International Journal Of Environmental Research
Volume:6 Issue: 2, Spring 2012

The effect of salinity on organic removal and ammonium oxidation in a down-flow hanging sponge reactor was investigated by conducting a long-term continuous experiment over a period of 800 days. The DHS reactor, constructed by connecting three identical units, was fed with artificial wastewater containing 500 mg-N/L of ammonium nitrogen and 1400 mg- COD/L of phenol. Salinity of the influent was controlled by the addition of 8.0 to 25 g-Cl-/L of NaCl. The DHS reactor was operated at a hydraulic retention time of 12 h in a temperature controlled room at 25oC. No significant inhibition of organic removal and ammonium oxidation was observed at salinities of up to 20 g-Cl-/L, at which levels ammonium oxidation and COD removal both exceeded 90%, respectively. However, at a salinity of 25 g-Cl-/L, organic removal and ammonium oxidation were both severely inhibited. In addition, the ratio of effluent nitrite nitrogen to influent ammonium nitrogen increased from 3.4% at salinities of 8.0 g-Cl-/L to 33% at salinities of 20 g-Cl-/L.

The main factors affecting environmental sensitivity to degradation are soil, vegetation, climate and management, through either their intrinsic characteristics or by their interaction on the landscape. Different levels of degradation risks may be observed in response to particular combinations of the aforementioned factors. For instance, the combination of inappropriate management practices and intrinsically weak soil conditions will result in a severe degradation of the environment, while the combination of the same type of management with better soil conditions may lead to negligible degradation.The aim of this study was to identify factors and their impact on land degradation processes in three areas of the Basilicata region (southern Italy) using a procedure that couples environmental indices, GIS and crop-soil simulation models. Areas prone to desertification were first identified using the Environmental Sensitive Areas (ESA) procedure. An analysis for identifying the weight that each of the contributing factor (climate, soil, vegetation, management) had on the ESA was carried out using GIS techniques. The SALUS model was successfully executed to identify the management practices that could lead to better soil conditions to enhance land use sustainability. The best management practices were found to be those that minimized soil disturbance and increased soil organic carbon. Two alternative scenarios with improved soil quality and subsequently improving soil water holding capacity were used as mitigation measures. The ESA were recalculated and the effects of the mitigation measures suggested by the model were assessed. The new ESA showed a significant reduction on land degradation.

Nowadays, the environmental impact of transportation project and, especially air pollution impacts, are major concerns in evaluating transportation projects. Based on this concern, beside definition of traditional objective functions like total travel time and total investment cost, different type of environmental related function is considered as objective function in urban network design. In this paper, the continuous network design problem (CNDP) is formulated as a multi-objective bi-level optimization problem. The objective function of the upper level problem is a weighted combination of total travel time, total investment cost and total vehicular emission in the network. The lower level problem is the traffic assignment problem which would predict the vehicular flow on each link in the network. A new solution algorithm is proposed for solving the bi-level optimization problem by the partial linearization of the lower level problem. The solution algorithm was applied to the city of Sioux Falls, a well known transportation network.

The present investigation provides a thorough study of eliminating soluble and colloidal elements of copper, iron, magnesium and zinc during estuarine mixing of Gorganrood River water with Caspian Sea water in Iran. The processes of flocculation were carried out in 10 aquariums in order to furnish the salinity in an interval of 0.3 - 4.4 ppt. The obtained result is indicative of non- conservative behavior of studied metals. Higher flocculation resulted in a lower salinity and vice-versa. The obtained results indicated that most metal were eliminated during the initial mixing of fresh water with sea water at 0.6 - 1.0 ppt salinity interval. The trend of flocculation rates of elements in the river were obtained as follows: Fe (97.33%)> Mn (91.66%) >Zn (72.72%) > Cu (52.63%).The annual average elimination of soluble elements of iron(Fe), manganese(Mn), zinc(Zn) and copper(Cu) from Gorganrood river to Caspian Sea decreases from 1040.68, 59.1498, 302.26, 263.64 tons per year to 27.75, 124.88, 83.255, 124.88 tons per year, respectively. According to the cluster analysis, parameters such as salinity, temperature, electrical conductivity, Eh and suspended solid materials do not have any impact on flocculation of elements. The only parameter that influences the flocculation of elements is the pH. This research illustrates that estuarine processes are effective mechanisms in self- purification of heavy metals from water resources. Metal speciation studies that are carried out by Eh-pH software show that studied metals are present as solid (in case of Cu), free ions (Fe and Mn) and finally hydroxides (Zn).

