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Annual Report 2012

International Medical Geology Association (IMGA)

Please observe that this report does not cover the whole of 2012, only to September. This past year has generally been a good one for the International Medical Geology Association which has experienced increasing growth and development. We have formalized the Association by developing and adopting a Constitution and By-laws which is posted on the IMGA website at http://www.medicalgeology.org. In addition, several new Chapters have been developed in many parts of the world. The Directors of the Association are: Chairs: Jose Centeno The Joint Pathology Center Depleted Uranium and Embedded Fragment Laboratory Malcolm Grow Medical Center Washington, USAEmail: tonycent@comcast.net Chair Olle Selinus Linneaus Universtity Kalmar, Sweden Email: Olle.Selinus@gmail.com Co-chair for geoscience Nelly Manay Dpt of Toxicology and Environmental Hygiene University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uruguay Email: nmanay@fq.edu.uy Co-chair for medical science Secretary:

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Karin Ljung Björklund The National Board of Health and Welfare Stockholm, Sweden Email:secretary@medicalgeology.org Treasurer: David Slaney Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR) Kenepuru Science Centre 34 Kenepuru Drive, Porirua PO Box 50 348, Porirua 5240, New Zealand Tel: +64 4 913 9607, Fax: +64 4 914 0770 david.slaney@esr.cri.nz

Six Councilors have been appointed to represent the broad geographic distribution of Medical Geology and the wide range of disciplines that are embraced by this topic. These councilors will be active in medical geology within their disciplines, networks and geographical regions.

Councillors:

Diego H. Fridman MD, MSc. Fundación del Centro de Estudios Infectológicos (FUNCEI) French 3085 C1425AWK. Buenos Aires. Argentina Phone/Fax: +5411 4809 4206 E-mail: dfridman@stamboulian.com.ar Mark Cave British Geological Survey Nottingham, UK Email: mrca@bgs.ac.uk Chaosheng Zhang Dep of Geography National University of Ireland, Galway Email: Chaosheng.Zhang@nuigalway.ie Theo Davies Department of Mining and Environmental Geology, University of Venda South Africa Email: daviestheo@hotmail.com Maria Armienta Instituto de Geofisica, UNAM Mexico D.F., Mexico Email: victoria@geofisica.unam.mx

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Hisashi Nirei The Geopollution Control Agency Chiba City, Japan Email: nireihisashi@msn.com

Editor David Elliott Geosgil Consulting Ltd 3507 Boulton Rd AB T22L 1M Calgary CA-CANADA 00 1 403 220 0396 davide5@telus.ne

International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) Local Chapters September 2012 Established Chapters Argentina (2010) Leader: Dr Alberto Filomeno, M.D., Pathologist, Central Mili-tary Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Paraguay 2302. 11 Floor, Of 1. C1121ABL. CABA, Buenos Aires Argentina afilomeno55@gmail.com Secretary: Dr Diego Fridman, Director, Research Department, FUNCEI, Buenos Aires, Argentina diegofridman@yahoo.com Bolivia (2009) Leader: Rafael Morant National Institute of Occupational Medi-cine, La Paz, Bolivia rcervantesmorant@yahoo.com Brazil (2008) Leader: Dr Bernardino Figueiredo, Inst. of Geosciences, Univer-sity of Campinas, PO Box 6152, 13083-970 Campinas, Brazil. berna@ige.unicamp.br Joint Leader: Dr Cassio Silva, Geological Survey of Brazil, Av. Pasteur, 404 22,292,040, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil cassio.silva@cprm.gov.br Colombia (2008) Leaders: Ana Maria Rojas Medical Geol. Research Group, Uni-versidad Nacional de Colombia (National University of Colom-bia), Apartado Postal 140455 de Chía, 11001 Chía, Colombia. pegmanana@gmail.com Ricardo Ballesteros, Medical Geology Research Group Univer-sidad Nacional de Colombia (National University of Colombia), Carrera 30 Calle 45, 11001 Bogotá, Colombia ricardoandres_25@hotmail.com

