Sally Jatta came from West African nation of Gambia to KFUPM in order to understand better one of the world’s most pressing Grand Challenges: microplastics.

“I’m studying the bioaccumulation of microplastics in sea snails, its effect on shell formation and the tissue because they are filter feeders,” said Jatta. “We are all interconnected, and a change in one species can affect the order, either directly or indirectly.”

Jatta arrived at KFUPM in January 2024 to start a Master’s degree through the Department of Geoscience in the College of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences.

She feels at home on the shores of the Arabian Gulf where she collected live snail samples from Half Moon Bay located near the University. This is because hometown, Batokunku, is a seaside city with agricultural roots. Its history is steeped in livelihoods dependent on wetland farming and harvesting food from the sea.

“The name of my hometown literally means ‘farming on wetlands by the beach’,” she said. And she admits that Batokunku isn’t immune to the global issue of plastic waste littering the waters and beaches.

“This is a huge challenge,” she said. “Humans get so many proteins from the sea, and everything is so connected, we should monitor to hopefully find solutions and better strategies.”

After completing an Environmental Science degree from the University of Gambia, Jatta spent time working with waste management practices at the municipal level in her home.

“I’ve always been fascinated by plastic waste,” she admitted as she looked over rubbish strewn across the beach. “What affects marine organisms can eventually affect humans. I am excited to research how microplastics and associated heavy metals affect the health of snails.”