2nd HEMISPHERIC CONFERENCE ON MEDICAL GEOLOGY
OCTOBER 21-26, 2007, ATIBAIA, BRAZIL

The second Hemispheric Conference on Medical Geology was organised in Atibaia, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The conference was linked to the annual meeting of Geosciences for Environmental Management, GEM, a short course in medical geology organised by the International Medical Geology Association and the XI Brazilian Geochemical Congress. The host was the Brazilian Geochemical Society - SBGq.
The conference was a joint conference with the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) and the Organizers of the XI Brazilian Geochemistry Congress. The aim of the conference was to bring together scientists from South America, Central and North America, Canada, and the Caribbean Basin to share the most recent advances and latest information on Medical Geology research with particular emphasis on this part of the globe. The main organiser professor Bernardino Figueiredo, UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil had done an excellent work in organising all activities.

The 1st Hemispheric Conference on Medical Geology was organized in Puerto Rico in 2005 with participation from over 50 delegates and with representation from each of the regions. The 2nd conference 2007 brought together more than 60 delegates from a wide range of disciplines in geosciences and biomedical research with particular interest on Medical Geology. It was decided that the third conference will be organised in Uruguay in 2009.

Among the general topics of this international meeting were included:
1. Soils, water, air and public health
2. Environmental surveillance and public health
3. Emerging and re-emerging diseases and Medical Geology
4. Geochemical and human health databases
5. Tools of the trade in Geosciences and public health
6. Risk analysis and risk communication

Many interesting presentations of high quality were presented. Olle Selinus, Robert Finkelman and Jose Centeno started with three lectures on the beginning, current development and future of medical geology.

Several interesting lectures on medical geology activities were presented. One was by Cassio da Silva from CPRM in Rio de Janeiro.

Among the pioneering works aiming at medical geology in Brazil, the low density geochemistry survey in the State of Parana, South Brazil, including analyses of
river sediments, water and soil, was the base for identification of dental fluorosis associated with groundwater consumption and also led to discovery of extensive anomalies of bromide and chloride possibly related to prevalence of cancer in northern Parana. Researchers from the Federal University of Bahia identified Pb and Cd in children’s blood caused by exposure to waste of a Pb smelting plant in Santo Amaro, State of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Researchers from the Minas Gerais Environmental Agency (FEAM), UNICAMP and other institutions in Minas Gerais State in collaboration with Freiberg University also identified elevated arsenic contents in children’s urine in areas affected by old gold mining in the Iron Quadrangle, State of Minas Gerais. In 2003, in the Amapa State, professionals from the Evandro Chagas Institute identified elevated As contents in human hair among people from a locality in the vicinity of a waste disposal of a Mn metallurgy (ICOMI Company), however, without risk to human health. In 2003, UNICAMP researchers in a joint venture with geoscience and health institutions presented the outcomes on survey on children’s blood contamination by Pb in association with emissions from a Pb smelter in Adrianópolis, State of Parana. In the same region, in the Iporanga municipality, State of São Paulo, high As contents were found in soil, however, no harm for human health was observed. Several researchers of CETEM, FIOCRUZ, UFPA, INPA, UFAM, UFRO and Evandro Chagas Institute have investigated and published about Hg contamination and risk for human health in the Amazon Region.

After the 2002 Brazilian Geological Congress in João Pessoa, Paraiba State, researchers and professionals from universities and institutions decided to build a discussion group called Environmental Geochemistry and Medical Geology Network- REGAGEM currently with 350 members and, to propose the Environmental Geochemistry and Medical Geology Program – PGAGEM – in the scope of the Geological Survey of Brazil where a website on Medical Geology was created ( www.cprm.gov.br/pgagem ). It is foreseen that Medical Geology will definitely consolidate its importance and relevance in the diagnosis and prevention of diseases related to excessive or deficient human exposure to chemical elements found in nature or in polluted areas.

Bernardino Figueiredo presented geoindicators as a tool for epidemiological studies in lead contaminated areas in Brazil. Integrated studies of environmental and human contamination for lead have been carried out in just a few areas in the Brazilian territory. The most comprehensive studies were reported for (i) Santo Amaro, State of Bahia, Northeastern region; (ii) Adrianópolis, State of Paraná, Southern region and, (iii) Bauru city, State of São Paulo, Southeastern region. Primary pollution sources were a metal smelter (Santo Amaro), a lead-zinc mine and a metal smelter (Adrianópolis), and a battery recycling plant (Bauru). There are additional references to lead pollution of soil and air from certain areas as well as assessments of human exposure in other places in Brazil. However, the published data on human and environmental contamination for lead is re-examined in those three cases attempting to highlight some geoindicators that may be useful during the decision-making process that precedes epidemiological studies.

