Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
the topic (Agricultural Chemistry, ISBN 980-953- 307-1002-1) is dedicated to address the
efforts of restoration, phytoremediation and modern technologies in the State of Qatar. The
following objectives have been suggested to discuss these efforts and to implement
scientific solutions of the problems facing the environment in this region: (1)
describe the
environment and the plant wild life in the Gulf region in general and in particular in the
State of Qatar, (2) understand the ecophysiology and mechanisms of adaptation of plants
and microorganisms under drought and saline environments, (3) comprehend the impact of
human and industrial activities on the natural habitats, and the restoration and
phytoremediation efforts to maintain the environment, and (4) foresee the perspectives of
genetic manipulation of crop and native plants, and using the possible gene bank of native
plants to improve the phytoremediation processes.
2. The environment in the Gulf region
By definition of aridity, as a function of rainfall and temperature and the daily follow-up of
meteorological data; the Arabian Gulf region is considered as arid or semi-arid. This region
is absolutely among the warmest regions of the world; the temperatures in the summer
season reach levels as high as 50 degrees Celsius or may be above. The general outlook of
the mean rate of precipitation in this region showed clearly that the rain is scarce and not
exceeds the rate of 152 mm per year [1]. Thus, such shortage in the rainfall in the Gulf region
which is coincided with the high rate of evaporation in most of the days of the year with the
presence of salt water, would make most of the lands as dry and very highly saline, reaching
high values of electrical conductivities of the soil saturated extracts, ECe (about 200 milli-
Siemens / cm) in salt marshes, Sabkhas, coastal line and even in some inland areas [2-4]. The
main source of salinity at the coastal line is from the saline water of the Gulf, while the high
values of ECe in the inland areas and Sabkhas are attributed to the intrusion of seawater into
the underground waters [5].
The meteorological data in the State of Qatar that have been obtained from Doha (The
capital of Qatar) airport for the last two decades confirmed the reality of aridity of the land
(Table 1). Some reports have indicated that the rainfall in this region is irregular and
variable in time and space and unpredictable. From the data reported by Batanouny [6], the
average annual rainfall in Doha for 17 years was 78.1 mm, this figure fluctuates between 0.4
mm in 1962 and 302.8 mm in 1964. The temperature records, on the other hand, show that not
a single month has mean temperature below 17.1 °C, and the mean minimum temperature
does not drop below 12.7 °C. The absolute maximum temperature in January is 30.7 °C and the
absolute minimum temperature is 3.8 °C, and there is never a danger of frost. Over the year,
the maximum temperatures are recorded in July and August; however an exceptional highest
record of air temperature (about 49 °C) at Doha was reported in June 1962.
The world meteorological organization (UN) and Hong Kong Observatory reports about the
climatic records in the city of Doha have confirmed the above conclusions [7]. Also,
considerable variations have been found in most parameters of the physical and chemical
characteristics of soils including: soil texture, water content, pH of the soil extracts and ECe;
