This study investigates the economic and environmental feasibility of implementing a 7 kW grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system in Aqrah, Duhok Iraq. Economic analysis reveals a net present value (NPV) of 42,213.7 ($) and a payback period of 6.91 years, indicating the system's commercial viability despite a longer payback duration compared to alternatives. The region's low electricity cost of $0.0159/kWh further enhances the project's economic attractiveness. In an environmental context, RETScreen software estimates a significant annual reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with a maximum reduction of 7.4523 (tCO2). These findings underscore the positive impact of the PV project on mitigating climate change and promoting sustainability in the area.

Radon, the heaviest of noble gases in the periodic table, is a naturally occurring radioactive nuclide found in rocks, soil, and water. It has gained increasing attention in recent research due to its association with cancer. This study focused on assessing the potential radioactive risks associated with water usage in Zakho, Iraq, by analyzing 16 groundwater samples collected from the primary water source. Alpha spectrometry with RAD7 and RAD-H2O accessories from Durridge CO was employed for assay purposes. The measured 222Rn concentrations ranged from 0.21±0.1 to 19.75±4.8 BqL− 1, with an average of 8.90 Bq.− 1. The recorded values indicate that 31% of the data surpasses the specified United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) limit of 11.1 BqL− 1. Notably, the evaluation of the total annual effective dose revealed significant age-related variations. Specifically, 62% of infant samples.

The increasing issue of plastic waste has become detrimental to human society, particularly with the increase in disposable plastic bottles in many countries. This study investigates the impact of incorporating plastic bottle waste fibers on the slump, density, compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength of concrete. This material was selected for its cost-effectiveness and wide availability, addressing the prevalent global concern of environmental pollution resulting from inadequate waste management practices. This study describes a systematic plan to fabricate and test cubes, cylinders, and beams using Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (FRC). A comparative analysis was performed between concrete reinforced with plastic bottle waste fibers, in varying ratios of 1, 2, and 3%, and plain concrete. The results showed a positive impact on concrete strength with fiber addition, although at the expense of reduced workability and decreased concrete density. In particular, a significant improvement in the ductility of the concrete was observed. The analysis shows that a fiber ratio of 2% emerges as the most optimal dosage to achieve improved concrete properties. This study provides valuable insights into the imperative pursuit of sustainable concrete production and the environmental challenges posed by plastic waste.

Tire waste constitutes an undesirable surplus within urban industrial contexts, presenting a persistent annual increase on a global scale. Consequently, the reduction of tire waste through alternative approaches has attracted the interest of researchers around the world. This study evaluated the efficacy of using tire shreds as soil stabilizers to enhance the strength properties of the mixture in three proportions. Tire shred content of 10, 20, and 30% resulted in reduced CBR values of 3.3, 2.98, and 2.3%, respectively, compared to 4.4% without tire shred content. In addition, the direct shear test revealed that the increase in tire shred content significantly increased shear stress, as 10, 20, and 30% tire shred content resulted in 82.25, 84.14, and 85.87 kPa, respectively. Consequently, tire pieces can be used along with soil as an alternative mixture material in retaining structures.

This study presents a solar energy roadmap aimed at attracting investors to capitalize on the abundant solar resources in Zakho, Iraq, for clean energy technology. The objective is to mitigate global warming effects caused by fossil fuel combustion and promote sustainable technological development. To end this, the study employs RETScreen Expert software to validate the techno-economic and environmental viability of a grid-connected solar photovoltaic system utilizing climatic data from the Astronaut Office Information System (NASA) Database. Additionally, the Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS) modeling method determines optimal angles for installing residential rooftop Photovoltaic (PV) systems across selected locations. Results indicate that all selected locations are suitable for solar photovoltaic projects, with Rezgari identified as the optimal district due to its highest annual solar.

The study aims to determine the concentration of radon to assess the radioactive risk in groundwater in Bardarash, Kurdistan region, Iraq, which relies on groundwater as its primary source of water. Fifty samples were collected from wells for water use and were evaluated with RAD7-active Durridge Electronic Detector. Radon concentrations ranged from 0.93±0.43 Bq/l to 11.39±1.86 Bq/l, with a mean of 7.22 Bq/l and a standard deviation of 2.5. The results were used to estimate the annual effective doses of three categories. The annual effective doses of ingestion of groundwater ranged from 14.26 to 174.61 μSv/y with an average value of 110.73 μSv/y, 19.02 to 232.81 μSv/y with an average value of 147.67 μSv/y, and 4.41 to 54.05 μSv/y with an average value of 34.27 μSv/y, for infants, children, and adults, respectively. Furthermore, the annual effective dosage obtained in inhalation ranged from 2.34 to 28.70 μSv/y, with an average of 18.20 μSv/y. The total annual effective dose ranged from 16.60 to 203.31 μSv/y with an average value of 128.93 μSv/y, 21.35 to 261.51 μSv/y with an average value of 165.84 μSv/y, and 6.76 to 82.75 μSv/y with an average value of 52.48 μSv/y for infants, children, and adults, respectively. The majority of the samples had radon concentrations and effective dosages that were less than the maximum permissible limit of 11.1 Bq/l. This indicates that the majority of the samples are drinkable and safe to consume.

According to country's war conditions, lack of efficient infrastructure and modern waste management system, municipal solid wastes became one of the significant sources of pollution and environmental issues in Iraq. That is estimated to produce 31,000 tons of solid waste every day in Iraq, that huge number will lead to cause public health problem and damage natural resourses. Proper method management system should apply to reduce municipal solid waste production and get benefit through organized plan for reuse of material that can be recycled to other services to creating a sustainable and developed country. For achieving such goal proper municipal waste management strategy from collection, transporting, reusing, reduction, disposal and life cycle assessment are required. The study represents a brief history about waste management issues, that are facing us due to the rapid increasing amount of municipal solid wastes. Therefore, the study recommends to use methods of waste treatment such composting, recycling in order to reduce the amount of waste that are taken to the landfills .Also improve more environmental awareness by government, public and individuals by regular environmental train program and reduce land usage.