This study presents a comprehensive statistical and meteorological investigation of the western part of Iraq, specifically focusing on the Anbar governorate. To facilitate a detailed analysis, the study area was divided into four sections corresponding to the geographical directions: north, south, east, and west. The primary objective was to evaluate the potential for solar power exploitation in this region by analyzing a wide range of physical and meteorological data. The study encompassed various parameters including solar irradiation, air temperature, and other climatic variables that influence solar power generation. The physical and meteorological data demonstrated a strong correlation in most cases, indicating a consistent trend across the study area. However, two variables— diffuse horizontal irradiation and air temperature—showed inverse trends, deviating from the general pattern. These deviations were carefully analyzed to understand their impact on solar power potential. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that regions with elevated terrains, particularly in the western and southern parts of the Anbar governorate, exhibited higher solar power gains. This finding is significant as it highlights the influence of topography on solar energy potential. The combination of statistical and meteorological data provided a robust framework for assessing the feasibility of solar power projects in the region. The results of this study indicate the promising potential for solar power generation in the Anbar governorate. The integration of statistical and meteorological analyses offers valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders involved in renewable energy planning and development. This investigation paves the way for future research and practical applications aimed at harnessing solar energy in western Iraq.

The potential for creating unique, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective concrete via biomineralization is discussed in this research. Cement, a necessary component of concrete, is expensive and emits between 8 and 10% of the world’s CO2 emissions. Researchers have significant effects to identify alternatives that can reduce the burden of high costs, excessive energy use, and environmental repercussions. Manufactured sand (M-sand) completely replaced fine aggregate, and cement was replaced with alternatives such as Alccofine (AF) and Silica Fume (SF). The percentage at which it can be substituted for cement is, however, somewhat small. The goal of this study is to create an environmentally friendly AF and SF concrete mix by incorporating bacteria with the highest possible cell concentration. To evaluate the mechanical properties, concrete samples were tested for flexural strength, split tensile strength, and compressive strength at 7, 14 and 28 days postcuring. The microstructural analysis of sustainable concrete was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. It was determined that 10% alccofine and 15% silica fume by volume of cement in the binary cementitious system provided the best mechanical characteristics for bacterial concrete using Bacillus megaterium. Similarly manner in the ternary cementitious system, the highest gain in compressive strength is seen when 10% alccofine is substituted with 10% silica fume in the cement mixture. Calcium carbonate precipitation validated the enhanced properties of bacterial concrete. The microorganisms used in the concrete are non-toxic and environmentally being. Results indicate that using Bacillus megaterium alongside AF and SF helps to reduce cement usage, lessens carbon dioxide emissions, and makes concrete more environmentally friendly. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), the calcite precipitations in bio-additive mixed ternary admixture blended concrete were confirmed. The proposed regression equations produced minimal errors when compared to the experimental results, thus providing accurate and effective predictions of the flexural, split, and compressive strengths. The strength properties of these blends were validated through SEM studies.

This research was initiated to study the groundwater potential zones using the Fuzzy logic technique at Lembangan Kadamaian, Kota Belud, Sabah, and its surroundings. The lithological units of this study mainly focus on the sedimentary rock of Wariu Formation, Crocker Formation, and Trusmadi Formation, including the quaternary alluvium deposition unit of Kota Belud. Based on the structural geology analysis results, the deformation trends are in the northwest-southeast direction. The interpretation of groundwater potential zones was made by using the ArcGIS Pro, R-studio Global Mapper, and several other mappingrelated software. Ten thematic maps that have been produced are lithological map, lineament density map, rainfall map, distant from river map, distant from lineament map, drainage density map, landform, and land cover map, Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) map, rock porosity map, curvature map, and slope steepness map. GIS techniques were used during the spatial analysis stage. All thematic maps have their class values and are based on field data, relevant department data, and remote sensing data. Further processes were done using R-studio, Fuzzy Toolset, and Raster Calculator. This process afterward will produce the groundwater potential map of the study area. The final result has been supported by the data of tube wells from the Department of Minerals and Geosciences, Sabah, and was validated using the ROC and AUC curve validation technique.

