Tracing the Fate of Contaminants in a Model Ecosystem

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Scientists from the Palestinian authority, Israel and Germany, all involved in different aspects of analytical research, have joined in order to conduct an environmental study, which aims to understand the fate of selected contaminants in a model ecosystem. For this purpose, two typical terrestrial sites in the Middle East, one in the Palestinian authority and the other in Israel, have been selected, comprising a partially polluted area and a natural reserve as a reference. In these areas, the fate (chemical and physical transformations) of typical pollutants such as heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Fe), metalloids (As, Sn, Sb), organic dyes and air contaminants (O3, NOx, SO2) will be studied. This will also involve the determination of all the environmental conditions for the chemical transformation, which should shed some light on the dynamics of the ecosystems. At the same time novel inexpensive sensors and analytical procedures will be developed, which are necessary for the analysis of contaminants in this area. The goals will be accomplished by combined efforts of all partners.