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The objective of this study was to identify the main qualities of the teacher as a person as perceived by university students in Bahrain and Kuwait. A 25-item questionnaire, which reflected the basic humanistic qualities of the teacher as related to effective teaching, was designed and then administered to a random sample of 520 students enrolled in the Colleges of Education in Bahrain and Kuwait. In addition to the questionnaire, students' own qualitative descriptions of effective teachers were collected by means of two open-ended questions. The results of the study showed no significant differences between the perceptions of male and female undergraduate students of the most important human characteristics of the effective teacher. Consequently, the authors suggest that the main qualities of the teacher as a person should be considered for inclusion in teacher education programmes in both Bahrain and Kuwait. (Contains 4 tables.)

Heavy metal pollution can adversely impact marine life, such as crabs, which can accumulate it in different organs and potentially transfer and biomagnify along the food chain in aquatic ecosystems. This study aimed to examine the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in sediment, water, and crab tissues (gills, hepatopancreas, and carapace) of the blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus in the coastal areas of Kuwait, northwestern Arabian Gulf. Samples were collected from Shuwaikh Port, Shuaiba Port, and Al-Khiran areas. The accumulation of metals in crabs were higher in the carapace > gill > digestive gland, and the highest metal concentration was found in crabs collected from Shuwaikh > Shuaiba > Al-Khiran. The metal concentrations in the sediments were in the order Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd. Zn was the highest metal concentration detected in marine water sampled from the Al-Khiran Area, whereas the lowest metal was Cd sampled in water from the Shuwaikh Area. The results of this study validate the marine crab P. pelagicus as a relevant sentinel and prospective bioindicator for evaluating heavy metal pollution in marine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explored the role of the colleges of education in developing college students' humanistic values. Surveys of students in Bahrain and Kuwait indicated that colleges of education in the Arab Gulf States really contribute to the formation of human values among college students. However, schools of education are not devoting sufficient time and effort to reinforcing values of democracy, loyalty, ambition, responsibility, honesty, and faithfulness at the university campus. (SM)

High-resolution biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental investigations have been integrated with sedimentology and wireline log data to establish a biostratigraphically constrained depositional sequence stratigraphic framework. The Rumaila and Mishrif formations are early to middle Cenomanian to early Turonian in age. The Rumaila Formation was deposited in distal inner ramp to outer ramp settings. The Mishrif Formation was deposited in inner to middle ramp settings comprising transitional, tidal flats, lagoonal, shoal, backshoal and foreshoal sub-settings. The two formations are coincident with 3rd order depositional sequences K130 and K140. The K130 sequence boundary lies on the contact between the lagoonal, non-calcareous shale of the upper Ahmadi Formation and the carbonates and highly calcareous shale of the Rumaila Formation. The K130 transgressive systems tract is composed of a highly calcareous marine shale at the base of Rumaila Formation, which contains abundant to common nannofossils, common to rare foraminifera and ostracods. The K130 MFS is characterized by occurrence of abundant foraminifera and ostracods. The K130 highstand systems tract is comprised of interbeded mudstones, wackestones, packstones and dolomitic mudstone. The early highstand is fossiliferous, becoming progressively less fossiliferous in the late highstand. The K140 sequence boundary coincides with the Rumaila and Mishrif formational contact. The incremental increase in the abundance of deeper marine foraminiferal assemblages within the mudstone and wackestone interbeds overlying this contact indicates initiation of a marine transgressive event. A thin, regionally extensive, dark-grey, non-calcareous shale which is largely barren of microfossils and high gamma ray is considered a proxy of the global OAE 2 anoxic event of late Cenomanian to earliest Turonian age. The early highstand of K140 is composed of middle ramp mudstone to wackestone interbeds enriched in open marine planktonic and benthic foraminifera. The late highstand is represented by shoal, proximal shoal deposits enriched in coralline and rudist wackestone and packstone overlain by miliolid lagoonal wackestones underneath the K150 sequence boundary, known as pre-Aruma unconformity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to assess the effect of the turbidity, seasons, and dissolved oxygen (DO) on chlorophyll-a (Chl.a) level and ultimately as a major triggering factor for events damaging the marine ecosystem, such as harmful algal bloom, red tide, and fish kills in the State of Kuwait. Different variables, such as sea temperature, salinity, pH, Chl.a concentration, electrical conductivity, turbidity, and DO, were used to monitor physicochemical water quality parameters in 2017. The used data referred to 15 floating monitoring stations in Kuwait's territorial waters. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, time series analysis, and inverse distance weighted (IDW) spatial model. The interaction of those parameters with each other, with various biological entities, and more, plays a significant role in determining marine ecosystem health and thus productivity. The results from this study revealed that turbidity is a main – and controlling – factor affecting Chl.a levels. Seasonality and DO concentrations also played key roles in exerting stress on the local marine ecosystem. The successive events observed in 2017 – the fish kill, then the red tide, and the decline in DO – suggest the urgent need for an extensive monitoring program in the north-western Arabian Gulf which focuses chiefly on eutrophication and nutrient elements. This study gives an integrated and comprehensive view of the investigated physicochemical variables in the territorial waters of the State of Kuwait; they can in turn be relied upon as a water quality indicator in the wider north-western Arabian Gulf. Data generated in this study will assist in future understanding, prediction, and forecasting of major environmental incidents like harmful algal blooms, red tides, and fish kills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a passive system composed of a radiative cooling (RC) panel combined with two phase change material (PCM) storage tanks was integrated with a conventional air conditioning (AC) system to minimize energy consumption of cooling the high temperature fresh air in the hot climate like Kuwait. The cooling power produced by the RC panel was used to charge the PCM storage tanks. One of these tanks was used for precooling the supplied fresh air (tank 1) and another for enhancing the coefficient of performance (COP) of the AC system by cooling the ambient air entering the condenser (tank 2). A mathematical model was developed for the proposed system and simulations were conducted for a typical Kuwaiti residence for the entire summer season extending from April to October. It was found that tank 1 resulted in an increase in the fresh air intake at zero energy expenses from 30 l/s/person to 190 l/s/person, with no required ventilation load from the AC system. Furthermore, tank 2 enhanced the COP by 10.5%. Thus, the overall energy consumption of the AC system was reduced by 22.3% with respect to the conventional AC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accidental oil spillages can release millions of barrels of oil into the marine environment threatening aquatic wildlife like fisheries. As a part of the oil spill response strategy, several chemical dispersants have been recommended that have been successfully used elsewhere. However, the adverse effects of dispersed oil are unknown to fish species in Kuwait. Therefore, this study investigated the toxicity of water-accommodated fraction (WAF) and chemically enhanced water-accommodated fraction (CEWAF) of Kuwait crude oil (KCO) with three dispersants (Corexit® 9500, Corexit® 9527, and Slickgone® NS) against the larvae of the sobaity sea bream Sparidentex hasta which is of an international economic significance. Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were used for comparison of chemical compounds partitioned in WAF of dispersed and non-dispersed oil. Toxicity test results with fish larvae showed that WAF of non-dispersed oil and Corexit® 9527 treated CEWAF had similar LC50 values (0.12 g oil. l-1) whereas CEWAF's of Corexit® 9500 and Slickgone® NS CEWAF showed lower toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landfilling is Kuwait's only waste disposal method. It presents an economical and a reliable solution in waste management but can pose a threat to human health and environment, making rehabilitation and restoration of these areas critical for future developments. Moreover, improper handling and management of waste in landfill sites could result in release of toxic gases and leachate contamination and might have a long-term impact on the environment. Thus, the objective of this study was to establish a baseline soil characterisation for the planning of landfill restoration based on the contamination of heavy metals and organic pollutants in these sites. The contamination and soil permeability of three of Kuwait's active landfills, namely the South Seven Ring Road, Mina Abdullah, and A-Jahra, were quantified. These landfills are under consideration by the government for restoration and future developments. The granulometric distribution and waste handling for these landfills were quantified. Hydraulic conductivity (k) of the soil samples was estimated to determine the nature of the soil. A series of heavy metals and organic pollutants were also