The present study has been carried out to estimate heavy metals mobility, bioconcentration and transfer from polluted soil to roots tissues and from roots tissues to aerial parts using bioconcentration factor and translocation factor. Soil samples and the biomass of the eight vegetable species have been collected during summer season, 2019 from four different sites in Wadi Al-Arg, Taif Governorate, KSA. In general, heavy metals content of soil samples in site III and IV have recorded elevated values compared with those of site I and II. The soil from site IV has shown the highest concentration of Mn, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cu, and Cd amounted 31.63, 14.05, 13.56, 22.79, 31.02 and 2.98 mg/kg dry soil respectively, while the soil from site III has shown the highest concentration of Zn. The data referred to the fact that Mentha longifolia, Cucumis sativus, Capsicum annuum, Lactuca sativa Cucurbita pepo, and Anethum graveolens that grown in sites of investigation could be recognized as suitable for human consumption. These six vegetables could accumulate the measured heavy metals in their tissues with acceptable quantities, less than the permissible levels of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Otherwise, heavy metal concentrations in Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum melongena have been found to be higher than permissible limits of FAO. Both plants also have shown elevated bioconcentration factors values for most of measured heavy metals. For S. lycopersicum the bioconcentration factor values of Fe, Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Zn have been found to be 42.150, 27.250, 1.023, ND, 5.926, 4.649, 29.409, and 0.459 respectively. While for S. melongena, they have been 2.360, 21.333, ND, 0.170, ND, 3.113, 50.318, and 0.623, respectively. To avoid the harmful effects of the heavy metals accumulation on human health, consideration should be given to the constant examination to the edible parts of the vegetables grown in heavy metals contaminated soil.
Sansevieriatrifasciata was studied as a potential biosorbent for chromium, copper and nickel removal in batch process from electroplating and tannery effluents. Different parameters influencing the biosorption process such as pH, contact time, and amount of biosorbent were optimized while using the 80 mm sized particles of the biosorbent. As high as 91.3 % Ni and 92.7 % Cu were removed at pH of 6 and 4.5 respectively, while optimum Cr removal of 91.34 % from electroplating and 94.6 % from tannery effluents was found at pH 6.0 and 4.0 respectively. Pseudo second order model was found to best fit the kinetic data for all the metals as evidenced by their greater R2 values. FTIR characterization of biosorbent revealed the presence of carboxyl a
... Show MoreScrew piles are widely used in supporting structures subjected to pullout forces, such as power towers and offshore structures, and this research investigates their performance in gypseous soil of medium relative density. The bearing capacity and displacement of a single screw pile model inserted in gypseous soil with various diameters (D = 20, 30, and 40) mm are examined in this study. The soil used in the testing had a gypsum content of 40% and the bedding soil had a relative density of 40%. To simulate the pullout testing in the lab, a physical model was manufactured with specific dimensions. Three steel screw piles with helix diameters of 20, 30, and 40 mm are used, with a total length of 500 mm. The helix is continuous over the
... Show MoreTrickle irrigation is one of the most conservative irrigation techniques since it implies supplying water directly on the soil through emitters. Emitters dissipate energy of water at the end of the trickle irrigation system and provide water at emission points. The area wetted by an emitter depends upon the discharge of emitter, soil texture, initial soil water content, and soil permeability. The objectives of this research were to predict water distribution profiles through different soils for different conditions and quantify the distribution profiles in terms of main characteristics of soil and emitter. The wetting patterns were simulated at the end of each hour for a total time of application of 12 hrs, emitter disch
... Show MoreGypseous soils are distributed in many regions in the world including Iraq, which cover more than (31%) of the surface area of the country. Existence of these soils, always with high gypsum content, caused difficult problems to the buildings and strategic projects due to dissolution and leaching of the gypsum caused by the action of water flow through soil mass. For the study, the gypseous soil was brought from Bahr Al-Najaf, Al-Najaf Governorate which is located in the middle of Iraq. The model pile was embedded in gypseous soil with 42% gypsum content. Compression axial model pile load tests have been carried out for model pile embedded in gypseous soil at initial degree of saturation of (7%) before and after soil satu
... Show MoreActivities associated with mining of uranium have generated significant quantities of waste materials containing uranium and other toxic metals. A qualitative and quantitative study was performed to assess the situation of nuclear pollution resulting from waste of drilling and exploration left on the surface layer of soil surrounding the abandoned uranium mine hole located in the southern of Najaf province in Iraq state. To measure the specific activity, twenty five surface soil samples were collected, prepared and analyzed by using gamma- ray spectrometer based on high counting efficiency NaI(Tl) scintillation detector. The results showed that the specific activities in Bq/kg are 37.31 to 1112.47 with mean of 268.16, 0.28 to 18.57 with
... Show MoreThe soil acari fauna of Citrus orchards of Baghdad in Jadiriya area was studied in a total
of forty-eight samples. Twenty-two species were recorded during the present study of which
eight species were first records to Iraq. The ordinal composition of the soil acari fauna was
predominantly Mesostigmata.
This fauna represents diverse trophic groups. The most abundant groups were the
predacious and the Microphytophagus, while the less abundant groups were the predacious/
Microphytophagus, Macrophytophagus, and Panaphytophagus. The most abundant and
frequent species were Rhizoglyphus sp. Tyrophagus putrescentiea (Scrank), Pachylaelaps
longisetis Halbt. and Stratiolaelaps miles Berl.
The present work deals with the performance of screw piles constructed in gypseous soil of medium relative density; such piles are extensively used in piles foundations supported structures subjected to axial forces. The carrying capacity and settlement of a single screw pile model of several diameters (20, 30, and 40) mm inserted in gypseous soil is investigated in the present study. The gypsum content of soil used in tests was 40%. The bedding soil used in tests was prepared by raining technique with a relative density of 40%. A physical model was manufactured to demonstrate the tests in the laboratory. The model of screw pile has been manufactured of steel with a total length of 50
The response of floating stone columns of different lengths to diameter ratio (L/D = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10) ratios exposed to earthquake excitations is well modeled in this paper. Such stone column behavior is essential in the case of lateral displacement under an earthquake through the soft clay soil. ABAQUS software was used to simulate the behavior of stone columns in soft clayey soil using an axisymmetric finite element model. The behavior of stone column material has been modeled with a Drucker-Prager model. The soft soil material was modeled by the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion assuming an elastic-perfectly plastic behavior. The floating stone columns were subjected to the El Centro earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.1 an
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