Mesopotamia Environmental Journal

The present study reports the association between environmental factors and malnutrition diseases (underweight –low-weight for age). A sample of 1000 children aged less than five years old were randomly selected from urban and rural areas of Babylon province the middle - south of Iraq. In order to achieve objectives of the present study, the investigator used questionnaire which was conducted through extensive review of literature. The questionnaire was comprised of different items regarding to general information about their mothers and children, as well as the several environmental factors was studied in this study.The result of this study revealed that were strongly associated between environmental factor and malnutrition diseases. Health education messages can be forwarded to mothers of children under five years old through mass media or a direct program.

A total of 349 stool samples were collected from the patients with diarrhea during the period from December 2014 to May 2015,the results show that there were 11(3.15%) positive isolates of Aeromonas hydrophila, these isolates were identified by cultural method ,biochemical tests and confirmed by API 20E and Vitek 2 system.Tryptose soy agar that contained Congo red stain was used to detect A.hydrophila isolates that produced surface layer protein (S-layer) ,eight (8) isolates was given positive result on this media. The S-layer protein was extracted by two methods, Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS 0.05%) solution was given significantly higher protein concentration in compared with LiCl 5M solution. Then it was precipitated by two methods also, ammonium per sulfate 80% was given significantly higher protein concentration in compared with acetone Con.95%. The molecular weight of S-layer protein was determined by SDS-PAGE and the result reveal that it was 52 KDa. The physiological factors that affecting on the production of S-layer protein from A.hydrophila was investigated by incubate the inoculated production media at different degree of temperature, pH, incubation period ,at the ordinary and shacking incubator, and by add (Glycine, Tyrosine ,Lysine ,Alanine) in two Con. 0.5mg/L and 1mg/L. The result show that all these factor affecting on the production of S-layer protein and the highest protein concentration was obtained at temperature 37 oc, pH 7, after incubation period 24 hrs., at shacking incubator, by add1mg/L of glycine.

Silver naoparticles are widely used in treatments and as products using by human ,There is likelihood of release into the enivrements .That affect on health and environnemental concerns so their effect on liver must be studied.In this study silver nanoparticles were extracted from Morganella morganii and the rabbits were immunized with the extract to study the immunization capacity of Silver naoparticles. The liver function were studied by determine GPT and GOT and the serum level were increased (6.66,5.33) for test when compared with control(4.666, 4.667) respectively. The regulatory interleukines (IL-10 and IL-12)were determined By enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The concentrations IL-10 were increased in test group(13.27) than in cotrol (10.25)while IL-12 concentrations were decreased in test group than control (14.20).The conclusion that Silver nanoparticles effect on function of rabbit liver and increase TH2 by increasing IL-10 and decrease IL-12 .

The current study was conducted to study the ability of Trichoderma harizianum for removing total and hexavalent chromium from tannary wastewater in laboratory .The experiment continue for thirteen days ,chemical and physical characteristics total and hexavalent chromium concentration were tested in the days (1,4,7,10and 13) and biomass in the end of experimental is weighted. Results shows that pH value change from( 8.6-3.2) and removal percent for Total dissolved solids ,Total alkalinity, total hardness, calcium and magnesium hardness ,nitrite ,nitrate and ,sulphate, total chromium ,hexavalent chromium and biomass (97.54%,90%,97.77%,87.97%,99%,95%,84.66%,90%).While the removal percent for total and hexavalent chromium were 70.18% and 99.67% respectively . The experiment show increasing in fungus biomass in the end of experiment period .

Atmospheric wet depositions have distinct characteristics in terms of associated pollutant types and influential parameters. This paper discusses the concentration of some heavy metals (Pb, Cd and Ni) in selected urban areas for wet depositions. Wet deposition samples, which are represented as rainwater collected from October 2013 through April 2014. The results indicated that industrial area exhibits the higher mean concentrations of Cd, Ni and Pb. Overall results imply that important anthropogenic sources are likely the most sources of heavy metals in this region.

