University's algae cultivation programme has contributed to reducing air pollution.
Doha: Qatar University (QU) participated in the 9th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ) and Qatar International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ) 2022 at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).
Qatar University aims to provide innovations that contribute to food and water security in Qatar, and serve the agricultural research and sustainable development sector.
The Agricultural Research pavilion resented the most important research supporting food security projects, as the university’s pavilion showcased the innovation of a new gel that supports food security in Qatar. A team of researchers led by, Prof. Alaa Al Hawari, Professor of Civil Engineering at Qatar University, succeeded in creating an environmentally friendly material suitable for cultivation in dry and harsh climates.
The goal of this innovation is to promote the new technology in organic farming, and this innovation will encourage agricultural activities in Qatar that suffer from limited fresh water resources and significant losses through evaporation.
The university’s pavilion also presented the innovation of artificial coral reefs.
Dr. Bruno Welter Giraldes, Research Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at the Environmental Science Center came up with this idea, through which they seek to develop marine life and confront the downsides of urban development.
In addition, the university pavilion presented the project of the first plant for algae cultivation, which is considered one of the most important research programmes of Dr. Hareb Mohammad Al Jabri and his team. The Algae Technologies Program contributed to reducing air pollution, because its cultivation requires a large amount of carbon dioxide.
QU researchers have created an environmentally-friendly gel that supports cultivation in dry and harsh climates.
In a statement on this occasion, Dr. Hassan Al Derham, President of Qatar University, said: “Qatar University’s participation in the Qatar International Agricultural and Environmental Exhibition stems from its position as a national educational and research institution that aims to use its research and studies to benefit various sectors in the country, including the agricultural sector, which is a major pillar of food security. The university’s role in this field is becoming increasingly important due to the nature of the environment and climate in Qatar, which requires us to adapt to it and advance it through the use of technology.”
Dr. Al Derham added, “The agricultural exhibition provides an opportunity for various parties involved in this sector to share their experiences and develop new plans that will help achieve food security and sustainable development while also contributing to the development of specialised research centres and opening up new horizons for researchers and students to be creative and save money. And to make a quantum jump in agricultural production in terms of both quantity and quality.”
Dr. Hareb Al Jabri, Assistant Director of Technology Marketing and the Department of Research and Development Planning, said the Algae Technologies Project would ensure the management of natural resources, carbon dioxide recycling, and the production of products of economic value that contribute to economic diversification for the state.
“To answer the question: Where are we now? It can be said that we are building the first plant for growing microalgae in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, in addition to our endeavour to establish a startup company to manufacture targeted materials and products with economic value to be presented in the local and international markets,” Dr. Al Jabri added.
Speaking about the innovation of the new gel, Dr. Al Hauri, said: “Maintaining soil moisture is one of the most important challenges facing the agricultural sector in Qatar. High temperatures evaporate water from soil quickly, especially in the summer. So we increased the water stability in the soil by developing a gel material to serve as a nursery soil for plants inside greenhouses. The gel is placed inside the soil in the form of a homogeneous layer with a thickness of some millimetres close to the roots of the plant.
“Where the material works, the gel reduces the rate of water evaporation from the soil and supplies the plants with the nutrients necessary for the plants by using limited amounts of chemical fertilizers. This technology is characterized by the possibility of producing large quantities of agricultural crops using a limited amount of irrigation water.
"The laboratory results showed that the natural soil contains nutritional supplements such as phosphorous, potassium and nitrogen, but can not retain water and nutritional supplements added for a long time, which negatively affects crop health and production quantity. The developed gel consists of super absorbent polymers prepared from inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials. It is also possible to reuse the same materials after harvesting crops for several times, which increases their economic efficiency.”
Dr. Alaa added, “We have already started applying this technology on a commercial scale at the Aggreko farm in Al Khor so that we can test the effectiveness of the developed material under realistic conditions away from the laboratory. We have obtained promising results, as we were able to reduce the amount of irrigation water by 40% and increase the production. The work of this project extends over three years with the support of the Qatar Scientific Research Fund and in cooperation with the University of Technology Sydney.”
