps, fish, oysters, mussels and other seafoods. We areisolate and study the hemolytic activity of the pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus by different blood samples (human, rabbit and rat). Visualization of hemolysis of red blood cells in agar plates facilitates the categorization of some pathogenic bacteria such as vibrio sp. Haemolysins are one of the pathogenic determinants of several vibrio sp strains isolated from a variety of hosts and geographic origin.SDS – PAGE had been used to characterize and identify the virulent protein profiles on whole cell and extra cellular products (WC,ECP) of several species. The molecular weight was determined to be48.4kDaand 25.6kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Based on the results Hemolytic activity has been considered as important virulence factors contributing to the pathogenicity of the infection for the pathogens.

Homogeneous crystalline chromium and cobalt oxides (Cr2O3- Co2O3) was prepared by co-precipitation method by mixing metals nitrate in the basic medium and the precipitate was calcinated at 700 C for 6 hrs. The crystalline structure of the synthesized products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The obtained XRD patterns of specimens revealed formation of a well-crystallized structure of double oxides after calcination at 700 C. The photocatalytic activity of double prepared oxides was investigated via following removal of congo red dye from the aqueous solution upon irradiation of reaction suspension under irradiation with UV light.

The exploitation of microalgae as a protein source has led to increased interest in the use of microalgae in health food production and source of animal feed. Three light intensities (125, 268 and 300 μEm2sec) and four phosphorous concentrations (0, 2, 4, 6, gl) were used to study their effect on the growth and amount of protein content in Chlorella vulgaris alga. The growth curve of the studied alga was different among the treatments. The stationary phase began at the days 13, 12 and 9 for treatments 125, 268 and 300 (μEm2sec) respectively, while it was identified as day 14, 12, 10 and 6 in treatments 6, 4, 2 and 0 gl of phosphorous respectively. The highest K value was 0.15 at the 268 μEm2sec (control), while the lowest K value was 0.08 at 125 μEm2sec. The shortest doubling time (G) was 2 days at control (268 μEm2sec) treatment.When used different phosphorous concentrations, The highest K value was 0.16 at 0 gl treatment, while the lower K value was 0.1 at 6 gl treatment. The shortest doubling time (G) was 1.8 day in treatment 0 gl.Protein content of C. vulgaris increased from 39.46% to 57.51% at 125 μEm2sec to 300 μEm2sec light intensity. When used different phosphorus concentrations, protein content increased from 51.17% at control treatment (4 gl) to 75.56% at 6 gl treatment.

Benthic diatoms are considered as bio-indicators in lotic ecosystems. The present study is conducted to assess the environmental status of Al-Shamiya river by applying of diatomic indices (epipelic diatom). Fifteen diatomic indices were used in this study. Saprobic index, Pollution Tolerance Index, Palmer Pollution Index, Percent Sensitive Species and Index of Pollution Sensitivity were used as pollution indices. While trophies indices were trophic State Index, Trophic Diatom Index, Diatomic Index, Generic Diatomic Index and Biological water Quality. Furthermore, the study included the diversity indices such as Simpson index, Richness Index, Shannon-Weaver Index, Evenness Index and McIntoch Diversity Index. According to these indices the quality of the river is ranged from less polluted to moderate pollutes., as well as, they indicate the trophic status of the river.