The disposal of nuclear wastes is one of the most controversial issues faced by authorities in Japan. In this regard, a survey was conducted among 172 university students to analyze the attitude towards the sitting of a nuclear waste repository in the country. The study focused on a number of variables that influenced the perception of risks before the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Results indicate that nuclear wastes were not a top priority for the Japanese public before the event. However, there was already a strong concern about the potential leakage of radionuclides. Most respondents believed the government would take proper steps to protect them, but overall, trust in authorities was modest. Moreover, people were especially doubtful about scientists. Findings from the survey showed a polarization between supporters and opponents to the project. The NIMBY (not in my backyard) phenomenon was relevant, as acceptance decreased drastically if the facility located near the respondents’ residential place. Economic incentives might not be enough to overcome the reluctance towards the sitting and therefore, authorities would need additional strategies to solve the controversy. At this stage the study provides only partial answers to a complex issue. Nevertheless, the study adds new information about public attitude on radioactive wastes, and help policymakers in subsequent phases of the repository program.

The current research was carried out with the aim of the investigation of organizational learning dimensions role in the development of enviropreneurship in environmental Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Iran by descriptive correlation method. Statistical population of this research was including all environmental NGOs of industries in all over the country and statistical samples were extracted by random sampling and sampling formula. Finally, 51 environmental NGOs were selected among active environmental NGOs as the studied sample. The main instrument of data collection in this research was questionnaire used for measuring enviropreneurship and organizational learning. To determine the validity of questionnaire, face validity method and opinion poll from experts were used. The designed instrument was at first used in the population out of pre-test statistical sample and Cronbach’s alpha was applied to determine reliability. Cronbach’s alpha for enviropreneurship was 0.76 and 0.97 for organizational learning. The main technique of data processing was logistic regression and SPSS software version 18 was used in this regard. Generally, the results of logit function showed that among organizational learning dimensions, organization connection with environment, encouraging co-workers and team learning and continuous learning opportunities were the most important variables determining the condition of enviropreneurship in environmental NGOs.

Environmental contamination by toxic metals is a serious problem due to their extreme toxicity towards aquatic life and humans. Biosorption is an alternative technology to conventional processes for the removal of metals. Biosorption of Pb(II) ions on the lichen biomass of Cladonia rangiformis Hoffm. is presented in this research. Batch experiments were conducted to study the biosorption properties of lichen biomass for Pb(II) and the effects of initial metal ion concentration, initial pH, biosorbent concentration, stirring speed and contact time on biosorption efficiency. The optimum pH value was found out 5.0 which was the native pH value of solution. Concentrations ranging from 30 to 150 mg/L Pb(II) were studied and the biosorptive removal efficiency of the metal ions was obtained as 99.5%. The experimental biosorption data were fitted to the Freundlich adsorption model and the regression constants were determined at 15oC. The results indicated that the biomass of Cladonia rangiformis is a suitable biosorbent for removing Pb(II) from aqueous solutions.

This study investigated maturation and stability levels during composting of Quercus robur (QR) woodchips mixed with different nitrogen sources (horse manure, HM and lake mud, LM) for potential agronomic utilisation. The woodchips were mixed with HM and LM, respectively, at mixing ratios of 1QR:2HM or 1QR:2LM. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse over 100 days. During composting, organic carbon and its fractioning and humification constituents were quantified. In the final compost product, pH, organic matter (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC) and selected available nutrients were measured. Thermostability of compost, compared with that of soil and compost mixed with charcoal were also quantified. Results showed OM evolution during the composting process with total organic and extractable carbons and humification indices decreasing, while the degree of humification increased. Compost produced from the 1QR:2HM mix resulted in the highest available nutrients, CEC and OM content values in the final product. Thermogravimetric profiles indicated that compost OM thermostability was higher than that in soil and higher for the 1QR:2HM than the 1QR:2LM mix. Application of charcoal revealed no additional stabilising effect of OM in wood compost.

The oil refining industries are using a number of demulsifiers for dewatering and desalination of crude oil but experience has shown that universal demulsifiers can not be produced. Each kind of water in oil (W/O) emulsion requires specific by composition demulsifier. In practice, synergetic effect of the interaction between different types of demulsifiers is often sought. For dewatering the water in oil emulsion of crude oil from the Ural region, 16 kinds of demulsifiers were tested, named D1 ÷ D16. With combinations of demulsifiers, the highest rate of emulsion drying was observed with mixture 1 (2.5 ppm of demulsifier D5 and 2.5 ppm of demulsifier D9). For the emulsion of water with diesel fraction boiling in the temperature range 180-360°C, mixture 1 at concentration of 20 ppm gave the optimal effect in breaking the emulsion. The results obtained from the experiments showed that the overdosing of demulsifier did not lead to optimal emulsion breaking and laboratory and industrial scale experiments should be carried out to break specific emulsion.

