6TH NORWEGIAN ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY SYMPOSIUM: Assessing and solving environmental challenges in a multiple stressor world

Outline

Symposium history

The 6th Norwegian Environmental Toxicology Symposium (NETS, www.niva.no/nets2016) was organized in Oslo, October 18–20 (2016), by Knut Erik Tollefsen, at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) and Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). Previous NETS meetings have been organized in Stavanger in 2014 (Pampanin, 2016), Tromsø in 2012(Gabrielsen, 2014), Bergen in 2010 (Goksøyr, 2011), Trondheim in 2008 (Arukwe et al., 2009), and Oslo in 2004. The main aims of NETS were to provide a platform for developing Norway’s existing (eco)toxicological research and regulatory sciences and offer a suitable meeting space for developing scientific networks, presenting novel findings, exchanging ideas, and supporting development of young scientists and students.

Symposium background

Aquatic and terrestrial organisms are exposed to a high number of stressors that originate from the production and use of chemicals, the exploitation of natural resources, and the presence of natural stressors. These multiple stressors derive from highly variable sources, behave in different ways once present in the environment, and exhibit properties that may enable them to accumulate, exert effects, and represent risk to wildlife and humans. Although many of these stressors are well characterized and strictly regulated (i.e., priority chemicals), a large number of new chemicals are produced annually. Many of these new chemicals are poorly characterized and thus considered chemicals of emerging environmental concern. As substances are released into the environment, often at the same time and even from the same sources, these coexist in the environment as complex mixtures. To add to the complexity, natural stressors and abiotic factors (e.g., salinity, temperature, organic material, ionizing, and nonionizing radiation) and man-made stressors such as climate change (e.g., ocean acidification, temperature changes, and increased ultraviolet radiation) affect the exposure, accumulation, effects, and risks of by chemicals. The interactions of such multiple stressors introduce a complexity that can only be addressed by interdisciplinary approaches and seldom addressed in a sufficiently comprehensive manner. With the potential that point-source emissions, diffuse emissions, and long-transported stressors may affect coastal areas, open oceans, and even remote areas of the Arctic and Antarctic regions, environmental challenges encountered today require substantial effort also by future generations of scientists and regulators. This applies in particular to new challenges that are introduced as a consequence of our exploration of land and oceans, where untouched areas and apparent susceptible species may be affected. Establishing national and international networks of competence, securing sufficient recruitment to existing scientific and regulatory communities, and establishing collaborative platforms and discussion fora will be key steps toward increasing the knowledge regarding the manner by which anthropogenic stressors affect the ecosystem alone and in combination with other stressors.

Themes of the symposium

The symposium focused on a variety of issues related to environmental toxicology including monitoring, effect assessment, risk assessment and management of priority and emerging contaminants, ionizing and nonionizing radiation, natural stressors, and climate change, with a special emphasis on stressors being relevant for coastal waters, open oceans, terrestrial areas, and Arctic regions. Over 140 scientists and students from major research communities in Norway and abroad took place in this 3-day event that included a 1-day student pre-symposium devoted to scientific dissemination, ethics in science, innovation, and funding opportunities, followed by the main scientific symposium. Details regarding the scientific program, keynote speakers, proceedings, and organizing committees can be accessed at www.niva.no/nets2016.

Sponsors

The 6th NETS was supported by the Research Council of Norway (www.forskningsradet.no), Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (www.nrpa.no), Norwegian Institute for Water Research (www.niva.no), Center for Environmental Radioactivity (www.nmbu.no/en/services/centers/cerad), Matriks AS (www.matriks.no), Waters (http://www.waters.com), and Taylor and Francis (www.taylorandfrancis.com).