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Ghana (2008) Leader (currently inactive): Dr Emmanuel Arhin, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Uni-versity for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus, P.O. Box 24, Navrongo, UER, Ghana and University of Leicester, Geol-ogy Dept., University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK ea163@leicester.ac.uk; lordarhin@gmail.com Current Leader: Dr Richard L.K. Glover, Dept. of Applied Biol-ogy, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Univ. for Development Stud-ies, Navrongo Campus, P.O. Box 24, Navrongo, UER, Ghana richkwame@yahoo.com Tel: +233 2447 53349, +233 2081 74175 and +233 2652 67145 Chapter Secretary: Mr. Emmanuel O. Oyelude, Department of Applied Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Applied Sci-ences, University for Development Studies, Navrongo Campus, P.O. Box 24, Navrongo, UER, Ghana emmanola@gmail.com or Emmanuel.oyelude@uds.edu.gh Tel: +233 2466 81133, +233 2614 00399 and +233 2762 26873 Iran (2008) Leader: Dr Abdolmajid Yaghubpur, Prof Economic Geology, Department of Geology, Tarbiat Moalem University, Tehran 15614, Iran. Tel/Fax: 0098-21-22400112 ayaghubpur@yahoo.com Italy (2010) Leader: Prof Saverio Fiore, Institute of Methodologies for Envi-ronmental Analysis- CNR, 85050 Tito Scalo (PZ), Italy Adjunct Professor of Mineralogy, University of Basilicata saverio.fiore@cnr.it Japan (2010) Leader: Prof Hisashi Nirei, The Geo-pollution Control Agency Interntional Union of Geological Science (IUGS) Geoscience for Environmental Management (GEM) Japan Branch, 1277-1 Kamayauchi, Motoyahagi, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture 287-0025, Japan nireihisashi@msn.com Macedonia (2008) Leader: Dr Tena Sijakova, Faculty of Mining and Geology, St Cyril and Methodius University, Goce Delcev 89 2000 Štip, Republic of Macedonia blazo.boev@ugd.edu.mk Portugal (2010) Leader: Dr Eduardo Ferreira da Silva, Geosciences Department, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal eafsilva@ua.pt Sweden (2011) Leader: Dr Olle Selinus, IMGA Co-Chair for GeoScience. olle.selinus@gmail.com

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Taiwan (2010) President: Prof Jiin-Shuh Jean, Professor of Hydrogeology, Dept of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 70101, Taiwan jiinshuh@mail.ncku.edu.tw Secretary-General: Professor Ying-Jan Wang, Toxicologist, Department of Environmental Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 70101, Taiwan yjwang@mail.ncku.edu.tw. Chairman Conference and Lecture Committee: Prof. Kou-Chin Hsu, Department of Resources Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City 70101, Taiwan kchsu@mail.ncku.edu.tw Uruguay (2010) Leader: Prof Nelly Manay, Dept. of Toxicology and Environ-mental Hygiene, University of the Republic, Montevideo, Uru-guay nmanay@fq.edu.uy and nellymanay@gmail.com Mexico Leader: Prof. Hector Rubio Arias, University of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico rubioa1105@hotmail.com USA (2012) Chairperson: Brittany Merola, Nicholas School of the Environ-ment, Duke University, North Carolina, USA rose.merola@duke.edu Deputy Chairperson: Laura Ruhl lsr3@duke.edu Treasurer/Secretary: Alex Eisen-Cuadra Denmark Leader: Dr Peter W.U. Appel, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), Copenhagen, Denmark pa@geus.dk Secretary: Birgitte Guldberg Hansen, GEUS. bgh@geus.dk NIS Leader: Dr Iosif Volfson. Chair of Medical Geology Division, Russian Geological Society mgeolog1955@mail.ru South Africa Leader: Prof Hassina Mouri, Dept of Geology, Univ. of Johan-nesburg, Auckland Park Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa hmouri@uj.ac.za Tel: +27-11-559-4706 Secretary: Refilwe Shelembe, rshelembe@geoscience.org.za Bulgaria Leader: Prof Krasimira Staneva, Bulgarian Association of Ge-omedicine and Geotherapy (BAGG), Sofia University, hk G. Delchev, bl. 7A, B 1404 Sofia, Bulgaria

