Ecotoxicology
The characteristics of the Qatar Marine Zone (QMZ), with very high evaporation and low discharge rates, lead to a limited dilution and slower dispersion rates of contaminants. Indeed, compared to open marine systems, added stress imposed by pollutants is likely to have severe consequences in local marine environmental integrity.
The ecotoxicology laboratory has as main objective to perform ecotoxicological studies for the assessment of the effects of established and emerging environmental contaminants in the Qatar marine and estuarine wildlife.
The current research projects focus on the genotoxic, cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of different chemical compounds in aquatic organisms, as well as on the evaluation of the ecotoxicological effects of new emerging contaminants (e.g. nanoparticles).
