The Natural History Research and Museum Center at the University of Baghdad, with the support and guidance of the Center’s Director, Assistant Professor Dr. Hanaa Hani Al-Saffar, organized a workshop entitled “The Impact of Heavy Metals on Fish Health” on Monday, June 29, 2026. The workshop was facilitated by Assistant Lecturer Ali Kamel Wannas and presented by Assistant LecturerMaab Riyadh Sajit, in collaboration with Assistant Lecturer Suhad Hamza Mohammed Ali and Assistant Lecturer Ali Kamel Wannas.
The workshop aimed to understand the mechanisms of heavy metal toxicity in fish and to diagnose its tissue and behavioral damage. It also aimed to assess environmental risks and review strategies for reducing heavy metal pollution in fisheries and fish farms to ensure biodiversity and food safety.
The most important recommendations that emerged from the workshop included: Addressing heavy metal pollution in water requires the application of an integrated methodology that begins with proactive environmental remediation and extends to strict food safety monitoring. These strategies can be summarized in the following points:
Biological and chemical treatment, food security and monitoring, and stricter environmental laws regarding the discharge of industrial and agricultural waste into waterways, relocating fish farms away from pollution hotspots, while adopting periodic tissue testing as a vital indicator for early warning.
This activity contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and Goal 15 (Life on Land).
We wish all the faculty members of our center continued success in serving the community, science, and knowledge.
