Oman’s EA signs 3 research contracts in environmental fields

Muscat: The Environment Authority (EA) today signed three research contracts with academic institutions that won research projects within the Strategic Research Program in Environmental Fields funded by the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation.

The research project from Sultan Qaboos University, titled “Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Sustainable Management of the Omani Coast: Sohar and Salalah Ports as a Case Study”, aims to preserve ecosystems through implementing sustainable management practices for the Omani coasts with a focus on Sohar and Salalah Ports, including a decision analysis based on multiple criteria that helps identify and rank environmental factors that need attention such as biodiversity conservation and water quality management.

The second research project, entitled “The Mysterious Energy Surrounding a Detailed Study of Natural Radiation Levels and Natural Radiation in the Sultanate of Oman and a New Investigation into the Health and Social Aspects of Radiation on the Population of the Sultanate of Oman”, aimed to establish a basic database and understand the extent of radiation exposure in the Sultanate of Oman to develop effective legislation and guidelines to ensure radiation levels within safety limits, in order to protect the environment and human health.

The project seeks to assess the environmental impact and the study of radiation levels and natural radioactive materials provides valuable information for conducting environmental impact assessments to evaluate the potential effects of radiation on ecosystems, wildlife and natural resources.

The project focuses on human health and safety to contribute to the assessment of potential health risks associated with radiation exposure, as well as to identify any potential links between radiation and health outcomes.

On the other hand, the research project entitled “Measuring the concentration of radioactive radon gas and radon residues in the Sultanate of Oman and its impact on health” focuses on enhancing the environment through /indoor air quality/. Radon gas is known as a radioactive gas that can be found in indoor environments, especially in buildings with poor ventilation.

The project, from the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, seeks to measure the concentration of radon gas and its derivatives in the Sultanate of Oman by studying its levels with the aim of assessing indoor air quality and identifying areas with high concentrations of it to implement measures to improve indoor air quality and create healthier residential and work environments.

The project also aims to / protect public health / from radon gas, which is a major cause of lung cancer, especially in cases of long-term exposure, and / environmental monitoring / to contribute to understanding the sources and distribution of radon in different environments, including residential, commercial and industrial areas, in addition to / mitigating the risks associated with this gas / to measure its impact on health by identifying high-risk areas and the population most exposed to it.

The research project was titled “Revolutionizing the Sustainability of Special Economic Zones in the Sultanate of Oman: Valorization of Pollutant Streams for Products through a Biorefinery Based on Bioelectrochemical Systems.” The project of the National University of Science and Technology aims to convert waste materials or pollutants into valuable products by implementing a bio-refinery based on bio-electric systems, to extract maximum value from waste streams by using innovative technologies in which pollutants are converted into valuable products. His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority, said in a statement that the scientific research projects signed by the Authority today with national universities to study 3 important issues in environmental affairs.

His Excellency added in a statement to the Oman News Agency that these advanced research projects require a research team with scientific experience and skill, and that a team from the Environment Authority will work side by side with research teams from universities to ensure the transfer of experience and learning through practice in addition to benefiting from research expertise from universities in the Sultanate of Oman. His Excellency stated that these projects will take from 6 months to a year to produce results and reach effective solutions to environmental issues, adding that each research project has a technical team and a steering committee to ensure that the research projects achieve the desired results in a timely manner.

His Excellency pointed out that the most prominent factors that the Authority has identified in “beach erosion” include climate change and rising sea levels, in addition to the increase in the number of tropical cases during the year that the Sultanate of Oman experiences, which causes high waves.

The contracts were signed on behalf of the Authority by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al Amri, Chairman of the Environment Authority, and on behalf of the universities by: His Highness Sayyid Dr. Fahd bin Al Julanda Al Said, President of Sultan Qaboos University, His Excellency Dr. Said bin Hamad Al Rubaie, President of the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, and the Honorable Dr. Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, President of the National University of Science and Technology.