Understanding the Life Cycle of Water Pollutants
From Tuesday, April 23, at 8:30 a.m. to Wednesday, April 24, at 12:30 p.m., the conference “Humans and Water: The Human Impact on Water Management and Pollution” will take place in the Charles Flahault Amphitheater at the Botanical Institute of the University of Montpellier. This conference is the result of close collaboration between Ramia Al Bakain, Patrick Allard, and Filomena Silva, three researchers from Mak’It’s “Visiting Scientists” program. They are hosted by various research units: Montpellier Hydrosciences (HSM), the Institute of Human Genetics (IGH), and the Institute of Agopolymer Engineering and Emerging Technologies (IATE). This event is supported by the Occitanie Region, the ExposUM Institute, the ARAID Foundation, and the Agriculture, Environment, and Biodiversity Cluster at the University of Montpellier.
Renowned scientists, both men and women
This conference, which will feature presentations by some twenty experts from several countries, is organized by three visiting scientists from the University of Montpellier: Ramia Al Bakain, Patrick Allard, and Filomena Silva.
Ramia Al Bakain earned her Ph.D. in analytical and bioanalytical chemistry from Sorbonne University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris, France. She is currently a professor at the University of Jordan in Amman, specializing in the application of analytical chemistry to sustainability. Her research focuses on green solutions for water, agriculture, and food security, including green methods for water treatment and the sustainable use of resources. She collaborates internationally with institutions in the United States, France, Lebanon, Austria, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and leads interdisciplinary teams focused on water, food, and agricultural security in the Mediterranean regions. Ramia Al Bakain has received numerous internationally recognized awards and fellowships.
Patrick Allard, professor at the Institute for Society & Genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His research lies at the intersection of genetics, epigenetics, developmental biology, and environmental health. His laboratory uses stem cell-based methods to study the effects of environmental toxins on reproduction and transgenerational health. His work and contributions have earned him prestigious awards.
Filomena Silva is a tenured researcher at the Aragonese Foundation for Research and Development (ARAID) within the Analytical Research Group (GUIA) at the University of Zaragoza. Her research is at the forefront of food safety, particularly in the field of innovative packaging solutions. Her goal is to develop active packaging strategies using nanomaterials and sustainable compounds—such as gas barriers, antimicrobials, and antioxidants—to extend the shelf life of food products. She currently supervises and coordinates three research projects: risk assessment of bio-based and recycled materials; the development of packaging solutions for fresh produce; and a collaboration with a major Spanish company to develop new antimicrobial products for fresh produce.
Why this conference?
Our planet’s water resources are severely affected by climate change and pollution caused by human activities. This is leading us down a disastrous one-way path unless we take swift action involving stakeholders from various fields and at all levels.
As France has just passed its first law limiting the production of PFAS pollutants, and Canada is set to negotiate an international treaty against plastic pollution at the same time, this symposium will highlight the significant environmental impacts of human activities on water resources: from how to manage this resource to how we can control its pollution and contamination by plastics, “forever chemicals,” as well as heavy metals and organic pollutants.
Understanding the life cycle of these pollutants—from their production to their dispersion in the environment—and their impacts on biodiversity is therefore a major challenge in terms of both scientific knowledge and regulation.
The program for this conference
Tuesday, April 23:
- 9:20–10:00 a.m. Keynote Lecture: Water Restoration – Eric Servat (UNESCO-ICIREWARD International Center, Montpellier)
- 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Session 1: Plastics in Our Waters: Concerns and Solutions for the Future
- 2:00–4:00 p.m. Session 2: Managing Water Scarcity: A Sustainable Approach and Pilot Projects
Wednesday, April 24:
- 9:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Session 3: Our Future with Persistent Pollutants
Practical Information:
