King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) researchers are collaborating with counterparts at other Saudi Arabian universities to measure the level of contaminants in edible fish in the Red Sea. The study, funded by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), is the first externally funded project at KAUST to be spearheaded by its Marine Core Laboratory. Fish samples are collected from selected sites off the coast of Jeddah and from fish markets in the city for the examination of microbial and chemical contamination. It is well known that the higher up the food chain and the longer-lived the animal, the higher the levels of toxins such as heavy metals including mercury and cadmium pesticide residues may be. These chemicals when ingested, particularly by pregnant women and young children, can have a negative impact on health, according to a KAUST press release. KAUST scientists, under the direction of Dr. Zenon Batang, are working closely with researchers from Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh and King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah to assess the levels of contamination and potential health risk associated with the consumption of contaminated marine fish. Results of the study will allow the MOA to institute sound management responses to marine pollution and may lead to the formulation of nutritional guidelines that can be adopted nationally. It is one example of scientific research that will benefit the region, fulfilling one of the missions of the University.
