Early career researchers meeting on the environmental chemistry of water, sediment and soil
Meeting report by:
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Steve Leharne
University of Greenwich s.a.leharne@greenwich.ac.uk |
Tom Sizmur
University of Reading t.sizmur@reading.ac.uk |
ECG Bulletin February 2017
Twenty-nine delegates attended this ECG event on 14 November at Burlington House. The aim was to provide a supportive environment for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and early career scientists in industry to present recent research findings, network with fellow early career researchers, and hear about the career opportunities available to professional environmental chemists. Eight oral and eleven poster presentations were made by early career researchers.
The meeting started with a presentation from Katerina Kademoglou (Reading University) on a novel analytical method, which used a dialysis membrane containing Tenax to measure the bioaccesibility of flame retardants in indoor dust. Helen Balshaw (Swansea University) then described the possible use of pyrene – a fluorescent probe – to examine the polarity and viscosity of the organic environment in water repellent soils, and Abdolbaset Karim (University of Nottingham) reported on an investigation of 129I bioavailability in vegetables grown in soils taken from Northern Iraq.
The meeting started with a presentation from Katerina Kademoglou (Reading University) on a novel analytical method, which used a dialysis membrane containing Tenax to measure the bioaccesibility of flame retardants in indoor dust. Helen Balshaw (Swansea University) then described the possible use of pyrene – a fluorescent probe – to examine the polarity and viscosity of the organic environment in water repellent soils, and Abdolbaset Karim (University of Nottingham) reported on an investigation of 129I bioavailability in vegetables grown in soils taken from Northern Iraq.
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A coffee break provided an opportunity for delegates to view and discuss the posters, whose contents ranged from soil micronutrient deficiency to organic pollutant uptake by plants, and the fate of plasticisers and pharmaceuticals in the environment. A poster by Saeed Ahmad (University of Nottingham) on the geochemistry of iodine and selenium in North East Pakistan was judged to be the best poster on display.
The meeting proceeded with former ECG committee member Dr Cecilia McLeod (Director Geo-Environment, WYG Global Consulting) describing her work as an environmental chemist in ameliorating a toxic waste dump generated by Irish Steel on Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour, Ireland. |
Saeed Ahmad receives his prize for the best poster presentation.
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The first afternoon session heard presentations on evaluating landfills for their resource potential (Steven Warwick, Cardiff University); examining the effects of physicochemical parameters on the bioavailability of metals and hydrocarbons in soil mesocosms (Sabrina Cipullo, Cranfield University); and on the coupling of phyto- and myco-remediation on petroleum contaminated soils in the Niger Delta, Nigeria (Udeme Dickson, Nottingham Trent University). The final session commenced with a presentation by Heather Sanders (Nottingham University) on the interactions of I-129 and Se-77 with humic acids, followed by Alun James’ (Aberystwyth University) account of the use of biochar derived from reeds to treat minewater in an upland environment. Alun’s presentation was judged to be the best oral presentation of the meeting.
The meeting concluded with Professor Chris Collins (Reading University) recalling his life as an environmental chemist in an academic environment. In particular, he emphasised his interests in the uptake of organic chemicals by plants; the fate and transport of pollutants in soils; and the use of a human gut simulator to measure the bioavailability of soil contaminants.
The meeting concluded with Professor Chris Collins (Reading University) recalling his life as an environmental chemist in an academic environment. In particular, he emphasised his interests in the uptake of organic chemicals by plants; the fate and transport of pollutants in soils; and the use of a human gut simulator to measure the bioavailability of soil contaminants.
