Mesopotamia Environmental Journal

Numerous techniques such as physical, chemical, biological, and physicochemical methods were used for the treatment of the aquatic system in order to remove various pollutants such as organics, inorganics, and heavy metals from domestic and industrial effluents. The aim of the present study is to review the most practical wastewater treatment techniques such as the chemical precipitation, ion exchange, adsorption, membrane filtration, and electrochemical methods which are used for heavy metals removal. Many of published studies and dissertations were reviewed in this paper to evaluate the general specifications of these processes and their advantages and disadvantages. The results revealed that electrochemical methods have a wide attention among other techniques due to their capabilities of overcoming most of the problems that occur in the conventional methods from the environmental and economic view.

Objective: To evaluate whether serum concentration of cortisol in some healthy adult's men influenced by their characteristics of anthropometric measurements. Subjects and Method: Ninety-eight volunteer adult's men non-smoking (20- 50) years in this study, the blood samples were taken from subjects at the morning during 8:30-10:30 am during November 2015 till April 2016. ELIZA kit was used to assay the serum level of cortisol hormone, and the anthropometric measurements have been done such as; body weight, height and waist circumference(WC) to calculated body mass index (BMI), and percentage of body fat (BF%) by a special formula and the subjects were assorted depending on classes of anthropometric (physical) measurements. Results: cortisol level showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in obese and overweight as compared with normal weight group in accordance with classes of BMI categories as well there was a significant decrease in obese group as compared with other group according to body fat percentage classification, also seen significant decrease of cortisol level in group with large waist circumference ≥ 90 as compared with small waist circumference group. In addition, it was noticed that was a significant negative correlation between that tested hormone with anthropometric measurements Conclusion: Class of obesity was the key factor in deciding of tested hormone concentration and the state of correlation between hormone level and anthropometric values.

So far there are no investigation or any study on the soil contamination or measuring the Pollutants levels is soil of Samarra city, the present work is part of project to estimate the heavy metals in the soil and other contamination elements. Soil pollution, in short, is a much bigger and more complicated problem than it might appear. The soil texture varied from Clay Silts to Sandy Silts trending to Gypsy nature because of high calcium Sulphate levels with high levels of calcium carbonate. The risk in this study was the high levels of Lead concentration in all soil samples collected from Samarra City. The highest lead concentration register 1220,4 ppm while the control was just 380,4 ppm. Levels of Calcium Carbonate also registered high concentration. By talking about Calcium Sulphate there is a high levels recorded because the Soil type of Samarra is Gypsum. The Total Iron is very High 2460 ppm opposite low concentration of Bioavailability Fe (62 ppm) for Plant uptake.

The effect of different concentrations of Ni (0, 1×10-5, 5×10-5, 1×10-4, 2×10-4, 4×10-4, 8×10-4, 1×10-3, 0.1 M) were studied. These concentrations affected on content of total carbohydrates, protein, glutathione, allantoin the activity of α-amylase, protease, and urease of Cucumis sativus L. seeds at imbibition stage. At concentration 1×10-5 M the total carbohydrates content and urease activity increased significantly comparing with control then begin to decrease gradually with increasing in concentration of NiCl2 , while protein content, the activity of both α-amylase and protease decreased by lowest concentration then still decreased with increasing concentration until concentration 0.1M which was more inhibition for these parameters. Content of glutathione and allantoin increased with increasing concentrations of NiCl2.

The study revealed the presence of certain gene in some isolate of bacteria, including the gene SpeB gene that gave large proportions in the study isolates 12 out of 37 at a rate of (32.4%), while in case of SpeJ gene 7 isolates out of 37(18.9 %) and SmeZ gene that gave 10 isolates out of 37at a rate of (27%), moreover SpeA gene the proportion of its existence appears in a few isolate 4 out of 37isolateat a rate of (19%). PCR assay was performed to identify the presence of some genes related to pathogenicity in bacteria responsible for Tonsillitis

The diarrhea is one of the most important disease infected children and lead them to enter the hospitals and increased vulnerability of our children to infection .In this study collect 25 stool samples from children the maternity and child hospital in Babil governorate by using clean and sterile cup . Then take samples to the microbiology laboratory to investigate the bacterial species causing diarrhea by cultured on the appropriate media and diagnostic biochemical tests were carried out. Present 16(36%) samples were positive obtained obtain from 25 samples belonging to the species of the following bacteria klebsiella pneumonia, Enterobacter, staphylococcus aureus, Enteropathogenic, E.coli, pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus. The effect of 10 types of antibiotic Cefixime, Amoxacillin Penicillin, Ceftriaxone, Erythromycin, Gentamycin, Streptomycin Trimethoprim + Sulfonamides, Nalidixic Acid, Imipenem was studied by using agar disc diffusion method . It was found that the Imipenem antibioticis most effective by affecting on all the bacterial isolated and least effective was Nalidixic acid. The most sensitive bacterial species were Enterobacter sp., Which were sensitive to all antibiotics and the most resistant were the proteus bacteria . When studying the effect of natural honey in inhibition of bacterial growth it was found to have a inhibitioneffect in preventing the growth of bacteria causing diarrhea similar the effect of antibiotic .

