VLIR-UOS, South Initiative: strengthening local capacities for better biological assessment of mining impacts in Katanga (DR Congo) on fish and their aquatic environments (closed)

This project aims at studying the pollution of aquatic environments in the South of the ex-province of Katanga, due to the intense mining activities in the region. Water and sediment will be analysed to assess the load of trace metals. Also certain organs of selected fish taxa will be chemically analysed to check for the presence of trace metals in fish tissues; results will be combined with biological parameters (e.g. related to fish condition). Diversity and abundance of gill and intestinal parasites in these same fishes will be monitored as an additional indicator for environmental stress. Capacity building in this combination of techniques allows a better understanding of the complex nature of pollution

CEBioS is within this project mainly involved in the training of MSc students of the Université de Lubumbashi (e.g. internships in Belgium; exercises, coursework and field school in the D.R.Congo)

Partners : KU Leuven, Université de Lubumbashi (DRC), University of Antwerp; collaborations explored with Université de Kolwezi (DRC), University of Limpopo (South Africa)