ContaSed2015: Support for U.S. Participants in an International Conference on Environmental Chemistry, Toxicology, and Engineering of Contaminated Sediments, Switzerland

CBET 1523990弗格森标题：ContaSed2015：支持美国与会者参加瑞士环境化学、毒理学和污染沉积物工程国际会议本次会议旨在为顶尖国际专家以及来自不同科学学科的初级研究人员提供最具智力刺激的论坛，讨论和展示有关污染沉积物分析、评估和修复的最新和最热门的结果和新方法。现代沉积物是水生生态系统中化学污染物的主要汇，对环境中污染物的去向极为重要。沉积物质量的生态相关性得到了广泛的认可，但在不同的科学领域中的处理方法有所不同。沉积物控制着污染物和营养物质的生物地球化学循环，对有害污染物的生物可利用性和由此产生的毒性影响起着关键作用。此外，水体沉积物中有机污染物的生物降解在风险评估中具有重要意义。作为污染物的档案，年代沉积物代表了环境污染趋势的历史记录。为了确保污染沉积物对美国环境政策、健康和社会的影响在这个重要论坛上得到充分体现，美国研究人员的参与将是至关重要的。2015年会议将讨论的主题将包括：a)沉积档案和历史趋势；b)将污染物负荷转变为水生生态系统并确定其驱动因素；c)沉积物污染物的转化过程和降解产物；d)水体中化学物质的分配以及有害物质和病原体的生物有效性；e)沉积物-水界面过程对生物地球化学和污染物动力学的作用；以及，f)污染沉积物的就地和非就地修复技术。会议将涵盖遗留和新兴有机微污染物、重金属、病毒和微生物以及工程纳米材料的研究。环境化学、生态毒理学和工程学的最新进展将在基础和应用科学研究的与会者、风险评估专家和公共当局的监管人员之间进行介绍和讨论。特别是，预计会议最后将举行一次讨论，届时利益攸关方(包括国际专家和与会者)将确定解决受污染沉积物及其对国家和国际社会和经济的影响方面的一些“重大挑战”研究问题。

CBET 1523990FergusonTitle: ContaSed2015: Support for U.S. Participants in an International Conference on Environmental Chemistry, Toxicology, and Engineering of Contaminated Sediments, SwitzerlandThis Conference aims at providing the most intellectually stimulating forum possible for top international experts as well as junior researchers from different scientific disciplines to discuss and present the most recent and topical results and novel approaches regarding the analysis, assessment and remediation of contaminated sediment. Recent sediments are major sinks for chemical contaminants in aquatic ecosystems and are extremely important in the fate of pollutants in the environment. The ecological relevance of sediment quality is widely acknowledged, but approached differently in various scientific fields. Sediments govern the biogeochemical cycle of pollutants and nutrients and play a key role for the bioavailability of hazardous pollutants and the resulting toxic effects. In addition, biodegradation of organic pollutants in aquatic sediments is of major relevance in risk assessment. As archives of contaminants, dated sediments represent historic records of trends in environmental pollution. The participation of U.S. researchers at the conference will be essential in order to ensure that the implications of contaminated sediments on U.S. environmental policy, health, and society are fully represented in this important forum.The topics to be addressed at the 2015 Conference will include: a) sedimentary archives and historical trends; b) reconstruction of changing pollutant loads into aquatic ecosystems and identifying their drivers; c) transformation processes and degradation products of sediment contaminants; d) porewater partitioning of chemicals and bioavailability of hazardous substances and pathogens; e) role of sediment-water interface processes on biogeochemistry and pollutant dynamics; as well as, f) in-situ and ex-situ remediation techniques of contaminated sediments. The conference will cover studies about legacy and emerging organic micropollutants, heavy metals, virus and microbes, as well as engineered nanomaterials. Recent advances in environmental chemistry, ecotoxicology and engineering will be presented and discussed among participants from fundamental and applied scientific research, experts in risk assessment and regulators from public authorities. In particular, it is envisioned that the conference will include a discussion at the end wherein stakeholders (including international experts and conference attendees) will identify some "grand challenge" research questions for addressing contaminated sediments and their impacts on societies and economies both nationally and internationally.