Chemical resistance ceramic tiles and mortar to alkali solution are prepared and characterized in this study due to the lack of this kind of publications in ceramic literature. Most of the utilized materials are readily available raw materials and the other materials are available commercially. Physical and mechanical properties are measured and indicate that the prepared ceramic tile and mortars are competitive to traditional building materials. Chemical resistance test against alkali solution is also performed by subjecting test specimens to 10%NaOH liquid for two weeks. The results give no indication of chemical attack to specimens of ceramic tile and mortar. The results are discussed and important conclusions are drawn to encourage c

Phosphorus and dye (direct black) removal for small – scale wastewater applications were investigated using oven dried alum sludge (ODS).The use of alum sludge not only provides a low cost technique but also reduces the hazard and the cost related to the disposal of large amount of alum sludge. Phosphorus and dye removal exceeds 90% for all operating conditions applied in the research.
The residuals generated during the treatment of wastewater were further tested to study the possibility of aluminum leaching from oven dried alum sludge during the adsorption of phosphorus and dye. These tests observed a reduction in aluminum leaching indicating a lower risk imposed on land and surface water based on disposal options rather than on al

Spergularia iraqensis sp. nov. is described as a new species from Iraq. This species has been collected from Diyala Province in the central east of Iraq; it is closely related to Spergularia rubra (L.) J. Presl & C. Presl, 1819 and Spergularia bocconei (Scheele) Graebn., 1919.
The distinguishing of the morphological characteristics of the new species alongside the two similar species are discussed with photographs, and an identification key is given for Spergularia iraqensis and other closely related species.

One of the wellbore instability problems in vertical wells are breakouts in Zubair oilfield. Breakouts, if exceeds its critical limits will produce problems such as loss circulation which will add to the non-productive time (NPT) thus increasing loss in costs and in total revenues. In this paper, three of the available rock failure criteria (Mohr-Coulomb, Mogi-Coulomb and Modified-Lade) are used to study and predict the occurrence of the breakouts. It is found that there is an increase over the allowable breakout limit in breakout width in Tanuma shaly formation and it was predicted using Mohr-Coulomb criterion. An increase in the pore pressure was predicted in Tanuma shaly formation, thus; a new mud weight and casing pr

A new species of the family Carabidae, subfamily Harpalinae was introdIle7: (1 or a Acupalpus mesopota¬micus on the basis external morphology and male genctalia. The specimens were compared with a world collection of Acupalptis of the British Museum (N. H.) Holotype was kept at the Iraq Natural History Museum. Other 12 specimens were kept in Iraq Natural History Museum.