Identification of rapid degradation of ecological resources requires effective environmental monitoring including ecological integrity assessment. Our first aim is to analyze ecological integrity in a landscape context while developing a method to assess integrity in spite of a dearth of historical data. We used a Spatial-Temporal Reference Framework for land cover maps for assessing ecological integrity change, emphasizing changes in patch types and configuration. Land cover is used as a surrogate for habitat. Habitat condition is the main point of this research in assessing ecological integrity. Our second aim is to recognize, through a case study of the above, the ecological integrity of the Miankale peninsula of Miankale Biosphere Reserve on Iran’s Caspian Sea coast in the east latitude of 53، 24، 50ً and north altitude of 36، 56، 45ً. Land cover data were obtained from Landsat TM5 of 1985 and compared with current condition images from Landsat TM5 of 2010. Landscape metrics show that Minakale’s natural semi-dense shrub lands are fragmented; with the number of patches increasing and average patch area decreasing. This implies a fall in habitat available to its dependent bird species. In conclusion, considering birds’ habitat and its aggregation as a measure of integrity, landscape metrics show ecological integrity of Miankale has decreased and signals of habitat loss have appeared in study area. More detailed analysis in ecosystem scale is suggested as the complementary research to find the best indicator for assessing the integrity of the ecosystem.

Adsorption of anilofos was studied in four soils (topsoil from alfisol, inceptisol, oxisol and vertisol). The order of adsorption of anilofos was Vertisol > Oxisol > Alfisol > Inceptisol. The soil sorption coefficient K and the soil organic carbon sorption coefficient Koc are the basic parameters used for describing the environmental fate of the herbicides. In top soil the calculated K values were 5.43, 3.35, 9.41, 11.73; Koc values were 1086.00, 1288.46, 1191.14, 771.71 and Kc values were 9.05, 33.5, 20.02 and 36.66 from Alfisol, Inceptisol, Oxisol and Vertisol respectively. Field experimental plots with no previous history of anilofos were selected and studied the degradation of anilofos in top soil collected from Alfisol and Inceptisol. The halflife of anilofos in topsoil from Alfisol: T1- 3.17 days and T2 3.67 days and in Inceptisol: T1-3.91 days and T2 - 4.55 days. The degradation of anilofos followed first order kinetics. Anilofos persisted for a longer duration in Inceptisol than in Alfisol. The combination of degradation data (t1/2- soil) and organic carbon based sorption (Koc) data of herbicides have been used to assess the pesticide environmental impact in soils through Gustafson Ubiquity Score (GUS). The GUS values were found to be 0.48 in top soil from alfisol and 0.53 in inceptisol.

It is very important to determine the stable nitrogen isotope ratio for the nitrogenous substances in aerosols and the geochemistry behavior of stable nitrate ion isotopes in aerosols in order to elucidate the chemical and physical functions of clouds. Hence, aerosol field sampling was conducted in the skies offshore from Malibu Beach and Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A. on 16 and 18 July 2009, using an airplane. The samples were analyzed for nitrate and nitrite ions using ion chromatography (IC) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicate a higher stable isotopic ratio of δ (delta) 15N/14N in the aerosols collected at the cloud top of one cloud than the aerosols collected from the cloud base of a second cloud at the same altitude (30.48 meters) on 18 July 2009. NO2 - nitrite ions were present only in the aerosols sampled at the cloud base. At the same altitude, the stable nitrogen isotope ratio in the nitrogenous substances found in the aerosol depended on the aerosol position within the clouds. Furthermore, the altitude effect was small for the isotope ratio. To date, no research has been published that explores the relationship between the electric charge of clouds or the atmosphere and the fate or transformation of aerosols. My investigation indicated that past models describing the fate or transformation of aerosols within clouds are not based on the actual details of the situation. This study showed that the fates of electrically charged aerosols or ionized aerosols were affected by the electrically charged cloud.

