SDG6: CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
Introduction
Globally, climate change has become one of the most important problems in recent decades. Where scientists have concluded that the increased temperatures and climate changes have several short-term and long-term risks on the environment, human, animal and plant.
The Kingdom’s environmental system is a bit sensitive due to its dry climate, and the scarcity of its water resources; Making agricultural land in the kingdom fragile in front of the problem of climate change. An international report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel in 2007 showed that climate change has led to the change in rainfall levels around the world. This has emerged evident in to increase precipitation in the Kingdom. This, of course, has increased the risks that Saudi Arabia may suffer these kinds of environmental problems1 .
Universities are playing a crucial role in alleviating climate change impacts throughout their efforts in education, research and community outreach programs. Nevertheless, universities are also large organizations with significant greenhouse gas emissions (scope1, 2 & 3)4 . They produce emissions on their buildings and campuses through using electricity, fuel consumed from cars and buses traveling from and to universities, … etc. Thus, they have responsibilities in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions as well as their carbon footprints and plan actions to stop impacts of climate change.
The current strategic plan (2020 - 2025) of Qassim University is prepared in correspondence with the sustainable development perspective. The sustainability concept is shown in both mission and vision of Qassim University. The initial drafting of the Strategic Framework included a detailed analysis of the strategic governing frameworks incorporated important policies especially the Vision KSA 2030, and the New Universities System. National trends issued by the relevant authorities and the sustainable competitive advantages of the Qassim region were also taken into account.
The University, represented by the College of Engineering, concluded on Wednesday, 9/3/1441 AH, the scientific sessions of the First International Conference on the Sustainability of Natural Resources: Sustainable Management of Solid Waste, which was organized by the College over two days in the University City, under the patronage of His Excellency Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Daoud, Rector of the University, and with the participation of 36 speakers in all axes of this scientific meeting, which aims to discuss the necessary measures to transform into sustainable solid waste systems, where the specialized scientific sessions of the conference discussed a number of the latest scientific papers and researches. And studies related to all the themes of the conference and how to benefit from them.
Eng. Mohammed bin Mazzam Al-Mutairi, Executive Master in Municipal Policy and Urban Development at King Saud University, and Dr. Waleed bin Saad Al-Zamil, Assistant Professor at the Department of Urban Planning at King Saud University, presented a research paper on the mechanisms of rationalizing food consumption for Saudi families as an entry point for food waste management in the Kingdom, which discussed the pursuit of the national vision to improve the urban structure of Saudi cities and improve the quality of municipal services through the development of management policies and control of urban development, where the management of municipal solid waste is one of the challenges Facing the administrations of major cities in Saudi Arabia, social transformations and economic and population growth over the past three decades have affected the food consumption patterns of Saudi households, accompanied by a rise in the volume of waste generated.
A research paper on effective waste management through the promotion of reusable packaging, presented by Dr. Ahmed bin Babader, consultant at Responsible Performance Company (SARP), during which he spoke that waste is an old dilemma for the environment and societies, where it is necessary to deal with packaging waste as part of all waste, this paper aimed to propose an integrated way to reduce the amount of packaging waste by promoting reusable packaging in societies and industries, and a framework was designed. Conceptual through proper literature review.
The scientific sessions also discussed a scientific paper entitled "A Pyramidal Strategic Approach to Food Loss and Waste Management to Transform the Kingdom into a Circular Economy", presented by Dr. Noah Moaz from the Faculty of Engineering at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, who said that the concept of bioeconomics in recent decades is a global trend that applies to an appropriate and sustainable approach to solid waste management, with a special focus on organic and food components, noting that food losses and waste management globally have been a problem that arises Significant challenges to sustainable development in many countries, particularly in Saudi Arabia, a large number of social and economic factors have been largely responsible for the enormous volume of losses caused by food and waste (FLW) posing a challenge to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
A research paper entitled "Environmental and Financial Analysis of Waste Management Options in Madinah", presented by Dr. Abdul Qader, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering at the Islamic University of Madinah, in which he addressed solid waste management options that require the integration of economic and environmental principles in order to choose the best way to manage, was also reviewed, where this study analyzed how solid waste (MSW) is managed, formed and collected in the Medina region, as one of the largest cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the aim of finding Management method at the lowest cost.
