MEDICAL GEOLOGY NEWSLETTER · IMGA Newsletter March 2018 Page 2 During the last months, we have been committed to hold and define the guidelines for the upcoming IMGA elections within

IMGA Newsletter March 2018 Page 1

MEDICAL GEOLOGY NEWSLETTER INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL GEOLOGY ASSOCIATION www.medicalgeology.org

Newsletter 15 March 2018

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Prof. Nelly Mañay PhD IMGA Chairperson

On behalf of the International Medical Geology

Association, it is a great pleasure to introduce this new

edition of IMGA Newsletter and to thank you again for all

your support to our association and its scientific

activities. Newsletters and E-news are our principal way

to give you the information about all the activities that

our colleagues are performing worldwide on Medical

Geology education, research and scientific meetings.

2017 was a very productive year for IMGA not only for

the great and successful Conference in Moscow MEDGEO

17 that was fully covered in our last E-news but also for

all logistic and management changes to consolidate

IMGA in Portugal. Now our focus is on the next MEDGEO

19 in China and on the continuous increase of our

membership, new chapters and educational facilities to

PhD students research on Medical Geology areas

worldwide. New activities promoting Medical Geology

are growing as you can see in Chapter´s reports that

confirm that our association is strengthening with the

new medical-geology scientific generations.

IN THIS ISSUE

Chairman’s message

A short note from the

editor.

MedGe0’19

An update on the

activities of the IMGA

chapters

Meeting Reports

Recent publications

ISSN 1651‐5250

http://www.medicalgeology.org/


During the last months, we have been committed to hold and define the guidelines for

the upcoming IMGA elections within the framework of the Portuguese regulations.

Therefore, we invite everyone to get involved with the new election process and

regulations that we will send you soon. Finally, I would like to express my personal

appreciation to our Editor-in-Chief of the IMGA Newsletter, Dr. Mark Cave, for his

dedication and commitment to this publication.

"The wisest mind has something yet to learn." - George Santayana

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

I would like to welcome you to the first IMGA newsletter of 2018. 2017 has been a busy year for IMGA with the very successful MEDGEO conference in Moscow, the move of the administrative center of IMGA to Portugal and the continuing work of all of the individual chapters which can be found in the Chapter reports section of this newsletter. I have also just had notification of a new Chapter being formed by Professor Laurent Charlet at the University Grenoble Alps with an inaugural meeting taking place on the 29th-30th March in Annecy. The Uruguay Chapter report contains two very informative posters on the IMGA along with upcoming events which IMGA members may want to use for IMGA publicity purposes. The author of my chosen quotation is George Santayana who was a philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. Originally from Spain, Santayana was raised and educated in the United States. He is often quoted but this particular quotation applies to many areas of science and particularly to our multidisciplinary field of medical geology whereby the more we investigate the more we know but it opens our eyes to how much more we still do not know. I have given a list of a few of the recent papers on medical geology (Bjorklund et al., 2017; Fernando et al., 2017; Lopez-Abente et al., 2018; Middleton, 2017; Nunez et al., 2017; Wickramarathna et al., 2017) and the variety of topics in just these few papers illustrates the broad range of science we cover. This edition of the newsletter also includes a short article on some of the research being carried at the British Geological Survey on lead in urban environments in the UK. Please take note of the preliminary information on the MEDGEO conference to be held in Guiyang, China in 2019. The website for the conference should be going live in May 2018. Finally I would like to wish all members of IMGA a prosperous and productive 2018 in all your medical geology endeavors. Mark Cave


CONTENTS Chairman’s Message ....................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Note from the Editor ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2

Article .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4

The effect of Lead in soil on Crime Deprivation in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham .......................................................... 4

Medgeo’19 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Chapter reports ............................................................................................................................................................................. 11

Argentina ................................................................................................................................................................................... 11

Brazil .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

China-Ireland Concord ............................................................................................................................................................. 14

Ghana ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 15

Mexico ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 16

Nigeria ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 17

Portugal ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Spain ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Uruguay ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 24

UK .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 28

Meeting Reports ........................................................................................................................................................................... 28

Recent Publications ...................................................................................................................................................................... 30

Awards ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 31

Executive Committee of IMGA .................................................................................................................................................... 32


Article

The effect of Lead in soil on Crime Deprivation in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham

Mark Cave, Joanna Wragg, Robert Lister

Lead (Pb) is toxic to humans with one of its main detrimental effects being neurological, behavioural and development

impairment in children. There is an increasing body of evidence that suggests that if children are exposed to Pb at a young

age then the impairment of their neurological development can lead to a propensity for them to commit crime as young

adults (i.e. about 20 years later) The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that soil Pb is associated with criminality

in selected urban environments within the UK. The study used geological and geochemical information and soil Pb data

from Derby, Leicester and Nottingham, collected as part of a geochemical survey of urban soils (Figures 1-2)

Figure 1 Pb concentrations at each sampling point for each city. A Derby; B Leicester; C Nottingham


Figure 2 Comparisons of Pb concentration in soil between the three cities. A-Boxplot, B-probability density plot

Crime and other associated socio-economic data were provided by a national survey on deprivation in the UK (Figures 3-

4).

Figure 3 Crime deprivation summarised by Lower Super Output Areas (geographic areas for the collection and publication

of small area statistics)


Figure 4 Comparison of crime deprivation between cities

Figure 5 Mean dose response curves for the three response clusters for Derby

The data were modelled using crime deprivation as the dependant variable and Pb, Sn and Ce in soil as well as three socio-

economic factors associated with personal deprivation, population density and environmental deprivation as predictor


variables. Modelling strategies showed that the socio-economic predictor variables and spatial associations were

important in predicting crime deprivation. Pb and the two other soil chemistry parameters (Sn and Ce) were not

important predictors of crime deprivation in Leicester and Nottingham. Pb and its interactions with spatial and socio-

economic factors were, however, shown to have a significant effect on crime deprivation in Derby. A machine learning

(ML) model for Derby showed that there was an antagonistic interaction effect between Pb in soil and personal

deprivation. The ML model produce “dose-response” curves of the effect of Pb in soil on crime deprivation under different

spatial and socio-economic conditions (Figure 5).

