Groundwater vulnerability assessment shows an extreme sensitivity to in situ anthropogenic pollutants. A dichotomous assessment of geological and hydrological (inter alia) characteristics makes it possible to determine the vulnerability of an aquifer. The natural carrying capacity of aquifer can be severely compromised by human activities. The physical structure and material composition of aquifers shows resistance to contaminants transport from surface to water-table. Currently, numerous methods have been posited evaluating aquifer's vulnerability. Similarly the DRASTIC model utilizes computer algorithms and hydro-geological data within a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment to compute aquifer vulnerability.The degree of vulnerability for each parameter can be evaluated by computing sensitivity analysis of DRASTIC index using GIS, showing the contribution of each parameter to vulnerability sensitivity. The GIS was used to developed map which showed high risk area of 28.8% and moderately vulnerable areas of 46.3% while areas of no risk were 10.4%. Central regions within the study area showed low vulnerability due to dense human settlement and low water level. However, pasture type lands and agricultural areas recorded high risk.Lahore's environmental and socio-economic development is dependent on policy makers and planner's ability to use information effectively for decision making. The resultant groundwater vulnerability map provides a basis for this aimed at protecting the aquifer from pollutants. Additionally, land use and development activities can be informed by mapping variables, showing that industrial and agriculture areas are highly vulnerable as compare to settlement areas

In this paper, a new ferric chloride-(polyvinylpyrrolidone-grafted-polyacrylamide) hybrid copolymer was successfully synthesized by free radical polymerization in solution using ceric ammonium nitrate as redox initiator. The hybrid copolymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Response surface methodology (RSM), involving central composite design (CCD) matrix with two of the most important operating variables in the flocculation process; hybrid copolymer dosage and pH were utilized for the study and for the optimization of the wastewater treatment process. Response surface analyses showed that the experimental data could be adequately fitted to quadratic polynomial models. Under the optimum conditions, the turbidity and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies were 96.4% and 83.5% according to RSM optimization, whereas the optimum removals based on the genetic algorithm (GA) were 96.56% and 83.54% for the turbidity and COD removal models. Based on these results, wastewater treatment using this novel hybrid copolymer has proved to be an effective alternative in the overseeing of turbidity and COD problems of municipal wastewater.

Shatt Al-Arab River (in Basrah province South of Iraq) is approximately 192 km long. It plays a key role in providing water for domestic purposes, irrigation, manufacturing, in addition to shipment. Recently the river suffers from increasing pollution, due to wastes from industries, domestic sewage and agricultural activities that find their way into water sources and result in large scale deterioration of water quality. Investigating the river size and significance, becomes necessary to perform a study to understand the water quality of this river that is considered by some experts as one of the most contaminated in Iraq. This work uses the Water Quality Index (WQI) to describe the pollution level of the river and by using Geographic Information System (GIS) to create WQI map. This study also determines the critical pollutants affecting the river water quality throughout its course. WQI has been formulated making use of several water quality parameters such as pH, temperature, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biological Oxygen Demand（BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand（COD）, Nitrate (NO3-2), Phosphate (PO4-3), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Turbidity (Tur), and Electrical Conductivity (E.C) which were measured at 37 sites along the river. Bad water quality was observed at the sites of the river branches, near the center of Basrah governorate. Furthermore, it was discovered that the main reason for river pollution was due to the high sewage water discharged into the river, especially river branches and illegal discharges of industrial effluent and sewage.

In this study, the groundwater quality and spatial distribution of Basra province in the south of Iraq was assessed and mapped for drinking and irrigation purposes. Groundwater samples (n = 41) were collected from deep wells in the study area to demonstrate, estimate and modelling of Water...

This research characterizes a natural zeolitic-rich tuff from Yemen (Al-Ahyuq area) and its potential in environmental applications. A total of 40 zeolite samples of Al-Ahyuq area were selected and fully characterized by a variety technique to obtain the mineralogical and physicochemical parameters. Our results show that the purities of zeolite minerals range from 78 to similar to 100% zeolite. Clinoptilolite and mordenite are the major mineral zeolite whereas heulandite and stilbite occur in minor amounts present in the zeolite deposit. Accessory minerals include quartz, illite, mica, feldspar, kaolinite, and smectite. In addition, the chemical compositions of Al-Ahyuq zeolitic tuffs are found to be comparable with other zeolites compositions of high economic value in the world. Moreover, its environment application was also discussed in this paper.