Under the patronage of the Dean of the College of Science for Women, Professor Dr. Sameera Naji Khdim, the Continuing Education Unit, in collaboration with the Department of Biology, organized a scientific workshop entitled “The Negative Impacts of Heavy Metals on Plants and the Environment.” The workshop was presented by Dr. Nadia Imad Tarek, Ms. Zahraa Rafea Taha, and Ms. Iltifaat Fadhil Shahadha.
The workshop addressed the definition of heavy metals and their environmental sources, whether natural or resulting from human activities, while highlighting their adverse effects on plants, including inhibition of growth, disruption of physiological processes, and interference with nutrient uptake. It also examined the broader implications of these pollutants on soil and ecosystem stability, as well as their role in causing ecological imbalance and reduced agricultural productivity.
Furthermore, the workshop reviewed the primary mechanisms employed by plants to withstand stress induced by heavy metals, in addition to discussing modern approaches for mitigating and remediating environmental pollution. These included biotechnological techniques and phytoremediation strategies aimed at reducing the accumulation of heavy metals in the environment.
The workshop concluded by emphasizing the importance of promoting environmental awareness and strengthening scientific efforts to reduce heavy metal pollution, highlighting its crucial role in protecting plant systems, ensuring environmental sustainability, and enhancing the quality of scientific research.
