This study was achieved to satisfy two goals, the first of which is to treat an environmental problem represented by the disposal of date seeds, and the second is the use of these wastes to improve some mechanical and thermal properties of poly methyl methacrylate PMMA through strengthening different proportions of the powder of date seeds.

Particles of date seeds were used as a natural strengthening material for PMMA polymer, by mixing the matrix material (resin) with the hardener while still stirring continuously for a period of 10 min. After that, the samples of the reinforced material were prepared by adding the powder of date seeds, which is the reinforcing substance, with different percentages of weight fraction (0, 0.5, 1,

The beet armyworm (BAW), Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a highly destructive pest of vegetables and field crops. Management of beet armyworm primarily relies on synthetic pesticides, which is threatening the beneficial community and environment. Most importantly, the BAW developed resistance to synthetic pesticides with making it difficult to manage. Therefore, alternative and environment-friendly pest management tactics are urgently required. The use of pesticidal plant extracts provides an effective way for a sustainable pest management program. To evaluate the use of pesticidal plant extracts against BAW, we selected six plant species (Lantana camara, Aloe vera, Azadirachta indica, Cymbopogon citratus, Nicotiana tabacum ,

Chloroviruses are large viruses that replicate in chlorella-like green algae and normally exist as mutualistic endosymbionts (referred to as zoochlorellae) in protists such as Paramecium bursaria. Chlorovirus populations rise and fall in indigenous waters through time; however, the factors involved in these virus fluctuations are still under investigation. Chloroviruses attach to the surface of P. bursaria but cannot infect their zoochlorellae hosts because the viruses cannot reach the zoochlorellae as long as they are in the symbiotic phase. Predators of P. bursaria, such as copepods and didinia, can bring chloroviruses into contact with zoochlorellae by disrupting the paramecia, which results in an increase in virus titers in micr

The problem of generated waste as a result of the implementation of construction projects, has  been aggravated recently because of construction activity experienced by the world, especially Iraq, which is going through a period of reconstruction, where construction waste represents (20-40%) of the total generated waste and has a negative effect on the environment and economic side of the project. In addition, the rate of consumpted  amounts of natural resources are estimated to be about 40% in the construction industry, so it became necessary to reduce waste and to be manage well. This study aims to identify the key factors affecting waste management through the various phases of the project, and this is accom

The undertaken study includes investigating the performance and effluent characteristics of the treatment plant of Al-Doura refinery. Influent concentrations for some important contaminants, which are TDS, oil and grease, TSS, COD, BOD, and turbidity were 2595 mg/L, 13934 mg/L, 466.45 mg/L, 2538.9 mg/L, 1739.2 mg/L, and 89.18 NTU, respectively, while the effluent concentrations were 1337.8 mg/L, 0.53mg/L, 21.7mg/L, 25.45 mg/L, 17.81 mg/L, and 7.08 NTU, respectively, giving removal efficiencies of 44.47%, 99.99%, 94.4%, 98.96%, 98.96% and 92.05%, respectively. All these results indicate that Al-Doura wastewater treatment plant was efficient in removing contaminants according to Iraqi and EPA specifications. Hence, the second part of this

Effluent from incompetent wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contains a great variety of pollutants so support water treatments are essential. The present work studies the removal of phosphate species from aqueous solutions by adsorption on to spherical Calcined Sand -Clay mixture (CSCM) used a natural, local and low-cost adsorbent. Batch experiments were performed to estimate removal efficiency of phosphate. The adsorption experiments were carried out as function of pH, dose of adsorbent, initial concentration, temperature and time of adsorption. The efficient removal was accomplished for pH between 10 and 12. The experimental results also showed that the removal of phosphate by (CSCM) was rapid (the % removal 98.9%, 92%, 90%, 89% in 6

Bis-anthraquinones with a unique molecular backbone, (+)-2,2’-epicytoskyrin A (epi) and (+)-1,1′-bislunatin (bis), was produced by endophytic fungi Diaporthe sp GNBP-10 associated with Gambir plant (Uncaria gambier). Epi and bis possess robust antimicrobial activity toward various pathogens. This study focus on knowing the optimum condition of epi and bis production from Diaporthe sp GNBP-10. A series of culture media with various nutrient compositions was investigated in epi and bis production. The content of epi and bis was determined by measuring the area under the curve from TLC-densitometric (scanner) experiment. The linear regression analysis was then applied to obtain the results. The optimi

Optimization procedures using a variety of input parameters have gotten a lot of attention, but using three non-edible seed oils of Jatropha (Jatropha curcas), Sesame (Sesamum indicum), and Sweet Almond (Prunusamygdalus dulcis) has a few advantages, including availability and non-food competitiveness. Optimizing a two-stage trans-esterification process using a sodium hydroxide-based catalyst at a fixed catalyst (1.0wt %) and temperature (60 ^oC) while varying molar ratio (1:3, 1:6, 1:12),  time (20–60 min), and mixing speed (500–1000 rpm), to produce optimal responses of yields were studied using response surface methodology (RSM). The optimization solution of molar ratio (1:3), time (40.9 min.),

The present work concerns with simulating unsteady state equilibrium model for production of methyl oleate (biodiesel) from reaction of oleic acid with methanol using sulfuric acid as a catalyst in batch reactive distillation. MESHR equations of equilibrium model were solved using MATLAB (R2010a). The validity of simulation model was tested by comparing the simulation results with a data available in literature. UNIQUAC liquid phase activity coefficient model is the most appropriate model to describe the non-ideality of OLAC-MEOH-MEOL-H2O system. The chemical reactions rates results from EQ model indicating the rates are controlled by chemical kinetics. Several variables was studied such as molar ratio of methanol to oleic acid 4:1, 6:1