EESS special event "Distribution and environmental behavior of emerging contaminants in coastal settings"
Event details
| Date | 01.07.2016 |
| Hour | 12:30 › 13:30 |
| Speaker | Dr Pablo A. Lara-Martín, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Environmental and Marine Sciences, CEI·MAR, Cadiz, ES |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract:
Since the second half of the 20th Century, synthesis of new chemical products has experienced an exponential growth. Negative effects of some compounds (known as persistent organic pollutants, POPs) on the environment and human health started to become apparent soon after their widespread release into the environment, during the 1960-70s. This resulted in contaminant phase-outs or restrictive legal actions in the case of some compounds such as PCBs or many organochlorinated pesticides (e.g., DDT). It also showed the need to better assess the environmental behavior, persistence and possible toxicological effects of new synthetic organic compounds. In that sense, my research focuses on better understanding the occurrence and fate in costal systems of a wide variety of sewage-derived contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and comparing them with those better known POPs. My research activities include:
a) Developing new methods based on gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry for the determination of priority (e.g., PAHs, pesticides, PCBs) and emerging (PCPPs such as fragrances, sufactants, and UV filters) organic contaminants in all kind of matrices.
b) Monitoring the concentrations of these compounds in the environment by direct analysis and the use of passive samplers and dated sediment cores.
c) Characterizing their fate through laboratory experiments, including characterization of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation kinetics, identification of photodegradation products, sorption isotherms, and bioaccumulation in marine species such as Ruditapes philippinarum.
Since the second half of the 20th Century, synthesis of new chemical products has experienced an exponential growth. Negative effects of some compounds (known as persistent organic pollutants, POPs) on the environment and human health started to become apparent soon after their widespread release into the environment, during the 1960-70s. This resulted in contaminant phase-outs or restrictive legal actions in the case of some compounds such as PCBs or many organochlorinated pesticides (e.g., DDT). It also showed the need to better assess the environmental behavior, persistence and possible toxicological effects of new synthetic organic compounds. In that sense, my research focuses on better understanding the occurrence and fate in costal systems of a wide variety of sewage-derived contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and comparing them with those better known POPs. My research activities include:
a) Developing new methods based on gas and liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry for the determination of priority (e.g., PAHs, pesticides, PCBs) and emerging (PCPPs such as fragrances, sufactants, and UV filters) organic contaminants in all kind of matrices.
b) Monitoring the concentrations of these compounds in the environment by direct analysis and the use of passive samplers and dated sediment cores.
c) Characterizing their fate through laboratory experiments, including characterization of aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation kinetics, identification of photodegradation products, sorption isotherms, and bioaccumulation in marine species such as Ruditapes philippinarum.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Organizer
- EESS - IIE
Contact
- Dr Carmen Casado-Martinez, Centre Ecotoxicologie EPFL-EAWAG