The ISAH will hold, together with the School of Environment (SoE) of Tsinghua University, on 9th and 10th July 2019, a "Symposium on Occurrence and Fate of Microplastics in Urban Spaces - a Critical Review and Assessment from Chinese and German Perspectives" in Beijing.
The symposium aims to bring together highly qualified German and Chinese scientists to form new research collaborations and to strengthen and expand existing ones. All participants are highly experienced in the detection of microplastics, the investigation of measures for removal and reduction, as well as the evaluation of the effects of plastics in the aquatic and non-aquatic environment. The participation of a total of ten German and ten Chinese experts from various disciplines such as chemistry, biology, geosciences, civil and environmental engineering, as well as various institutions and technology companies for scientific applications enables an interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge. The field of participants covers the entire spectrum of the state of research on the occurrence and fate of microplastics in urban spaces and represents the selected topics of the symposium. These will be presented and discussed in four sessions over two days of lectures:
- Session 1: SAMPLING AND DETECTION - Characterization of wastewater, waste and sewage sludge-based microplastics
- Session 2: REMOVAL - Efficiency of different wastewater treatment technologies to remove microplastics
- Session 3: SURFACE WATERS & SOIL - Fate and impact of microplastics in surface waters and soil
- Session 4: CHALLENGES - Future Challenges and knowledge gaps
Excellent contributions are expected to be made to the assessment of the fate and behaviour of microplastics and future challenges. Based on the PLUS platform, which initiates research projects on microplastics, the symposium will be an additional impulse for bilateral research cooperation involving further partners.
We would like to thank the Chinese-German Center for the Promotion of Science (CDZ) for making the symposium possible and supporting it.
