53rd International Conference on Analytical Sciences and Spectroscopy Opens Today at Trent University

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

More Than 100 International Scientists Gather to Discuss Latest Methods of Measuring Environmental Contaminants

Monday, June 25, 2007, Peterborough

Trent University is pleased to host the 53rd annual International Conference on Analytical Sciences and Spectroscopy (ICASS), which opens today on the Symons campus.

Organized by Professor Holger Hintelmann, chair of Trent’s Chemistry Department, this event has attracted more than 100 scientists from around the world to discuss the latest methods of measuring chemical contaminants in the environment. The conference is sponsored by the Canadian Society for the Analytical Sciences and Spectroscopy.

“Trent’s expertise in the tracing of environmental contaminants made it a natural choice as the venue for this important international conference,” said Prof. Hintelmann. “This event provides a unique opportunity for participants to discuss techniques of calculating the levels of chemical pollutants in water, soil and air samples to better understand the behaviour of contaminants in the environment.”

Several high profile Trent faculty members will be involved in the conference as session presenters. For example, on June 25 Trent’s recent Distinguished Research Award winner Professor Chris Metcalfe will be presenting new research on the disruption of thyroid function in vertebrates is caused by certain flame retardant chemicals. Following this, on June 26 he will lead another session that looks at improved methods of measuring the extent to which pharmaceuticals and personal care products are released into the environment. Professor Céline Guéguen, who just four weeks ago was appointed a Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Sciences and Biogeochemistry, will be presenting her cutting-edge techniques for accurately quantifying levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses in northern oceans on June 25.

The 2007 ICASS conference runs until June 27 and covers topics from general analytical chemistry over molecular spectroscopy to many flavours of mass spectrometry and various applications in environmental research. Spectroscopy is the science of using a spectroscope to determine the composition of ions or charged molecules in a sample.

For further details, please visit the conference website.

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For further information, please contact:

Brittany Cadence, communications officer, at (705) 748-1011, ext. 5371