University of Basrah Organizes a Workshop on the Role of Invertebrates in Monitoring Heavy Metals
The Marine Sciences Center organized a workshop entitled “The Role of Invertebrates in Monitoring Heavy Metals and Assessing Their Risks.”
The workshop aimed to introduce participants to environmental sciences, toxicology, and general nutrition, addressing the challenge of heavy metals from a practical and applied perspective by using living organisms as essential tools.
The workshop, presented by several faculty members, focused on the use of invertebrates—such as mollusks and aquatic insects—as effective bioindicators for monitoring and assessing heavy metal risks. These metals accumulate in the tissues of these organisms and elicit physiological and molecular responses, such as metallothionein production or the activation of autophagic mechanisms in response to contamination. This approach provides early warning for ecological communities and aids in assessing health risks to consumers by monitoring contamination levels in seafood and issuing guidance on periods of heightened consumption risk, particularly during drought seasons.
Department of Media and Government Communication
