Topical Discussion
Addressing Extreme Persistence – Identification, Behavior and Management of “Forever Chemicals” Beyond PFAS
Interest in the topic of persistence has been growing significantly at SETAC. This has been catalyzed by the prominent environmental challenges of microplastic particles and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These materials exhibit extreme persistence, such that they show very little potential to degrade in the natural environment and, subsequently, appear to be accumulating. This has led to the term “forever chemicals” being coined to denote PFAS. These issues pose an obvious question: Which chemicals, beyond PFAS, exhibit similar extreme persistence?
Join us for this topical discussion where we will explore the issue of extreme persistence in depth. The session will be structured as a panel discussion with tripartite representation, centring around the three key aspects:
- Identification – What is extreme persistence and what tools and techniques can be used to identify forever chemicals?
- Behavior – What added features and concerns do forever chemicals have regarding their fate, effects and long-term implications?
- Management – What measures could be used to adequately address forever chemicals?
There will be plenty of opportunities for audience participation, so don’t miss your chance to contribute to this timely discussion!
Join us from 16:00–17:30 CET on Tuesday, 12 November, and connect with fellow scientists interested in environmental persistence and the sustainable management of chemicals.
Steering Committee
- Pippa Curtis-Jackson - Environment Agency, UK
- Christopher Hughes - Embark Chemical Consulting, UK
- Michael Neumann - Umweltbundesamt (UBA), DE
- John Parsons - University of Amsterdam, NL
- Gabriel Sigmund - Wageningen University & Research, NL
- Aina Wennberg - Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), NO
- Daniel Zahn - Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), DE