A view of Qatar University building
Doha: Oil pollution has occurred in limited specific areas in Qatar, but extensive weathering caused by the harsh weather in Qatar has led to oil in these areas being at different stages of oxidation. Qatar University (QU) researchers have discovered that microbial remediation, which uses microorganisms to break down and therefore reduce toxic pollutants, has proved to be an attractive strategy to ‘clean’ polluted soil. Professor of Environmental Sciences at QU’s College of Arts and Sciences, Prof. Nabil Zouari, said, “Qatar has limited soil and groundwater resources that are impacted by hydrocarbon contamination that occurs during the extraction, transport, and processing of oil and natural gas. Remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater is vital to minimize the effects of accidental hydrocarbon releases and protect this limited water resource.”
Prof. Nabil, alongside his team from QU, Dr. Nasser Al-Kaabi, as a Ph.D. student, Prof. Mohammad Al Ghouti, Prof. Samir Jaoua, and many graduate and undergraduate students, investigated two areas in Qatar with harsh weather and weathered oil-polluted soils. They found that soil at both sites had harsh chemical compositions and low nitrogen contents. Upon isolating the bacteria, the team found that the soil benefited from bioremediation. “Bioremediation is a natural biotechnology process that involves several microbial activities. Different research studies have identified many bacteria, which play a role in the biodegradation process of toxic pollutants. This demonstrated the uniqueness and high diversity of local hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and their metabolic activities in Qatar,” explained Prof. Nabil.
To illustrate the importance of this research, Prof. Nabil noted that if polluted soil were left without treatment, “removal of pollutants will take a very long time and there is a high risk of spreading the pollution into the air, groundwater, seawater and further and deeper into the soil.”
“The novelty of this project resides in the ability of the indigenous Qatari bacteria to enhance biodegradation of weathered hydrocarbons and/or washing of weathered soil. It is anticipated that these novel bacterial strains are more active under the harsh physical and chemical conditions with Qatari soils, making them appropriate for use in enhanced oil recovery and bioremediation in Qatar.”
Energy and environment are identified as one of the five priority themes of the Qatar National Research Strategy (QNRS) of 2012, aiming to provide a sustainable environment for future generations, improve the quality of life, protect health, and promote sustainable development within Qatar’s built environment.