These findings may have implications going forward for risk assessment methodologies which assume that the dose

response curves for contaminants are constant and independent of spatial and socio-economic factors which this study

suggests is not always the case.

This study is published in more detail in Applied Geochemistry (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2017.06.006 )

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2017.06.006


Medgeo’19

The 8th International Conference on Medical Geology will be held in Guiyang, China.

Some initial details are given below; the web site will be set up shortly. Please make a note in your

calendars.




CHAPTER REPORTS

The following reports cover the period of January 2017 to May 2017 and/or June 2017 to December

2017.

Argentina

Chapter Leader Name: Dr. Diego Fridman (e-mail address: [email protected]

[email protected] )

French 3037 C1425AWK. Buenos Aires. Argentina

• Medical Geology: Specialization in Health and Environment for Physicians. University of

Buenos Aires. Argentina. April 2017.

• Workshop on Geologic Resources. Degree in Environmental Sciences. Faculty of Agriculture.

University of Buenos Aires. Argentina. June 2017.

• XX Congreso Geológico Argentino. Tucumán. Argentina. Agosto 2017. The following works

were presented:

1) Research Program in Medical Geology. A proposal for integration of Health Sciences, Basic

Sciences and the Environment: adding efforts for risk reduction and sustainable development.

Fridman Diego, Diana Mutti y Claudia Vaamonde. Instituto de Geociencias Básicas, Aplicadas y

Ambientales de Buenos Aires – UBA - CONICET Área Geología Minera Sustineo – UBA. Pabellón II,

Depto. de Ciencias Geológicas, Ciudad Universitaria. Buenos Aires, Argentina. Medical Geology is the

discipline that studies the impact of processes and geological materials on the health of people, in

addition to those arising from the chain generated by anthropic processes.

Establishing a determinant link between geological elements and their effects on health has

methodological difficulties that can be approached from an interdisciplinary perspective that

incorporates the vision of the health sciences and the environment as well as the humanistic ones. The

objectives of the Program are: Generate the interaction of researchers from the environmental

sciences (natural sciences, mainly Geology), health and humanistic, to develop research projects

oriented to study the impact on human health, the natural and / or anthropic processes associated

with nonrenewable and renewable natural resources, and their interaction with the environment,

Collaborate in the dissemination of acquired knowledge, through teaching activities and interaction

with the community, Advise and assist public and / or private entities on issues related to medical

geology. It is expected that the development of the research program in Medical Geology will

collaborate in the study of risk reduction and sustainable development, and integrate the different

perspectives of this complex entity.

2) Role of iron and abrasivity of volcanic ashes in respiratory health. A contribution to the

management of risks disasters. Vaamonde Claudia 1, 2; Nievas Ricardo 2, 3; Fridman Diego 4; Aragón


Eugenio5; González Pablo Diego 6; Cavarozzi Claudia7; Stevenazzi José Eduardo2; Pérez Sindy8. 1

Médica (UBA). Cardióloga (Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires). Licenciatura en Geología

FCNyM_UNLP. Miembro de la Asociación de Geología Médica. 2 Docente del Instituto Universitario

de la Policía Federal Argentina. (IUPFA). 3 Director de la Carrera de Siniestros del Instituto

Universitario de la Policía Federal Argentina. (IUPFA). 4 Médico (UBA) Magister en Investigación y

Monitoreos de Ensayos Clínicos. Stamboulian Servicios de Salud, Buenos Aires. Presidente

Asociación Argentina de Geología Médica. 5 Geólogo Investigador Profesor Titular de la Cátedra de

Petrología I (Ígnea) FCNyM_UNLP. 6 Investigador Geólogo Profesor titular de Petrología Ígneo-

Metamórfica de la Universidad de Río Negro. Instituto de Investigaciones en Paleobiología y

Geología. 7Investigador. Geoquímica Profesora. Titular Cátedra de Geoquímica UNLP- FCNyM.

8Estudiante de la Carrera de Siniestros de la Policía Federal Argentina. (IUPFA). Policía de la

Provincia de Neuquén. This project seeks to study the mechanism and the actual extent to which, after

a recent eruption and emission of volcanic ash, respiratory pathologies appear in affected

populations. Specifically, we will focus on the population that lives in the Gral. Roca area. In the first

time, we will study the geological hazards of volcanic ash from two Chilean volcanoes, such as Calbuco

and Caulle (Puyehue-Cordón Caulle). We will study the chemical composition, mineralogical,

granulometric, morphological (abrasivity) of the ashes emitted in 2011 and 2015 by the volcanic

apparatuses that affected the vicinity of the locality of General Roca, Pcia of Rio Negro, Argentina.

Second, we will study the growth of bacterial colonies in specific culture media, with volcanic ash, in

order to be able to analyze the influence of iron and Lactoferrin on the size of the colonies. The

volcanic ash textures will also be compared in order to determine the abrasiveness of the volcanic ash

and its potential negative effect on respiratory health. Finally, we will analyze the incidence of

Community Acquired Pneumonia (NAC) in the population of General Roca after the eruption of 2015,

specifically in the population aged over 18 years and in that which is considered high risk as is the

Over 65 years old. Our study is a contribution, from the perspective of geology and disaster risk

management, to the prevention of vulnerable societies.

• Participation in MedGeo2017: Symposium conference on Medical Geoecology and the health

issues of geological surveys, prospecting works and mining production. Environmental Epidemiology

and Health Effects of Mining in Argentina. Diego Fridman MD, MSc. Moscow. September 2017.

• Dr. Diego Fridman participated as Professor in the Specialization in Mining Geology, Faculty of

Natural Sciences. University of Buenos Aires. Topics on Medical Geology. September 2017.

• We regret to inform you that on September 28, our colleague and friend, Dr. Eduardo Santini

Araujo, passed away. Eduardo was a pioneer of Medical Geology in Argentina.