Dr. Mohammad Sharjah, Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Alegra Muslim University, Alegarh, India, Ashray Saxena, Master's Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, and Sarosh Suleiman, University Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, University of Hannover, presented a paper on the age-dependent mechanical properties of recycled assembly concrete containing industrial waste: A clean and sustainable solution, in which they stressed that concrete has become one of the most consumed materials after water due to its widespread use in the construction industry globally and is estimated at about 25 billion tons of concrete used annually in construction, in India alone generates 165-175 million waste demolitions per year, most of this waste goes to landfills and creates problems in their disposal, and the use of recycled rubble in concrete construction can lead to the saving of natural resources, The use of recycled gross and industrial waste in concrete construction not only solves disposal problems, but also solves the environmental problems associated with them.
A scientific paper entitled Assessment of the Economic Efficiency of Canadian Solid Waste Management Systems, presented by Dr. Ghulam Kabir, Assistant Professor of Industrial Systems Engineering at the University of Regina, Canada, and Dr. Kelvin T.W.J., Professor of Ecosystem Engineering at the University of Regina, Canada, who spoke about sustainable and integrated solid waste management which has become a critical issue in societies around the world due to rapid urbanization and population growth, aimed to evaluate the performance of non-hazardous waste diversion systems while considering the outputs. Economic, expenses, profits and business volumes for both public and private waste services.
A paper entitled Mandatory Aspects of Sustainable Waste Management in the MENA Region, presented by Aber Mohammed, Safwat Hamidat, Abdullah Nassour, Wassim Shaaban and Michael Niels, addressed solid waste management (SWM) as one of the main challenges facing developing countries, where the provision of adequate waste management services is critical due to the potential impact on public health and the environment. With a number of major obstacles facing municipal solid waste management in the MENA region, including population growth in urban centers, lack of planning, lack of proper disposal, limited collection service, use of inappropriate technology and inadequate financing.
Dr. Faisal Ahmed Asra, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Islamic Architecture at um Al-Qura University, presented a paper entitled Solid Waste Characterization in Makkah, in which he said that a characterization of the current municipal solid waste in Makkah has been carried out to assess its suitability for various waste treatment techniques, explaining that the dominance of open dumping and the absence of reliable data on waste generation and characterization have created a difficult situation for local urban bodies responsible for managing solid waste generated in the city, and in this study was analyzed Municipal solid waste samples collected from the streets of different locations at different times throughout the year to know their physical properties, whose physical characteristics indicated that municipal solid waste is rich in biodegradable materials in the form of, on average, organic matter by 47%, plastic by 25%, paper and cardboard by 20%, metals by 4%, glass by 2%, textiles by 1%, and wood by 1%.
As well as a study on the characteristics of household waste in Buraidah city: the first entrance to good waste management, by Prof. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Rabadi, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at the University, and Dr. Adel Al-Tayeb Abdul Nour, Assistant Professor at the Department of Plant Production at the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine at the University, which discussed solid household waste, which varies in its characteristics and components according to many circumstances, including the number of family members, the nature of consumption, the size of the house and the level of income, and concluded to determine the fingerprint of waste.
A paper on assessing the potential of natural zeolite and biocharcoal in the bioconversion of the organic part of solid waste into organic fertilizers was presented, and the research dealt with the assessment of the addition of natural zeolites found in Saudi Arabia and waste weed waste and biocharcoal (10 and 15%) to food waste for the purpose of compost production, and the quality of manure was evaluated in terms of typical stability indicators such as moisture contents, degradation of organic matter, change in total carbon and difference in nitrogen components, and the results showed that both modifications had Positive effect on the fertilizer of food waste in terms of all ripening criteria.