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bagg.bg@gmail.com; staneva_ krasimira@yahoo.com tel. +359 899 000676, tel. +359 2 8587687 www.bagg-bg.org HONORARY CHAPTER Geology and Health Division, Geological Society of America Leader: Dr Syed Hasan, Chair, Geology & Health Division, Geological Society of America HasanS@umkc.edu Certificate Presented 2011 IMGA CHINA CONTACT Contact: Prof Zheng Baoshan, Institute of Geochemistry, Chi-nese Academy of Sciences, China zhengbaoshan@vip.skleg.cn POSSIBLE CHAPTERS Australasia Contact: Jochen Bundschuh, Professor of Hydrogeology, Na-tional Centre for Engineering in Agriculture, University of South Queensland, West Street Toowoomba, South Queensland, QLD 4350, Australia. Jochen.Bundschuh@usq.edu.au Cyprus Contact: Constantia Achilleos, Cyprus University of Technol-ogy, Limassol, Cyprus geologydia@yahoo.com India Contact: Dr Pradip Wesanekar, Dept of Geology, Science Col-lege, Nanded, India prwesanekar@yahoo.com Kenya Contact: Prof Beneah Odhiambo, Moi University, P. O. Box 3900, Eldoret – 30100, Kenya odhiambobdo@gmail.com Nigeria Contact: Dr Jolly Osadiaye, City Medical Consultants, 44 Ta-fawa Balewa Crescent, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. citymedical@rocketmail.com Turkey Contacts: Tuncay Delibasi, MD, Assoc. Prof. Chief of the De-partment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara Diskapi Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Chairman of the Turkish Medical Geology Association. tuncay@delibasi.net Umit Demirel, Turkish Medical Geology Association umitdemirel2002@yahoo.com UK Contact: Dr Mark Cave, BGS mrca@bgs.ac.uk

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Committees

• Bylaw committee

• Funding Committee

• Conference Committee

• Student Committeee

• Education committee

• Awards committee

• Nomination Committee The council has had 2 council meetings (teleconferences) so far during 2012. There has been one open business meeting for members in Portugal during 2011 Membership, Dues, and Finances As of September 2012, IMGA had about 400 members and quite many of these are in the process of paying. IMGA membership is spread all over the world, representing more than 55 countries. The present dues are 40 Euro for full members and 20 Euro for students. African members pay half this amount. To facilitate the payment of membership dues, IMGA has developed several modes of payment: • Credit card on the website (Master Card and VISA) • Wire transfer directly to bank account • PayPal • US bank account for US cheques • Swedish bank accounts Because of the very complicated international bank system IMGA has a couple of accounts and several ”pockets” within these for different currencies. In September 2012 IMGA had an equivalent of 18 000 USD in the accounts. There is a need to raise additional funds to maintain desired programs, to encourage the participation of young medical geologist scientists in national and international conferences, and to open new avenues in support of interdisciplinary research opportunities on medical geology

