WESTERVILLE, OH, January 22, 2003 -- The recent addition of estrogen to the National Toxicology Program's list of cancer-causing agents has again put the spotlight on endocrine disrupting chemicals in water sources, a topic the National Ground Water Association continues to examine through its Third International Conference on Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Water.
The latest developments in the study of these issues will be presented at the conference, which will be held March 19-21 at the Hyatt on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, Minn. It is co-sponsored by the U.S. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory, the U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, the Technical University of Berlin, the Competence Center Water Berlin, and Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville.
NGWA again will gather top researchers from around the globe in the study of the assessment and impacts of these chemicals' presence in water supplies to review the latest findings. The event will include new evaluations of human health impacts and up-to-date assessments on the extent of contamination from the U.S. Geological Survey. Data presented by the Survey at NGWA's Second International Conference on Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Water went on to place second in Discover Magazine's ratings of 2002's top environmental science stories.
Thomas Heberer of Technical University of Berlin will provide the conference keynote address, titled "Occurrence, Fate, Assessment, and Removal of Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environments: A European Point of View." Dr. James L. Wittliff, director of the hormone receptor laboratory at the Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, will speak on technologies for assessing the impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on cells.
Conference session topics will include:
-- Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals and EDCs in Water
-- Animal Feedlots and Antibiotics
-- Effects on Wildlife
-- Risk Management
-- Treatment of EDCs
-- Treatment of Pharmaceuticals
-- Analytical Methods
-- Proteomic and Genomic Approaches for Assessing EDC Effects on Cells
The session on wildlife impacts set for March 20 offers a presentation on the impact of perchlorate in water, and problems with using models to evaluate endocrine disruption in fish. The session on risk management set for March 20 will include a presentation on the persistence of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants in wastewater used for aquifer recharge.
Prior to the conference, NGWA will present a course titled "Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals in the Environment: What Does It Mean for Ground Water?" The course will be held March 17-18 at the Hyatt. Instructors will offer an overview of environmental endocrinology, review sources and fate and transport concerns, and provide frameworks for assessing health risks. Registration for the course is separate from the conference registration.
For more information on the conference or the course, visit http://www.ngwa.org/e/conf/0303195013.shtml, or call (800) 551-7379.
The National Ground Water Association is a membership organization representing more than 15,500 U.S. and international ground water professionals, including contractors, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, and ground water scientists and engineers.
NGWA provides members, government, and the general public with the scientific knowledge and economic guidance necessary to responsibly develop, protect, and manage the world's ground water resources.
