This study addresses the correlations between Hg and organic matter in recent sediment; samples were collected from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea coasts (oligotrophic regions) during 2010. In the present study TOC analyzer was used to determine Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Total Nitrogen (TN) concentrations and the total amount of mercury (HgT) in sediment samples were analyzed by Hydra-C mercury analyzer. The obtained results indicated that, mercury, TOC and TN average concentrations in the Red Sea were 85.42 ng g-1, 5.10 and 4.45 mg L-1, respectively. The results show that the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in sediment represents the sum of various organic compounds, which may play a completely different role in the distribution and accumulation of Hg. slightly correlations between the TOC and the concentration of Hg in the studied sediment arise mainly from the labile portion of organic matter released. These compounds primarily consist of easily degradable algal-derived lipids and various pigments, which are petrographically described as a soluble Organic Matter (OM). The preserved OM in sediment is commonly entrapped within the cell walls of phytoplankton and also appears as a surface coating on sediment particles. The strong affinity between Hg and OM is due not only to its chemical reactivity, but also to the physical characteristic of these labile compounds, which plays the most important role in the distribution of Hg in sediment.

This study addresses the correlations between Hg and organic matter in recent sediment; samples were collected from the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea coasts (oligotrophic regions) during 2010. In the present study TOC analyzer was used to determine Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Total Nitrogen (TN) concentrations and the total amount of mercury (HgT) in sediment samples were analyzed by Hydra-C mercury analyzer. The obtained results indicated that, mercury, TOC and TN average concentrations in the Red Sea were 85.42 ng g-1, 5.10 and 4.45 mg L-1, respectively. The results show that the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in sediment represents the sum of various organic compounds, which may play a completely different role in the distribution and accumulation of Hg. slightly correlations between the TOC and the concentration of Hg in the studied sediment arise mainly from the labile portion of organic matter released. These compounds primarily consist of easily degradable algal-derived lipids and various pigments, which are petrographically described as a soluble Organic Matter (OM). The preserved OM in sediment is commonly entrapped within the cell walls of phytoplankton and also appears as a surface coating on sediment particles. The strong affinity between Hg and OM is due not only to its chemical reactivity, but also to the physical characteristic of these labile compounds, which plays the most important role in the distribution of Hg in sediment.

The present work demonstrates the utilization of three important industrial by-products; fly ash (FA), ground blast-furnace slag (GBFS), and lead-bearing sludge (LS) in preparing geopolymer as a replacement for cement binder. The feasibility of preparing high-performance geopolymers by mixing various ratios of industrial by-product fractions (FA, GBFS and LS) with alkali activator is examined, the prepared geopolymers were cured at room temperature up to 90 days. Various parameters such as setting time, mechanical strength, hydration characteristics and leaching behaviour of lead were evaluated The results show that at percentages of 70–80 mass% GBFS and 20–30 mass% FA, a reasonable compression strength compared to the past of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is obtained. However, the substitution of 40 mass% GBFS or more with FA causes significant reductions in compressive strength at all curing times. By the substitution of 20 mass% GBFS with LS compared to the optimum percentage of 80 mass% GBFS and 20 mass% FA, the studied mechanical properties of the produced mixture (60 mass% GBFS, 20 mass% FA, and 20 mass% LS) were enhanced. The Pb-concentration (mg/l) in the leachate of this mixture was below the safe limit of toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP). The partial or total substitution of Portland cement by these materials provides an ideal way to get rid of waste in a good and environmentally safe manner.

We quantified the contents of four toxic metals in cosmetic products that are commercially available in Jordan; 112 cosmetics, representing 10 product types, were tested in triplicate after acid digestion using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and a mercury analyzer. Ni was most abundant, detected in 104/112 (92.8%) products (average, 2.32 ppm; and median, 1.47 ppm); 66/112 (59%) contained >1 ppm and 13/112 (11.6%), >5 ppm Ni. Cd was second-most abundant, detected in 86/112 (76.7%) products (mean, 1.71 ppm; range from3 ppm in 15/112 (13.4%) products. The highest content of Hg was observed in skin lightening creams (mean concentration, 1,008 ppm). Hg was detected in 20 (62.5%) of the 32 skin lightening creams tested, of which 11/32 (34.4%) contained > 3 ppm Hg. Of the 112 cosmetics tested, 17 (15.1%) products contained Ni, Pb, Cd, and Hg; 19/112 (16.9%) contained Cd, Pb, and Hg – no product exceeded the maximum acceptable limits for all three elements, and 9/112 (8%) products exceed the maximum recommended levels for at least two elements (Hg, Cd, and Pb).

This study evaluates the synergistic impact of nano-silica (NS) and nano-clay (NC) on the hydration characteristics and microstructure of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) paste. Two main parameters, which strongly affect the physico-chemical and mechanical performance of OPC-pastes, including the hybrid NS and NC mass% (0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 wt% at NS:NC mass ratio of 1:1) and superplasticizer (SP) content, SP% (0 and 1 mass% with respect to OPC) have been studied. The results proved the addition of hybrid NS/NC has a good impact on the performance of OPC-pastes. All NS/NC-cement composites containing 1% SP showed the highest engineering properties comparing with composites with no SP. The composite containing the hybrid effect of 3 wt% NS:3 wt% NC:1 wt% SP presented the highest performance at all ages of curing as confirmed by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy.

During 2010, the concentrations of mercury and eight other trace elements in 90 canned tuna samples commercialised in Jordan were determined using mercury analyser (Hydra C) and the inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The mean concentrations and ranges for elements analysed in mg kg1 (wet base) were as follows: total Hg (0.21; 0.06–0.57), Cd (0.06;50.01–0.63), Pb (0.09; 50.04–0.24), total As (0.74; 0.11–1.56), Ni (0.51; 0.03–2.85), V (0.04; 50.03–0.1), Al (0.26; 0.08–1.63), Ba (0.13; 0.05–0.42) and Ag was not detected in any of the analysed samples (50.02 mg kg1). The data obtained in the present study compared well with data obtained from similar studies carried out in different parts of the world. Few samples had the mercury and cadmium levels slightly exceeding the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants draft guidelines. However, the estimated weekly intakes of these metals showed that there was no health risk associated with the consumption of the analyzed canned tuna samples.

A new two-stage microwave-assisted digestion procedure using concentrated HNO3, HCl, HF and H3BO3 has been developed for the chemical analysis of major and trace elements in sulphide ore samples prior to inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) analysis. In the first stage 0.2 g of the certified reference material (CRM) sample was digested with a combination of acids (HNO3, HCl, and HF) in a closed Teflon vessel and heated in the microwave to 200 ◦C for 30 min. After cooling, H3BO3 was added and the vessel was reheated to 170 ◦C for 15 min. The precision of the method was checked by comparing the results against six certified reference materials. The analytical results obtained were in good agreement with the certified values, in most cases the recoveries were in the range 95–105%. Based on at least 17 replicates of sample preparation and analysis, the precision of the method was found to be ≤5%.