Radwan Al-Masri, Professor of Engineering at the University, Hussein Haidar, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Engineering at the University, Mohammed Raad, and Aber Mohammed from the Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Al-Baath University in Syria, presented a scientific paper on the evaluation of a hybrid solar thermal energy and biomass system as a source of hot water supply in light of the high per capita electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia from 6.11 MW in 2004 to 9.41 MW in 2014.
A research paper on sludge-based activated carbon production: a study of characterization, optimization and absorption, presented by Mohammed Daoud and Mohammed Al-Malak from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, was also reviewed, and the paper discussed the use of sewage sludge to produce activated carbon using the chemical activation method with various chemical agents that include, zinc chloride, potassium hydroxide and phosphoric acid.
As well as a paper on the use of organic solid waste in the production of activated carbon and its application in the absorption of dyes and heavy metals, presented by Abdullah Ba Saleh, and Mohammed Al-Malak from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, the paper addressed the problem of producing large quantities of solid waste (MSW) annually, where a total of local solid waste of about 17 million metric tons per year, containing two main components; plastic and organic waste, organic waste accounts for about 79%, and food waste constitutes the main source For the organic part, a common practice of organic solid waste management is to combustion or dumping at landfill sites causing many environmental problems, so converting it into activated carbon in an alternative way can be practical.
Through the Sustainable Approaches to Restoring Clean, Renewable Energy from Solid Waste presented by Aruba Waqar, Lecturer at the Department of Civil Engineering at the Capital University of Science and Technology in Islamabad, and Ashtiaq Hassan, Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at Capital University of Science and Technology in Islamabad, on integrated solid waste management and the need to mitigate the harmful environmental burden and associated social and health risks, waste reduction, recycling and recovery are key components of integrated waste management. Solid.
A research paper on the treatment of solid waste by anaerobic decomposition (digestion) for the production of compost and biogas, which talked about that local (municipal) solid waste such as food waste, livestock dung and sewage sludge that require proper and environmentally acceptable management before final disposal, are a major source of air and water pollution, and we can invest the energy generated as biogas and produce high-quality fertilizer, the aim of this study was to study the feasibility of producing biogas and methane from food waste and livestock dung in The first and second experiment is the production of biogas and methane from sludge and cattle dung by means of a common decomposition (digestion) system under moderate climatic conditions.
A scientific paper on the impact of rubber scrap recycling on sustainable development and environmental improvement was discussed, which explained that waste management is a major concern in improving the environment and sustainable development of any country, however, critics of waste management are moving towards the fact that recycling may have little benefit to the environment, noting that some amount of energy may be used to obtain materials to be recycled more than the recycling process provides, despite the fact that Waste from old rubber, especially old tires (scrap), is beginning to appear in many waste streams, but the available data show the reasonable environmental performance of recycling in relation to energy demand, depletion of natural resources, and economic perspective.
A geophysical study on the impact of the Me'aisem landfill on groundwater was also presented to develop the options available for the construction of its engineering cover, presented by Turki Mesfer Al-Aboud, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Islamic Architecture, Department of Civil Engineering, um Al-Qura University, who spoke as in order to preserve the environment, protect groundwater and manage waste, the Municipality of the Holy Capital intends to cover the old landfill in the Me'aisem area and close it with an engineering cover that prevents rainwater from reaching the subsoil of the landfill, mixing with its components, and affecting the quality of groundwater in the Valleys near it. To preserve the aerobic environment, it plans to establish a gas collection network and consider the possibility of using it for energy production. Therefore, this research is concerned with studying the impact of the landfill on the groundwater in the region and identifying the extent to which the pollution area extends in the valleys near it.
The scientific sessions of the international conference «Prospects of Solar Energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Applications and Challenges» organized by the University, represented by the College of Engineering, on its first day on Wednesday 24/4/1442 AH, discussed a number of axes, research and scientific studies with the participation of many academics, researchers in solar applications and industry experts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the world remotely.