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Chief accomplishments During 2012 many activities have been carried out. Medical geology has been included in curricula at universities, has received several prestigious awards and has been highlighted all over the world. Several courses have been held. Numerous presentations have been held at meetings and conferences dedicated to public health, geosciences and medical sciences. Newsletter A newsletter for the working group and other interested people is being produced. The editor of the newsletter is Dave Elliott, Canada. The CD containing all the information from the newsletter is distributed to all members of IMGA in good standing. In 2012, one newsletter has been published, and the next one will be in December 2012. Website The website is continuosly growing. It is regularly updated and expanded. In the beginning of 2011 a completely new and updated website was published including adding a members only page. Karin Ljung, Sweden is the main webmaster. Other Medical Geology websites: http://proj.ncku.edu.tw/imgatwn/ (Taiwan Chapter website) https://sites.google.com/site/grupodegeologiamedicayforense/ (Colombian website in Spanish) https://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Medical-Geology-Association-IMGA/217954944942790 (Facebook, IMGA) https://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Medical-Geology-Association-Taiwan-Chapter/141527755859166 (Facebook, Taiwan Chapter) https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=117427695222 (Facebook Medical Geology group) https://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49042249088 (Facebook, Colombian chapter) http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2857479&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr (Medical Geology group in Linkedin) Regional Division and chapters Reports July 2012 ARGENTINA (Argentine Chapter IMGA) The Argentine Chapter is very active and has 5 members. These comprise dentists; one specialized in Biomate-rials for medical and dental use and medical doctors, one specialized in infectious diseases and two patholo-gists. The Argentine IMGA Chapter organized its Annual Meeting in July 2011. This was held in the Central Army Hospital, with 25 people registered. The meeting had as its central topic the pathology produced by biologi-cally-used materials. The Executive Committee, Dr Diego Fridman have been involved in the program “El Debate” of Adrian Paenza. Public Television July 2011 Reprinted by the newspaper Pagina 12. Http://www.pagina12.com.ar/daily/special/subnotes/173406-54943-2011-07-31.html.

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Members of the Chapter also participated in the following activities: Dr Diego Fridman, “Speaker IV Meeting in Space” Environmental Health and Environmental Management “Professional liability, health and environmental” September 7, 2011. The “4th International Conference on Medical Geology. Bari, Italy. Dr. Diego Fridman. 20-25 September 2011. Presentation of the paper: “Evaluation of Health impact in an Open-Pit Mining Area in Catamarca, Argentina” Abstract RA1. Fri.P2. Dr Diego Fridman, as professor in Specialization in Mining Geology, Faculty of Natural Sciences. University of Buenos Aires. Sep-tember 28, 2011. Topics on Medical Geology matters. Continues in 2012. Documentary Video Presentation of the Report of Catamarca, November 14, 2011. Drs. Daniel Stamboulian, Miguel Borruel, Edu-ardo Santini-Araujo, Diego Fridman. The “First International Forum for Sustainable Communication Mining and Press. November 16, 2011. Dr. Diego Fridman. Recording Program Note: “Words more words less” TN, Dr. Diego Fridman. February 22, 2012. Reprint by Print Media and Senado TV Radio Interviews. http://www.docsalud.com/ article / 2943 / g eolog% C3% ADa-m% C3% A9dica-by-m% C3% A1s-health-on-the-ground. Invitation from the Provincial Ministry of Health to present the report of Catamarca in the context of the social dialogue on mining. Meeting with the Governor of the Province. Various radio interviews and print media. TV Channel 9, in La Rioja. Dr Diego Frid-man. The National Congress as part of the national dialogue on mining. Senado TV, Radio Interviews. Dr. Diego Fridman Presentation of the Catamarca study at the Ministry of Health before an audience of Deputies, medical directors of all provincial hos-pitals, doctors and health workers. Travel to La Rioja 12 and March 13, 2012. Dr Diego Fridman. Publications for the community (in Spanish): http://www.docsalud.com/articulo/2943/geolog%C3%ADa-m%C3%A9dica-por-m%C3%A1s-salud-sobre-la-tierra http://www.docsalud.com/articulo/2942/la-miner%C3%ADa-un-desaf%C3%ADo-para-la-geolog%C3%ADa-m%C3%A9dica http://www.docsalud.com/articulo/1339/afirman-que-no-se-pudo-comprobar-compromiso-de-la-salud-por-la-actividad-minera-a-cielo-abierto The Committee is also in the process of creation of The Argentine Association of Medical Geology, local designation of the IMGA’s Argentine Chapter. The statute has already been drafted and we have the members to constitute the committee and the Audit Commission. The documentation submitted to the PRC (General Inspection of Justice) between April-May 2012. The Argentine Division of the International Academy of Pathology – Executive Committee chaired by Dr. Gustavo Lembo Micó- from now will share its headquarters in the 6th floor in the 1131 of Arenales St. Buenos Aires City, with the IMGA’s Argentine Chapter. BRAZIL The Brazil Chapter is very active and has 18 members, mainly environmental scientists. The Chapter is led by Dr Bernardino Figueiredo (University of Campinas) and Dr Cassio Silva (Geological Survey of Brazil). Re-cently Dr Figueiredo has been working and travelling between Campinas (UNICAMP) University and San-tarém a new university in the Amazon. In September 2010, during the 45th Brazilian Geological Congress (Belém, Pará State), a short course on Medical Geology was run by Bernardino Figueiredo and Eduardo De Capitani. At the same congress, a Sym-posium on Medical Geology was held and Dr Geoffrey Plumlee (USGS) was the key note speaker.

