A survey of entomopathogenic and other opportunistic fungi isolated from soil samples collected from insect hibernation sites in different habitats in Kurdistan region of Iraq was carried out during October to December 2009. By using dilution plate method, two entomopathogenic species (Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill.and Isaria javanica (Friedrichs & Bally) Samson & Hywel-Jones) were detected with isolation percentage (38.46%) each. Other opportunistic fungi such as Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, A.niger, Penicillium glabrum, P. digitatum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Syncephalastratum racemosum were also isolated. B. bassiana was the most virulent fungus and showed complete mortality (100%) on two aphid species Hyalopterus pruni Geoff. and Aphis pomi De Greer after six days of inoculation, followed by I.javanica with 66.67% and 75.59% mortality respectively. I. javanica was isolated for the first time from Iraq. A brief description along with photographs is provided for the newly recorded species. Key words: Entomopathogenic fungi, Soil, Iraq.
The aim of this study is to synthesize an easy, non-toxic and eco-friendly method. Silver nanoparticles which were synthesized by leaf extract of mint were characterized by UV-Visible Spectroscopy which appears UVVisible spectrum of demonstrated a peak 448 nm corresponding to surface Plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR); functional groups involved in the silver nanoparticles synthesis were identified, the presence of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) analysis clearly illustrated that the shape of silver nanoparticles was spherical and the size of the silver nanoparticles has been measured as 55- 85 nm. Evaluation of its antimic
... Show MoreThis study synthesized polyacetal from the reaction of polyvinyl alcohol with para-nitrobenzaldehyde. Polyacetal/polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer blends were prepared using solution casting. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized using onion peel extract as the reducing agent. Nanocomposites were fabricated by blending polyacetal/PVP with AuNPs and AgNPs at different ratios. XRD and FESEM characterized the AuNPs and AgNPs. FTIR, FESEM, TGA, and DSC characterized the polyacetal, polymer blends, and nanocomposites. DSC and TGA confirmed the improved thermal stability of the polymer blends and nanocomposites. Nanocomposites demonstrated higher efficacy in inhibiting lung cancer cell lines compared t
... Show MoreAnimal fats are a good, promising and ethical alternative source for biodiesel production, but they need more complex treatments than vegetable oils. Iraqi butchery plants waste fats (sheep fat) which are suggested as feedstock to produce biodiesel. This type of fat contains a large quantity of free fatty acids (FFAs) (acid number 49.13 mg KOH/g of fat). The direct transesterification of such fats produce high amount of soap instead of desired biodiesel, so a pre-treatment step (to reduce FFAs) is necessary before transesterification. This step was done by esterification of the free fatty acids in the fat by adding ethanol and using 1% acid catalyst (H2SO4) for 30 minutes. The results showed that the acid number of sheep fat after pre-tr
... Show MoreBacteria strain H8, which produces high amount of exopolysaccharide (EPS), was isolated from soil, and identified as strain of Azotobacter chrococcum by its biochemical /physiological characteristics, EPS was extracted, partially purified and used as bioflocculant. The biochemical analysis of the partially purified EPS revealed that it was an alginate. analysis of EPS by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) show that the -OH groups present in bioflocculant are clearly seen at 3433.06 cm-1, the peaks attributed to the -CH3 groups present at 2916.17 cm-1 , and some distinct peaks such as carboxyl group showed strong absorption bands at 1604.66 cm-1, 1411.80 cm-1 and 1303.79 cm-1 indicate the chemical structure of alginate. The effe
... Show MoreThe study included the investigation of fungi which associated with heavy animal's leather (Cows and Buffalos) and light (Sheep’s and Goats )through different processing stages (raw hides ,dehairing ,pickling,chrome tanned and stainning or finished stages)there were 10 genera and 25 species in addition to sterile fungi associated with animal leathers which included Alternaria ,Aspergillus,Cladosporium,Fusarium, Mucor , Penicillium , Rhizopus , and Trichoderma .Aspergillus and Penicillium have observed in all leather samples and different processing stages, and that the first time isolate two genera Helminthosporium , Stemphylium form leather for staining stage.
Objective: To evaluate two kinds of extraction (aqueous and ethanolic) for coriander using seeds, leaves and stems and
studying their antibacterial activity against nine different microorganisms.
Methodology: Coriander was selected to carry out this study. Seeds, leaves and stems were collected from local markets in
Baghdad then dried in shade for at least 10 days and grinded to fine powder. Aqueous hot extracts for 1hr. at (50
c) and
cold extracts for 24 hrs at (4
c) were performed by using seeds, leaves and stems then studied antibacterial effect against
nine different microorganisms by using well diffusion technique. Cold aqueous extracts of coriander seeds for 48 hrs. and
72 hrs and ethanolic extraction
Thermal properties of soils are important in buried structures contact problems. Although laboratory is distinctly advantageous in measuring the thermal conductivity of soil under ideal condition, given the ability to simulate relatively large-scale in place of soil bed, the field thermal conductivity of soil is not yet commonly used in many types of research. The use of only a laboratory experiment to estimate thermal conductivity may be the key reason for overestimation or underestimation it. In this paper, an intensive site investigation including field thermal conductivity tests for six different subsoil strata were performed using a thermal probe method (TLS-100) to systematically understanding the effects of field dry density, water c
... Show MoreAbstract. In this research, the uranium concentration in (16) water samples collected from some agricultural areas surrounded with AlTuwitha nuclear site in Baghdad-Iraq was measured by using a CR-39 detector. The concentration of uranium in this study was from (0.6 ± 0.33mg/l) to (2.51 ± 0.49 mg/l), and the weighted average for the concentrations (1.262 ± 0.402 mg/l). The results showed it is a concentration of uranium level in water samples studied is higher than the allowed limit recommended by WHO and ICRP.