Protein-rich hydrolysate from feather waste was obtained using a mixed culture of selected thermophilic actinomycete strains, and was tested for possible application as soil amendment and biological control agent. For this purpose, a 4 months laboratory experiment was carried out using two types of urban soils (Sofia, Bulgaria): native park soil and anthropogenic soil. The effect of the obtained hydrolysate on some soil parameters (pH, some enzyme activities and microbial activity), seed germination and ryegrass growth, and activity against some plant pathogenic fungi was studied. The results demonstrated that soil enrichment with the organic solution in low concentrations exerted a positive effect on soil urease and microbial activity, seed germination and ryegrass growth, and this trend was better expressed in the anthropogenic soils. Feather hydrolysate showed good activity against plant pathogenic fungi Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Mucor sp. and Aspergillus niger. Produced antifungal compounds were isolated and partially characterized as amphiphilic peptides. To the best of our knowledge, antifungal peptides produced by Thermoactinomyces sp. have not been reported. Therefore, the feather hydrolysate obtained by means of the mixed culture of Thermoactinomyces strains has potential to be used as alternative organic amendment for restoration of contaminated soils and for accelerating ryegrass growth. It could successfully used also for as biocontrol agent applicable to crop plant soil.

Enzymatic extract preparation from Pseudomonas aeruginosa KM110 under accession No. HQ730879 with lipase activity (0.3 U/ml), was used to perform enzymatic hydrolysis pretreatment of a synthetic dairy wastewater with 1000 mg/L total fat content. The pretreatment was optimized for 48 h hydrolysis time, at 45æ% C with 10% v/v enzymatic extract. The biological treatment of synthetic dairy wastewater was investigated using a batch bioreactor. Both raw and prehydrolyzed wastewater was digested in a batch bioreactor. Enhanced anaerobic digestion efficiency compare to raw wastewater was achieved (chemical oxygen demand (COD), removal efficiency of 90% vs. 66% and biogas production of 4710 ml vs. 2330 ml after 13days). The results obtained in this study illustrated that the application of a pretreatment process to hydrolyze and dissolve fats may improve the biological degradation of fatty wastewaters, accelerating the process and reducing time of anaerobic digestion. Moreover, the pretreatment of wastewater from several sources is a new and promising application for lipases.

Oil pollutions are widespread environmental pollutants. Most of the studies have been focused on the biodegradation of these pollutions. Unfortunately, the information on the microflore of the polluted regions especially for microalgae is limited. In this research, we have focused on Masjed Soleiman; one of the most oil polluted cities in Iran. Soil and water samples were collected from different stations and seasons and their microalgae identified morphologically and molecularly. TPH, PAH and heavy metals of these stations were analyzed. The relationship between TPH contents and micro algal populations has also been considered. Results showed microalgae, present in these regions belonged to Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta and Diatoms. Among them Phormidium sp. was the most dominant species that was found in all polluted regions. Microalgae biomass, declined in high level polluted medium, whereas low levels of TPH showed no effect on microbial biomass. According to the results the isolated specimens have high resistance to environmental pollutions. So the type and frequency of the species, can lead us to estimate the amount of pollution in different sampling regions.

Tehran has a population of over 12 million and produces more than 7500 tons of waste every day. Tehran’s municipal solid waste is processed and landfilled at Kahrizak disposal center. Due to inappropriate waste management, a lake with a leachate volume of 180,000m3 has been formed. To solve this problem a leachate treatment plant is currently under construction. A byproduct of leachate treatment is biogas. In this study, the feasibility of electricity generation using biogas has been investigated. Considering that 68.81% of the waste is degradable, the produced leachate has a high organic load (COD = 53900 mg/L and BOD = 34400mg/L). The results showed that a power plant with a capacity of 1.8 MW could be constructed in the site. This electricity can be utilized in Kahrizak Disposal Site and also sold to the network (10 US cents/ kilowatt). Financial analysis using ProForm software shows 1.3 years of payback period and emission reduction of carbon dioxide equal to 5752 tones/year in comparison with the natural gas power plant. Therefore this project is financially feasible for private investors with internal rate of return equal to 77% or more.

This study aims to quantify the impacts of land use changes on ecosystem service value during large scale land development, and to provide key information for both economic development and policy makers for eco-environmental protection. The study area locates in Manas river watershed which is a typical land development region in northwest China. Landsat MSS/TM/ETM+ images in 1976, 1989, 1999 and 2008 were applied to estimate ecosystem service value based on land use, and subsequently ecosystem service value dynamics were analyzed in response to land use changes. It is found that the built-up area and cultivated land increased significantly from 1976 to 2008. The decreasing ecosystem service value (from 17362.2 million Yuan in 1976 to 16975.0 million Yuan in 2008) is mainly caused by the reduced grassland. The combined ecosystem service value of water body and grassland is over 60% of the total value. Functions of water supply, waste treatment, soil formation and retention and biodiversity protection contributed to over 70% of the total service value. The results suggest that a reasonable land use plan should emphasize protection of water body, woodland and grassland as they have the highest ecosystem service value.