The first scientific sessions of the conference were held under the title "Generation of electrical energy from solar energy", where Dr. Emad Shams presented a research paper entitled "Identifying the problem of tracking maximum solar energy using algorithms inspired by the vitality of swarms", during which he addressed ways to track the maximum point of solar energy to make the PV system in optimal operation, taking into account costs, then Dr. Ahmed Eid talked about his paper entitled "The impact of distributed solar power generation on energy loss and voltage stability of distribution networks". , during which he discussed the integration of solar distributed generators with distribution networks to reduce the loss of active energy and enhance voltage stability.
Afterwards, Dr. Humaid Mohammed presented a paper entitled "Evaluation of the operating conditions of the crystalline silicon PV unit for the distribution of frequencies for the city of Riyadh", during which he stressed that the performance of the PV unit varies under the conditions of the external field and can be better analyzed using frequency distribution under different operating conditions, where the purpose of this study was to find the most common operating conditions of photovoltaic units that can be used to plan, design and scale photovoltaic power plants, as Dr. Rubmati Mina spoke about His paper, entitled "Deterioration of Crystalline Silicon PV Modules under Hot Climate Conditions", revealed that crystalline silicon PV units are vulnerable to defects and deterioration under hot climatic conditions such as in desert areas suffering from multiple environmental pressures, overheating, and ultraviolet radiation, along with temperature and humidity changes with the ingress of gases, as these stress factors can lead to structural, thermomechanical and chemical changes within the PV unit that affect the Its electrical performance.
Dr. Manahel Mohammed then spoke with a paper entitled "Solar Energy as an Alternative to Electrical Energy in Saudi Vision 2030", during which she addressed the knowledge of the opinion of the Saudi people on the use of solar energy as an alternative to electrical energy in homes, where the researchers applied a questionnaire containing 216 samples from different segments of society, and the questionnaire contains four parts, and when the sample was asked about the need to use renewable energy sources to generate electricity instead of generating from oil derivatives, 88.8% of the sample agreed, When asked about the most suitable source of renewables for investment in Saudi Arabia, 93% recommended solar energy, 19% of the sample use solar energy at home, and 88.9% strongly agree that the government's contribution to subsidizing the costs of solar technologies will encourage citizens to use solar energy.
At the end of the session, Dr. Hisham Osman spoke about his paper entitled "Thermal Properties of a Parabolic Basin Complex (Comparative Study)", during which he stressed that it has been commercially proven that parabolic basins are the most advanced of concentrated solar technologies, where operating temperatures can be achieved in the range of 350-550 ° C in parabolic basins, and solar power plants using the equivalent basin can be produced from 5 to 280 MW.
The scientific sessions of the conference continued through a session entitled "Desalination using solar energy", where Dr. Qazi Barry, spoke about his research entitled "Solar Desalination Unit of the Porous Column Type", in which he addressed high-quality potable water sources that have shrunk rapidly in many urban and rural areas of the world especially in the Middle East, Africa and Asia for many reasons, and the removal of salinity and impurities in raw water in any traditional way is still expensive, where he tried to remove salinity and impurities in raw water in any traditional way. One of the low-cost ways to produce distillates (distilled water) is solar desalination, after which Dr. Lotfi Kamal Azaz, for his research paper entitled "Using GIS Technologies and Multi-Criteria Analysis to Determine the Appropriate Locations for Solar Water Desalination Plants, presented a case study from Egypt", during which he noted that water is one of the most important elements of economic development and sustainable development, and water shortages are one of the most important global issues. In Egypt, rapid population growth and economic development are increasing the demand for water, in addition to that there are some other challenges such as climate change and the construction of the Ethiopian dam, and desalination using solar cells is one of the available alternatives to water supply in Egypt especially because of its geographical location within the often dry climatic range with the highest rates of hours of solar radiation almost all year round in the world.
