Background:
Until recently, risk assessment of mercury pollution has mainly been based on total element concentrations. Unfortunately, the determination of such a virtual sum parameter provides limited information only, since chemical and physical characteristics, biological activity or toxicity, mobility and bioavailability do not depend on the presence and concentrations of elements but rather on chemical species.  Today, advances in analytical methodology make it possible to perform speciation analysis, and improved understanding of geochemical and metabolic processes makes it advisable to utilize the enhanced information provided by speciation analysis for adequate risk assessment, optimization of remediation strategies and for solving other mercury related problems.
 
Objective:
It is the major objective of the workshop to highlight the value of the enhanced information provided by speciation analysis and to demonstrate how this information can be used to tackle mercury related problems such as, but not limited to, selecting an efficacious remediation strategy for soil, sediments and sludges and to improve its efficiency. Primary target groups are industries, laboratories, consultants, decision makers and other stakeholders interested in speciation analysis and the biogeochemistry of mercury.


Workshop Program

Day 1: Start of Workshop: 10:30 h

Introduction (Chairman Thomas Liljedahl)

10:30 - 10:35	Welcome address, Erik Björn, Umeå University
10:35 - 10:55	Chemical forms, occurrence, and speciation analysis of mercury, Petra Krystek, RIVM, The Netherlands

   

The importance of mercury speciation for society

10:55 - 11:25	Global mercury pollution, John Munthe, Swedish Environmental Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden
11:25 - 11:55	Forestry and mercury pollution, Kevin Bishop, SLU, Uppsala, Sweden
11:55 - 12:15	Mercury in crude oil and natural gas. A concern for the oil and gas industry, Audun Gangstad, Statoil Research Center Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway

Lunch Break 12:15 - 13:20


State-of-the-art mercury speciation analysis, Chairman Ulf Skyllberg

13:20 - 14:20

The art of mercury speciation analysis, Erik Björn, Tom Larsson, Lars Lambertsson and Wolfgang Frech, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

How do speciation data improve risk assessment ? Chairman John Munthe

14:20 - 15:00	Human toxicity and mercury speciation, Ulrike Bernauer. Bundesinstitut für Riskobewertung (BfR), Berlin, Germany
15:00 - 15:30	Coffee break
15:30 - 15:50	Mercury in the work environment and human health, Owen Butler, Health and Safety Executive, Sheffield, U.K.
15:50 - 16:10	Combining speciation and isotope labelling to assess net mercury methylation in sediment and soil samples, Mats Nilsson, SLU, Umeå, Sweden
16:10 - 16:30	The importance of mercury-sulphur speciation for solubility, methylation and demethylation rates in sediments contaminated by the paper and pulp industry - implications for risk assessment, Ulf Skyllberg, SLU, Umeå, Sweden
16:30 - 17:30	Round Table Discussion with all lecturers of the day, Chair person: Wolfgang Frech
16:30 - 17:30	Poster Session

18:30 Workshop dinner at the hotel

21:30 - 24:00 Social event - Owl listening

Day 2

Ongoing routine mercury speciation analysis in service laboratories

8:30 - 8:50	Sample preparation and analytical methodology solving matrix dependent problems in mercury speciation analysis, S. McSheehy, LCABIE,  UMR CNRS 5034 - Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, France
8:50 - 9:10	Mercury speciation in routine analysis - current status and future prospects, Jürgen Kuballa GALAB, Hamburg, Germany
9:10 - 9:30	More samples, fewer methods. Douglas Baxter, Analytica, Luleå, Sweden
9:30 - 9:50	Mercury speciation for the Swedish Environmental Monitoring program, Ingvar Wännberg, John Munthe, IVL, Gothenburg, Sweden
9:50 - 10:10	Accreditation of a speciation method: the example of methylmercury analysis in sediment, Jean-Philippe Gestem, BRGM, France

Coffee break 10:10 - 10:30 

The benefit of speciation analysis for soils, sediments and sludges; chairman Owen Butler

10:30 - 10:45	Safe remediation of soil at an industrial site in Sundsvall, Sweden, Sven-Åke Heinemo, Sweco-Viak
10:45 - 11:00	Speciation in risk assessment of soil, Nadja Lundgren, Tyréns, Umea
11:00 - 11:20	A simple field method to quantify mercury volatilization from soils, Anja Stubbe, UFZ, Halle, Germany
11:20 - 11:40	Development, Analysis and Assessment of Processes, S. Mangold, Institut für Synchrotronstrahlung, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe
11:40 - 12:00	Inorganic Mercury Speciation - Application for Risk Assessment and Remediation Strategies of Contaminated Soils, Groundwater and Sediments, H. Biester, Institute of Environmental Geochemistry, Heidelberg, Germany

Lunch Break:  12:00 - 13:10   
 
How EVISA, the European Virtual Institute for Speciation Analysis, will assist users

13:10 - 13:40	EVISA - the premium source of speciation related information, Michael Sperling, EVISA, University of Münster, Germany
13:40	General discussion: What benefits do we see using mercury speciation? Moderator: Michael Sperling, EVISA, University of Münster, Germany

The topics for the final round table discussion will be composed throughout the workshop in order to cater for the primary interests of the audience.
Suggestions from the participants will be collected and complemented by additional topics from the Organizing Committee.

End of Workshop: 15:00 h.


Participation fees
Early registration (until 31.01.2006):        210,- €
Late registration (until 26.02.2006):         260,- €

The registration includes workshop participation, all meals including the workshop dinner, and the workshop's social event.
The cost for accommodation at the conference hotel is 90,- € per night. (The organizer has pre-booked rooms at a special room rate)


Call for additional oral presentations
The workshop programme is still open and the Organizing Committee welcomes further suggestions for oral contributions proposed in the form of a short abstract.



 
Download the 2nd Flyer including form for registration

Timetable:
Start of the Workshop:     27.03.2006, 10:30 h.
End of the Workshop:     28.03.2006, 15:00 h.
Proposal deadline for oral presentations:     15.01.2006
Final Workshop programme:     7.02.2006
Early registration deadline:    10.02.2006
Late registration deadline:    26.02.2006


Travel planning

Information about Umeå and the workshop venue may be found at the weblink
http://www.scandic-hotels.com/plazaumea.
Please note that you may need Swedish currency during your stay in Umeå.

Airport transfer: Umeå Airport, 5 km from the hotel, is connected via airport buses or taxi at 15,- €.
Flights: Umeå Airport (ume) connects to Stockholm Arlanda International Airport (arn), serviced by SAS and FlyNordic. An alternative flight service to Umeå is provided by Malmö Aviation, with departures from Stockholm Bromma Airport and further connections to Gothenburg, Malmö, and Brussels.

More information at:
www.malmoaviation.se
www.sas.se
www.flynordic.se


See the presentations given at the workshop