Using microorganisms in eliminating or reducing the impacts of harmful remnants is very ancient manner. The current study was conducted to explore the potential of utilizing some fungi species that isolated from the main sewage treatment plant in Al-Muamirah area, Babylon-Iraq, in reducing some pollutants. Six fungi taxa Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. terrues, Candida albicans, C. krusei, and Penicillium digitatum were identified before any treatment process, whereas only four fungi species A. flavus 20%, A. niger 20%, A. terrues 10%, and P. digitatum 18% were recognized after completing the physical and chemical treatment stages. Only three taxa A. niger, A. terrues, and P. digitatum were employed to reveal their capability in treating the sewage water, which represent the biological treatment stage as the final step of the treatment processes. The results showed a considerable capability of these fungi species in decreasing many variables values such as pH, total soluble solids (TSS), electrical conductivity (EC), salinity, total alkalinity, chlorides, nitrite, and phosphate. Where, slightly low reduction was detected in TSS value in all experiments (1.1–5.9%), similarly, both EC and salinity which were decreased with low ratios (6.6%, 3.9%, respectively). Taxon A. terrues exhibited high ability in reducing the total alkalinity and chloride ions in the treated water (30.9%, 43%, respectively) in comparison with the other two fungi species. Furthermore, all three fungi species were posed high capability in decreasing nutrients, where both nitrite and phosphate ions were highly reduced (87–97% and 22.8–32.1%, respectively). Based on these findings, we suggest using other microorganisms and exploring their capacity in removing the pollutants, and revealing the ability of the above fungi taxa in removing other pollutants.

In this work, the spectrophotometric studies on the kinetics of redox reaction between gold(III) bromide complexes and sodium nitrite, were carried out. From the kinetic curves collected under different conditions of reactants concentration, addition of bromide ions, temperature, pH and ionic strength, corresponding rate constants have been determined. The obtained results suggest the complex path of the [AuBr4]– reduction consisting of two parallel, bimolecular reactions where different reductant species (HNO2 and NO2–) take place and consecutive step with the metallic gold production. The second-order rate constants at 20oC are equal to 2.948 and 0.191 M–1·s–1, respectively. The values of activation enthalpy and activation entropy for the first and the second parallel step of the reaction were found to be ΔH‡ = 29.18 kJ·mol–1 and ΔS‡ = –13.95 J·mol–1·K, and ΔH‡ = 40.75 kJ·mol–1 and ΔS‡ = –31.06 ­J·mol–1·K, respectively. It was found that the reaction accelerates significantly with the increase of pH and is inhibited with the increase of Br– concentration. The substitutive, inner-sphere mechanism of electron transfer in the studied system was also suggested.

In some areas of the United States (US), asthma prevalence has reached historically unprecedented highs. Three peer-reviewed studies in New York City found prevalence rates among children from 25% to 39%. That is not true in all places. For example, prevalence in Miami, Florida, was estimated to be only 6-10%. A recent study in major cities in Georgia found only 8.5%. One study in California found asthma prevalence was unrelated to local concentrations of criterion pollutants. In the US, all criterion pollutants, including PM2.5, show a downward trend over the last two decades. These facts argue against any significant influence of criterion pollutants in this crisis.These facts suggest that an unrecognized ambient pollutant may be the cause. One important study in southern California in mid-summer measured pulmonary function in children as it was related to outdoor ozone pollution. They found a negative association; higher levels of ozone were associated with improved respiratory function. We call this a "Paradoxical Ozone Association" (POA). Further evidence for a POA appears in seven other studies in Los Angeles, London, Scotland, and southeastern Canada.One plausible explanation for these observations would be the production of methyl nitrite (MN) as an exhaust product of MTB E in gasoline. Unlike ozone, MN is rapidly destroyed by sunlight. All of the POA studies were done in regions with significant methyl ether in gasoline. This explanation is strengthened by the observation that a POA has not been seen in regions without ether in gasoline.A previous A WMA paper proposed a plausible chemical model predicting that MTBE in gasoline will create MN in the exhaust. MN is highly toxic and closely related alkyl nitrites are known to induce respiratory sensitivity in humans. Funding to measure MN has not been available