In current research, green cabbage plants was exposed to many treatments which was (saline soil (11.3 dSm.m-1), mulch (black polyethylene), and three kindes of fertilizers ( urea , complete fertilizer and PHCA (polyoxal) in addition of control to alleviate salt stress of green cabbage plants in response of( leaf area , (SOD) activity, (CAT) activity ,GSH content and MDA concentration. Mulching soil caused a significant increase in leaf area and, while it caused a significant decrease in CAT activity and MDA content. Complete fertilizer caused the highest increase in leaf area and glutathione concentration than other treatments. GSH content The best treatment in dual interaction was ( mulch+ complete fertilizer) which it caused an increasing in leaf area and GSH content , while it caused a significant decrease in CAT activity.

This paper has been conducted to assess the concentrations of radioactive namely K Ra, and Th in sediment, and Fish using using a higher purity germanium spectrophotometer in ten of the most common sediments samples were collected from the edge and bottom of the site in Baghdad city and there in Tiger river during 2015-2016 .The results obtained of sedament sample showed that the the concentration of

In this study, the effect of cadmium oxide nanoparticles synthesized by a chemical method on Leishmania donovani In vitro and In vivo was evaluated. In this study, (34-51) nm Cadmium Oxide Nanoparticles were prepared by Simple Chemical Method SCM . The structural properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were investigated by using ransmission electron microscopy ,X-ray diffraction and UV-VIS spectrophotometer,.Viability percentage of promastigotes after adding CdO nanoparticles to the culture of parasite was estimated by MTT assay, then 18 mice were infected by 1×105 promastegotes/ml to study the effect of CdO nanoparticles on parasite in vivo.After 21days post inoculation all the mice were scarified, liver and intestine were removed for studying histopathological changes. The treatment resulted in promastigote of Leishmania parasites with CdO nanoparticles 100% lead to highly decrease occurs in viability rate reached to( 80.92%;34.14%, and 7.51%) after (30min,1hr and 24hr) respectively. The parasite viability rate treated with CdO nanoparticles (50%),which was (85.37%,46.48% and 8.21% ) respectively after same incubation period .Comparison with promastigote treated with pentostam showed significant decrease occur in parasite viability rate reached to (88.63%,78.37% and 63.08%) respectively, but less than CdO nanoparticles ,but untreated parasites which recorded only (95.87% ,94.12% and 88.82%) respectively ,there was significant (P<0.05) difference between all treatments.Conclusion: CdO NPs had antiparasitic effect on viability rate of Leishmania donovani in vivo and in vitro.

Eleven enzyme mixtures consisted from various cell wall degrading enzymes were succeed in isolation of protoplasts from leaf mesophyll of axenic seedlings of sugarbeet, Beta vulgaris L.. Also, some of these enzymatic mixture support the isolation of protoplasts from the adventitious hairy roots produced as a result of sugarbeet explants inoculation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes R1601. Somatic hybridization between the two types of protoplasts took place through electrofusion and approach 39% under conditions of 1MHz, 1000 Vcm-1, 2 pulses, 1.5 msec./pulse

Sustanon is one of androgenic anabolic steroids ,which uses especially among young people and adolescent , and suchdrug has many long-term negative side effects , therefore , it has become a major health problem .This study was conducted to examine the effect of intramuscular injection of androgenic anabolic steroid (sustanon) on some immunological parameters in albino rats. Three doses of sustanon (0.05 , 0.1 , 0.2) mg/kg/day were injected respectively for six weeks. Immunological changes included a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in the levels of IL-1β for males treated group in comparison with the control group , while there was a significant increase (P > 0.05) in its level for females treated group , compared with the healthy subject group . Meantime , there was a significant increase (P > 0.05) in the concentrations of IL-6 and C-reactive protein (C-RP) of both gender groups , compared with the control groups .

