This award is to support a collaborative project by Dr. Gabriel Bitton, Department of Environmental Engineering Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida and Dr. Ali Boularbah, of Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, Morocco. The two plan to study heavy metal concentrations and toxicity in environmental media near a mine located in the vicinity of the city of Marrakech, Morocco. Soil, surface runoffs, surface water, and sediments will be tested for heavy metal contamination via chemical analyses and toxicity tests, using MetPlate or MetPad which are specific for heavy metal toxicity. The two also propose to investigate metal hyperaccumulating plants in the sites. The research is aimed at evaluating the impact of mining operations on metals contamination. The proposal activity applies recently developed techniques to addressing problems in ecological impact assessments, and adds ecological knowledge to a new geographic environment, in Morocco, that has not been studied before.
Scope: The data generated will be most useful to Moroccan regulatory agencies, and will provide a catalyst for better environmental control, with possible profound beneficial effects on the health of the local people. This applies particularly to the conditions of this area, which is dry for most of the year, but during the rainy season could produce sudden widespread health problems. The proposed work will help in the training of a Moroccan scientist to properly assess terrestrial metals contamination. The proposed research applies techniques for metals toxicity testing developed by Dr. Bitton. Dr. Bitton has worked before in Morocco and collaborated with Moroccan investigators. The US and Moroccan scientists have good research and publication records, and it is expected that this research will result in publications in international scientific journals. The project will also allow a graduate student from the University of Florida to participate in field research at a foreign site, and thus gain experience in international collaboration. This proposal meets the INT objective of supporting collaborative research in areas of mutual scientific interest. This project is being supported by the Division of International Programs and the Division of Biological and Environmental Systems.