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a material that may be harmful to human health. This is mainly because it releases specific chemicals during its manufacture, usage, and disposal. It is important to remember that the effects on health can change depending on the particular situation, exposure levels, and personal sensibilities. There are initiatives underway to address these environmental issues. Increasing EPS recycling rates, locating substitute materials, and encouraging appropriate disposal techniques are the main goals of several projects. Furthermore, studies into more environmentally friendly EPS substitutes for a variety of applications are still in progress. Creating a circular economy and lowering the total amount of single-use plastics used are two more aspects of larger plans to lessen the environmental impact of materials like EPS. The introduction of EPS cubes into concrete has reduced the adverse effects of EPS materials in the environment. This study substituted EPS, which is generated from industrial waste products, for aggregate. For an experimental study, a good-strength, sustainable concrete mix of grade M30 has been developed. In increments of 25%, five different mix proportions were evaluated for EPS cubes with size variations of 10 mm, 12 mm, and 20 mm. The range of 0 to 100% was studied. The replacement of EPS cubes by volume of course aggregates in the mixture yields the maximum increase in crushing, rupture, and bending strength, according to the mechanical properties of concrete that have been observed. This replacement ratio of 25% was shown to be efficient. The use of EPS materials in concrete is therefore shown to produce large reductions in environmental pollutants in addition to significant cost and energy savings.

Heavy metal pollution released into the surface environment poses a significant threat, being hazardous to both the environment and living organisms. Phytoremediation thus appears as a viable technique to address heavy metal pollution in soils impacted by industrial effluents. To identify the growth performance of sunflower and cotton seeds under various concentrations of arsenic and chromium present in the tannery industrial wastewater in the Chengalpattu region, and to identify the accumulation of Arsenic(As)As and chromium (Cr) in the roots, shoots, and soil of these plants. This paper examined the usefulness of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and cotton (Gossypium herbaceum) in eradicating Cr and As-polluted soils originating from tannery wastewater. In this experiment, Completely Randomized Block Design (CBRD) testing was performed, and the samples were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The accumulation of Cr in sunflowers was 120 mg.kg-1 in the roots and 25 mg.kg-1 in the above-ground parts. As accumulated to 85 mg.kg-1 in the roots and 15 mg.kg-1 in the above-ground parts. Similarly, cotton plants accumulated 90 mg.kg-1 of Cr in the roots and 20 mg.kg-1 in the above-ground parts. As accumulation in cotton plants was 100 mg.kg-1 in the roots and 30 mg.kg-1 in the aboveground parts. The study inferred that, in comparison to the other plants, the concentrations of Cr in sunflower roots were significantly higher, but cotton was found to have a better ability to take up As in the roots as well as in the aerial parts of the plant. It hence demonstrates the applicability of sunflower and cotton to support phytoremediation efforts sustainably within industrial environments to mitigate pollution and improve the quality of the soil.

The present study aims to analyze changes in the physicochemical parameters of the soil in the vicinity of a small municipal solid waste landfill site. The research results were analyzed based on general physicochemical properties, which include pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon (OC), available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) by using standard methods. The results show that the soil from the dump sites contained higher amounts of soil properties (EC, SOC, N, P, K) than the non-dumping sites. Pearson correlation shows that pH exhibits a robust negative correlation with all other parameters while the remaining other parameters had a positive correlation with each other. Also, PCA analysis shows dumping sites mostly depict positive values in PC1, whereas the non-dumping sites indicate negative values. The final interpretation indicates that the soil in the dump site was found suitable for plant growth. However, due to improper solid waste management, this nutrient-rich soil could be mixed up with several other contaminants, such as soluble salts, plastics, heavy metals, and so on. This could make the soil unhealthy or unsuitable for plant growth. The study also suggests proper segregation, recovery, treatment, and safe disposal of solid waste and formulates an integrated municipal solid waste management plan for this particular dumping site.