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In 2011 a number of Brazilian students, academics and professionals attended the 4th International Conference on Medical Geology in Bari. During the conference, Dr Cassio Silva announced the English translated edition of the book "Medical Geology in Brazil" published in 2006 (In Portuguese). In addition, Dr Silva was invited as a lecturer to the Brazilian Congress of Pathology. In 2012, Dr Silva attended the 9th International Environmental Geochemistry Symposium in Aveiro, Portugal and presenting the work "Assessment of exposure to chemical elements through the consumption of waters and vegetables for a group of patients on routine dialysis" At the 2012 Brazilian Geological Congress, in Santos (São Paulo State) in October, Bernardino Fi-gueiredo and Dr Thomas Campos chair the Scientific-Technical Session on Medical Geology by invitation of the organizers. Furthermore, the National Research Program in Environmental Geochemistry and Medical Geology, running in the Geological Service of Brazil-CPRM, started in 2003 with the objective of evaluating the nationwide chemical composition of the bedrock, soils and surface waters and groundwater in order to provide a multi-user dataset and information to search for new mineral deposits, natural fertility for agriculture, natural sources of contamination and anthropogenic chemicals considered harmful to human health, animals and plants. It is aimed also be a database of analytical results and will be posted on the website (www.cprm.gov.br); constitut-ing a milestone for environmental monitoring studies in the country. This project represents a pioneering ini-tiative in Brazil and was structured according to the criteria of the International Geochemical Mapping - IGCP-259 and Global Geochemical Baselines projects of the IUGS-IAGC. During the Project activities between 2003 and March 2012 approximately 30,542 samples of surface water and of drinking water, stream sediments and soils in the states of Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo, Goiás, Holy Spirit, Rio de Janeiro, Para, Ceara, Pernambuco, Paraiba, Sergipe and Roraima were collected, covering a land area of 2,540,000km2; 30% of Brazilian territory. Field surveys were completed in the states of Pernambuco, Ceara, Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro. In those states, studies are at the stage of data processing and preparation of state analytical geochemical atlases. Preliminary results delimit areas of known mineralization, potential areas for mineral exploration, macro and micro nutrients for agriculture, as well as areas with anthropogenic interfer-ence liable to generate environmental health problems, especially in densely populated regions. From the second half of 2012, it is expected to intensify the geochemical survey in the Amazon region in order to increase geochemical knowledge in this area. COLOMBIA Chapter Name: Colombia In the last year the chapter worked towards getting stronger in its foundations, and to create nodes or partner-ships with governmental institutions. It recognizes important health problems in Colombia, like the effects of mercury in gold mining communities and has established important contacts with gold artisanal mining asso-ciations, ONUDI, mining-agricultural centres and local environmental authorities for executing projects in the future. The group has identified important health problems in Colombia that have a relationship to geology, such as toxic levels of mercury found in gold mining communities of Chocó, South-eastern Antioqueño and South of Bolivar. The group has been working in contacting key people in order to execute projects and to raise aware-ness regarding the need for conducting medical geology studies in affected areas. We have identified potential strategic partners and people interested in medical geology.

