2nd Conferrence Emerging environmental contaminants – current status, challenges and perspectives - Rzeszów September 2026

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to the 2nd edition of the conference “Emerging Environmental Contaminants – Current Status, Challenges and Perspectives”, which will be held in person in University of Rzeszów, Poland.

This year’s event will once again bring together researchers, practitioners, and experts from various disciplines to discuss one of the most pressing challenges of our time: identification and solutions to emerging environmental contaminants. The conference will provide a platform for presenting the latest scientific findings, exchanging experiences, and fostering collaboration in environmental protection.

The program will include keynote lectures, panel discussions, and interactive workshops focusing on the sources, occurrence, and effects of contaminants, including pesticides, dyes, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and nanoparticles. Particular attention will be given to their impact on human health and ecosystems, as well as to current approaches in monitoring, prevention, and remediation.

The conference is held under the honorary patronage of His Magnificence the Rector of the University of Rzeszów, the Committee on Biotechnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), and the mayor of Rzeszów, Konrad Fijołek.

The in-person conference will take place in Rzeszów on September 9-11, 2026.

The conference is dedicated to discussing together one of the greatest challenges of modern times - emerging environmental pollution. During the event, we will focus on sources and effects of pollutants such as pesticides, PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and nanoparticles, as well as on their impact on human health and ecosystems. The aim of the conference is to present the current state of knowledge and share experiences in the field of environmental pollution. In addition, the organizers' intent is to activate and integrate the academic community, create a place conducive to the exchange of ideas and information. The conference will also provide an ideal environment for developing new cooperation and meetings with experts.

Conference topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Environmental Monitoring and Management
  • Water and Soil Pollution Control
  • Environmental Protection, Treatment, Remediation, and Prevention
  • Biotechnology in Environmental Protection
  • Environmental Law, Regulations, and Policy
  • Pollution, Well-being, and Quality of Life

We warmly encourage you to contribute your research, insights, and innovations to an international audience. Your participation will help advance scientific understanding and support the development of effective solutions to emerging environmental challenges.

We look forward to welcoming you in Rzeszów.

To register, please click here

Keynote speakers

Kiril Bahcevandziev is a full time Professor at an Agricultural School of Coimbra, Polytechnic of Coimbra, Portugal, managing different curricular units mainly related with Plant biotechnology and Horticulture. Currently, he is an integrated researcher at the Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society, responsible for its Agriculture group of scientists. During the last 38 years, including full-time research, he has been involved in different scientific activities, producing various scientific publications in international referred journals. Makes and made part of different scientific boards in international congresses and conferences. He is invited professor at different universities in Republic of North Macedonia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Moldavia, Greece, Italy, Romania, Netherlands, Poland, teaching mainly in the fields related with his research work where he develops projects regarding seaweeds as biofertilizers and biostimulants in agriculture. Makes/made part of the research groups of various scientific projects related with sustainable water use and effective farming practices to protect water resources in Mediterranean rice-based agro-ecosystems (two PRIMA projects); valorisation of seaweeds and its application as organic agricultural/urban waste compost and use of organic biopreparations in plants against pathogens. He is/was member and collaborate with different national and international scientific societies, such as Portuguese Horticultural Association (APH), ISHS, EUCARPIA, Portuguese Association of Plant Physiology, ASHS and Biotechnology Information Center (CiB).

Mark Maboeta is a Full Professor of Zoology at North-West University (South Africa) and an NRF B-rated scientist with over two decades of experience in environmental sciences and research leadership. His work focuses on soil ecotoxicology, particularly the effects of pollutants on soil ecosystems and their implications for environmental risk assessment, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land management.
He leads one of the foremost soil ecotoxicology research groups in Africa and has published extensively in high-impact international journals. His research is widely recognised for bridging science, policy, and practice, advancing both academic research and real-world environmental solutions.
He has held several leadership roles, including Acting Director of the Centre for Water Sciences and Management, and has served on national and international bodies, including the NRF Specialist Committees and the FAO’s soil pollution initiatives. He is actively involved in global research networks and regularly contributes as a scientific chair and invited speaker at major international conferences.
His current work emphasises integrating research, innovation, and policy to address pressing environmental challenges in Africa and beyond.

 

Conference program

Information will be available soon.

 

Conference fees, terms and conditions

The conference is completely free of charge. However, the organizers do not cover the costs of accommodation and travel.
Only active participation in the conference is accepted – with an oral presentation or poster presentation. Passive participation in the conference is not possible.

 

Organising Committee

Łukasz Jurczyk - Head of the Organizing Committee
Agnieszka Podolak - Vice-head
Justyna Koc-Jurczyk
Jadwiga Stanek-Tarkowska
Marta Jańczak-Pieniążek
Dagmara Migut
Łukasz Peszek
Magdalena Podbielska
Mateusz Rybak
Karol Skrobacz
Małgorzata Szostek
Bernadetta Alvarez
Marcin Pieniążek

 

Partners

 

Scientific Partners

Contact to Conference secretary's office

University of Rzeszow

Faculty of Technology and Life Sciences Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Environmental Protection and Management
Department of Soil Science, Environmental Chemistry and Hydrology Cwiklinskiej Str. 1a, 35-601 Rzeszów

eec2026@ur.edu.pl

 

 

The Excellent Sub-Carpathian region – a comprehensive environmental study at the University of Rzeszów for the benefit of the region

This conference is supported by the Minister of Science of the Republic of Poland under the Programme „Regional initiative of excellence”. Agreement No. RID/SP/0010/2024/1.