Sensing and Analytical Technologies for Emerging Environmental Contaminants

Description:
The goal of this session is to provide a forum for scientific and technical exchanges for researchers to discuss recent advances in sensing and analytical methodologies for assessing concentration, fate, transport, potential exposure and distribution of emerging contaminants (ECs). The health and environmental impacts of ECs such as pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting chemicals, personal care products, and per/poly-fluorinated substances (PFAS) have been widely recognized. Yet, the large-scale analysis of these compounds is difficult due to a lack of low cost field-deployable techniques.

The session will feature recent scientific and technological advances on the development of modern sensing and analytical technologies to ensure a healthy, safe and sustainable environment in the following areas: (1) low cost sensors and biosensors for low cost detection of ECs; (2) analytical methodologies for real time in situ monitoring of ECs; (3) nanotechnologies, materials and methods for site decontamination; (4) analytical testing needs and strategies to enhance decision-making capabilities and determine the real-time effectiveness of intervention strategies and compliance with environmental monitoring and treatment. Special emphasis will be aimed at the translational aspects of these technologies for field monitoring, commercialization and the regulatory aspects of novel technology in the environmental sector.

Speaker: Silvana Andreescu - Clarkson University
Silvana Andreescu is the Egon Matijević Endowed Chair and Professor of Bioanalytical Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science at Clarkson University. Her research interests are in analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, bionanotechnology, sustainable nanotechnology and the development of practical biosensors for food, clinical and environmental monitoring. She has published over 180 peer-reviewed publications, co-edited 3 books, was awarded 3 patents and has delivered some 200 presentations throughout the world (H56). Scientific and popular media outlets regularly highlight innovations in inexpensive and portable sensing platforms developed in her lab with recent examples featuring a smart label technology for measuring environmental and food contaminants and a newly developed 3D printed wearable sensor for monitoring UV exposure.