Qatar's Eco-Explorer: Soil and Water Characterization for Sustainable Development

Abstract

The stability of Qatar's economy and ecology depend heavily on the sustainable use of its water and soil resources. Effective environmental management and the planning of sustainable development are hampered by the substantial research deficit in complete, current data on the physicochemical characteristics of these resources. This research attempts to comprehensively characterize Qatar's soil and water resources to close this gap. The goals encompass examining the characteristics of soil, estimating the amount and quality of water supplies, and determining how urban and industrial growth affects these resources. Utilizing a multi-analytical strategy, the study examined peat moss soil and different water samples using cutting-edge methods including ICP-OES, SEM, EDX mapping, and NC soil analysis. Important discoveries included excessive salinity in seawater, substantial heavy metal pollution in soil samples beyond WHO guidelines, and alkaline tap water unfit for agriculture. Moreover, a possible nitrogen shortage was suggested by the soil's carbon to nitrogen ratio. However, SEM imaging revealed that the porosity nature of peat moss soil is advantageous for both aeration and water retention. These results consequently have significant ramifications for Qatar's environmental management plans. They emphasize how critical it is to implement sustainable water management techniques, improved pollution control, and soil restoration. In the end, this study offers a basis for fact-based policymaking in line with Qatar's sustainable development objectives.