Mesopotamia Environmental Journal

Because there have been only a few studies on the effect of the salinity gradient on the formation of fish assemblages in the Shatt Al-Arab River, the present study was conducted on the river from Al-Deer district to the river's estuary at Al-Fao town during the period from January to December 2022. The samples were collected monthly using various fishing methods and tools. Three stations were chosen for the study: station 1 at Al-Deer city, station 2 at Abu-AlKhaseeb city, and Station 3 at Al-Fao city. Some ecological parameters were measured: water temperature, hydrogen ion, water transparency, and salinity concentration. A total of 60 fish species belonging to 48 genera and 32 families were caught affiliated to bony fishes (Osteichthyes class). The most abundant species was Carassius gibelio recorded at 15.00% of the total catch, followed by Oreochromis aureus at 13.48%, and Planiliza abu constituted 12.56% of the overall capture of fish. The diversity index (H) values ranged from 2.40 in January to 2.81 in May. The evenness index (J) values varied between 0.72 in December to 0.88 in January and March. The richness index (D) ranged from 2.67 in December to 4.51 in November. Resident species included 14 fish species, accounting for 78.64% of the total caught. Seasonal species comprised eight species, accounting for 14.44% of the total catch. Occasional fish species included 38 species, forming 6.92% of the total number of species. The present study concluded that salinity has a vital role in the distribution and spread of fish species, structuring the fish assemblage; this was noticed in the present three stations since fish composition differed, and there is a clear gradient in the composition of the fish population from the top of the river towards the sea.

Dyes used in the textile industry pollute many bodies of water, and the continuous release of this colored water into aquatic environments without treatment is one of the major challenges in the world. Textile dyes reduce water quality and visual appeal, increase biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), inhibit photosynthesis, enter the food chain, accumulate in organisms, promote toxicity and mutagenicity, and cause cancer. Conventional methods are ineffective in removing these pollutants. Therefore, searching for new, environmentally friendly, effective, low-cost, and sustainable technologies to remove these pollutants has become necessary. One of these methods is the biological method based on algae. Microalgae has unique properties that make it a promising solution for removing industrial dye pollutants, such as rapid growth and high density; it tolerates difficult growth conditions and converts pollutants and nutrients into high-value and economical compounds. This review provides a comprehensive overview of dyes used in the textile industry, their environmental and health impacts, and physical, chemical, and biological dye removal mechanisms with pros and cons, emphasizing the algae-based biological method of dye removal from industrial wastewater.

Medical waste is defined by the World Health Organization as waste produced by medical procedures and includes a wide range of items, including used needles and syringes, soiled dressings, body parts, diagnostic samples, blood, chemicals, etc. the aim of the current study was to evaluate medical waste disposal process practices among healthcare workers in some hospitals in Mosul, Iraq and to estimate the safety practice and perception among waste-exposed personnel for the exposure hazards. A cross-sectional study was performed in Mosul city was designed and being set to investigate the perceptions on medical waste disposal process management, among medical staff (n=642) and workers-related to medical service providing (n=60) in their working hospitals. Observation checklist in hospitals were used to verify the acquired data. Results revealed that The old incinerators do not contain filters to purify the gases generated from the chimney, and thick black smoke is observed that comes out of the burning and works at random times. Those working in waste incineration do not have sufficient experience, and for this reason it is well noted that they do not wear protective equipment to protect themselves from the dangers of burning and heat. Conclusively, the current study pinpoints on the urgent needs for allocating a proper strategy for medical waste disposal management with clear plans and policies for the proper management in hospitals of Mosul city. Proper education and training must be offered to all workers from doctors to rag pickers to ensure an understanding of the risks that wastes pose and how to manage wastes. The study was conducted from February to September 2022.

The study examined the adsorption behavior of olive bark as a low-cost natural adsorbent to removeCr+6 ionsfrom aqueous solution by packed bed column technique (PBC). The effect of particle size on the adsorption of Cr+6ionsusing two batches, raw and modified olive bark was investigated based on Box – Wilson design. Using different pH and contact time ranging from5-8 and from 0.25-5 hr. respectively. The best performance was achieved with small-particle-treated olive bark, which showed a removal efficiencyof 84.2% for Cr+6 ions at pH 5.4 and contact time 4 hr. Statistical study showed significant differences in removal efficiency at the level of probability (p ≤ 0.05). The adsorbent was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM). In the analysis of the infrared device (FTIR), the results show that the sites for adsorption are related to hydroxyl, carbonyl, aromatic, and ether groups. FE-SEM analysis showed the morphological changes on the olive bark surface before and after treatment of chromium aqueous solution.