Main results
The Symposium has welcomed more than 250 scientists from Europe, Middle East and North Africa that are engaged in research and development in the field of environmental technology and chemistry as well as ecotoxicology. More than 200 scientific papers were presented in form of plenary lectures and in poster sessions
The Symposium has provided opportunities for scientists of more than twenty countries to:
- Exchange recent results related to the pollution of air, waters and soils, in the Mediterranean region,
- Discuss current technological and legal measures to avoid or to reduce pollution,
- Present suggestions and recommendations to the regulatory authorities on environmental quality and safety in the Mediterranean and other neighboring countries.
The scientific program included six sessions:
- Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Change
- Ecotoxicology and Radioactivity in Water, Soil and Sediments
- Biological and Chemical Aspects of Environmental Control
- Environmental Modeling, Management, Law and Education
- Evaluation and Remediation of Soils and Water Quality
- Technologies for Treatment and Recycling of Waste
In addition, and upon request of Spanish Colleagues a Round Table Discussion was organized on the Toxic Spill of the Aznarcollar Mine in the Guadiamar River Area.
The main results of the Symposium can be summarized as follows:
Air Quality
In the last decades the air quality in the Mediterranean cities has been significantly improved. Application of the EU air quality Directives in the member states in the Mediterranean as well as measures taken by the national governments and local authorities led to emission reductions from mobile and stationary sources. However, there are still many challenges ahead. One of the main problems still remains the photochemical pollution, which is favored in the Mediterranean due to the particular climatic conditions in the region.
Fate of Chemicals, Wastewater Treatment
Especial attention was given to the biological, and chemical/photochemical fate of organic pollutants in water and soil; to technologies for waste treatment, recycling of wastes and to remediation of contaminated soils. In particular, problems associated with waste from the textile industry and the municipal wastewaters were discussed and technological solutions as they apply at local and regional level were presented. Special attention was also given on innovative technologies for wastewater treatment in coastal tourist areas.
Environmental Policy
Environmental policy and education aspects were evaluated. Issues related to the economic implications for waste management and the application of environmental policies, in particular for countries that are not belonging to the EU were thoroughly discussed. The exchange of scientist has been highly encouraged as well as the training of people in national laboratories in order to be able to accomplish with the air and water quality Directives.
There has been a significant increase in number of papers on ecotoxicological studies in the Mediterranean. There is a need to develop cost-effective tests; nowadays they are still very expensive to be broadly used in many laboratories. It has been pointed out that the risk assessment methodology for new and existing chemicals has to be revised and get more toxicologically oriented, in particular concerning genotoxicity and mutagenicity tests.
Radioactivity levels are monitored continuously, in particular, in the Mediterranean seawater after the Chernobyl accident. The overall radiological burden by Cs-137 has been assessed and will serve as a basis for the setting up safety standards. Monitoring data indicate that, some areas in Eastern Mediterranean are still affected by high concentration levels.
The presented papers clearly indicated the high scientific and technical standard of many laboratories in the Mediterranean Area. Apart from the application of common sampling and analytical techniques to specific regional and/or local problems, in many papers the development of new methods for ecotoxicological impact assessment and the analysis of specific pollutants/indicators was described and results of pilot studies for the assessment of pollution at different locations were presented.
MESAEP would like to acknowledge the sponsors of the Symposium, CAM – Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo, Alicante, Spain; the “Ministère de l’Aménagement du Territoire et de l’Environement” Paris, France; the National Research Centre for Environment and Health, Institute of Ecological Chemistry, München, Germany; the Technical University of München, Dept. of Chemical Technical Analysis and Food Technology, Germany; and the Mayor of the City of Alicante, for their financial support and the technical assistance, that have contributed to the realization of this event.