The state of works of art exhibited inside museums can be strongly influenced by indoor air quality, due to chemical activity of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter. For that reason it is important to carry out periodic air quality controls to check if the concentration levels of air pollutants comply with the limits specified by the national laws. In this work we show results obtained in a monitoring campaign carried out at the Museum of Capodimonte in Naples, one of the most important museums in Southern Italy. Results concern indoor monitoring of inorganic and organic gaseous pollutants and PM10 and PM2.5 fractions; moreover we also present the comparison between indoor and outdoor particulate matter concentration. From this analysis emerged a satisfying indoor condition with respect to gaseous pollutants, without any limit exceedance; in contrast particulate matter exhibits high concentration levels with frequent exceedances. Comparison with outdoor concentrations demonstrates the influence of dust and organic matter transported from the park surrounding the museum due to wind and visitors stamping.

Environmental pollution by 2,4-dicholorphenol (2,4-DCP), commonly found in industrial wastewater has been a concern for humans over the past 50 years. Garden Radish Peroxidase (GRP) can eliminate this poisonous pollutant. The aim of this study was to apply an experimental Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Central Composite Design (CCD) to optimize GRP-based treatment in order to maximize the removal of 2,4-DCP from wastewater. The effects of four factors; pH, enzyme activity (U/mL), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration (mM), and substrate concentration (mg/L) and their interactions were investigated for 2,4-DCP removal using a second-order polynomial model. The suitability of the polynomial model was described using coefficient of determination (R2 =90.7%) and the results were created by analysis of variance (ANOVA). A 3D response surface was made from the mathematical models and then applied to determine the optimal condition. These analyses exhibited that using a quadratic model was fitting for this treatment. Furthermore, desirability function was employed for the specific values of controlled factors for optimization and maximum desirability. Based on the desirability function results, the response predicted a 99.83% removal rate of 2,4-DCP from wastewater with 0.959 desirability. Under these conditions, the experimental removal percentage value would be 99.2%.

Fragmentation, or breaking apart of habitats, is one of the major causes of decline in biological diversity. Mature ecosystems, especially dense forests are very sensitive to this phenomenon and roads are one of the major causes of fragmentation in forest landscapes. Present investigation aims to trace landscape fragmentation in dense forests of Golestan national park in northeast of Iran between 1987 and 2008 by use of Landscape fragmentation tool, considering the hypothesis that presence of road in this national park is a major cause of forest fragmentation. The results of this research indicate considerable increase in deforestation, edge amount besides decrease in dense forest areas and conversion of large core areas to small and isolated patches, which can be interpreted as increase in fragmentation and less connectivity. This phenomenon can be easily traced near the existing road in Golestan national park, where edges have evolved from simple and curve lines to more complex shapes having elongated boundaries which is a sign of being influenced by anthropogenic factors.

This study proposed a new discharge estimation method using a mean velocity formula derived from Chiu’s 2D velocity formula of probabilistic entropy concept and the river bed shear stress of channel. In particular, we could calculate the mean velocity, which is hardly measurable in flooding natural rivers, in consideration of several factors reflecting basic hydraulic characteristics such as river bed slope, wetted perimeter, width, and water level that are easily obtainable from rivers. In order to test the proposed method, we used highly reliable flow rate data measured in the field and published in SCI theses, estimated entropy M from the results of the mean velocity formula and, at the same time, calculated the maximum velocity. In particular, we obtained φ(M) expressing the overall equilibrium state of river through regression analysis between the maximum velocity and the mean velocity, and estimated the flow rate from the newly proposed mean velocity formula. The relation between estimated and measured discharge was analyzed through the discrepancy ratio, and the result showed that the estimate value was quite close to the measured data.