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We are planning to conduct a medical geology course in the year 2013, we have now started looking for funding. We have been writing proposals to fund 2 projects and when the results are announced we will let IMGA know. DENMARK (Denmark) After building up interest in establishing a Danish Chapter, the IMGA Danish Chapter was launched at a Medical Geology workshop held in Copenhagen on 7th February 2012 at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. Medical Geology Workshop, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland 7th February 2012, Oester Voldgade 10, Copenhagen, Denmark Programme Welcome by Vice Director Bjoern Kaare Jensen, bkj@geus.dk Staffan Skerfving: Studies at Lund University of human exposure to and effects of metals. Staf-fan.Skerfving@med.lu.se. Tue Kofod: Student at IGG, tuekofod@hotmail.com: Medical geology saves lives Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen: Perfluorinated compounds are related to breast cancer risk in Greenlandic Inuit EBJ@MIL.AU.DK Keld Alstrup Jensen: From diesel soot and wood smoke to particulate nanomaterials – Characteristics and Health Effects. kaj@nrcwe.dk, kaj@arbejdsmiljoforskning.dk, Erik Jørs: Odense University Hospital. erik.dialogos@gmail.com: Pesticide intoxications in developing coun-tries Walter Brüsh, GEUS, wb@geus.dk: A register study of the Danish Population. Congenital malformation in male genital and occurrence of breast cancer among users with single water supply systems. Carsten Suhr Jacobsen, GEUS, csj@geus.dk: Leaching pathogens from manure to drainage water a problem in structured clay Denitza Voutchkova, Department of Geosciences, Aarhus University, ddv@geo.au.dk: Iodine in Groundwater in Denmark; Implications for Human Health Henrik Skov, Institut for Miljøvidenskab, Aarhus University, hsk@dmu.dk: The atmospheric surface exchange of mercury Peter W. U. Appel, GEUS, pa@geus.dk: Small-scale gold mining is the second largest contributor to the global mercury pollution – how can we mitigate it? Rasmus Køster Rasmussen, rakra@sund.ku.dk, Forskningsenheden for Almen Praksis Centre for Sundhed og Samfund, KU: Reducing mercury pollution in small scale gold mining Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen, EBJ@MIL.AU.DK: Level and temporal trend of Perfluoroalkyl acids in Greenlandic Inuit. Christian Knudsen, GEUS, ckn@geus.dk: Sulphides as a source for nickel and arsenic in drinking water Flemming Larsen, GEUS. flar@geus.dk: Arsenic in groundwater and effects on humans by drinking arsenic polluted drinking water. Gert Asmund, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, gas@dmu.dk: Lead and zinc pollution from min-ing in Greenland Peter Gravesen, GEUS, pg@geus.dk: Radon in Danish houses, rocks and groundwater Tonci Balic-Zunic: TonciB@snm.ku.dk. Natural History Museum: Research of the mineralogical group at the Natural History Museum of Denmark related to bio mineralogy and medical mineralogy. GHANA Report from Chapter Secretary Emmanuel Oyelude:

