32nd International Conference on Environmental Geochemistry and Health

Organized by the Laboratoire G-Time of ULB (Laboratoire Geochemistry - Tracing by Isotopes, Elements and Minerals) this annual conference of the Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health provides a forum for international scientists, consultants, regulatory authorities and other practitioners (public health / environmental health) with an interest in the links between environment and health and working in the broad area of environmental geochemistry.

Abstract submission deadline: March 2nd, 2016

For the 32nd SEGH there are three core themes (Dust and Aerosol; Isotopes and Speciation; Geochemistry and Health) and three special sessions (SpatioTemporal Trends of Metal Contaminants in the Atmosphere; Nanoparticles in the Environment: Fate and Effects; Geochemistry and Biomedical Issues).

Bioecologie put a spotlight on this Special Session:

Special Session 2 – Nanoparticles in the Environment: Fate and Effects

Special Session chaired by Camille Larue1,2, Laure Giamberini3,Eric Pinelli1,2, Laury Gauthier1,2

1 Université de Toulouse; INP, UPS; EcoLab (Laboratoire d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement); ENSAT, France

2 CNRS; EcoLab; France

3Université de Lorraine, LIEC (Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux), France

Nanoparticles, both from natural and anthropogenic origins, have always existed in our environment. They are present in every compartments, from ultrafine atmospheric particles to nanoparticles present in the colloidal fraction of soils and water. Recent decades have seen the emergence of manufactured nanoparticles (NPs) with new properties used in various applications (medicine, electronics, computers, automotive industry, and in more than 1800 consumer products including food) raising concerns about their fate in the environment due to enhanced surface reactivity. If no strict regulations are currently effective concerning NPs, several OECD or FDA recommendations are already available for industry and toxicological testing. It has also been underlined the necessity to develop knowledge in analysis and characterization of NPs in physical and biological matrixes, and their eco(toxicity). This has led to a number of questions as their speciation, their interaction with other contaminants or their effects associated with human health and environmental risks. This session aims at being a discussion forum centered on: (i) NP physico-chemical characterization, (ii) their interactions with living organisms and (iii) their potential environmental and health issues. Young researchers are encouraged to present their work.