Karst,Groundwater Contamination, & Public Health: Moving Beyond Case Studies

 描述(申请者提供)：2016年的会议将汇集专门研究岩溶、地下水污染和公共卫生的科学家和监管机构，在波多黎各的圣胡安举行会议。它将由非营利性岩溶水域研究所(KWI)和NIEHS超级基金研究计划(SRP)项目波多黎各探索污染威胁(PROTECT)试验场组织并共同主办。喀斯特地形和含水层形成于被可溶岩石覆盖的地区；在这些地区发现的特点，如洞穴、泉水和天坑，形成了一个极易受到污染的地下水系统。对公共健康的影响源于易于引入污染物、世界各地普遍存在的岩溶地形以及普遍使用岩溶水作为饮用水水源。在岩溶科学家和公共卫生专家之间进行跨学科交流的尝试很少，也没有一次会议聚焦于岩溶这一特定问题。这次会议将把这些团体聚集在一起。拟议会议的主要目标是为研究将公众健康与岩溶地下水中的污染物运移联系起来的问题制定一个系统的框架，具体目标如下：(1)召集两个领域的专家进行交叉施肥；(2)制定关于污染物在岩溶中如何运移的概念框架；(3)确定与岩溶有关的快速和长期暴露所造成的特定的不利公共健康后果和预防战略；以及(4)向科学界和公众宣传会议的成果。会议的创新包括开启两个主要群体之间的对话，邀请公众和社区团体参加一些会议，并包括两次实地考察，以促进会议参与者之间的对话。本次会议讨论了NIEHS战略计划的主题和目标：翻译、全球卫生、培训/教育、社区参与、教学、建设多样化的劳动力队伍以及利益相关者沟通。通过将会议设在波多黎各，Protect与大学和社区组织建立的关系将有助于鼓励代表人数不足的群体参与。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This 2016 meeting will bring together scientists and regulators specializing in karst, groundwater contamination, and public health for a conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It will be organized and co- hosted by the non-profit Karst Waters Institute (KWI) and the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) project Puerto Rico Test Site for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT). Karst terrains and aquifers form in regions underlain by soluble rocks; the characteristic features found in these regions, such as caves, springs, and sinkholes, create a groundwater system that is highly vulnerable to contamination. Public health impacts stem from the ease of introducing contaminants, the ubiquity of karst terrains worldwide, and pervasive use of karst water as a drinking water source. There have been few attempts at cross-discipline communication between karst scientists and public health specialists, and no meeting has ever focused on the particular issues of karst. This conference will bring together those groups. The primary objective of the proposed conference is to develop a systematic framework for the study of problems connecting public health to contaminant transport in karst groundwater with the following specific aims: (1) bring together experts from both fields for cross-fertilization; (2) develop a conceptual framework for how contaminants are transported in karst; (3) identify particular adverse public health outcomes and prevention strategies resulting from rapid and long-term exposure relating to karst; and (4) communicate the meeting outcomes to the scientific community and general public. The conference innovations include opening the dialog between the two primary groups, inviting public and community groups to some of the sessions, and including two field trips to facilitate conversations between meeting participants. This meeting addresses themes and goals of the NIEHS Strategic Plan: translation, global health, training/education, community engagement, teaching, building a diverse workforce, and stakeholder communication. By locating the conference in Puerto Rico, PROTECT's established relationships with the universities and community organizations will help to encourage involvement from underrepresented groups.