Ambient particulate matter pollution investigated monthly by using Bam1020 for maturing PM10 concentrations on two stations of air monitoring (Hillah water project station and Babylon University station) in Babylon province during 2012 year.The results showed that most of monthly average concentrations of PM10 were more than 150 μg/m3. Whereas the great concentrations of PM10 was at station of Hillah water project within April (576.25 μg/m3) and station of Babylon university within July (467.40 μg/m3). There are positive correlation between concentrations of PM10 with wind speed and air temperature, and negative correlation with relative humidity.

Determine the stable channel geometry of the river is one of the most important topics in river engineering. Various relationships (based on statistical and theoretical methods) to predict the stable channels dimensions are expressed by many scientists. In this study, three Support Vector Machines (SVM) models are designed to predict width (w), depth (h) and slope (s) of stable channel. 85 cross-section river field data is used in training and testing models. The models input parameters are the flow discharge (Q), median sediment diameter (d50) and affecting Shields parameter (τ*). Furthermore, the width, depth and slope values are calculated by Afzalimehr regression relationship. Several statistical indexes are used to check the accuracy of the models in comparison with field data. Results show that SVM models with correlation coefficient (R) 0.86, 0.66 and 0.646 in width, depth and slope prediction respectively have a good agreement with observational data. Also, the models comparison show a considerably better performance of the SVM models over the available regressions equations with a mean absolute relative error (MARE) decreasing of 72%, 20% and 11% in width, depth and slope prediction, respectively. The presented methodology in this paper is a good approach in predicting cross section geometry of alluvial rivers also it can be used to design stable irrigation and water conveyance channels.

In this research the distribution of snakes in Iraq were investigated,by reviewing the old and new data as well as carrying out field work and study of material in the Natural history Museum of Iraq, as well as, many departments and colleges in various universities are discussed. Further more, various relevant websites in the Internet that are interested with snakes. The whole snake fauna of Iraq (non- venomous, semi –venomous and venomous snake) are considered in this study.In this study, collectively 6 families, 21 genera, and 38 species of the Iraqi snakes have been considered as follows:From non-venomous snakes: 4 families, 12 genera and 23 species; from semi-venomous snakes: 1 family, 3 genera and 7 species; and from venomous snakes: 2 families, 6 genera and 8 species of the snakes were venomous.During this study we found Indotyphlops braminus (Daudin, 1803) in southern regions of Iraq. It is likely that this tiny snake has been displaced via human agency from southern regions to the central regions of Iraq. Another tiny snake, Indotyphlops vermicularis (Merrem, 1820), was also found. This taxon is very close to the specimens collected from western Iran and northeastern Turkey.Eryx jaculus familiaris (Eichwald, 1831) was the only subspecies of this snake found in Iraq. Eryx jayakari (Boulenger, 1888), for the first time in Iraq in the desert Rumaila field in Basra region.Platyceps rogersi (Anderson, 1893) was a rare species in Iraq. It founds in the Rutba border town with Syria. Platyceps rhodorachis (Anderson, 1871) was recorded the first time in Sulaymaniyah. Hemorrhois ravergieri (Menetries, 1832) is one of the rarest species of snakes in Iraq, recorded for the first time in 1929 in the city of Mosul.Spalerosophis microlepis (Jan, 1865) has been newly discovered in areas adjacent to the Zagros Mountains in Sulaimaniya in northern of Iraq and also another record from Erbil. Lytorhynchus diadema kennedyi (Schmidt, 1939) is a rare subspecies occurring in Iraq. Two male specimens found in Iraq for the first time in the city of Qaim border with Syria to the west of Iraq. Eirenis coronelloides (Jan, 1862) was also newly discovered in the northeastern regions of Iraq. Further, Zamenis hohenackeri (Strauch, 1873) is a new record of genus and species for the Iraqi herpetofauna. Subspecies Echis carinatus sochureki (Stemmler,1969) for the first time recorded from Iraq in Al-Basra province (southern Iraq).Since our knowledge on distribution of the snakes in Iraq is scarce, the main aimof this research is to to identify the diversity of snake in Iraq comprehensively and describe their appropriate environments and their distribution.