To assess the natural radioactivity and associated radiation hazards of used and unused engine oil in the environmental, some samples have been collected from fuel station and local markets in Baghdad city of Iraq. The specific activities of 238U, 232Th, 40K and 235U were measured by using a gamma ray spectrometer based on a high purity germanium (HPGE) detector. The results showed that the activities concentration of Ra-226 (238U series), 232Th, 40K and 235U were (0.59-18.41) Bq/L and average (10.15) Bq/L, (0.00-35.47) Bq/L and average (14.87) Bq/L , (14.16-245.27) Bq/L and average (88.97) Bq/L,(0.03-0.85) Bq/L and average (0.47) Bq/L, respectively. The hazard indices have been calculated in the present work which include (radium equivalent activity (Raeq), absorbed dose rate in Air (AD),annual effective dose equivalent (A.E.D) which include indoor and outdoor effective dose rate, activity concentration Index (Iγ), external hazard index (Hext) and internal hazard index (Hint)), respectively. For the used engine oil samples, the highest values of (Raeq (Bq/l), AD (nGy/h) , A.E.Din(mSv/y) , A.E.Dout (mSv/y) , Iγ, Hext, Hint ) which were equal to (52.57, 24.18, 0.12, 0.03, 0.38, 0.19, 0.14), respectively , for Iraqi used engine oil sample, while the lowest values of (Raeq (Bq/l), AD (nGy/h) , A.E.Din (mSv/y) , A.E.Dout (mSv/y) , Iγ,Hext, Hint ) was found in (U.A.E) sample which was equal to (5.21, 2.49, 0.01, 0.003, 0.04, 0.03, 0.01), respectively. While the unused engine oil samples, the highest values of (Raeq (Bq/l), AD (nGy/h) , A.E.Din (mSv/y) , A.E.Dout (mSv/y) , Iγ, Hext, Hint ) which were equal to (70.21, 33.03, 0.16, 0.04, 0.52, 0.24, 0.19), respectively ,for Iraqi unused engine oil sample, while the lowest values of (Raeq (Bq/l), AD (nGy/h) , A.E.Din (mSv/y) , A.E.Dout (mSv/y) , Iγ, Hext, Hint ) were found in (U.A.E) sample which were equal to (27.73, 13.12, 0.06, 0.02, 0.20, 0.11, 0.08), respectively. The results comparison with worldwide average and it is found that the levels of radiation and radiation hazards indices values were within the permissible limits globally , the study showed that the used and unused engine oil are safe radiological and does not constitute a danger to the environmental.

Indium-doped tin oxide In2Sn2O7 thin films were deposited on Superior w. Germany glass substrate by RF magnetron sputtering technique using a popular ceramic target with a combination of In 8 wt. % and SnO2 at a working pressure of 4.2×10-3 Torr and radio frequency power of 100 W. These films were post-annealed at temperatures from 200 oC to 400 oC for one hour by both oxygen atmosphere and vacuum furnace. The resulting films were studied by X-ray diffraction reveals a polycrystalline structure of In2Sn2O7 phase formation, with diffraction peaks related to the cubic phase structure of In2Sn2O7 according to JCPDS card 391058. The post-annealing atmospheric effects on microstructural, electrical and optical properties of In2Sn2O7 films were determined. The results assure that at a higher annealing temperature, the crystallinity of In2Sn2O7 films was enhanced, the optical transmittance of In2Sn2O7 thin films was increased over 90% at 650 nm in the oxygen atmosphere, compared to 85% at 680 nm, for the same annealing temperature in the vacuum atmosphere. The resistivity of In2Sn2O7 thin films was increased with advanced annealing temperatures in the both vacuum and oxygen atmosphere furnace.

The present study was conducted during the period from January 2016 to December 2016 in south sector of Main out full drain , Nassiriya. Three stations were fixed to achieve the study. The concentration of eight heavy elements (cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc) were measured in dissolved and particulate phases of water, exchangeable and residual phases of the sediment and tissues (muscle and gut) of important commercial species of fish Cyprinus carpio L. The mean concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc in dissolved phase of water were 0.04, 0.53, 0.03, 116.63, 2.42, 2.52, 0.35 and 12.12 μg/l respectively, whereas their concentrations in particulate phase were 19.38, 12.23, 35.11, 2078.69, 193.98, 75.37, 27.10 and 77.90 μg/g dry weight respectively. For sediment, the mean concentrations of these elements in the exchangeable and residual phases were as follows: Cd (4.02, 0.05), Co (12.13, 15.48), Cu (6.39, 13.20), Fe (558.16, 1563.11), Mn (102.26, 155.20), Ni (1.44, 72.90), Pb (28.07, 0.92) and Zn (2.15, 18.65) μg/g dry weight respectively.The order of elements in muscle tissues of fish recorded in C.carpio as: Fe> Zn> Mn> Cu> Ni>Co> Pb> Cd.The results of study showed that concentrations of heavy elements in fish tissues were higher than in water (dissolved phase) and less than their concentrations in sediment, and this was clear through the values of bioconcentration factor (B.C.F) and biosedimentation factor (B.S.F). The results showed higher values of B.C.F than B.S.F for fish species (0.8 – 555.00), (0.001 – 1.68) respectively in C.carpio.