Under the contemporary scenario of global climate change and increasing coastal eutrophication, baseline studies of phytoplankton diversity and distribution in relation to habitat conditions constitute the first approach to evaluate potential shifts at the base of the food webs. Here we present data of phytoplankton species composition and environmental variables in winter 2006 in a temperate estuary in South America, Argentina. The results showed that the Bahía Blanca Estuary is markedly turbid (particulate suspended matter up to 60 mg L-1) with high nutrient concentrations. Apparently, besides high light attenuation coefficients (k up to 2.7 m-1), the combination of a shallow (~7 m depth) and well mix water column in the innermost zone of the estuary allows light penetration (mean light intensity in the mixed zone Im 57.8 μEm-2s-1 and euphotic zone to mixed zone ratio Zeu:Zm over 0.2), intensive nutrient regeneration and eventually phytoplankton massive growth (up to 1.8 x 106 cells L-1). Moreover, the relatively low residence time and the low river runoff seem to promote the accumulation of nutrients and phytoplankton biomass in the head of the estuary. Anthropogenic activities and autochthonous production are responsible of high particulate organic matter loads (8.3 ± 1.5 mg L-1). Diatoms appeared as the dominant group in winter with the emergence of Cyclotella aff. choctawatcheena (5-15 μm) as the dominant species (up to 82 % of the total phytoplankton abundance). The distribution and habitat preferences of this diatom are briefly discussed in relation to the pelagic environment in the Bahía Blanca Estuary.

Degradation of O,O-dimethyl -O-4-nitrophenylphosphorothioate (methylparathion) by ozonation in aqueous solution was studied in a batch reactor under constant ozone dosage and variable pH conditions. The effectiveness of the process was estimated based on the degree of COD (chemical oxygen demand) reduction and conversion of methylparathion. It was observed that ozonation is more effective at alkaline reaction of medium than other conditions. The degree of methylparathion conversion achieved after 120 minutes of the process at pH 9 was 98% compared to 81% and 60% at pH 7 and 3, respectively. Another parameter used to quantify the methylparathion during ozonation was the pseudo first order rate constant k (1/min). Results showed that the rate constant of the process was approximately much higher at pH 9 compared to pH 7 and 3. A significant improvement in chemical oxygen demand removal was observed at pH above 7. At pH 9, the reduction in chemical oxygen demand at the end of the process reached 93%. The methylparathion degradation intermediate products were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The main intermediate product was p-nitrophenol. The result of the study concludes that ozonation is an effective process for the treatment of organophosphate (methylparathion) contaminated wastewater.

Present study determines not only the total amounts of metals (Cr, Cu and Pb) in superficial agricultural soil of Sistan area in Eastern Iran, but also the chemical partitioning of these elements in seven statistically selected cases. The analysis was run for local soil, soil treated by non-contaminated organic, compost and chemical fertilizers as well as soil treated by metal-contaminated fertilizers. The sampling campaign was done in Zabol University research farm in 2009. The grab samples were taken from seven different cases, the chemical partitioning analysis was performed and metallic concentrations were detected using FAAS. It may be concluded that the bioaccessibility of metals Cu and Cr would be increased in case of imposed contamination where the soil is treated with all three kinds of fertilizers. Although a relatively similar distribution pattern is seen between anthropogenic and geopogenic portions of bulk concentration in all three kinds of fertilizers, chemical fertilizer seems to manifest a more risky condition. According to the results achieved by cluster analysis, a close correlation exists between Cu and Cr behavior which may be attributed to the geological texture of the study area. In accordance with the results gained by partitioning analysis, IPOLL index values also show contaminated chemical fertilizer as the most risky case for all three metals in comparison with others.

Algae have been proven efficient biological vectors for heavy metal uptake. In order to further study their biosorption potential, two strains Spirogyra sp. and Spirulina sp. have been studied under different initial metal concentrations. In recent years, the biosorption processes have been studied extensively using microbial biomass as biosorbent for heavy metal ions removal. In these studies, metal ions removal abilities of various species of bacteria, algae, fungi and yeasts were investigated.The discharge of heavy metals into aquatic ecosystems has become a matter of concern over the last few decades. The biosorption of six metal ions from artificial wastewaters containing single metal ions was investigated in batch experiments.One strain of algae collected from National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), and one strain from natural area tested for Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Selenium (Se) and Zinc (Zn) removal from aqueous solution. The concentration of all the six metal ion species in the absorption medium was varied between 5 and 25 mg/ L. The residual concentration of metals from the absorption medium was determined by using UV spectrophotometer.From the tested algae after seven days of incubation period, the highest percent bioremoval by Spirogyra sp. for Cr (98.23%), Cu (89.6%), Fe (99.73%), Mn (99.6%), Se (98.16%) and Zn (81.53%) respectively. The same by Spirulina sp. for Cr (98.3%), Cu (81.2%), Fe (98.93%), Mn (99.73%), Se (98.83%) and Zn (79%) respectively at 5 mg/L initial metal concentration.