Brazil

Chapter leaders: BERNARDINO R. FIGUEIREDO and CÁSSIO R. SILVA

First 6 months

During this last term several members of IMGA Brazilian Chapter dedicated themselves to prepare a

number of papers which were submitted to important scientific meetings such as the

International Conference on Medical Geology – Medgeo2017 – to be held in Moscow, the XVI

Brazilian Geochemical Congress to be held in Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, next August, and the 15th

Amazonian Geological Symposium to be held in Belém, next September.

Dr. Rita Salgueiro started a new undergraduate discipline entitled “Medical Geology” at the Federal

University of Ceará (UFC). A new “Geomedicine” course at graduate level has initiated in the Federal

University of Para (UFPA) last August.

Dr. Cassio Roberto da Silva (Brazilian Geological Survey) gave a lecture, entitled “Geochemistry,

Environment and Health”, at the Federal University of Espírito Santo, during the VI Geological

Studies Week, April 7, 2017.

He also participated in the planning meetings of the project "Mercury impact on protected areas and

on forest people in the Eastern Amazon: an integrated health-environmental approach”. Participation

of researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, the IEPE Research Institute for Indigenous

Education, the Amazon Program, the WWF Brazil and from a number of Universities and laboratories

is anticipated.

Dr. Eduardo Paim Viglio will address the big mining dam disaster in Mariana and additional research

results on antimony occurrences in Brazil at the incoming scientific meetings. He is also participating

of the geochemical activities of the Brazilian Geological Survey envisaged to publish three more

regional Environmental Geochemical Atlas of Brazil during the next Brazilian Geochemical Congress.

Final 6 months

A total of eleven Brazilian papers were published during the International Conference on Medical

Geology – Medgeo2017, held in Moscow, last September. These papers focused on the occurrence of

mercury, germanium and arsenic and implications for human health in Brazil. Analytical results on

the quality of drinking water in different places in the country were also discussed. Members of the

Chapter contributed as well to the XVI Brazilian Geochemical Congress, held in Rio de Janeiro, and to

the 15th Amazonian Geological Symposium, held in Belém, also in this last period.

Dr. Cassio Roberto da Silva (Brazilian Geological Survey) was honored by the professional Rio de

Janeiro Engineering Professional Council (CREA-RJ) with the prize “Láurea ao Mérito CREA-RJ

2017”, in November. This tribute is dedicated to professionals who stood out for their actions in favor

of Engineering, Agronomy and Geology professions in Brazil.


A new research project entitled “Geoavailability study on Ge and Li in Brazil and Portugal and their

potential applications to health” was submitted to the Brazilian and Portuguese agencies CAPES and

FCT. This project is aimed to facilitate future collaboration between researchers from IST (Lisbon,

Orquídia Neves and Carla Rocha), Aveiro University (Carla Patinha and Maria Inácio), Federal

University of Ceará-Brazil (Ana Rita Salgueiro e Jose Antônio Sabadia) and the CPRM-Brazilian

Geological Survey (Cassio Roberto da Silva and Eduardo P. Viglio).

A research group dedicated to organic compounds was created by Dr. Carlos Bandeira de Mello

(PETROBRAS Oil Company) e Dr. Josino Costa Moreira (FIOCRUZ- Ministry of Health). Dr. Cassio

Roberto da Silva (CPRM- Brazilian Geological Survey) e Dr. Gabriel Barberes (PETROBRAS) also

participate of this group, whose first action will be to reinforce the debate on medical geology of

organics during the International Latin American Congress of Organic Geochemistry of the Latin

American Association of Organic Geochemistry (ALAGO) to be held in Salvador, Bahia, northeast of

the country, next year.

China-Ireland Concord

Chapter Leaders:

Chairs China (3): Prof. Xinbin Feng, Prof. Tangfu Xiao, Prof. Yanxin Wang

Chair Ireland: Dr. Chaosheng Zhang

Secretary General: Dr. Yamin Deng

Chapter Leader Name:

Chairs China (3): Prof. Xinbin Feng, Prof. Tangfu Xiao, Prof. Yanxin Wang

Chair Ireland: Dr. Chaosheng Zhang

Secretary General: Dr. Yamin Deng

Members of our chapters actively attended a number of relevant international and national

conferences and workshops to present the results of our studies on medical geology, including:

• The 33rd International Conference of the Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health

(SEGH 2017), Guangzhou Ocean Hotel, China, June 30th - July 4th, 2017

• MEDGEO 2017, 8th International Conference of International Medical Geology Association

(IMGA), Moscow, Aug. 28-Sept. 1, 2017

• Risk Assessment Conference 2017, Korea Environment Corporation, Gyeongju, Republic of

Korea, Nov. 9 -10, 2017


• 2017 International Conference on mercury as a global pollutant, Providence, USA, July 17-21,

2017

• 2017 National conference on environmental chemistry, Hangzhou, China, October 19-21, 2017

• Goldschmidt2017 conference, Paris, France, Aug. 13-18,2017

MEDGEO 2019:

Xinbin Feng and Chaosheng Zhang presented MEDGEO 2019 slides during MEDGEO 2017 in

Moscow.

The website for MEDGEO 2019 is currently under construction, expected to be live in May, 2018. We

have appointed Dr. Ping Li from Institute of Geochemistry, CAS as the secretary of the local

organization committee. The local organization committee will be formed in May 2018 and the first

local organization committee meeting will be convened then.

Ghana

Chapter Leader Name: Dr. Emmanuel Arhin

The activities of the Chapter have slowed down because of funds to push our agenda to the populace.

The Chapter had attempted to review the medical geology issues in Ghana but will require some

funding to execute them. The formal outreach programme that we thought we could embark on ha

also been a failure. Despite all these the Chapter was able to convey the Medical Geology Agenda to

Ghanaians via a Public Lecture that was presented in the National Capital organised by Ghana

Institution of Geoscience (GhIG). Luckily for us the Chapter Leader Dr. Emmanuel Arhin presented

that lecture. Excerpts of the presentation as captured by the media as well as the lecture itself are

attached for your perusal. GhIG has agreed to create Medical Geology Study Group as one of the

departments in the Institution and many Ghanaians are now talking about Medical Geology. What we

may have to do again is to organise a conference where members will have to come and make

presentations. We are in talks of the leadership of GhIG and will inform IMGA accordingly when we

get there.