Sandra Carolina Londoño A. and co workers, Research group on Medical Geology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia presented the very impressive current development of medical geology in Colombia. The Research Group on Medical Geology of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia has been leading, since its very beginning, the research training of students and the development of research activities and academic proposals, which grant the advance in the interdisciplinary knowledge of the geological resources in direct relation with the welfare and health of the Colombian society. In Colombia work has been carried out on environmental geochemistry directed to characterize natural components either as probable sources of human or animal pathogenesis or, as sources of non conventional therapeutics or pharmacy products.

Medical Geology in Colombia has much to contribute in solving public health problems, social welfare and in the identification of factors that help to mitigate effects of global warming. Because it is a new field in Colombia, it offers good opportunities for economic and social development, employment and academic application. The Group established five working lines to guide the research: - Hydrological Resources, Environment and Health in Colombia, - Mining-energetic Resources, Pathogeneses and healing potentials,
- Forensic Geology: support of the judicial and penal system of Colombia, - Natural History and contributions to Medical Geology, - Sample and reference Collections for Medical Geology, - Informatics and Medical Geology.

A case study was presented: Geological and Geochemical Characterization of the clays with potential therapeutic applications in the Colombian Amazon: Leticia and Araracuara.

Jose A. Centeno, presented the interface between the earth sciences and public health which is pervasive and complex. Collaborative research at this interface is in its infancy, with great potential to ameliorate the adverse health effects and enhance the beneficial health effects from earth materials and earth processes. The earth sciences and public health research communities share a responsibility and obligation to work together to realize the considerable potential for both short-term and long-term positive health impacts.The presentation highlighted examples where collaborative research interactions among earth scientist and public health professional have provided solutions to a range of environmental health issues. As one result can be mentioned the report: Earth Materials and Health – Research Priorities for Earth Science and Public Health. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, Washington, DC USA, 2007.

Geoffrey S. Plumlee, USGS, presented a lecture on environmental geochemistry in disaster response and planning. There are a number of examples from past disasters that help illustrate- the environmental geochemistry role, provide lessons learned, and underscore future- opportunities for truly interdisciplinary collaboration with emergency responders and- public health specialists in disaster response and planning

Sandra P. Gamiño Gutiérrez and Marcos G. Monroy Fernández, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Mexico presented environmental health and geochemical studies which were carried out in the area of Villa de la Paz, S.L.P. (Mexico), where mining activities have been developed for more of 200 years, leading to the pollution of urban and rural surface soils by arsenic and heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn). The analysis of soils to determine base line and impact concentrations (total and bioaccesibility) demonstrated a combined contribution of the natural and anthropogenic concentrations in the site, at values higher than the As and Pb reference total concentrations that provoke a human risk. Exposure (Pb in blood and As in urine) and effect (micronucleus assays) biological monitoring were then carried out in the children population of the site at two different seasons of the year (June and December 2006). The exposure biological monitoring demonstrated that at least 25% of children presented Pb and As exposure values higher than the international maximum permissible values. Meanwhile the biological monitoring confirms that there is a genotoxic effect that could not be exclusively associated to the arsenic exposure. These results allowed establishing the first environmental intervention actions in collaboration with the governmental environment and health agencies and with the active mining company in the site.

Nelly Manay, Uruguay presented examples of when several disciplines like Environmental Toxicology, Epidemiology, Public Health and Geology have been the basis developing Medical Geology in Uruguay during the last decade. The knowledge and performance in environmental and health issues have been improved by joining similar aims research teams and experts from different institutions to face environmental problems dealing with metals and metalloids population´s exposure and health impacts. Some examples of the Uruguayan Medical Geology experience was reviewed presentation as regards to the multidisciplinary approach of lead pollution in the last six years, selenium and the copper deficiency as well as arsenic in ground water research which is carried out currently. The proposals for future actions that are planed to continue developing Medical Geology in Uruguay was also presented.

A final interesting lecture was presented on risk communication: the Ribeira Valley experience by Gabriela Di Giulio, Newton M. Pereira and Prof. Bernardino Figueiredo. The purpose of the work was to discuss risk communication, taking into account a case study from Adrianópolis in the Ribeira Valley, that took place between 2001 and 2005. The goal of this work was to understand the impact of information regarding lead contamination on the daily routine of the local inhabitants as well as to analyze the consequences that resulted from the absence of a previously developed strategy for risk communication by the researchers involved in studies of the region, which had taken place in the recent past. More than just draw attention to the need for studies related to environmental passive issues, soil contamination or risks to which modern population are exposed, the Adrianópolis case study allows some reflections on the importance of risk communication in the studies that refer to public health and environment, the role of scientists in this process, and the role of the media in scientific communication and amplification of risk perception.

At the end of the conference Sandra Londono was presented an award for her excellent work in medical geology in Colombia, bringing together students and institutes for carrying out research in medical geology..

Dr. Olle Selinus, Geological Survey of Sweden
Dr. Robert B. Finkelman, University of Texas at Dallas, Texas, USA
Dr. José A. Centeno, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC, USA