Hence, Dr. Zakaria Amara talked about his study entitled "Solar Distillation with a Rotary Wheel for Desalination: A Comparative Study", during which he explained that the back wall of the distiller is untapped and through it a large thermal loss occurs, so a metal disc was installed on a horizontal column rotated by an electric motor, and the turntable is located in the middle of the back wall and this increases the evaporation area and the area of exposure to solar radiation, when the disk rotates it gets wet with a thin layer of water which helps to speed up evaporation, Dr. Abdullah Najib then spoke about his research entitled "Solar Water Desalination Using Multi-Impact Membrane Distillation: Laboratory Results" where this work dealt with the performance of the solar desalination system using the membrane distillation process, and this system consists of solar photovoltaic panels, solar thermal collectors and membrane distillation unit, the latter is based on membrane distillation with multiple effects in which thermal energy is recycled and reused in the system when the cooling in the condenser is turned on.
In turn, Dr. Abdul Qader Abdullah presented a research entitled "The Effect of Adding Trays on Solar Distillation Performance, Experimental Approach", The productivity of solar desalination units is commensurate with the depth of water and the wet surface area inside the unit, the productivity of the unit can be increased by increasing the surface area of the aquarium, to maintain the lowest possible depth of water inside the unit We used shelves, and two desalination units were designed and manufactured, the first unit is of the traditional type and the second is modified with shelves, and the design, manufacture and experimentation work was done Research for the modified desalination unit for the purpose of improving productivity. In addition, it was designed according to safety standards, and the aim of this work is to increase freshwater productivity by some changes in the design of the unit, where we obtained an increase in the productivity of the shelving desalination unit by approximately 45% compared to the conventional unit, and the daily efficiency was 47% and 34% for the shelf desalination unit and the conventional unit respectively.
The first day of the conference concluded with a scientific session entitled "Materials Used in Solar Energy Applications", which saw Dr. Nazik Al-Attab participate in a paper entitled "Ultra-flexible, extendable, lightweight and highly efficient silicon solar cells for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles", where the study confirmed that the demand for unmanned aerial vehicles is increasing significantly due to their wide range of applications including, but not limited to, agricultural inspection, fire fighting and border security, as well as aircraft However, most of the solar cells currently available are either too heavy, too solid, too expensive or inefficient for drone platforms, necessitating the development of lightweight, ultra-flexible and extendable solar cells with high efficiency that can perfectly correspond to curved and folding surfaces on drones. Pilot without affecting the aerodynamics of the flight.
Introducing his paper entitled "Examining Different Types of Defects in Newly Manufactured Crystalline Silicon PV Modules", Dr. Robmati Mina said that solar PV cells have recently become a promising renewable energy technology, and large capacities have been installed around the world, yet photovoltaic cells face many manufacturing stage defects even before actual use, and these defects not only affect the performance of cells, but are likely to cause a severe deterioration in their performance within years. Few field operation, after which Dr. Sadiq spoke about a research paper entitled "Design, manufacture and testing of low-cost flat panel complexes under the climate of central Qassim", during which he stressed that energy is the main basis for economic, technical and social development, and with the increase in global awareness of energy challenges, solar energy has been given great attention as a promising solution to energy problems, and in this research a small solar complex with natural and low-cost rotation with a solar aperture of 0.75 was designed and manufactured. Square meters at the Faculty of Engineering in Onaiza at Qassim University, the complex was tested to heat 20 liters of water during the day in the city of Onaiza from October 18 to November 4.