Mexico

Reported by: Héctor Rubio Arias, María Aurora Armienta

Chapter Leader Name: Héctor Rubio Arias

The chapter members have participated in meetings, conferences, and have published articles on

Medical Geology. Presentations in conferences included arsenic and fluoride presence and health

problems in Mexico, heavy metals and arsenic occurrence and environmental geochemistry in mining

zones, development of treatment alternatives based on geologic materials for polluted water, and

health impact of volcanic eruptions. Some of them are listed below:

MEDGEO 2017, Moscow, Russia, August-September, 2017. Keynote and Oral presentations. Scientific

and organizing committee.

“Primer Congreso Internacional de Calidad del Agua: Efectos en la salud, remediación y perspectivas”

(First International Congress on water quality. Health effects, remediation and perspectives) held in

the City of Chihuahua, northern Mexico in September, 2017. Keynote and Oral presentations.

Scientific and Organizing Committee

Reunión Anual Unión Geofísica Mexicana (Annual meeting of the Mexican Geophysical Union), held

in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco (Western Mexico) in November, 2017. Oral and Poster presentations.

Presentations to dwellers living near the active Colima volcano explaining the potential health impact

of volcanic ash.

Participation in the international project HIVE (health interventions in volcanic eruptions).

Development of a research project to evaluate zeolites as a natural media to remove contaminants

from water. “Utilización de zeolitas naturales mexicanas para la remoción de contaminantes en agua”

Organization of the Congress: 1er Simposio Internacional "Encuentro Zeolitas" (First International

Symposium “Zeolites”. http://fing.uach.mx/posgrado/2018/01/17/simposiozeolitas2018/ ) to be

held next February in the Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua (Autonomous University of

Chihuahua), in Chihuahua City.


Nigeria

Chapter Leader: Dr Akinade S. OLATUNJI

First 6 months of 2017

IMGA-Nigeria had continued to be involved in introducing this strong message of Medical Geology to

the Geoscience and medical communities in Nigeria.

Advocacy visits to several Universities in the country were undertaken during the period under review

led by Dr K. Nghargbu. The visits involved Talks to undergraduate and graduate students in the

various Universities visited about research opportunities in the aspect of Medical Geology. These

visits were to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; the University of Nigeria, Nsukka; the University of

Jos and the Nasarawa State University, Lafia. The visits also afforded opportunities to sensitize

members on the Session on Medical Geology at the Annual Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society

Conference.

IMGA-Nigeria was the Convener of the Medical Geology Session of the 53rd Annual International

Conference and Exhibition held between Monday 27 March 2017 and Friday 31st March 2017. The

Conference held at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja Nigeria. The theme for the Session was

‘Geosciences and Health: Synergy between the earth and man’ The session was over-subscribed with

professionals and student participants in attendance.

The session also featured a Talk from Prof Theo Davies on ‘Development of a Medical Geology

Curriculum for Undergraduate Studies in African Universities’

The Technical Session presentations saw 12 Technical Papers presented on various Medical Geology

related topics.


At the Business meeting held after the Session, Dr Olatunji, the IMGA-Nigeria Leader, led

participants how they can have their membership of the IMGA perfected using the IMGA website to

demonstrate the very simple procedures. A challenge that was however observed had to do with

payment as the Country was currently having some restrictions with paying in foreign currency on

foreign transactions. Members were however urged that they could communicate with the IMGA

Secretary to seek out other options of payment other than Credit Cards. The Nigeria IMGA-Leader

also promised to assisted in whatever way possible and that he would discuss this challenges at the

next IMGA Congress in Moscow.

IMGA-Nigeria now has a Social Media Platform on WhatsApp, where information is disseminated

real time to members and currently there are 157 members on the platform including students.

Moving forward, IMGA-Nigeria agreed to work out the possibility of holding its own distinct meeting

soon where the Local executives would be put in place.

Last 6 months of 2017

IMGA-Nigeria had continued to witness enthusiastic response from members of the scientific

community wherever the topics was discussed.

As it stands now, IMGA-nigeria has been allowed to attend all Council meetings of the Nigerian

Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), which has continually promoted IMGA-Nigeria amongst its

over 6,000 members. The NMGS is a strong supporter of IMGA-Nigeria.

Dr Akinade Olatunji and Dr Kisto Nghargbu attended this year Medgeo Conference in Russia and

participated actively in the Technical Sessions, Workshops and Social Events. The Nigerian delegate

were able to discuss the various challenges encountered by prospective members in making payment

as there was restrictions on credit card transaction from the country with the President and General

Secretary of IMGA. The delegation was able to get approval for lump registration payment from would

be members to sort out the challenges.

Currently, the chapter was finalizing plans for the next NMGS Conference scheduled for March, 2018

at the northern Nigerian city of Kano. The Chapter will be convening the session on the 6th sub-theme

of the conference titled ‘Mineral Resources and Health: Benefit and Burden’. The sessions will be

chaired by Prof. Theo Davies, Dr Akinade Olatunji and Dr Kisto Nghargbu. In addition to the various

technical papers that would be presented at the session, short courses on relevant medical Geology

topics will be facilitated by the trio.

The Chapter would be forwarding the names and funds of new members from the Chapter in early

January, 2018 as agreed in Russia.

The IMGA-Nigeria Social Media Platform on WhatsApp, where information is disseminated real time

to members is still active and currently, there are 185 members on the platform including students.