A number of 3649 individuals of meiobenthic aquatic annelids worms were sorted from 40 samples of the aquatic plant Ceratophyllm demersum L. collected monthly from four different sites across River Tigris in Baghdad province during a period from February /2017 until December /2017. The sorted worms were identified to 16 species, 10 of them represented Subfamily Naidinae (58%), including Chaetogaster diastrophus, Paranais litoralis, Stylaria lacustris, S. fossularis, Ophidonais serpentina, , Nais simplex, Nais variabilis, Allonais inaequalis, , Dero (Dero) digitata, Dero (Aulophorus) furcata, Slavina appendiculata and Stephensoniana trivandrana . Two species of pristininae Pristina longiseta, and P. aequiseta, also identified and recorded a percentage of 6%, in addition to two species of family Aeolosomatidae, Aeolosoma variegatum, and A.hemprichi with a percentage of 36%. The result revealed that Aeolosoma variegatum was the most abundant species and recorded 1209 individuals with a percentage of 33.13%, followed by Stylaria lacustris and Cheatogaster diastrophus , which they recorded a total individuals number of 621 and 569 with a percentages of 17.01& 15.59% respectively, while the lowest percentage of individual number was recorded by Allonais inaequalis (0.71%). The highest individual numbers were recorded in July and August of 526 & 644 respectively. Site No.2 recorded the highest species richness (16 species) and highest individuals' number of 1127. The study was also included measure of the physicochemical parameters such as air temperature, water temperature, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD),PH, salinity, electrical conductivity (EC), ,turbidity, total suspended substance (TSS) and total dissolved substance (TDS). The result showed that the air temperature were (9.5-47) Co, water temperature (8.67-31.16)Co , BOD (0.46-4.7) mg/l,PH (7.941-8.125), salinity (0.2-0.4), EC (562-1043) ms/cm, ,Turbidity (6.92-215)NUT,TSS (1-94) mg/l and TDS(359-807)mg/l.

The first record of two Sciaenid fish Johnius amblycephalus (Bleeker, 1855) and Nibea maculata (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) is reported from the Iraqi marine waters, northwest of the Arabian Gulf. Total length of J. amblycephalus ranged between 216 to 230 mm, whilst the length of N. maculate ranged from 200 to 210 mm. The bearded croaker (J. amblycephalus) could be distinguished by blunt barbel on chin, second and third spine in first dorsal fin is elongate and gill rakers eight on lower limb of first gill arch. While The blotched croaker (N. maculate) characterized by five dark bars extending obliquely on the body, gill rakers 10 on lower limb of first gill arch and the second part of dorsal fin contains 22- 23 rays.

Oreochromis aureus was first recorded in the diyala river / buhriz. During the year 2016-2017. A total length ranges from 160 to 180 mm and standard lengths from 130 to 150 mm and total weights from 98.8 to 136.2 g. A number of gill rakers on the first arch gill ranged from 22-26. The dorsal fin contains 15 - 16 spines and 12 soft rays. The number of spines in anal fin, 3- 4, and the number of soft rays 9 – 10. The number of soft rays in the pectoral fin 13. The body depth in size and constitutes 38.40% of the total length ratio and with a body thickness of 15.16%.

The noise levels were measured in different colleges of Babylon university campus and throughout each department of colleges. The measurements were done by using the devise of noise meters (NM 104) at three points which is the entrance of the department, the hallways and inside classes and take the average value.The result showed the level of noise in all colleges range 50.4 -77.3, 52.4 - 77 and 60.3-85 decibel at entrance, hallways and classes respectively. All the colleges and there departments exceeded the limits proposed by WHO which 35 dB in classes and 55dB outside, which can led to loss of communication between the teachers and the students in classroom, and lowering the comprehension of students

Natural radiation of construction materials is the major source of population dose and its importance as a widespread substance that can be found everywhere in the residential and work areas. The aim of this study is to measure the level of radioactivity into construction materials at Hillah city by using device Radiation Alert (Inspector 33290), the adapted measurement unit is (μSv/hr). The measuring process was done at month of December – 2017 with three replicates per samples test. The results show that the levels of cements, bricks and other construction materials are varying according to the natural structure and source of these materials. It was fuond that the radioactivity of construction materials ranged from 0.005 to 0.024 μSv/hr and the plaster of paris has the less value of radioactivity (0.005 μSv/hr), while granite has registered the highest value of radioctivity (0.024 μSv/hr). In general, the radioactivity for these construction materials is within the permissible limits.