Mesopotamia Environmental Journal

The present study provides an updated checklist of the freshwater fishes of Iraq. The confirmed freshwater fishes ofIraq comprise 66 species divided among 18 families and eight orders. The most successful fish families areCyprinidae with 25 species, followed by Leuciscidae with eight species then Nemacheilidae with seven species. Atotal of 16 exotic species in seven families are listed in this study. Changes made to the scientific names of thefreshwater fishes of Iraq are explained, which included 16 species in six genera.

The current study aim to investigate the susceptibility of three types of algae, including
Oscillatoriasp, Westiellopsisprolifica, Stigonemasp, in reducing the values of some pollutants.
These algae were used as unialgal culture and the waste water was used from the final settling
ponds of central wastewater treatment plant (Almamierh) in Hilla city.as an growth culture for
the development of these algae by cultivating each algae alone in waste water under constant
laboratory conditions at 25 ± 20 ° C and in a light system 16: 8 hours Illumination: Darkness.
The results showed slightly increased in pH values, and low removal percent was recorded by
both Oscillatoriasp and Westiellopsisprolifica ,whileStigonemasp record a role by reducing the
values of total soluble solids , electrical conductivity and salinity .The results showed that the
studied Algae have the ability to reduce the biological oxygen demand , total Alkalinity , total
hardness , calcium and magnesium, chlorides , nitrite , nitrate and phosphates . As for the current
algae physiological status, the chlorophyll content did not change in Oscillatoria sp. after
treatment While chlorophyll content increased in W. prolifica, and decrease inStigonema sp. after
treatment. The effectiveness of the (SOD) enzyme did not change in all algae after treatment .
The effectiveness of the catalase enzyme elevated in Oscillatoria sp. and W. prolifica but decreased in StigonemaSp after municipal wastewater treatment. The study also showed that
Malondialdehyde (MDA) was increased in three studied species.

Involucral bracts usually considered a diagnostic characters of Asteraceae .In the current research the morphologicaland anatomical characteristics of the involucral bracts were examined in 24 species of Centaurea . L. The morphological features included the general shape of involucre,dimentions ,number of rows ,colors and theindumentums,more than the presence or absence of peduncle ,as well as the presence or absence of appendeges forthe phyllaries and their nature ,colors and site.All these characteristics showed great taxonomic importance anddiscussed.The characteristics which included shape of anticlinal walls of epidermis ,types of stomata ,they haveproved to be of great importance in separating the species from each other

Anethum graveolens L. is an annual aromatic plant belongs to Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)family. It has many medical uses since ancient times. Aim of this study is to analyze andstudy the chemical composition of Iraqi dill seeds hexane and ethanol crude extracts. Thenon-polar extracts were gained by using two different methods the first one was by extractingdill oil by Clevenger using distilled water as a solvent; the second method was by extractingcrude dill extract using non polar solvent (hexane) by soxhlet apparatus for about four hours,and the ethanol as polar solvent was used to get crude polar extract from the seeds usingsoxhlet too. Then phytochemical tests were performed for ethanolic extract and revealedpositive results for alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and cardio active glycosides; whileterpenoids and saponins showed negative results. The hexane extract showed positive resultfor terpenoids and flavonoids only. The Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS)analysis were done for the samples of hexane extract and oil extract as well and the resultsshowed that apiol was the predominant compound with percentage area of 71.27% andthymol with percentage area 11.32% in the hexane extract while oil sample revealed thepresence of D-carvone and D-limonine as main compounds with percentage area of 32.78%and 20.02%, respectively.

In the present study, the effects of process parameters on inulinase production by recombinant Escherichia coliBL21 (DE3) have been studied by pH of medium, incubation time, shaking speed of incubation (rpm), hydrolysis ofInulin and effect of metal ion in activity of enzyme. The results indicated that increased of production inulinaseenzyme by change in parameter of which the optimal incubation time was 8 h, the maximal activity and specificactivity under that condition was 7.5 Unit/ ml and 19.7 Unit/ mg, respectively. pH of the medium of maximuminulinase activity 8.3 Unit/ ml and specific activity 20.6 Unit/ mg were obtained at pH 7. Increase in the enzymeactivity was observed as the shaking speed increase from 50-250 rpm, with the maximum inulinase activity at 200rpm. It was revealed that the enzyme had the efficiency to hydrolyze 85% of 5% inulin solution when treated at 40 ºC for 80 min.

Water samples were collected seasonally from four stations selected at Al- Chibayish marsh in Thi-Qar province, southern Iraq from the period August, 2017 to April,2018 to determine the concentration of some heavy elements ( Cadmium (Cd),Chromium(Cr),Nickel(Ni) and Lead(Pb) ) and their distribution as dissolved andparticulate phases (exchangeable and residual phase) in water . Heavy elementspollution index (HPI)was applied as an index for heavy elements pollution .Resultsshowed that the mean concentrations of the studied elements(Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb) asdissolved phase were (0.06 , 2.03 ,0.56 , 2.97 )µg/l, respectively , whereas in theexchangeable phase of particulate were(14.47 , 53.97 , 90.91 , 332.78)µg/g dry weightrespectively , and in the residual phase of particulate were (12.21 , 225.60 , 243.66 ,242.25) µg/g dry weight respectively . The results indicated that mean HPI valueswere found to be below the critical pollution index value of 100 , HPI values wereranged from 4.39 to 12.51 referred to unpolluted water according to the permissiblevalues of dissolved elements.

The current study examined the effects of the exposure to the different concentrations of thepure CO2 on the growth rates and fatty acids metabolism of the green algae Chlorococcumhumicola that isolated locally. The algae cells exposure into many concentrations of CO2 (25,50, 75, 100%) v/v of culture media which were (BG11, Chu13, Chu10) for growing. Theexperiments were conducted in standard laboratory conditions such as temperature, lightingintensity, pH which were respectively (25±2°C, 3000 lux, 7.6) with lighting system 18:16 hour(light :dark). The supplementing of CO2 every 73 hour by the device (Gas-flow-meter). Theresults were recorded daily for 18 days. The results have shown that present responses in thegrowth rates of studied algal cells by all using cultures media that included in this study forgrowing the algae with best result in Chu13 media. As well as, the present study found that manytypes of fatty acids in dry biomass of algal cells in vitro by using HPLC technique and recordedthe following fatty acids: Myristic C14:0, Palmetic C16:0, Plamitolic C16:1, Arachidic C20:4,Linoleic C18: 2 (Omega:6), Oleic C18:1(Omega 9). The response value was changed betweenthe acids depending on the type of culture media and the following fatty acid: Palmetic C16:09,Myristic C14:0, Palmitolic C16:1, Olic C18:1 and Linolic C18:2) recorded the values (440.64, 474.54, 987, 770, 1054.25, 455.64) mg/L dry weight respectively in two concentrations (100,75%) v/v when growing the algae in the culture media Chu1. While the acid Arachidic C20:4recorded highest value (684.35) mg/L in the culture media BG11 at 100% concentration