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SUMMARY:Tiny world - big implications ? What aquatic microorganisms tell u
 s about environmental impact of engineered nanoparticle
DTSTART:20131203T161500
DTEND:20131203T171500
DTSTAMP:20260407T183726Z
UID:4ccb109902749d122a4e3499d60fda7c0cc21162f693ecd9d0dd3566
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. Vera Slaveykova\, Institut Forel\, University of Geneva\
 , CH\nAbstract:\nAdvancements in nanotechnology have greatly enhanced mate
 rial versatility and efficiency by enabling the modification of physical m
 aterial properties at the nano-level. The great potential of engineered na
 nomaterials (ENMs) lies in their modifiable properties that can be customi
 zed to fit specific functional requirements making ENMs promising material
 s for a broad range of new commercial and industrial applications. At the 
 same time however\, these newly engineered material properties also bear t
 he potential for unintended and yet unknown hazards for environmental and 
 human health. The use of ENMs in general and specifically of inorganic nan
 oparticles (ENPs) in various applications is rapidly growing and their con
 comitant environmental release is inevitable and therefore bears important
  societal and environmental implications.\nIn this presentation we explore
  the frontiers of our knowledge of this “tiny world” to understand how
  the metal containing ENPs affect aquatic microorganisms and how in turn m
 icroorganisms affect ENP properties and behavior. We highlight the complex
 ity of the behavior of ENPs in the environment and discuss the importance 
 of environmental transformations and trophic linkages for a proper risk as
 sessment of ENMs and for a weighing the “benefits versus risks” of nan
 otechnologies.Dr. Vera I Slaveykova is professor of environmental biogeoch
 emistry and ecotoxicology  at the University of Geneva and director of In
 stitute F.A. Forel. Her primary research interest are in development of ne
 w tools and concepts to study the basic processes governing the behavior o
 f trace elements and nanoparticles\, their interactions with various bioti
 c and abiotic constituents of the aquatic systems\, that are highly releva
 nt to water quality and environmental risk assessment. She is editor of En
 vironmental Science and Pollution Research journal.
LOCATION:GR A3 31 http://plan.epfl.ch/?room=GR%20A3%2031
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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