At the end of the session, Dr. Mohamed Moussa presented his participation entitled "Perovskite Metal Metal Polyide AMX3 as Promising Candidate Materials for Future Solar PV Technologies", during which he stressed that since the first appearance of solar PV cells in 1976, many scientists have made tremendous efforts to improve the performance of conventional solar PV cells and increase their efficiency, and a range of inorganic semiconductors have been used to manufacture solar PV cells, such as amorphous silicon, monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon, and thin films. For his part, Dr. Mohammed bin Rabah spoke about his paper entitled "Silicon Nanowires for Photovoltaic Applications", noting that chemical engraving based on silver nanoparticles represents a very modern and sophisticated method used to form nanowires (nanowires) on the surface of monocrystalline silicon chips.
His Excellency Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Dawood, Rector of the University, inaugurated the new headquarters of the Center for Sustainable Development at the University on Thursday, 24/8/1439 AH, and directed His Excellency during the opening to launch the Award for Innovation and Environmental Excellence for male and female students, and expressed his admiration for the sections of the headquarters, in which many requirements were taken into account in line with the nature of the Center's objectives, and he was briefed on the exhibits of wild seeds, treated water, types of wild firewood and healthy and clean vegetables "organic", which added to the headquarters a present mental attachment.
Al-Daoud met with the members of the Executive Committee and praised the achievements of the Center during the current year, including the preparation of conditions booklets for the implementation of the package of projects of the strategic plan of the University directly related to the development and investment frameworks in the Qassim region, hoping for the success of these projects, because of the continuous support received by the Center by His Highness and the membership of a number of prominent members from inside and outside the University, headed by His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Faisal bin Meshaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz.
For his part, the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development, Mr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Rabadi, stressed that one of the achievements of the Center is the establishment of the Voluntary Sustainability Unit, and pointed out that the Center received direct support from His Excellency the Director to establish a sustainable development award dedicated to university students, directed in several tracks, which will be announced at the beginning of the next academic year.
During the opening of the Center, the eleventh meeting of the Executive Committee was held, which touched on the scientific activities to be implemented in addition to the community services provided by the Center and field visits by the members of the Executive Committee to introduce the vision of the Center, its mission, objectives and initiatives in sustainable development, as well as discussion on the future projects of the Center.
His Excellency Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Dawood, Rector of the University, signed on Sunday morning, 19/9/1439 AH, two contracts for the implementation of several projects with a total value of more than 25 million riyals, and the signed contracts included the project of completing the infrastructure of wireless networks, the project of implementing the buildings of the wastewater treatment plant, and the animal waste treatment plant at the agricultural research and experiment plant. Al-Daoud signed a project to complete the infrastructure of wireless networks worth 17,742,708 million riyals with Al-Jeraisy Corporation for Computer Services, and also signed a public works project contract for the implementation of the buildings of the wastewater treatment plant and the animal waste treatment plant at the agricultural research and experiment station worth 7,899,413 million with Rakan Contracting Company.
After signing the contracts, Al-Daoud stressed the need for the implementing companies and their employees to abide by the terms and conditions of the contract, in order to achieve the interests of both parties, and in the interest of the development and development of the educational process in all units of the university city and in the various colleges.
Eng. Abdulmohsen Al-Faraihi, Director General of Water Services in Qassim Region, sent a letter of thanks to His Excellency Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Dawood, Rector of the University, for the cooperation of the University through its cadres and specialized experts, which contributed to the support and success of the activities of the conference "Network Water Quality", which was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Faisal bin Meshaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, Amir of the Qassim Region, during the period from 27/1/1440 H to 29/1/1440 H, at the King Khalid Cultural Center in Buraidah, and in the presence of His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Mansour Al-Mushaiti.
It is worth mentioning that the conference highlighted community awareness and knowledge enrichment of the role played by the wise government represented by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and the water distribution sector in the Kingdom to provide drinking water services in accordance with the highest standards and standards.
As one of the largest universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the university bears a national and societal responsibility towards the dear homeland with its wise leadership – may Allah protect it – and its loyal people, and this national responsibility has led it to harness all its scientific and academic potential in the service of the community of the Qassim region in particular, and the Kingdom in general, from the point of view of linking the research and academic community with the fields of production, whether industrial, agricultural or service.
