Assessment of anthropogenic impacts on the aquatic environment and biodiversity

Gyrhaiss Kasembele

29th April 2025

Due to anthropogenic activities the world is affected by pollution

Sources of pollution in DR Congo

Monitoring methods

Classical method

Biomonitoring

My research project

To use parasites as biondicators of water pollution

Monopisthocotyleans

Nematodes

Digeneans

Copepods

The copperbelt area

Haut-Katanga

DR Congo

Study Area

Field stay

Fishing

Fishes collected

Fish processing

Hosts

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• Identification using keys

Parasites

• Light microscopy
• Scanning electron microscopy
• Molecular identification

Host and parasite identification

Nematodes

Decrease the quality of the fish-meat

Nematodes cont’d

They are potentially zoonotic

Digeneans

Monopisthocotyleans

Outputs of the Project

• Some specimens for collections

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• Skills in management of rivers

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• Building capacities for fishermen and the community

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Outputs of the Project

• Scientific publications:

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• VLIR-UOS: funding “ZRDC2014MP084”
• VLIR-UOS (IUC-UNILU, CD2021IUC04A104 and Global Minds)

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Kasembele GK et al., 2023. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05637-5

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Kasembele GK et al., 2024. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1984-4689.v41.e23090

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Kasembele GK et al., 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030395

Conclusion