2009 International Workshop on

Arsenic and Humic Substances

and Their Health Effects

 Date: May 11-12, 2009

Venue: May 11-12, 2009, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), International

Conference Hall, Tainan City, Taiwan

 

Organized by: Department of Earth Sciences, NCKU, Tainan City, Taiwan

Sponsored by: (1) Top 100 University Advancement Office, NCKU, Tainan City,

Taiwan; (2) National Science Council, Taiwan;(3)Water Resources Agency,

Ministry of Economic Affairs

Aim and Theme: Arsenic is an element that has attracted people’s attention since ancient times. It used to

be considered as a powerful poison, and it is now in the news as a result of the largest environmental calamity in Asia. This has led to the rediscovery of arsenic despite it always exists in the environment as a “silent” toxin in the world. Every year, new areas with arsenic in environments exceeding the maximal contamination levels set by international organizations are identified.

Scientific interest in arsenic has increased remarkably since the last century. By using the ISI Web of Knowledge as a search tool, there were 23,144 published articles on arsenic in its database for the period 1956-2007. Among them, 6,764 have been published in the 21st century. The increase in scientific publications has been spectacular in areas such as environmental sciences, food, metabolism, health and remedy. Arsenic is an old toxin offering unparalleled opportunities for research.

2008 International Workshop on Arsenic and Humic Substances and Their Health Effects in the First International workshop on Arsenic in the Environment, was held on May 13-14, 2008 at National Cheng Kung University. As a result of that event plans have been made to hold a series of annual workshop with same venues. These events, would provide participants with an up-to-date, global view of the arsenic studies at a multi- and interdisciplinary level.

The Second International workshop on Arsenic in the Environment with theme of“Arsenic and Humic Substances and Their Health Effects” will be held at International Conference Hall, National Cheng Kung University from May 11-12, 2009

The topics to be covered in the upcoming Workshop will be grouped under the following headings:* Geogenic distribution of arsenic in the aquifers* Mitigation of arsenic* Accumulation of arsenic in biological systems* Complexation behavior of different metal oxides in sediments* Geomicrobiology and release mechanism of arsenic* Toxicological and carcinogenic studies in identifying the causes of Blackfoot disease and tumor formation.

International collaborators:

1. Prof. Jochen Bundschuh Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad IC, San Jose, Costa Rica; UNSE, Argentina; UMSA, Bolivia.

2. Prof. Prosun Bhattacharya International Groundwater Arsenic Research Group, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden.

3. Prof. Ming-Kuo Lee Department of Geology and Geography, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University, USA

4. Dr. Zhaohui Lee Department of geological science, University of Wisconsin-parkside, Wisconsin, USA

5. Dr. Thomas Kulp U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.

6. Dr. Jyoti Prakash Maity India (At Present : National Chung Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan)

7. Dr. Sandeep Kar India (At Present : National Chung Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan)

8. Dr. Golam Mostafa Institute of Environment Science, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh (At Present : National Chung Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan)

9. Mr. Selim Reza Department of Geology and Mining, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh (At Present : National Chung Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan)

National collaborators:

1. Prof. Hui-Jen Yang Department of Earth Science, NCKU, Tainan, Taiwan

2. Prof. Hua-Fen Hsu Department of Chemistry, NCKU, Tainan, Taiwan

3. Prof. Bumiin Huang Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, NCKU Medical College, Tainan, Taiwan

4. Prof. Chiun-Chuan Lin Department of Geography, NTU, Taipei, Taiwan

5. Dr. Chia-Hung Jen Kaohsiung Normal University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

6. Dr. Yao-Chang lee National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), Hsinchu, Taiwan

Contact: Prof. Jiin-Shuh Jean,Department of Earth Sciences,National Cheng Kung University,1, University Road, Tainan City, Taiwan;e-mail: jiinshuh@mail.ncku.edu.tw; website: http://www.myweb.ncku.edu.tw/~jiinshuh

Organizer:

Prof Jean-Shuh Jean Department of Earth Sciences,

National Cheng Kung University,

1 University Road, Tainan City, Taiwan;

e-mail: jiinshuh@mail.ncku.edu.tw;

Prof. Hsiao-Sheng Liu Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan

e-mail: a713@mail.ncku.edu.tw

Important notes:- All papers should be delivered in electronic form (Ms Word).- Deadline for submission of extended abstract: April 10,2009- Maximum number of pages per paper: 2 pages (two column per page)- Deadline for registration: March 31, 2009- To prepare your extended abstract, please find the file “Instruction for Author” and “IWAHGH-2009_Abstract_ Sample” from “Attachment”