Flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (FAAS) was used in this study to determine the concentrations of heavy metals such as Ca, Fe, Mn, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb and Zn in some food additives of Iraq. The order of metal contents in food additives was found to be Ca ˃ Mn ˃ Fe ˃ Cu ˃ Zn ˃ Pb ˃ Cr ˃ Ni ˃ Co ˃ Cd. The concentration level of each metal was compared with that recommended by food agriculture organisation (FAO) and world health organisation (WHO). Calibration curves were linear for all standard solutions of heavy metals in the range starting from 0.02-0.4 mg/kg for Cd to 11-100 mg/kg for Ca. The correlation coefficients values (R2) of calibrations were investigated and ranged from 0.9971 for Cr to 0.9999 for Ca. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be in highest value for Ca (1.6569 mg/kg and 5.5232 mg/kg), while they were found to be in lowest values for Cd (0.0150 mg/kg and 0.0499 mg/kg).
Indoor air pollution is a critical environmental challenge with negative impacts on human health, especially in urban and enclosed settings. This study aimed to evaluate the tolerance of three indoor ornamental plants—Epipremnum aureum, Sansevieria trifasciata, and Syngonium podophyllum Schott—against pollutants generated by cigarette smoke and kerosene combustion. Plants were exposed under controlled indoor conditions, while particulate matter (PM₁. ₀, PM₂. ₅, PM₁₀), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) were measured before, during, and after exposure. Plant tolerance was assessed using the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI), calculated from total chlorophyll content, leaf extract pH, ascor
... Show MoreThe dual nature of asphalt binder necessitates improvements to mitigate rutting and fatigue since it performs as an elastic material under the regime of rapid loading or cold temperatures and as a viscous fluid at elevated temperatures. The present investigation assesses the effectiveness of Nano Alumina (NA), Nano Silica (NS), and Nano Titanium Dioxide (NT) at weight percentages of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% in asphalt cement to enhance both asphalt binder and mixture performance. Binder evaluations include tests for consistency, thermal susceptibility, aging, and workability, while mixture assessments focus on Marshall properties, moisture susceptibility, resilient modulus, permanent deformation, and fatigue characteristics. NS notably im
... Show MoreAmid the growing demand for multifunctional and environmentally benign materials, lead-free double perovskites have emerged as a strategically important development in advanced functional materials research. This study presents the synthesis of Ba2PrMnO6 (BPMO) double perovskite nanocrystals for the first time via a hydrothermal method, and a comprehensive evaluation has been conducted using the density functional theory (DFT) framework. Structural, thermodynamic, electronic, optical, and mechanical properties were investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, FESEM/EDX, FTIR, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. XRD confirms a stable tetragonal I4/m phase with experimental lattice con
... Show MoreThis study includes the preparation of the ferrite nanoparticles CuxCe0.3-XNi0.7Fe2O4 (where: x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3) using the sol-gel (auto combustion) method, and citric acid was used as a fuel for combustion. The results of the tests conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD), emitting-field scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX), and Vibration Sample Magnetic Device (VSM) showed that the compound has a face-centered cubic structure, and the lattice constant is increased with increasing Cu ion. On the other hand, the compound has apparent porosity and spherical particles, and t
... Show MoreIt is often needed to have circuits that can display the decimal representation of a binary number and specifically in this paper on a 7-segment display. In this paper a circuit that can display the decimal equivalent of an n-bit binary number is designed and it’s behavior is described using Verilog Hardware Descriptive Language (HDL). This HDL program is then used to configure an FPGA to implement the designed circuit.
six specimens of the Hg0.5Pb0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3-y
This research examines the electrical, optical, and structural properties of zinc oxide (ZnO) and tin(IV) oxide (ZnO)1-x (SnO2)x composite thin films made by pulsed laser deposition, as well as the impact of composition concentration. The structural study of (ZnO)1-x (SnO2)x composites and thin films was conducted by X-ray analysis (XRD). Optical properties were investigated by UV–Vis infrared spectroscopy. The structural analysis revealed that all prepared thin-film composites were polycrystalline, exhibiting both hexagonal wurtzite and tetragonal phases for pure ZnO and SnO2, as well as a mixture of both phases for x=0.2 and 0.4. In contrast, the SnO2 phase was predominant for x=0.6 and 0.8. The increase in crystal size in the (
... Show MoreThe rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria necessitates the exploration of novel antimicrobial agents. Yttrium oxide nanoparticles (Y₂O₃) have shown potential due to their unique physicochemical properties and antibacterial activities against various pathogens. This study investigates the cytotoxic and antibacterial effects of Y₂O₃ nanoparticles against Serratia fonticuli and Citrobacter koseri, bacteria isolated from cholangitis patients. Bacterial strains were isolated from bile specimens and confirmed using standard microbiological techniques. The methods of X-ray diffraction (XRD), (SEM), and Frequency transform-infrared spectroscopic (FT-IR) were used to characterize YO₃ particles. Using a microdilution technique, the minimum
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