As part of the cultural season of the Environmental Research Center

Dr. Mohammed Muayad Taha-lecturer in the Department of Environmental Technology-ERC presented a lecture on Tuesday, 17/12/2019 at 12:00 entitled "Environmental Pollution and Genetic Mutations”. The lecturer stated that environmental pollution is one of the most serious disasters that faces human in the modern era where it means the deterioration of the environment as a result of a defect in it so that it loses its ability to perform its role in self-disposal of pollutants according to natural processes.

Several studies have shown that environmental pollution has significant effects on human life that exceed all previous expectations, and it causes dangerous genetic mutations in DNA that have not been taken into consideration by many researchers. In the recent period, there have been cases of births of children who are suffering from so-called “Mongolian” down syndrome (MN) resulting from a change in the chromosomes where there is an additional version of chromosome 21 or part of it in the cells, which causes a change in the genes. Doctors point out that this issue is not due to traditional and well-known causes, including the mother’s age, but rather to exposure to some types of environmental pollution that distort some genetic genes or cause defects therein. At the end of the lecture, the lecturer recommended the following:

* The importance of follow-up this issue in our medical institutions and taking it into account in terms of researching into its causes

* Avoiding the excessive use of chemicals in the home such as detergents and powders in general and harmful pesticides in particular

* Following an appropriate diet that contains the essential nutrients and fibers that reduce the effects of chemical contamination. Many doctors and nutrition experts believe that the presence of nutritional supplements is important for human health such as fiber, vitamins and nutrients such as magnesium, as well as reducing caffeine and substances that are harmful to health.

As part of the cultural season of the Environmental Research Center

The director of ERC (Prof. Dr. Abdul Hameed M. Jawad Al-Obaidy) presented a lecture on Thursday, 5 December 2019 entitled “Pollution of Water Resources”

where the most important key messages that characterized the reality of the water resources in Iraq were discussed under specified conditions of limited availability and scarcity of water and thus, its inability to meet the requirements of current and future investment.

The main reasons for these conditions are relating to increasing the population density, water consumption and development of technological capabilities that negatively affect the environment, which led to the emergence of competition for water uses and environmental pollution.

At the end of the lecture, the lecturer discussed the possibility of hard research in the above reasons and adopting them as scientific research guidelines in the field of water resources within the scientific plan based on long-term strategic extents of the ERC in the coming years.  

As part of the cultural season of the Environmental Research Center

Lecturer Afaf Abdullrahman Ayoub

has been gave her lecture entitled "Your favorite food ...... and its impact on the environment" on Wednesday 22/5/2019 within the activities of the scientific season of the Environmental Research Center for the current academic year. A set of concepts

Some unhealthy foods may have an unexpected advantage compared to other foods that we consider healthy when talking about the carbon emissions that result from the food we consume.

At a time when humans are facing a global warming threat, we are increasingly aware that every intervention in nature will have an impact on the environment. This is already true for the food we eat.

Food transplants, packaged in factories, or transported in the form of goods all work through the combustion of fossil fuels, resulting in so-called greenhouse gases, which lead to heat retention in the atmosphere.

Scientists measure the impact of such processes on carbon emissions in the atmosphere, known as the "carbon fingerprint," which are often expressed by measuring the percentage of carbon dioxide generated by the consumption of every 100 grams of food.

In that way, it is possible to imagine a food pyramid, based on the damage that such small amounts of food do to the environment.

Meat and dairy products come at the base of the pyramid, causing the greatest damage to the environment, while fruits and vegetables are at the top of that pyramid because they are "eco-friendly" foods, because they help to preserve the environment.

Foods made up of whole grains, such as bread, pasta, and candy, are almost in the middle of that food pyramid.

However, this method focuses not only on the amount of energy absorbed by the body from those foods, but on the degree of environmental damage resulting from its consumption after its operations, from agriculture, processing, or transport