GeoTrop 2017

GeoTrop 2017

8^th International Conference on Geochemistry in the Tropics & Sub-Tropics

ECOTOXICOLOGY OF PERSISTENT TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN FOOD PRODUCTION

8-11 December, 2017

Peking University – Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China

ORGANIZERS

• ∙ Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Treatment and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking -University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
• ∙ Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, China
• ∙ School of Environmental & Resources Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin’an, China
• ∙ School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
• ∙ Consortium on Health, Environment, Education & Research (CHEER), & Department of Science &Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, China
• ∙ Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China
• ∙ Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University, China
• ∙ Korea Biochar Research Center, Kangwon National University, Korea 
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• * 1st Conference – University of West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica (11-15 Sept, 1994).
• * 2nd Conference – University of Malaysia, Kula Lumpur, Malaysia (7-11 April, 1997).
• * 3rd Conference – Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong (24-27 Nov 1999).
• * 4th Conference – CSIRO Land and Water, Townsville, Australia (7-11 May, 2001).
• * 5th Conference – Institute of Soil Science, CAS, Haikou, China (21-26 March, 2004).
• * 6th Conference – Institute of Urban Environment, CAS, Xiamen, China (7-9 Nov, 2010).
• * 7th Conference – Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand (1-3 Oct, 2012).

OBJECTIVES RATIONALE FOR ORGANIZING THIS CONFERENCE: ECOTOXICOLOGY OF PERSISTENT TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN FOOD PRODUCTION   

    This conference aims to engage experts on the major emerging environmental issues we face as a result of rapid industrialization, while concurrently detailing the linkages between natural and disturbed chemical composition of the earth’s surface, and environmental and human health, focusing on food contamination.

   This conference will cover five major parts. The first part will highlight the degradation of soil and water resources, due to extraction and usage of minerals. The second part will provide historical perspectives on monitoring and assessment of toxic chemicals. The third part will focus on fates and pathways of different toxic chemicals such as arsenic, mercury, other tracer elements and endocrine disrupters, as well as mixtures of various toxic substances emitted from various industries, as well as during open burning of biomass and electronic-waste. The fourth part will provide evidences concerning several major health effects due to consumption of contaminated food, such as mercury contaminated fish and its association to autism in children; and arsenic in rice and its linkage with arsenicosis. The fifth part reviews the most effective techniques currently available in treating toxic chemicals and remediating contaminated sites. This conference fills a gap in the current lack of updated and comprehensive information in pace with the rapidly developing Asian region where safe and quality food production, as well as the management, regulation and policy concerning different toxic chemicals are currently hot-topics

OBJECTIVES

   Investigations are urgently needed to study the persistent behavior, distribution and ecotoxicological effects of these contaminants in the food production systems, i.e. fish ponds (freshwater fish culture) and fish cages (marine fish culture) and farm soils (e.g. paddy soils), and garden soils (e.g. horticulture) and adjacent ecosystems; with emphasis on their biogeochemical cycles; health risks due to consumption of contaminated food products; and the possible evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to the overuse of antibiotics. It is envisaged that the information gathered in this conference will serve as valuable references for developing the guidelines for “Good Agriculture/Aquaculture Practices” for agricultural/aquacultural industries in South China (including Hong Kong), in order to safeguard public health in the region.

MAJOR THEMES

• ∙ Current status of environmental contamination of agricultural/horticultural/aquaculture industries
• ∙ Environmental impact of agricultural/horticultural/aquacultual activities
• ∙ Fate, persistence, distribution and ecotoxicological impacts of chemicals used in agriculture/horticultural/aquaculture: impacts on humans & impacts on micro-, meso-, and macro-organisms
• ∙ Waste recycling in agricultural/ horticultural/aquaculture industries
• ∙ Biochar for sustainable waste management in agricultural/aquaculture industries
• ∙ Health risk assessments of contaminated agriculture/ horticultural/aquaculture products
• ∙ Sustainable agriculture/ horticultural/aquaculture ecosystems
• ∙ Integrated aquaculture and agriculture systems
• ∙ Management techniques of “Good Agriculture/Aquaculture Practices”
• ∙ Integrated coastal management (ICM)
• ∙ Contaminated site remediation

CALL FOR COORDINATORS FOR MAJOR THEMES
   Interested colleagues who would like to coordinate the above, or additional major themes, please send an early indication by end of Dec, 2016, with tentative titles of papers and authors to be included in relevant scientific sessions.  

POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

    Postgraduate students are encouraged to present their research work. There will be a few awards for best oral and poster presentations.

SUBMISSION OF PAPERS

    The conference will consist of invited keynote lectures, oral presentations and poster displays. Participants intending to contribute papers or posters should submit an abstract of no more than 300 words in English to the Organizing Committee before June 1, 2017. The abstract should be typed on A4-size paper with abstract title, names of authors and their affiliations clearly shown.

SPECIAL ISSUES OF SCI JOURNALS

  Selected papers will be published by Environmental Geochemistry and Health, Environmental Pollution (tentative), Applied Geochemistry (tentative) and Environmental Science and Pollution Research (tentative) after vigorous peer reviews.  

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?

   This conference will be of interest to researchers, lecturers, health inspectors, environmental professionals, legislators and government officers in relevant ministries who are responsible for environmental and public health management.

ACCOMMODATION

    Participants can stay at (1) Vienna Hotel (Shenzhen University City Store), Pingshan Yi Road (Pingshan Yi Lu), Pingshan Village, Xili Town, 518001 Shenzhen China. (2) Jinbaihe Hotel, No.4038 Xilihu Road, Xili Town, 518001 Shenzhen China. (3)Shenzhen Wankelong Motel, No.1408 Lishui Road, Xili Town, 518001 Shenzhen China.

REGISTRATION FEE

    The registration fee listed below includes conference attendance, a conference program abstract, lunches, morning and afternoon refreshments, welcome reception and conference banquet.

INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

• ∙ Prof Ming-Hung Wong, The Education University of Hong Kong/PKU-SZ, China (Co-Chairman)
• ∙ Prof Yong Sik Ok, Korea Biochar Research Center, Kangwon National University, Korea (Co-Chairman)
• ∙ Prof Daniel S Alessi, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Canada
• ∙ Prof Alan Baker, School of BioSciences, Melbourne University, Australia
• ∙ Prof Richard Dick, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, USA
• ∙ Prof Nick Dickinson, Department of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand
• ∙ Prof Eilhann E. Kwon, Department of Environment & Energy, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea
• ∙ Prof Ravi Naidu, CRC CARE, Australia
• ∙ Dr Jeff Novak, USDA-ARS, Florence, USA
• ∙ Prof Anushka Upamali Rajapaksha, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka
• ∙ Prof Hocheol Song, Department of Environment and Energy, Sejong University, Korea
• ∙ Prof Jörg Rinklebe, Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Wuppertal, Germany
• ∙ Prof Filip Tack, Department of Applied Analytical & Physical Chemistry, Ghent University, Belgium
• ∙ Prof Jianqing Zhang, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China

LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITEE

Mainland

• ∙ Prof. Hu-Chun Tao, School of Energy and Environment, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School (Co-Chairman)
• ∙ Dr Nan Xu, same affiliation
• ∙ Dr Ruili Li, same affiliation (Secretary)
• ∙ Prof Shengchun Wu, School of Resources and Environmental Management, Zhejiang A&F University (Co-Chairman)
• ∙ Dr Peng Liang, same affiliation (Secretary)
• ∙ Prof Jianqing Zhang, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• ∙ Dr Hui Li, School of Environment, Jinan University (Guangzhou)

Hong Kong

• ∙ Prof Ming-Hung Wong, Consortium on Health, Environment, Education and Research (CHEER), and Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong (Co-Chairman)
• ∙ Dr Chris Yiu-Fai Tsang, same affiliation
• ∙ Dr Yu-Bon Man, same affiliation
• ∙ Dr Karen Ka-Lai Chow, Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University
• ∙ Dr Anna Oi-Wah Leung, Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University
• ∙ Dr Dan Chiu-Wah Tsang, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Secretary)

INVITED SPEAKERS

To be announced

CORRESPONDENCE

• The Conference Secretariat
• Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Treatment and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China
• Telephone: 086-0755-26032007
• E-mail: thc007@pkusz.edu.cn; mhwong@hkbu.edu.hk
• Website: https://web.pkusz.edu.cn/szhmpcr
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Please return this REPLY FORM to thc007@pkusz.edu.cn; mhwong@hkbu.edu.hk as soon as possible- for working out how many people who are interested in organizing scientific sessions and presenting papers.