The present work aimed to study the SiO2μPs, and NPs effect on the biodegradability of St/PVA blends. The samples were prepared by casting method as PVA, St/PVA blends with different concentrations (30, 40, 50, and 60 %). FTIR test was carried out for the samples preparation. The results proved some changes which might be related to changing in crystallinity of St/PVA matrix as well as physical incorporation of SiO2 μPs, and NPs addition. The enzymatic test and water uptake results proved that increase in weight loss with increases of starch ratio. The lowest weight loss was PVA; the highest weight loss is 60% St/PVA whereas the lowest weight loss is 30%St/PVA for blends involved. SiO2μPs (753.7 nm), and NPs (263.1 nm) were added at d

Four species of insects, Carpophillus obsoletus Er., Carpophilus sp., Bitoma lycnformis Wall and Scatopse sp., were found in association with infected spathes of date palm with Mauginella scaettae Cav. The later fungus was the dominant species isolated in pure cultures both from diseased spathes and from contaminated insects. Bitoma lycriformis is the first record for Iraq.

In this paper, the Mars orbital elements were calculated. These orbital elements—the major axis, the inclination (i), the longitude of the ascending node (W), the argument of the perigee (w), and the eccentricity (e)—are essential to knowing the size and shape of Mars' orbit. The quick basic program was used to calculate the orbital elements and distance of Mars from the Earth from 25/5/1950 over 10000 days. These were calculated using the empirical formula of Meeus, which depended on the Julian date, which slightly changed for 10000 days; Kepler's equation was solved to find Mars' position and its distance from the Sun. The ecliptic and equatorial coordinates of Mars were calculated. The distance between Mars and the center of the E

A field experiment was conducted to grow the wheat crop during the fall season 2020 in Karbala province, north of Ain Al-Tamr District in two locations of different textures and parent materials. The first site (calcareous soil) with a sandy loam texture, is located at (44° 40′ 37′) east longitude and (32° 41′ 34′) north latitude, at an altitude of 32 m above sea level, and an area of 20 hectares. As for the second location (gypsum soil) with a loam texture, it is located at a longitude (45° 41′ 39′) east and a latitude (33° 43′ 34′ north) and at an altitude of 33 m above sea level and an area of 20 hectares. To find out the effect of different tillage systems on water productivity and wheat yield under center pivot irri

Two field experiments were conducted during the spring seasons of 2000,2001.The aim was to study the effect of hardening to drought tolerance on moisture percentage in root and stem of sunflower plant during growth stages . Asplit-split plots design was used with three replications.The main plots included irrigation treatments:irrigation to100%(full irrigation),75and50%of available soil water.The sub plots were the cultivars Euroflor and Flame.The sub-sub plots represented four seed soaking treatments :Control(unsoaked),soaking in water ,Paclobutrazol solution(250ppm),and Pix solution(500ppm). The soaking continued for 24 hours then seeds were dried at room temperature until they regained their original weight. Amount of water

This study investigated the feasibility of anaerobic co-digestion of giant reed (GR) inoculated with waste manure as a co-substrate for biogas production. The performance of co-digestion was evaluated in 4 anaerobic digesters operated in batch mode at different conditions. The effects of alkali pretreatment with NaOH (4% w/v) solution, inoculum type, and thermal condition were studied. The results demonstrated that the alkali-pretreatment of GR enhanced the biogas generation by about 15% at mesophilic conditions. Thermophilic conditions enhanced the biogas recovery from both alkali-free and alkali pretreated GR by 15% and 127%, respectively. The kinetic study of the co-digestion process of GR for biogas recovery suggeste

This study investigates the potential of biogas recovery from used engine oil (UEO) by co-digestion with animals’ manure, including cow dung (CD), poultry manure (PM), and cattle manure (CM). The experimental work was carried out in anaerobic biodigesters at mesophilic conditions (37°C). Two groups of biodigesters were prepared. Each group consisted of 4 digesters. UEO was the main component in the first group of biodigesters with and without inoculum, whereby a mix of UEO and petroleum refinery oily sludge (ROS) was the component in the second group of biodigesters. The results revealed that for UEO-based biodigesters, maximum biogas production was 0.98, 1.23, 1.93, and 0 ml/g VS from UEO±CD, UEO±CM, UEO±PM, and U