quantified in laboratory and compared to the Canadian and Australian guidelines. Though these contaminants were mostly within the level of threshold of their toxicity, the sites should be handled properly and carefully for restoration and future uses as the bioavailability may change with alterations and should be tested in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated, high sample-density biostratigraphic study of the Middle to Upper Jurassic Marrat, Dhruma, Sargelu, Najmah and Jubaila formations of Kuwait was completed on approximately 1600 core samples for palynology, calcareous nannofossils, and foraminifera (thin sections) in twenty wells. Five established Tethyan nannofossil zones are integrated with six recently recognized microfossil zones and two palynological zones, enabling chronostratigraphic correlations within Kuwait and to the equivalent units of Eastern Saudi Arabia. Paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic interpretation is carried out giving some insights to the timing of activation of the Rimthan Arch and formation of the Gotnia Basin, from the Bajocian to Kimmeridgian. The Dhruma Formation is assigned an early to late Bajocian age, nannofossil zone NJT 10 (upper part subzone NJT 10a) based on the co-occurrence of C. superbus and W. manivitae. The Sargelu-Dhruma Transition is of late Bajocian to early Bathonian age (NJT 10b nannofossil subzone to NJT 11 Zone) on the basis of the LO of C. magharensis. Conoglobuligerina dagestanica defines the Bathonian upper boundary within the overlying Sargelu Limestone, which also shows G. calloviensis, suggesting an early Callovian age. This unit shows an increase in microfossils and the absence of nannofossils which enables the designation of the G. calloviensis / G. bathoniana planktic foraminifer zone. The overlying Najmah Formation is subdivided into the Najmah-Sargelu transition, the Lower Najmah and Upper Najmah members, of Callovian to Oxfordian age, with planktonic foraminiferal bioevents such as the LO of G. calloviensis, G. bathoniana, and G. oxfordiana. A sparse calcareous nannofossil assemblage which includes A. helvetica and C. deflandrei suggests the Callovian to Oxfordian NJT 11 to NJT 13 Zones for this formation. The topmost Upper Najmah Shale is dated as Kimmeridgian on the basis of the FO of the dinoflagellate Circulodinium spp. with the overlying peloid-skeletal wackstone and microbial-ooid-skeletal, grain-dominated packstones Najmah Limestone mainly characterized by benthic foraminifera assemblages. This unit unconformably underlies the laminated, organic-rich calcareous shales of the Kimmeridgian Jubaila Formation. The succession exhibits marine paleoenvironments ranging from inner to middle neritic for the Dhruma Formation and Sargelu- Dhruma Transition, middle to outer neritic for the Sargelu Limestone and Lower Najmah Shale, with predominantly outer neritic conditions for the Upper Najmah Shale. Shallower transitional to inner neritic has been interpreted for the Najmah Limestone whereas the Jubaila Formation was deposited in deeper middle to outer neritic conditions. The onset of tectonic activity that formed the Gotnia Basin started during the deposition of the Dhruma Formation, with down-faulting prevailing along the north edge of the Rimthan Arch. Accommodation space was never filled, up to the deposition of the Gotnia Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial solid waste management encompasses a vital part of developed and developing countries strategies alike. It manages waste generated from vital industries and governs the hazardous waste generated as a major component of integrated waste management strategies. This article reviews the practices that govern the management approaches utilized in the developed world for industrial spent catalysts. It critically assesses the current situation of waste management within the developing world region focusing on the industrial waste component, in a novel attempt to crucially develop a strategy for a way forward based on best practices and future directions with major European industries. The review also draws parallels with European countries to compare their practices with those of the State of Kuwait, which rely solely on landfilling for the management of its industrial waste. Spent catalysts recovery methods are discussed at length covering conventional methods of valuable metals and chemicals recovery (e.g., hydrometallurgical, solid–liquid and liquid–liquid extraction) as well as biological recovery methods. A major gap exists within regulations that govern the practice of managing industrial waste in Kuwait, where it is essential to start regulating industries that generate spent catalysts in-view of encouraging the establishment of valorization industries for metal and chemical recovery. This will also create a sustainable practice within state borders, and can reduce the environmental impact of landfilling such waste in Kuwait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of laparoscopic management as a first choice for the treatment of duodenal perforation is gaining ground but is not routine in many centers. In this report, we aim to report our experience with laparoscopy as the first approach for the repair of duodenal perforation.Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients during our initial experience with the use of laparoscopy for the treatment of duodenal perforation between 2009 and 2013.Results: A total of 100 patients underwent management of duodenal perforation. Laparoscopy was attempted initially in 76 patients (76%) and completed in 64 patients (64%). The length of hospital stay was shorter in the laparoscopic group (mean 2.6) than in the open group (mean 3.1) (p = 0.008). Complications developed in 14 patients (20%). There was a tendency towards fewer admissions to intensive care, less acute kidney injuries, and less acute respiratory distress syndrome in the laparoscopic group. In patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery, the chances of uneventful recovery were 4.3 times higher than in those patients who underwent open surgery (95% CI 1.3-13.5, p = 0.014).Conclusions: Laparoscopy in the treatment of perforated duodenal ulcer is safe and can be utilized as a routine approach for the treatment of this pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle and Upper Jurassic section of Kuwait is more complete than the type Jurassic outcrop sections in Saudi Arabia. The lithostratigraphic nomenclature, biostratigraphy, and sequence stratigraphy have recently been revised and clarified. Based on biostratigraphic data, Middle Jurassic deposition began with the Aalenian-age to early Bajocian Upper Member of the Marrat Formation, which has no time-equivalent unit in the outcrop sections. Three sequences (J16 to J18) are proposed in this lowstand wedge, and the overlying Dhruma, Sargelu, Najmah, Jubaila, Gotnia, and Hith formations were deposited during the remainder of the Middle and nearly all of the Late Jurassic. During that time interval, the Gotnia Basin formed and filled and uplift of the Rimthan Arch first influenced sedimentation patterns in the Gotnia Basin and in the Arabian Basin to the south. Organic-rich rocks were deposited in both basins and were the source for hydrocarbons accumulations in the Arab Formation. Dhruma Formation deposition began with a rapid relative rise in sea level and differential subsidence of the underlying Marrat carbonate platform and ramp deposits in response to the inception of seafloor spreading as the Southern Neotethys began to open along the Zagros margin. Dhruma deposition began with laminated and heavily bioturbated calcareous shales in a basinal setting and aggraded upward, becoming interbedded with storm beds and wackestones of the outer and inner shelf in the lower member (Sargelu-Dhruma Transition) of the Sargelu Formation. Renewed, rapid sea level rise in the base of the upper Sargelu Limestone Member was marked by the disappearance of argillaceous content and aggradation of mudstones and skeletal wackestones and with upward shoaling into peloid-cortoid-skeletal packstones of shelf origin. Rapid deepening began during deposition of the Najmah-Sargelu Transition and continued though the lower Najmah Shale Member of the Najmah Formation. This marks the beginning of deposition of organic-rich laminated calcareous shales and argillaceous lime mudstones. The upper Limestone Member of the Najmah Formation shoals upward from a condensed interval at its base, through upper slope and outer and inner shelf settings. A hiatus separates the Najmah Formation from the overlying laminated and burrowed argillaceous mudstones of the Jubaila Formation. A second unconformity and hiatus separates the Jubaila from the overlying Gotnia Formation. This hiatus varies in duration, but the Gotnia as a whole is equivalent to the Arab Formation of Saudi Arabia. The Gotnia cycles in Kuwait contain great thicknesses of salts (primarily halite) and peritidal microbial mats, nodular and palmate anhydrite and peloidal lime mudstones to packstones deposited under peritidal conditions. Generalized isochore maps of the units of the Middle and Upper Jurassic in Kuwait show the Gotnia Basin forming during Dhruma time as a broad gentle sag of the underlying Lower and early Middle Jurassic Marrat Formation. The first clear evidence of segmentation into the Gotnia and Arabian basins, separated by the uplifted Rimthan Arch, occurs in the late Middle and early Upper Jurassic Najmah Shale. The Gotnia Basin appears to have been nearly infilled by the end of Najmah Limestone deposition. Renewed tectonic activity began during deposition of the newly-recognized Jubaila Formation and continued during deposition of the Gotnia Formation, with rapid thickening across the Rimthan Arch in southern Kuwait and with onlap and thinning northward into north Kuwait and eastward onto the Burgan Arch. Rapid salt precipitation during Gotnia Formation deposition kept up with subsidence so that it must be classified as a tectonic basin but never as a bathymetric depression. Extensive sampling of the strata from lower Dhruma through Jubaila Formations has been conducted. Several fossil groups have been studied and the results integrated with the existing nannofossil zonation to validate this sedimentologic and depotectonic interpretation and to provide a separate model for basin geometry and paleobathymetry. Those results are reported in part two of this article (in press). