Experts from the Middle East and Australia are organizing a joint expert workshop on the dangers for desalination plants of harmful algal blooms (HABs), commonly called “red tides” in Oman on 8- 9 February 2012.

The two-day workshop at the Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC), will be organized by the hosts, together with the National Centre for Excellence in Desalination Australia and the Water Desalination & Reuse Center at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology, Saudi Arabia.

An international panel of presenters will discuss the incidence, control and impact of HABs on desalination plants. Issues to be discussed will include a review of the global diversity of HAB species, toxins and bloom types, trends in HAB incidence, the fate of algal toxins during desalination, impacts of high algal biomass on filtration and membrane integrity, and potential mitigation strategies.

International and GCC regional case studies will be presented.

Participants from industry, government, academia and research institutes will be invited. Partner organizations include Public Authority of Water & Electricity Oman and International Centre for Biosaline Research, Dubai. Private sector operators will present case studies.

For more information, email MEDRC.