News | August 8, 2007

NGWA Conference Examines Pharmaceuticals And Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals In Water

Westerville, OH — The National Ground Water Association will host the 6th International Conference on Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in Water on October 22-23 in Costa Mesa, California.

The conference will:

  • Present the latest scientific advancements in analytical methods
  • Track human and animal sources
  • Highlight new regulatory approaches on human and environmental risk management in Europe and the United States
  • Showcase innovative and cost-effective technologies in the equipment marketplace.
Conference cosponsors are the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Germany), Technical University of Berlin, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Risk Management Research Laboratory, and the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Toxic Substances Hydrology Program.

According to the EPA, evidence suggests that environmental exposure to some anthropogenic chemicals may result in disruption of endocrine systems in human and wildlife populations. Studies have shown impacts including sex change in certain aquatic species.

Concerns of EDCs appearing in the environment, water, soil, and foodstuffs have focused considerable national and international interest in their origin, transport, fate, and manner of detection given the persistence of certain EDCs in the environment.

Conference advisers and participants include Thomas Heberer, Ph.D., Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Germany; Dana Kolpin, Ph.D., USGS; Robert Masters, hydrologist and NGWA conference manager; and Sebastian Zuehlke, Ph.D., Institute of Environmental Research, University of Dortmund, Germany.

For a complete conference program and to register, visit www.ngwa.org.

SOURCE: NGWA