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High resolution biostratigraphic and palaeoenvironmental investigation has been integrated with sedimentology and wireline log data to establish a biostratigraphically-constrained depositional sequence stratigraphic framework for theWara and Ahmadi Formations, onshore Kuwait. Five hundred core samples from 10 wells were used in this study, in addition to seven wells with wire line log data for regional correlation. The 200 ft thick Wara Formation consists of alternating sand bodies and shale interbeds. It was deposited during the late Albian to early Cenomanian, in an inner shelf to marginal marine environments. It represents a 3rd order sequence, and is subdivided into three 4th order sequences; WA101, WA102 and WA103. The WA101 maximum flooding surface at the base of the Wara, has been recognized by the presence of common calcareous nannofossil and foraminifera assemblages. The WA102 maximum flooding surface is recognized near the middle part of the formation based on the occurrence of marine dinoflagellate cysts. The WA103 maximum flooding surface is recognized near top of the formation, based on the occurrence of marine dinoflagellate cysts. The Wara Formation 4th order highstand systems tracts are composed mainly of three progradational deltaic clastic clinoforms, which are composed of shallowing upward, barren- of-marine-fossil intercalations of sandstones and non-calcareous shale, with thin coal layers particularly at the upper part of WA103. They thicken towards the south and are composed of channel clastics in the Burgan area where assemblages are dominated by the miospores Araucariacites australis, Cyathidites spp., and Inaperturopollenites limbatus indicating a transitional paleoenvironment; sediments thin towards the distal part of the delta. The Ahmadi Formation is composed of two members; the Tuba member which is a carbonate reservoir in northern Kuwait and the Ahmadi shale member, which is considered to be a regional seal. It was deposited during the late Albian to early Cenomanian, in an inner- middle neritic marine environment. Its thickness is between 200-400 ft and it is dominated by shale to the south and carbonate to the north. Three 4th order sequences have been identified; AH101, AH102 and AH103. The AH101 maximum flooding surface at the base of the Tuba member, is indicated by the presence of common foraminifera and nannofossil assemblages. The AH102 maximum flooding surface is recognized from the middle Tuba member and indicated by common foraminifera and nannofossil assemblages and the AH103 maximum flooding surface is recognized at the base of the Ahmadi Shale, by common foraminifera and nannofossil assemblages. The Wara and Ahmadi 3rd order sequences are equivalent to the TSC global 3rd order sequences Al10 and Al11, respectively. The identified 4th order sequence boundaries, transgressive systems tracts, maximum flooding surfaces, and highstand stystems tracts are regionally correlated using electric wireline logs. The Wara silisiclastic reservoirs are developed towards the south while the Tuba carbonate reservoirs are developed towards the north. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two fish species yellowfin seabream ( Acanthopagrus latus ) and tonguesole ( Cynoglossus arel ) were collected from two locations in Kuwait’s territorial waters in non-reproductive periods and used as bio-indicator organism for the assessment of metals in the marine environment. Species variation in fish was observed; seabream contained high metal content and metallothionein in liver and gill tissues compared to tonguesole, especially from Kuwait Bay area. Oxidative injury was registered in the gills of both species, but in tonguesole liver was also involved. Consequently, antioxidant enzyme catalase was elevated in tonguesole enabling bottom dwelling fish to combat oxidative assault. The study provided information about the current status of metals in marine sediment and levels of metals accumulated in representative species along with oxidative damage in exposed tissues and the range of biomarker protein metallothionein and enzymes of antioxidant defence mechanism enhancing our understanding about the biological response to the existing marine environment in Kuwait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the boundary dispute between Kuwait and Iraq. Concern of Iraq of its water boundary shortage due to its separation from the Arabian Gulf; Expectation by the Iraqi government for Kuwait to compensate their geographic position by claiming ownership of the country and changing the boundaries to ensure its accessibility to the Gulf; Refusal by the Iraqis to recognize the borders set by the United Nations after the Kuwait War in 1991; Recognition of the long-standing dispute between the two countries since the 1800s; Claim by Iraq of having lost part of its land areas after its defeat in Kuwait in 1991.