Lead contamination poses a major threat to health and environmental well-being. The remediation of this heavy metal from water sources is essential to safeguard health and ensure access to clean water. In this study, Peanut hull was used as a biosorbent for lead (Pb) removal from water. It focuses on optimizing various parameters important for lead removal. Statistical analysis, such as the Kruskal-Wallis test, was done to assess the significance of these parameters on lead biosorption, and an inverse variance weighting technique was employed to derive the weighted contribution of each variable for fixed Pb removal categories in the range of 80-100% and 80% (below). On analysis, it was found that factors such as pH and biomass dosage played major roles in lead removal. Furthermore, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), were done to find out changes in the structural and elemental characteristics of peanut hull after lead sequestration. Overall, this study highlights the potential of peanut hull as a promising biosorbent for lead removal from water, thereby offering a sustainable solution to water contamination with heavy metals.

Cotesia flavipes is an important hymenopteran larval parasitoid that belongs to the family Braconidae. Its usage in pest management strategies is promising due to its parasitic impact on the larval stage of lepidopteran pests. The current investigation aims to determine the optimal host age for the parasitoid’s mass proliferation and augmentative releases. The experiments showed that the female C. flavipes parasitizes all larval age groups of Sesamia inferens. Among all the larval ages, C. flavipes preferred second to third instars for parasitism during the spring (up to 90%) and kharif (up to 80%) seasons. There was no substantial difference in the development period between stinging, cocoon production, and the adult emergence of parasitoids. The age of the host has a substantial impact on adult longevity, with females taking longer than males. Thus, larval instars (second and third) are also recommended for high-quality mass-rearing larval parasitoids, especially C. flavipes, due to their strong parasitism and high net reproductive rate. Therefore, the second and third instars of S. inferens will recommend the mass rearing of C. flavipes and the release of these parasitoids in the field as a successful bio-control program.

The present study assessed the changes in land use and land cover to correlate the variations in the land surface temperature of Chattogram City. To analyze land use land cover (LULC) change and determine its effects on land surface temperature in the city area, temporal Landsat (5,7 ETM+ and 8,9 OLI) imageries from four time periods (2007, 2012, 2017, and 2022) were used. To assess the correctness of the picked random pixels, current ground truth data gathered from several sources was applied. Raster data has been utilized to identify the places that are influenced year-round in the green space (i.e., vegetation cover) and to examine the remote sensing image categorization for the green area using satellite images. These enable the study to explain the causes of the degradation and alteration of green space throughout time. The study identified that urbanization has resulted in a significant rise (about 2840 hectares, 16.74%) in urban land between 2007 and 2022, causing a loss of vegetative land (about 656 hectares, 3.85%). Additionally, the research concentrated on the actual affected area and attempted to forecast the cities’ land use in 2037, which revealed a large loss of vegetation by that year. The research has the potential to be utilized as a reference in the future.

The quantity of contaminants being released into rivers is rising in direct correlation with the growth of the human population. Bedog River is a tributary located in the vicinity of Mount Merapi. This river flows through agricultural, residential, and cattle sectors, making it easier to detect river contamination. The objective of this study is to evaluate the water quality of the Bedog River. The research employs a methodology that evaluates water quality by considering biological indicators, specifically the existence of dragonfly species, with the analysis of other chemical and physical properties in river water. The water quality research findings indicate that the physical and chemical characteristics remain satisfactory, with the water falling into the moderately polluted category. It also meets the water quality criteria outlined in PPRI No. 82 of 2001, specifically the class 2 threshold. A total of 23 Odonata species were identified. The upstream section, as indicated by the presence of Neurobasis chinensis florida and Heliocypha fenestrata, which are endemic, along with Macrogomphus parallelogramma, which is rare, is considered an optimal habitat capable of supporting sensitive dragonfly species. The dragonfly variety index in the Bedog River is relatively high, with values of 2.08, 2.79, and 1.47 for the upstream, middle, and downstream sections, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient indicates a strong positive correlation of 0.961, while the significance level of 0.179 suggests a statistically meaningful association. The findings highlight the potential of using dragonflies as bioindicators for long-term monitoring of river health and pollution levels. This study contributes to the understanding of how water quality impacts biodiversity and provides a basis for future research and river management practices. This research fills a gap by integrating biological indicators with traditional water quality assessments in a specific regional context. It provides new insights into the relationship between water quality and dragonfly diversity, offering valuable information for environmental monitoring and conservation efforts.