Using zooplankton as bioindicators, this study evaluates the ecological condition of the Euphrates River in Iraq's Babylon Province. Site 1 (North Hillah, next to the old Babylon ruins), Site 2 (Hillah city center), Site 3 (South Hillah, close to Al-Mahaweel), and Site 4 (near Al-Kifl town) were the four monitoring locations chosen along the river. The highest and lowest averages of the measured physical and chemical factors indicate temperature (25.1°-29.4°), pH (7.2-7.9), electrical conductivity (EC) (940 µS/cm-1241µS/cm), total dissolved solids TDS (591 mg/L-789mg/L), dissolved oxygen (DO) (5.6 mg/ l-7.1 mg/L), biological oxygen demand (BOD5) (2.4mg/L-4.2 mg/L), nitrate (1.3 mg/L–3.2 mg/L), nitrite (0.04 mg/L–0.13 mg/L), phosphate (0.3 mg/L-0.6 mg/L), turbitity (5.5 NTU-9NTU), calcium (45 mg/L-60 mg/L), magnesium (20 mg/L–35 mg/L), total hardness (150 mg/L–210 mg/L) that was the seasonal data for the year. Zooplankton communities were collected include amphipoda (52 ind/l-116 ind/L), cladocera (68 ind/l-114 ind/L), cyclopodia (154 ind/L-350 ind/L), macrobrachium nipponense (224 ind/L-350 ind/L), decapoda (Crab) (54 ind/L-112ind/L), Naplus larvae (16 ind/L-76 ind/L), and analyzed for diversity indices recorded including shannon-Wiener index (1,499-1.719), species richness according to 6 in all locations species evenness between (0.837-0.96). The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) was applied to evaluate the water quality and he recorded between (45.16-72.42). According to the study, the water quality of babylon's euphrates river ranges from poor to fair. Although they varied by location and season, the physical, and chemical conditions were generally within tolerable bounds. There were six major groupings of zooplankton, indicating a moderate level of diversity. Aquatic life is generally supported by the river, although certain locations exhibit indications of ecological stress.
A nano manganese dioxide (MnO2) was electrodeposited galvanostatically onto a carbon fiber (CF) surface using the simple method of anodic electrodeposition. The composite electrode was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Very few studies investigated the efficiency of this electrode for heavy metals removal, especially chromium. The electrosorption properties of the nano MnO2/CF electrode were examined by removing Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solutions. NaCl concentration, pH, and cell voltage were studied and optimized using the Box-Behnken design (BDD) to investigate their effects and interactions on the electrosorption process. The results showed that the
... Show MoreA large number of natural or synthetic dyes have been removed from both national and international lists of permitted food colors because of their mutagenic or carcinogenic activity. Therefore, this study aimed to use the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Based Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) assay as a feasible method to evaluate the ability of some food colors as genotoxin-induced DNA damage and mutations. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum was used as a bioindicator to determine the genotoxic effects by RAPD-PCR using M13 primer after treatment with some synthetic dyes currently used as food color additives, including Sunset Yellow, Carmoisine, and Tartrazine. Besides qualitative analysis, the bioinformatic GelJ software was used for clus
... Show MoreIodine-doped polythiophene thin films are prepared by aerosol assisted plasma jet polymerization at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The doping of iodine was carried out in situ by employing iodine crystals in thiophene monomer by weight mixing ratios of 1%, 3%, 5% and 7%. The chemical composition analyses of pure and iodine-doped and heat-treated polythiophene thin films are carried out by FTIR spectroscopy studies. The optical band gaps of the films are evaluated from absorption spectrum studies. Direct transition energy gaps are determined from Tauc plots. The structural changes of polythiophene upon doping and the reduction of optical band gap are explained on the basis of the results obtained from FTIR spectroscopy, UV–V
... Show MoreThe morphology of the Pleurogenoides medians from Rana ridibunda in Iraq was studied by light and scanning electron microscopy. The light microscopical studies confirmed the original observations with the ventral sucker being smaller than the oral sucker and the genital pore being laterally situated. Electron micrographs of adult P. medians revealed that the body surface had a rough appearance by hand-like spines, which are more sparsely distributed towards the posterior end with a presumed function in nutrient absorption.