Recent extreme hydrological events, such as high rainfall and storms, have been linked to climate change worldwide due to their relatively uncommon trends, which are generally described as having varying frequencies and higher intensities. Similar extreme rainfall trends were observed in the northwest Arabian Gulf during the 2018–2019 season. Heavy rainfall events have triggered high discharges in the river of Shatt Al-Arab, where, prior to these events, the discharge rate has exhibited a declining trend over the past 40 years. Shatt Al-Arab provides various physical, chemical, and biological functions in the region. In this study, some recent and extensive measurements of salinity and post-processed satellite images of chlorophyll-a in the northwest Arabian Gulf were recorded to assess the response of the region to the higher discharges. The results indicated that the salinity decreased significantly during and after the rainfall events in response to the higher discharges from Shatt Al-Arab. The effects of higher discharges extended over most of Kuwait's coastline, including Kuwait Bay. The chlorophyll-a distributions doubled after the extreme events, emphasising the effects of Shatt Al-Arab. Collectively, the results indicated that the discharge from Shatt Al-Arab during the extreme event exceeded 1400 m3/s, while, in the previous seasons, it rarely exceeded 80 m3/s. The higher discharge levels of discharge would result in various changes in ecology at multiple levels due to the sudden and reversing shift in the hydro-environmental processes. • Heavy rainfall events have triggered high discharges in the river of Shatt Al-Arab. • Extensive field measurements of salinity have shown a sharp decrease in response to the discharge. • The effects of the discharge covered Kuwait's coast including Kuwait Bay. • The chlorophyll-a distributions doubled after the extreme events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic article with pro-oxidant additives have been commercially used within the past decade and promoted to be an environmentally sound option to mitigate plastic solid waste (PSW) accumulation. These products also present a dispute as to the manner they should be standardised by various international bodies. One of which, is the biotic influence on such products where their degree of degradation is studied. In this work, the standard test method of ASTM D 5988 'Standard Test Method for Determining Aerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials in Soil' has been applied on three commercial grade oxo-biodegradable polyethylene (PE) film products. The performance of the tested specimens was measured against local soil secured from an arid site within the State of Kuwait mimicking local landfill conditions. The carbon dioxide generation was estimated and the rate of biodegradability was estimated as per the suggested methodology in the test protocol. It was noted that the carbon content was independent of the rate of carbon evolution and was attributed to the pro-degradant and heavy metal content present in the plastic product. The work in this communication can pave the way for the future consideration for this test procedure to be part of the standards in the developing world to mitigate their solid waste (SW) accumulation problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health of a marine ecosystem can effectively be monitored by studying the levels of biomarkers in a representative species. A change in background level of a biomarker indicates exposure to a specific type of pollutants. It also identifies bioavailability and the organism response to the causative agent among the compounds present in the surrounding water body. Yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus), a local variety of fish, was examined for parent PAHs in the liver, its metabolites in bile by the GC-MS method as exposure biomarkers and cytochrome P4501A1 by assay of ethoxyresorufin-o-deethylase (EROD) in the liver as an effect biomarker. A comparison was made between fish collected in 2015 with the fish collected in 2005-2006 and stored at − 80 °C in the fish bank. The objective was to examine the extent of changes in the environmental quality of the Kuwait marine area and the status of fish health concerning oil-related pollutants since Arabian Gulf is surrounded by oil-producing countries. Interestingly, insignificant differences between the liver PAH content and EROD activity were observed in fish over the sampling periods. The fish efficiently metabolized PAHs and excreted hydroxy-metabolites in bile. The study suggested that environmental quality of the Kuwait marine area was not deteriorated to any serious extent in the last decade and biomarkers can be used effectively in assessing the thrust of sub-optimal levels of various contaminants present in the marine area on the resident biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]