The laboratories of the Faculty of Science at the university, were on a permanent date with innovations by training students on them and providing advisory services to them, including what the college started even before the beginning and outbreak of the Corona pandemic, where it with the support of the university, manufactured all kinds of detergents, sterilizers and disinfectants as a model for punching effective projects, which combined academic study and practical application, where all products are manufactured by the hands of the students of the college and under the supervision of specialized professors in the chemistry department of the college.
With the emergence of the Corona crisis at the beginning of last year, which affected the form and lifestyle of the whole world, and the demand of everyone for sterilizers, disinfectants and detergents to prevent the spread of viral infections, the Faculty of Science at the university had the leading role and the race in providing hand sanitizers and surfaces with high quality, and an effective ability to kill germs and viruses, including the novel coronavirus "COVID 19", where the Faculty of Science intensified its production to meet the increase in demand in all parts of the university, where sterilizers were distributed to offices and departments The university, students and visitors for personal use.
The Faculty of Science at the university has provided a lot of sterilizers that are used effectively in the sterilization of laboratories, halls and places of student breaks, and the products of the college have proven the ability of our national cadres of students and professors to compete deservedly for international brands of hand sanitizers and surfaces, where the products were characterized by their conformity with the international specifications of the World Health Organization (WHO).
For his part, Dr. Fahad Al-Mandaj, Dean of the Faculty of Science at Qassim University, stressed that the college's products of disinfectants, sterilizers and detergents, which were characterized by competitive specifications, including: the percentage of the active substance in the sterilizer (ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol), which is not less than 70%, pointing out that the American Food and Drug Organization has announced that in order to work properly the concentration of alcohol in them must exceed 60 percent, "The college product also contains moisturizers and enhancers for the hands, where glycerol and some glycerol are added and some Natural oils such as lavender oil which moisturize the skin and prevent skin infections.
Al-Mandaraj explained that the product made in the college contains high-quality carbabol as a thickening material for the texture, and allows with the water medium to keep alcohol on the hands long enough to kill viruses and germs, where distilled water is used free of salts so as not to cause dryness of the hands, pointing out that physical, chemical and biological tests are carried out to ensure the quality of the product both in terms of texture and viscosity as well as to ensure the percentage of alcohol as an active substance so that it is not less than 70%.
He added that biological tests are also carried out to ensure the efficiency of the product and its ability to kill germs and various microbes, and the product does not contain any additives harmful to the skin or cause allergies, and sterilizers are made with different smells such as lemon and mint, which have proven their quality and efficiency in sterilization and cleaning.
The University, represented by the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, received on Wednesday, 7/6/1442 AH, a delegation from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, where the two parties held the second meeting to activate the memorandum of understanding between them to discuss cooperation in the fields of environmental conservation, and then the delegation toured a number of colleges at the headquarters of the University City, including the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, the College of Engineering, the Faculty of Science, and the Faculty of Economics and Management.
This meeting comes as an activation of the memorandum of understanding signed between the University and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture to cooperate in the fields of the environment in an effort to benefit each party from the capabilities and expertise of the other party, where the meeting discussed the tasks of the members of the two teams, and the efforts exerted by each party in the field of awareness of the need to preserve the environment and increase green spaces and ways to achieve integration between them for the benefit of all society.
They also discussed the needs of the two sides and how to exchange experiences between them in the field of academic and training programs, whether at the level of intermediate and high diplomas, or undergraduate and graduate programs, where the university team participating in the meeting reviewed the definition of the scientific, research and expertise capabilities of the university and its colleges in several areas needed by the environment sector.
For its part, the Ministry's delegation made short presentations to introduce the environment sector, the work of the Environment Agency at the Ministry, which included the National Environment Strategy, the Ministry's efforts in developing vegetation cover and combating desertification, as well as the Ministry's efforts in protecting and managing national parks, in addition to its efforts in environmental awareness, and the needs of national environmental centers for academic programs.