Portugal

Chapter Leader Name: Eduardo Anselmo Ferreira da Silva

GeoMedIA Network. The Portuguese and Spanish chapters (IMGA chapters in Iberia), in

collaboration with the local chapters from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay,

have led the proposal to create a network of Medical Geology in the Iberoamerican Region

(GeoMedIA Network). This initiative aims to promote the development of the discipline through its

academic, scientific and social implementation in the Ibero-American context, which would

ultimately benefit the populations involved by integrating this knowledge into their territorial policy

and improving their quality of life.

The Spanish Chapter, IMGA-España, hosted the I International Symposium on Medical Geology in

Spain: "Medical Geology: an emerging discipline". This seminar presented the Medical Geology to the

Spanish society by convening for the first time, the first Conference on Medical Geology in the city of

Salamanca. This unique and timely conference was held on 19 September 2016 at the campus of the

University of Salamanca. The event was organized in collaboration with the University of Salamanca

(USAL) and the Spanish Geological Survey (IGME). The conference was attended by colleagues from

Portugal, Chile, and other many of our own Spain colleagues nationwide. There was a space dedicated

to Medical Geology in Iberia, in which members of Portuguese Chapter (Dr. Eduardo Ferreira da

Silva, Chair of Portugal IMGA group, and Dr Carla Patinha, General Secretary of IMGA), and Spanish

Chapter (Dr Elena Giménez-Forcada, Chair of the recently established IMGA chapter in Spain)

participated. The congress was very well received by both the academic and national public

communities, and had a strong social impact both locally and nationally. The conference was attended

by about one hundred people and was a clear demonstration for the development of Medical Geology

in Spain.

Spain

Chapter Leader: Dr. Elena Giménez-Forcada, Main Researcher. Geologist. Instituto Geológico y

Minero de España, IGME (Geological Survey of Spain). IGME-Salamanca. Azafranal 48, 37001

Salamanca. [email protected]. phone: +34 654995052. - IMGA-España. IMGA-

[email protected]

First 6 months of 2017

A campaign to attract new members to the association was launched recently and currently the

Spanish Chapter of the IMGA (IMGA-España) has more than 20 members enrolled.

In the last month the organization of the Spanish Chapter has been more articulated. The executive

team consists of a Leader, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary-General, and a Treasurer.

mailto:[email protected]



During these first months of 2017 the Spanish chapter has collaborated in various academic activities.

We want to highlight the participation in the AULA-GEOMED Project "Dissemination of Medical

Geology in classrooms: Specific English and oral skills development in the degree of Medicine", led by

Dr Jorge Diego, lecturer at the University of Salamanca and new member of IMGA-Spain, and which

has served to bring Medical Geology to medical students, through the teaching of the English

language. In this course, the students attended the workshop “How to write a scientific research

paper', taking Medical Geology as an example. The workshop was led by Dr Miriam Pérez Veneros,

also new member from IMGA-España. Moreover, in this context, two students have presented their

work in an oral communication: “Health effects result in exposure to arsenic-contaminated water, a

current behavioral and educational research of the population in Bangladesh”, and “Treatment of

chronic arsenic poisoning”.

Various activities such as lectures and seminars have been proposed to the University of Salamanca

for the academic year 2017-2018. Disseminating Medical Geology knowledge is the main aim of these

activities.

From a research point of view, the members of the chapter continue to develop their activities in

different topics of great interest and scientific impact. Several proposals signed by IMGA-Spain

members have been sent to the 7th International Conference on Medical Geology to be held in

Moscow in August of this year.

Last 6 months of 2017

A campaign to attract new members to the association was launched along 2017 and currently the

IMGA-Spain is considered the most numerous IMGA-Chapter. Thanks to all members! We want to

take the opportunity to remember Patricia Domínguez Prats, our colleague and friend. From our

chapter we want to dedicate these words of remembrance.

During these first months of 2017 the Spanish chapter has collaborated in various academic activities.

We want to highlight the participation in the AULA-GEOMED Project "Diffusion of Medical Geology

in classrooms: English for Specific Purposes and oral skills development in the degree of Medicine",

led by Dr Jorge Diego, lecturer at the University of Salamanca and new member of the Chapter IMGA-

Spain, which has served to bring Medical Geology to medical students through the teaching of the

English language. In this course, the students attended the workshop “How to write a research paper

in Science”, which used a research paper on Medical Geology as an example. The workshop was led by

Dr Miriam Pérez Veneros, also new member from IMGA-España. Moreover, in this context, two

students have presented their work in an oral communication: “Health effects result in exposure to

arsenic-contaminated water, a current behavioral and educational research of the population in

Bangladesh”, and “Treatment of chronic arsenic poisoning”. Results of this project were presented at

the International Conference of the International Association of Teachers of English for Specific

Purposes at the University of Liverpool (27-28 October 2017), with the paper “Teaching Medical


Geology in English: Research Articles as a Potential Learning Tool in a University Context” by Miriam

Pérez-Veneros, Jorge Diego-Sánchez, and Elena Giménez-Forcada.

Several proposals signed by IMGA-Spain members were sent to the 7th International Conference on

Medical Geology, held in Moscow in August 2017. Poster: “Identification of the impact of irrigation

using alkaline Na-as rich groundwater on soils in the southern corner of the Duero Basin (Spain),

using geostatistic tools” by Elena Giménez-Forcada and Juan A. Luque Espinar, and Paper

Communication: “Geological environment and groundwater quality, a key to social development: the

binomial southern edge of the Duero Basin - Spanish Central System, Spain” by Elena Giménez-

Forcada, Pilar Pena-Búa y José A. Centeno. At MedGeo’17, the IMGA Spanish chapter was awarded

with the IMGA Chapter Stimulus Contest (CSC) reward (US$1000), and our President (Elena.

Giménez-Forcada) received recognition for her contribution to the development of Medical geology.

Elena Giménez-Forcada receives the IMGA Chapter Stimulus Contest (CSC) on behalf of the whole

IMGA-Spanish chapter at the International Medical Geology Conference at Moscow MedGeo'17

The social aspects of Medical Geology are a very important facet in our chapter and several activities

have been developed along 2017 taking into account this aspect of MG. In September 2017, Elena

Giménez-Forcada delivered the lecture “Medical Geology as a tool for Business Social Responsibility”

at the University of Castilla La Mancha.

