Emerging Environmental Contaminants – Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives

On April 9-10, 2025, the international conference "Emerging Environmental Contaminants – Current Status, Challenges, and Perspectives" was held, organized by the Faculty of Biotechnology, Collegium Medicum of the University of Rzeszów under the honorary patronage of the Committee on Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The conference was organized as part of the "UR Welcome – Increasing the Degree of Internationalisation of the University of Rzeszów" project of the NAWA Welcome to Poland programme.
The Rector of the University of Rzeszów, Prof. Adam Reich, and the Committee on Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences took the Honorary Patronage over the conference. The gold sponsor of the conference was Altium International Sp. z o.o.

The conference was devoted to a joint discussion on one of the greatest challenges of our time – environmental pollution. The topics of the event included chemical and biological environmental pollution, as well as radioactive contamination. During the conference, the speakers presented methods of determination and bioremediation of xenobiotics, as well as highlighted their impact on human health. Particular attention was paid to environmental pollution by micro- and nanoplastics.

The conference was attended by 53 people, including fourteen participants from foreign institutions: BioSense Institute (Serbia), National Centre for Public Health and Pharmacy (Hungary), Cukurova University (Turkey), Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (Germany), University of Vigo (Spain), University of Tabriz (Iran), Technical University in Turin (Italy), Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Science (Czech Republic), Secondary Education Institute La Granja (Spain). Lectures were also given by experts: Karen Sam from CDS Analytical (United States of America) and Grzegorz Pluta from Altium International (Poland). The conference was also attended by representatives of the Marshal's Office, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Rzeszów Regional Development Agency, as well as scientists from Polish universities, including: the University of Opole, the University of Agriculture in Krakow, the University of Gdańsk, the Medical University of Gdańsk, the Gdańsk University of Technology, the Rzeszów University of Technology and the University of Rzeszów.

The guests of honour were:

• Joana C. Prata, DVM PhD, Auxiliary Professor at Polytechnic and University Higher Education Cooperative – CESPU (Gandra, Portugal),
• Zisis G. Vryzas, BSc, MSc, PhD, Associate Professor at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Agriculture, Pesticide Science Laboratory (Thessaloniki, Greece),
• Russel, BSc, MSc, PhD, Associate Professor at School Of Ocean Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Ecological Engineering, Dalian University of Technology (Panjin campus), (Liaoning Province, P. R. China).

During the conference, there were also workshops "Sample Milling in Microplastic Analysis" conducted by Grzegorz Pluta from Altium International Sp. z o.o. and "Analysis of Microplastics Using the Pyr-GC/MS Technique" led by Dr. Magdalena Podbielska from the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Rzeszów.
The proceedings ended with the ceremonial presentation of awards for the best speeches and posters.

The conference was an opportunity to listen to the latest scientific achievements, present the current state of knowledge, and exchange experiences in the field of environmental pollution. In addition, the intention of the organizers was to integrate the academic community, creating a place conducive to the exchange of ideas and information. The conference was also an ideal platform for developing new collaborations and meetings with experts, exchanging knowledge and experience between researchers from different countries and fields.
This unique event highlighted the importance of research on environmental pollution by xenobiotics and the impact of these contaminations on human health and ecosystems. Many participants emphasized the importance of the subject matter and expressed their unequivocal approval and support for the continuation of the conference in the coming years, postulating its establishment as a cyclical event of a permanent nature.

Duration and place: 3-4 April 2025, Rzeszów