SETAC Asia-Pacific 15th Biennial Meeting

Understanding the impact of anthropogenic activities on organisms is the focus of environmental scientists. Impacts can be invoked directly by exposure to man-made substances but also indirectly via ecosystems’ imbalances, such as harmful algae blooms. In this track, in addition to sessions dealing with classic (eco)toxicology approaches, we welcome innovative session proposals directed to discuss novel, state of the art research linking different biological organization endpoints. This can include molecular as well as whole-organism approaches. 

Keywords: aquatic and terrestrial ecotoxicology, molecular and cellular toxicology, omics, adverse outcome pathways, biomarkers, in vitro and in silico methods, QSARs, mechanistic effect models 

The fate of chemicals in the environment and their bioavailability affects the risks of contaminants. Recent advances in environmental exposure assessment have been gained in both modelling and monitoring efforts and in bioavailability assessments. New and more accurate fate models have been developed, isotope based techniques are used to trace the fate of chemicals, statistical tools for interpreting monitoring data have been improved, and advances in analytical chemistry are continuously evolving for reliable identification of an increasing number of contaminants in the environment, including their degradation products. This session track is seeking proposals for sessions that address the state-of-the-science and new scientific developments in chemical or physical methodologies to measure or model concentrations, fate and bioavailability of contaminants, including modern approaches to improve the monitoring of contaminants and to follow their (bio)degradation and fluxes in the environment. 

Keywords: environmental monitoring, analytical chemistry, fate and exposure modelling, speciation, bioavailability, biodegradation, targeted and non-targeted pollutant screening 

Ecological and human health risk assessment is the process to estimate the nature and probability of adverse health effects in ecosystems and humans potentially exposed to single chemicals or mixtures and other stressors. Various methods are developed and used within risk assessment schemes that are quite specific for ecosystem health or human health. This track will therefore gather proposals for sessions that cover environmental risk assessment and mitigation strategies (including remediation), as well as human risk assessment. 

Keywords: risk assessment, emerging contaminants, emerging risks, risks of natural and mixed stressors, risk assessment methodologies, remediation, bioremediation 

Environmental policies, resource efficiency, circular economy, etc., are increasingly requesting integrated assessment methodologies and frameworks to support the decision-making process both in business and policy context. The complex interactions between environmental, economic, and social issues related to sustainability require holistic evaluations. We invite proposals for sessions that discuss integration of recent developments in ecotoxicology and ecological risk assessment into LCA and present and discuss principles, methodologies and case studies on environmental footprint (EF), both for products (PEF) and organizations (OEF), and the integration of life cycle approaches with resource efficiency and circular economy principles. 

Keywords: life cycle assessment, life cycle inventory, life cycle impact assessment, life cycle sustainability assessment, integrated assessment, impact assessment, upscaling issues, advanced modeling for sustainability assessment 

This track aims to attract sessions dealing with all aspects related to hazard and risk assessment as well as risk management in the context of chemical regulation and environmental policy. The track aims to bring together scientists from academic research, industry, regulatory authorities and policy makers, in a platform for joint discussions. 

Keywords: regulation, chemical legislation, regulatory chemistry and (eco)toxicology, decision making, communication tools, knowledge transfer and dissemination 

Under this session track, we welcome session proposals that stimulate thinking-outside-the-box, including the stimulation of trans-disciplinary collaboration to improve environmental quality. Possible examples are: (i) explore science-based links between ecotoxicological effects or ecological risk predictions and societal impact or values, (ii) stimulate long-term thinking in risk assessment (iii) discuss the role of SETAC and environmental risk assessment and management of chemicals in the context of global changes, (iv) discuss the potential role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in science and regulations, (v) how a better cooperation among human sciences, economics and environmental sciences can be achieved to address ethic and sustainability aspects, (vi) how to facilitate regulatory acceptance of new data and new approaches. 

Keywords: transdisciplinary collaboration, climate change, sustainability, green chemistry, predictive toxicology