The first book about Medical Geology in Spain, I Jornada de Geología Médica. La geología Médica una

disciplina emergente’ has been published by the IGME Publications Service. The documentcan be

downloaded in the following link: http://igmepublicaciones.blogspot.com.es/2013/12/novedades-

editoriales.html.

Under the topic of ‘Ciencias para la Salud y el Bienestar’ (Science for Health and Well-being), the

Spanish Chapter on Medical Geology organized its 2nd International Spanish Conference on Medical

Geology (2nd ISCMG) under the auspices of the Spain Geological Survey, the Polytechnic University

of Madrid, Higher Technical School of Mining and Energy Engineering, the University of Salamanca

(Faculties of Science and Medicine), the Clinical Hospital of Salamanca, and the University of

Granada (Faculty of Pharmacy), during the third week of October, from the 16th to the 20th October

2017. Dr. Jose A. Centeno, Director, Division of Biology, Chemistry and Materials Science, Center for

Devices and Radiological Health at the US Food and Drug Administration, and cofounding member


of the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) and Past-Immediate President of IMGA,

served as the keynote speaker for this 2nd ISCMG, presenting lectures in Salamanca (October 16th,

Faculties of Science and Medicine), Madrid (October 17th, Geological Survey of Spain and Polytechnic

University of Madrid (Higher Technical School of Mining and Energy Engineer), Salamanca (October

18th, Clinical Hospital) and Granada (October 20th, University of Granada, School of Pharmacy).

Over 250 participants attended this event, with participation from the Spain medical, geoscience,

public health, epidemiological and toxicology communities.

During the celebration of MG's working day in Granada Dr Centeno was appointed Honorary

Academician by the Royal Academy of Medicine East Andalucía (RAMAO). The Spanish Royal

Academy of Medicine and Surgery is a nearly 300 years old established institution devoted to the

promotion of new advances in medical sciences, both nationally and internationally.

Likewise, the Spanish chapter decided to name Dr José Centeno honorary member.

All documents can be downloaded from IMGA Web site:

http://www.medicalgeology.org/pdf/Cartel_II_JGM.PDF

http://www.medicalgeology.org/pdf/II_JGM_Programa.pdf

http://www.medicalgeology.org/pdf/2nd_ISCMG_Report.pdf

We would like to thank all members from the IMGA Spanish Chapter, especially colleagues from

IGME (Geological Survey of Spain), USAL (University of Salamanca), UPM (Technical University of

Madrid), MAPAMA (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment), UCM

(Complutense University of Madrid), and UGR (Granada University). We want to thank particularly

the Faculty of Pharmacy and Sciences, as well as the Research group of Ciencias del suelo y

Geofarmacia from University of Granada and the Royal Academy of Medicine East Andalucía for their

invaluable help in the celebration of the working day in Granada. We had the privilege and honor of

working all these days together in developing the field of MG in Spain.

Salamanca, Faculty of Medicine 16th October

2017

Working day in Granada, at lunch. ‘La

Alhambra’ at the background 20th October

2017


Popularizing Medical Geology would be the main objective of our activities this year. In addition, from

the point of view of the research, the members of the chapter continue to develop their activities on

different topics of great interest and scientific impact.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

HIDROGEOTOX (IGME 2303, 2013-2017). Identification of geoenvironmental factors that control

the distribution of arsenic and other PTGTEs as a management tool in the hydrological planning of

bodies of water with hydrogeotoxic risk.

CARESOIL - Characterization, remediation, modeling and risk assessment of contaminated soils.

DENSOIL - Combination of geochemical and geophysical techniques for the spatial characterization

of dense contaminants in soils and surface aquifers.

GEOMED-AULA. Dissemination of Medical Geology in classrooms: English for Specific Purposes and

development of oral skills in the degree of Medicine.

PAPERS

Barrio-Parra, F.; De Miguel, E.; Lázaro-Navas, S.; Gómez, A.; Izquierdo, M. 2017. Indoor Dust Metal

Loadings: A Human Health Risk Assessment. Exposure and Health. doi:10.1007/s12403-017-0244-z

De Miguel, E., Izquierdo, M., Gómez, A., Mingot, J., Barrio-Parra, F., 2017. Risk assessment from

exposure to arsenic, antimony and selenium in urban gardens (Madrid, Spain). Environmental

Toxicology and Chemistry. 36, 544–550. doi:10.1002/etc.3569.

Giménez-Forcada, E.; Vega-Alegre, M.; Timón-Sánchez, S. 2017. Characterization of regional cold-

hydrothermal inflows enriched in arsenic and associated trace-elements in the southern part of the

Duero Basin (Spain), by multivariate statistical analysis. Science of the Total Environment 593–594

(2017) 211–226.

Giménez-Forcada, E.; Timón-Sánchez, S. Kohfahl, C. 2017. Hydrogeotoxicity from arsenic and

uranium in the southern Duero Basin, Spain. Journal of Geochemical Exploration. DOI:

10.1016/j.gexplo.2017.03.009

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Barrio-Parra, F.; Dominguez-Castillo, A., Izquierdo, M.; De Miguel, E.; Medina-Ferro, R., Diaz-Curiel,

J.; Artalejo, A. (2017). A free (R-based) tool for Probabilistic Human Health Risk Assessment:

Application to an Urban Garden Scenario. Sustainable Use and Management of Soil, Sediment and

Water Resources (AQUACONSOIL 2017). Lyon, France.


Giménez-Forcada, E.; Luque-Espinar, J.A. (2017). Identification of the Impact of Irrigation Using

Alkaline Na-as Rich Groundwater on Soils in the Southern Corner of the Duero Basin (Spain), Using

Geostatistic Tools. MedGEO'17 – Moscow.

Giménez-Forcada, E.; Pena-Búa, P.; Centeno, J.A. (2017). Geological Environment and Groundwater

Quality, a Key to Social Development: The Binomial Southern Edge of the Duero Basin - Spanish

Central System, Spain.

