Arsenic and other co-occurring pollutants in the environment have been an issue of major concern in the last decades because of the serious impact on human health coming from drinking water and certain foods with low-medium levels of pollutants for prolonged periods. Globally, more than 100 million people are at risk. Since 2006, eight events of the International Congress on “Arsenic in the Environment” have been held in different areas of the world: Mexico 2006, Spain 2008, Taiwan 2010, Australia 2012, Argentina 2014, Sweden 2016, China 2018, and The Netherlands 2021.

Arsenic and co-occurring pollutants in drinking water (mainly groundwater) have emerged as a global health concern. Over the past three decades, India has been at the forefront of research on arsenic biogeochemical cycling, health effects, technologies for arsenic removal, and sustainable mitigation measures. However, research on other pollutants, like different organic and inorganic contaminants, trace elements, bio-medical pollutants, micro/nano-plastics, etc., has been explored extensively in the Indian subcontinent and South Asia as well. During the last decade, the presence of arsenic and other pollutants in edible items, possibly also other food of plant origins, has attained increasing attention. This is particularly true in several other South and Southeast Asian countries, to ensure food safety and avoid further health hazards from consuming food that has been contaminated, it is essential to comprehend these agricultural penalties.

With a global perspective, the 9th International Congress & Exhibition on Arsenic in the Environment will take place at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in the city of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, from 20th – 24th  October 2024. Known as As2024, the Congress will be themed “Arsenic and Other Pollutants, Water Security and One Health under Global Climate Change Scenario” and endorsed by the Executive Board of the International Society of Groundwater for Sustainable Development, Sweden.

Congress and Exhibition is Arsenic and Other Pollutants, Water Security and One Health under Global Climate Change Scenario (As2024), and will include the following themes:

Theme 1: Arsenic in natural environment

Theme 2: Arsenic in food and agricultural ecosystem

Theme 3: Health perspectives of environmental arsenic

Theme 4: Advancements in clean water technologies for arsenic removal and immobilization

Theme 5: Sustainable mitigation and management

Special Sessions

In addition to these five themes, we will include 5 Special Sessions which will covers the legacy (trace elements, organic and inorganic pollutants, etc.) and emerging contaminants (micro/nano-plastics, per- and polyfluorinated substances, endocrine disrupting chemicals, pharmaceuticals, etc.) but is not limited to the following topics:

Session 1: Source and distribution of pollutants in different natural settings

Session 2: Advancements in clean water technologies for pollutant removal and immobilization

Session 3: Pollutants in dietary systems and health perspectives

Session 4: Policies and sustainable management of pollutants

Session 5: Sensors, innovation, technologies, and artificial intelligence for pollution monitoring and management