What’s in Our Water: The significance of trace organic compounds (2010)

3rd Australian Symposium on Ecological Risk Assessment and Management of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) in the Australasian Environment

November 10-11 2010, CSIRO Discovery Centre, Black Mountain, Canberra

News:

Registration has opened
Please download the Symposium flyer (PDF, 1.1 MB)
Keynote Speakers

Background

Water scarcity is exerting great pressure on available water resources and the demand for reuse and recycling of water is increasing rapidly. Water resources, including treated wastewater, is gaining greater acceptance as environmental flows and other non-potable water use in Australia. However, a range of organic chemicals such as natural and synthetic steroid hormones, detergent by-products (e.g. nonylphenol), platisticisers (bisphenol A), pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are often present in treated wastewater effluents.

There is growing community concern about the potential adverse impact of these compounds as some of these can mimic natural hormones and potentially interfere with the normal functioning of endocrine systems at very low levels (e.g. nanogram/L) leading to undesirable ecosystem and human health outcomes. Such compounds are generally referred to as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs). Similarly PPCPs are increasingly coming under scrutiny in terms of their potential impact on ecosystem and human health, especially owing to recent reports on detection of pharmaceuticals in drinking water supplies in USA.

Numerous studies in Australia and overseas have found appreciable residues of EDCs as well as PPCPs (collectively termed as micropollutants) in freshwater and marine environments, even in treated drinking waters. The science on micropollutants is growing rapidly and there is now an “explosion” in literature on this topic. This means the understanding on the environmental fate and effects of micropollutants are developing at a very fast pace indeed. It is therefore imperative that we keep pace with the new research and developments on knowledge, information, tools, techniques and approaches on ecological risk assessment and the management of micropollutants in our environment.

Symposium series

This is the third symposium in the series designed to provide a forum to:

deliberate on various issues related to the exposure, fate and effects of micropollutants, especially EDCs and PPCPs
share the latest R&D findings on micropollutants
identify priority areas for research and development as well as risk assessment and risk management.

The third symposium will build on the successes of the previous two symposia, listed below.

In 2004, the first symposium of this series provided the platform for various interested groups to discuss issues related to the risks of these chemicals in the Australian environment. The workshop identified research needs and triggered further research on this topic.

In 2007, the second symposium was held in Canberra at which the Technical Report was launched and a major outcome from the symposium was the Black Mountain Declaration.

Read the Black Mountain Declaration on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Australian Waters 2007, a major outcome from the conference (PDF, 55 kB)
Download the technical report "Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in the Australian Riverine Environment" which was launched at the symposium [external site]

This symposium provides an excellent opportunity to bring together the latest Australian and international research for discussion and to facilitate a better understanding of the risk associated with micropollutants, especially EDCs and PPCPs in the Australian environment.

Aims of the symposium

The aims of the symposium are as follows:

To bring together key stakeholders including regulators, researchers, natural resource managers, policy makers and other government and non-government agencies
To facilitate discussion and exchange of current information and knowledge on EDCs and PPCPs in an open forum
To develop a better understanding of the risks posed by EDCs and PPCPs in the Australian environment and help to develop future directions for effective management strategies, and
To identify priorities for research, risk management options and opportunities for managing chemicals of emerging concern in aquatic environments.

Who should attend?

The symposium would bring together researchers, environmental engineers, resource managers, regulators, policy makers and academia, from Australasia but also keynote speakers from Europe and North America.

Important Dates

Registration/Abstract submission opens – 10th May 2010
Submission of abstracts closes – 9th August 2010
Notification of abstract acceptance – 17th September 2010
Early bird registration closes – 1st October 2010

Venue Details

CSIRO Discovery is located at CSIRO Plant Industry, on the corner of Clunies Ross Street and Barry Drive, at the base of Black Mountain. Turn into Clunies Ross Street from Barry Drive, turn right at the roundabout leading towards North Science Road and follow the signs to Discovery parking and main entrance. Note - parking is limited.

Contact

Symposium email: PPCP2010@csiro.au
Phone: 08 8303 8759

Links

Jointly organised by CSIRO's Water for a Healthy Country Flagship and the Australasian Society for Ecotoxicology's
Micropollutants in Water Special Interest Group