Pérez-Veneros, M.; Diego-Sánchez, J.; Giménez-Forcada, E. (2017). Teaching Medical Geology in

English: Research Articles as a Potential Learning Tool in a University Context. International

Conference of the International Association of Teachers of English for Specific Purposes. University of

Liverpool (27-28 October 2017).

Uruguay

Chapter Leader: Prof. Nelly Mañay ( Current IMGA chairperson)

The main activities of Uruguay chapter members are highlighted:

IMGA Uruguay attendance to MEDGEO 17 presenting lectures as invited speakers or showing results

of the research studies performed on medical geology topics, in poster and/ or oral sessions.

Nelly Mañay : Estimating low-dose health risks from environmental arsenic in Uruguayan

populations.

Nelly Mañay: How to promote medical geology in developing countries. Challenges, achievements and

success in uruguay

A. Cousillas, N. Mañay : Health risks exposure to building materials used in civil engineering works.

An example in Uruguay.

E. Alvareda, P. Gamazo,R. Colina, M. Victoria, L. Burutaran, J. Ramos, F. Lopez, M. Olivera, A.

Lizasoain, G. Sapriza, M. Castells, M. García: Variation of Chemical Groundwater Composition:

Incidence of Enteroviruses Occurrence and Their Transport Mechanism in the Salto Aquifer, Uruguay

T. Heller, N. Mañay : Advancing MedGeo in University Environmental Education: Progress in

Uruguay

A.Noguera; H. Bentos Pereira; L. Fornaro: Preliminar studies of annual effective dose equivalent

(aede) due to terrestial radionuclides received by Barra de Valizas inhabitants and tourists.

IMGA “Promotion posters” presented in MEDGEO 17 (attached at the end of this report).

New Medical Geology course:“Advanced topics in Environmental Toxicology and Medical Geology”


This is our second course based on Medical Geology that is offered in our University as a curricular

course of degree and / or postgraduate specialization with a teaching staff from the IMGA chapter.

The program of this "new course" is complementary to the curricular course "Environmental

Toxicology and Medical Geology" already existing since 2005. It was proposed and outlined by Prof.

Mañay and implemented by Prof. Teresa Heller from the Toxicology Area of the Faculty of Chemistry.

This is one of the main elements for the promotion and encouragement of research studies in Medical

Geology at University level in Uruguay. The new edition of this course is in the first semester of 2018.

These are the main topics

Module (I) Environmental sciences and health.

• Introduction to Environmental Health and Environmental Geochemistry

• Essential elements for life. Basic concepts of nutrition.

• Diseases linked to the environment.

• Natural and anthropogenic elements in the environment. Sources, distribution and health effects.

• Metals and Metalloids studied in Environmental Health and Toxicology

MODULE (II) Medical Geology: Geological factors that affect human health

• The combustion of coal and the health impacts of trace elements released.

• Arsenic poisoning through the consumption of groundwater. History, toxicology of Arsenic and health

effects.

• Anthropic soils – presence of Lead and Cadmium

• Natural and anthropic mercury. Effects to health.

• Natural radiation, exposure and health effects

MODULE (III) Environmental Epidemiology and Toxicology

• Development of Geological Databases and Disease Report eg, Cancer

• Health risks assessment for potentially toxic elements exposure from dangerous sites.

• Health effects associated with dust and vapors from the environment.

• Beneficial effects of geological materials on health: hot springs, clays, etc.


IMGA Promotion Poster N°1


IMGA Promotion Poster N° 2


UK

Chapter Leader: Dr Darren Beriro

The British Geological Survey has an ongoing research program into the development of methods for

measuring the dermal bioaccessibility of polyaromatic hydrocarbons present in soils and the

inhalation bioaccessibility of inorganic contaminants in soils.

Dr Mark Cave has given the following medical geology presentations:

March 29th 2017 Geological Society London, inaugural meeting of the Geological Society

Contaminated Land Group – “A Medical Geology Perspective on the Effect of Soil on Human Health”

Cleanup Conference Melbourne Australia September 17th 2017 – “Geochemical controls on the

bioaccessible fractions of selected elements in London soils” and “The effect of lead in soil on crime

deprivation in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham”

MEETING REPORTS

IMGA Chapter Russia – NIS. - Brief report on MEDGEO’17

The seventh international conference of the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA), was

held in Moscow, Russia, August 28-September 1, 2017; and was attended totally by 187 participants

representing 30 countries. The conference was hosted by the Russian Geological Society (ROSGEO),

with support from the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology; and the

Ministry of Health Protection.

The conference Organizing Committee was headed by ROSGEO President Victor Orlov, ROSGEO 1-st

Vice-President Evgeny Farrakhov, ROSGEO Vice-President & Science Secretary, MEDGEO’17

Coordinator Iosif Volfson.

A total of 288 abstracts were submitted by scientists from 48 countries for the oral and poster

sessions. Of them 259 abstracts that were selected for presentation and published in the Conference

Materials book, 112 were presented at the oral and 52 at the poster session.

The following presentations received awards:

Oral:

- Arsenic in Groundwater of Dagestan Republic. Presenter: Tamila Abdulmutalimova, Dagestan

Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia.

- Bioaccessibility of Potentially Toxic Elements (PETs) in Urban Area of Belfast. Presenter: Tatiana

Cocerva, Queen’s University, Belfast, Great Britain.

Poster:


- Radioactivity and Dose Rate Assessment in Mining Centers of Armenia. Presenter: Olga Belyaeva,

Center for Noospheric Research, National Academy of Sciences, Republic of Armenia.

- Characterization of Solid Airborne Particles in Industrialized Cities—a Cased Study of Western

Siberia (Russia). Presenter Anna Talovskaya, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University,

Russia.

- Sureyya H. Kose, Curtin University, Australia was awarded with the Springer book “Introduction to

Medical Geology” by C.B. Dissanayake & Rohana Chandrajith, for her presentation on Molecular,

Isotopic and Genetic Composition of Human Gallstones: A Geomedical Study.

