A comparative study was carried out on ecological and genetical adaptation of three Iraqi
freshwater snails, Physa acuta, Melanopsis buccinoidea and Melanoides tuberculata, in
respect to acute toxicity of heavy metals (Zn, Cd and Hg). Longevity are used as poisoning
tolerance criterion. LT 50 and LT 100 were determined for the studied snails at (0.5, 1, 5, and
10 ppm), for the three metals. Results indicated that Physa acuta had a higher tolerance than
Melanopsis buccinoidea and Melanoides tuberculata, which was the lower one. Previous
exposure to heavy metals in the original habitat was affecting on experimental tolerance and
no relationships of physical and chemical factors (total hardness, temperature, D. O. and
sulphate) between original and experimental exposuring has been occurred. Results indicated
no ability of the three species for genetical adaptation on experimental bioassays, except for
lower concentrations (0.5, 1 ppm), since Physa acuta managed to give more than two healthy
new generations, whereas Melanopsis buccinoidea was disabled to give more than one
weakling generation.The species Melanoides tuberculata showed a complete disability to give
any generation . The present study suggested a new wide experiment to be design, not only
by acute toxicity but with chronic toxicity, in order to determine the interference between the
ecological and genetical adaptation and the previous exposure to many environmental
pollutants.
In this article four samples of HgBa2Ca2Cu2.4Ag0.6O8+δ were prepared and irradiated with different doses of gamma radiation 6, 8 and 10 Mrad. The effects of gamma irradiation on structure of HgBa2Ca2Cu2.4Ag0.6O8+δ samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction. It was concluded that there effect on structure by gamma irradiation. Scherrer, crystallization, and Williamson equations were applied based on the X-ray diffraction diagram and for all gamma doses, to calculate crystal size, strain, and degree of crystallinity. I
... Show More