Ines Tomašek, Durham University, Great Britain was awarded with “Tweeting Davinci” by Ann

Pizzorusso for her presentation Volcanic Gas-ash Interaction: an in Vitro Study of Respiratory Health

Hazard.

Some complimentary copies of “Tweeting Davinci” were also presented by the author to the

Organizing Committee.

The 8th IMGA conference, MEDGEO’19, will be held in Guiyang, China from 12 to 15 August, 2019.

Members and interested persons are invited to check IMGA website (www.medicalgeology.org) for

details.


RECENT PUBLICATIONS

BJORKLUND, G, CHRISTOPHERSEN, O A, CHIRUMBOLO, S, SELINUS, E, AND AASETH, J. 2017. Recent aspects of

uranium toxicology in medical geology. Environmental Research, Vol. 156, 526-533. 10.1016/j.envres.2017.04.010

FERNANDO, G, LIYANAGE, P, RAJAPAKSHA, A U, AND VITHANAGE, M. 2017. Medical geology of endemic goiter in

Kalutara, Sri Lanka; distribution and possible causes. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, Vol. 39, 1501-1511.

10.1007/s10653-017-9985-7

LOPEZ-ABENTE, G, LOCUTURA-RUPEREZ, J, FERNANDEZ-NAVARRO, P, MARTIN-MENDEZ, I, BEL-LAN, A, AND

NUNEZ, O. 2018. Compositional analysis of topsoil metals and its associations with cancer mortality using spatial

misaligned data. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, Vol. 40, 283-294. 10.1007/s10653-016-9904-3

MIDDLETON, N J. 2017. Desert dust hazards: A global review. Aeolian Research, Vol. 24, 53-63.

10.1016/j.aeolia.2016.12.001

NUNEZ, O, FERNANDEZ-NAVARRO, P, MARTIN-MENDEZ, I, BEL-LAN, A, RUPEREZ, J F L, AND LOPEZ-ABENTE,

G. 2017. Association between heavy metal and metalloid levels in topsoil and cancer mortality in Spain. Environmental

Science and Pollution Research, Vol. 24, 7413-7421. 10.1007/s11356-017-8418-6

WICKRAMARATHNA, S, BALASOORIYA, S, DIYABALANAGE, S, AND CHANDRAJITH, R. 2017. Tracing environmental

aetiological factors of chronic kidney diseases in the dry zone of Sri Lanka - A hydrogeochemical and isotope approach.

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, Vol. 44, 298-306. 10.1016/j.jtemb.2017.08.013


AWARDS

Paula Marinho Reis and Marina Cabral Pinto, researchers of the GeoBioTec – Universidade de Aveiro

and members of the IMGA Portuguese Chapter, coordinate the team of researchers who during the

2017 Congress of Neurology was distinguished by the Portuguese Society of Neurology with the

Orlando Leitão Award. The award-winning paper is entitled "Is environmental exposure to potentially

toxic elements a risk factor for cognitive decline?".

The study results from an exploratory multidisciplinary project designed to investigate relationships

between environmental exposure to potentially toxic elements and the cognitive performance of a

study group comprising adults (> 55 years old) and elderly residents of the industrial city of Estarreja,

Portugal.

The Orlando Leitão Prize, sponsored by Biogen, aims to distinguish the best study presented annually

in the "Congress of Neurology" of the Portuguese Society of Neurology, which last year took place

between 16 and 18 November in Lisbon. The award has the name of Dr. Orlando Leitão, mentor of

several generations of neurologists and neuropediatricians, a unique reference in this area of

medicine.

Other researchers involved in the project include Sandra Freitas, Paula Pinto and Mário Rodrigues

Simões from the CINEICC – Universidade de Coimbra, Paula Moreira from the CNC – Universidade

de Coimbra, Agostinho Almeida and Luísa Diniz from the LAQV/REQUIMTE – Faculdade de

Farmácia – Universidade do Porto; Carlos Ordens from the University College London (Australia),

and Teresa Condesso de Melo from the CERENA - Instituto Superior Técnico.


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF IMGA

Chair Prof Nelly Manay Director, Specialised Centre for Chemical Toxicology University of the Republic Montevideo, Uruguay Email: [email protected]

Vice-Chair for Geosciences Prof María Aurora Armienta Geophysics Institute Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City, Mexico Email: [email protected]

Vice-chair for Medical Sciences Dr Diego Fridman

Director, Clinical Research Department

Fundación Centro de Estudios

Infectológicos

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Email: [email protected]

COUNCILLORS:

Prof Iossif Volfson Medical Geology Division RosGeo Moscow, Russia Email: [email protected]

Dr Ester Sztein U.S. National Committees for the Geosciences Board on International Scientific Organizations of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Washington, D.C., USA Email: [email protected]

Prof. Héctor Rubio College of Animal Production and Ecology Autonomous University of Chihuahua Chihuahua, México Email: [email protected]

Dr. Darren Beriro Environmental Geochemist British Geological Survey Nottingham, UK Email: [email protected]

Prof. Laura Börgel Toxicology and Risk Assessment

Universidad de Chile Santiago de Chile, Chile

Email: [email protected]

Dr. Cassio Roberto da Silva Medical Geology and Environ. Geochemistry Geological Survey of Brazil Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Email: [email protected]

If you wish to share information with all IMGA members through e-news or the IMGA newsletter, please send contributions to: Maria Aurora Armienta email: [email protected] (e-news) or Mark Cave (newsletter) email [email protected]

General Secretary Dr Carla Patinha Investigadora do GEOBIOTEC - GeoBioSciences, GeoTechnologies and GeoEngineering University of Aveiro Aveiro, Portugal Email:[email protected]

EDITOR

Mark Cave

[email protected]




Documents

MEDICAL GEOLOGY NEWSLETTER · IMGA Newsletter March 2018 Page 2 During the last months, we have been committed to hold and define the guidelines for the upcoming IMGA elections within