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Chapter Leaders: Dr Emmanuel Arhin and Dr Richard LK Glover Chapter Secretary: Emmanuel Oyelude The chapter has 15 members. These are mainly environmental scientists (Earth Scientists/Geologists, Chem-ists/Biochemists, Biologists/Microbiologists). Dr Arhin is currently studying a Post Doc in the UK. Therefore, although he is still the Leader of this Chapter he is currently not the active head of the Chapter. Dr Glover is the current head of the Chapter. However, he has just commenced sabbatical leave in South Africa. In addition, some of our members have either changed job or relocated. Therefore, the Ghana chapter of IMGA is going through a period of re-organisation. IRAN The Iranian Chapter is very active and has 12 members. These are a mixture of environmental geoscientists and medical professionals. The Chapter has been involved in the following activities: Establishment of a Workgroup on Medical Geology Research Our intention for this workgroup is to provide a qualified platform for collaboration between experts in differ-ent fields of Medical Geology. GSI’s Medical Geology group, certain authorities of Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Department of Environment, medical research centres, Water and Sewage Engineering Companies, Atomic Energy Organization, Environmental Research Centre and Veterinary Medicine Organiza-tion will take part in this workgroup to achieve the following goals: � Reducing effects of geogenic risk factors on health � Raising public awareness about impacts of geological factors on health � Drawing attention of decision-makers to the geosciences as a major effective factor on public health � Improving society's public health as a major factor in reaching sustainable development � Cooperation among geoscientists and medical scientists Organizing a Symposium on Medical Geology In cancer week, the Symposium on Medical Geology was held at the Geological Survey of Iran (GSI) on 1st February 2012, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Medical geology addresses a wide range of researchers, and many university professors and students participated in the sympo-sium which covered four main subjects, geochemistry, hydrogeochemistry, radio-geoecology and geobotany. Assignment of Agreement between Ministry of Health and Medical Education and Ministry of Industry, Mineand Trade (GSI) Ministry of industries and mines and Ministry of Health and Medical Education signed a cooperation agree-ment to participate in medical geology researches. Considering the widespread geo-related health problems in Iran, both sides declared their readiness for identification of potentially hazardous areas for human health; or-ganizing seminars and training and short courses in the medical geology field; providing a qualified platform for collaboration between geologists and medical experts; preparation of national scale plans in dealing with medical geology; aiming to determine the ability of study-research of the organization according to the recent needs of the country and exchange of technical knowledge between geology and health fields. ITALY Report from Chapter Leader Dr. Prof. Saverio Fiore

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The Italian Chapter is composed of 12 members, mainly environmental scientists. It is involved in 5 projects related to the environment: smectites and tremolite experimental dissolution by synthetic lung fluids; synthesis of zeolites for environmental remediation; micro and nanominerals in particulate matter; health and environ-mental risk induced by natural occurring asbestos; presence of potentially toxic elements induced by water-rock interaction. A website will be published this year and the Chapter logo will be presented to the academic authorities next October. JAPAN Report from Chapter Leader Prof Hisashi Nirei The Japan Chapter is very active and has 12 members. These are a mixture of environmental geoscientists and chemists. The Chapter organises the very successful Annual Symposium for Geo-pollution Science, Medical Geology and Urban Geology and publishes the Journal on Geo-pollution Science, Medical Geology and Urban Geology. Prof. Hisashi and his colleagues are also very involved in radioactivity assessments following the Tohoku earthquake in March last year. They have been surveying radioactive geopollution and the behaviour of radioactive dust material from Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant No.1. The IMGA Committee sends its sympathy and support to the Japan IMGA Chapter following the terrible earthquake and continuing environmental problems in Japan and very much appreciates the work that the IMGA Local Chapter is doing in very difficult circumstances. NIS Report from Chapter Leader Iosif Volfsen Almost ten years have passed from that day, when IGCP project 454 on Medical Geology became known in Russia. This remarkable event took place on a warm day, May 3, 2002, during the impressive introductory lec-ture of Dr. Robert Finkelman (IMGA Co-Chair for geoscience then) on Medical Geology, at the Vernadsky State Geological Museum in Moscow. Today, we are proud to introduce the results of research carried out by scientists from the N.I.S. medical geology community within the framework of IMGA N.I.S. Regional Divi-sion, which recently confirmed its status in IMGA as the N.I.S Local Chapter. The symposium in Medical Geology within 34th IGC (Brisbane, August, 5-10, 2012) programme gave a response on many complicated questions considered by medical geology and main among them is, where to go further? N.I.S. scientists presented at this symposium. It is known that currently three abstracts of medical geologists of NIS have been submitted for presentation at the 34th IGC scientific programme. THE FIRST CONFERENCE IN MEDICAL GEOLOGY IN REPUBLIC OF BELARUS Minsk in BelNIGRI (Belorussian Scientific-research Geological Prospecting Institute) on February 28, 2012. The first conference devoted to the problems of medical geology in Republic of Belarus was held in Minsk in BelNIGRI (Belorussian Scientific-research Geological Prospecting Institute) on February 28, 2012. This event brought together around fifty representatives of the geological and medical communities of the country – geologists, geochemists, geophysicists, experts in sanition and hygiene, veterinary sciences, oncology, environ-mental sciences, etc. The conference consisted of two parts: scientific and organizational. A working group on the medical geology of Belarus was established. Dr. Andrei Kovhuto, BelNIGRI director was elected as a Chair of coordinative body. The topics discussed at the scientific part of the conference were:

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� Geological objects, processes, phenomena and health of the population, animals and condition of the envi-ronment; � Medical aspects of geochemistry of the late sedimentary deposits; � Geochemistry of technogenesis and health of the population. The materials presented were devoted to different aspects of environmental and medical geochemistry, drink-ing water quality and human health, geopathogenic zones identification and mapping, as well as analytical methods in medical geology. Studies in the field of medical geochemistry in Belarus were started in the early 1980’s and carried out under the supervision of academician Konstantin Lukashov in the Institute of Geochemistry and Geophysics of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus (IGG, today’s name is BelNIGRI). The researches were carried out in coop-eration with the Belorussian Institute of Oncology and Medical Radiology of the Ministry of Health Protection of Belarus and explored the vitally important problem of correlation between oncology diseases and environ-mental factors. The researches were continued in the 1990’s by member-correspondent of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus Valentin Lukashov, who became one of the founders of the modern medical geology in NIS. After the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe he explored the radionuclide mobility in soils and established some innovative methods of research. In the 1990-s Valentin Lukashov became a member of the International Working Group on Medical Geology. He died in 1998. Currently the scientists of BelNIGRI (IGG successor) under the supervision of BelNIGRI director Dr. Andrei Kovhuto in cooperation with colleagues from the Institute of the Nature Use of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus carry out research in environmental geochemistry in the territories of active tectonic zones and into the effects of metal ions on population health. Their results show that geological formations of tectonic zones are characterized by increased concentrations of Ni, Ti, V, Cr, Co, Cu, Mn, B, as well as Rn in soil gas. These ter-ritories could be considered as geopathogenic zones, where a high rate of oncology, nervous, cardiovascular diseases as well as anaemia, nephritis, diabetes mellitus are also revealed. PORTUGAL (Portuguese Chapter on Medical Geology) � PAST EVENTS: Conference "Termalismo na Ilha Graciosa: Valências Terapêuticas e Oportunidades de Desenvolvimento" (Hydrotherapy in Graciosa Island: Valences and Therapeutic Development Opportuni-ties) and the Course “GEOFARMÁCIA e COSMÉTICA” (Geo-pharmacy and Cosmetics) was held in Gra-ciosa island (Azores) at 29 and 31 March 2012. PUBLICATIONS BY OF THE PORTUGUESE IMGA MEMBERS Book Chapters CABRAL PINTO MMS., FERREIRA DA SILVA EA., SILVA MMVG., MELO-GONÇALVES P., HERNANDEZ R. MARINHO AP., INÁCIO M., ROCHA F. Mapping of Estimated Geochemical Background Values of some harmful metals in Soils of Santiago Island (Cape Verde archipelago). Book titled 'Progress on Heavy Metals in the Environment. Ref.:Ms. No. MARALTEBOOKS-D-11-00053R1 Dr Bernd Markert Book Editor. Accepted 8 Jan 2012. In press Publications in International Journals CABRAL PINTO MMS., FERREIRA DA SILVA EA., SILVA MMVG., MELO-GONÇALVES P. Estimated Background Values of some harmful metals in stream sediments

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of Santiago Island (Cape Verde) in book "Geochemistry", ISBN 978-953-308-2-4. Accepted in 6 Jan 2012. In press. REBELO M., VISERAS C., LOPEZ-GALINDO A., ROCHA F., FERREIRA DA SILVA E., 2011. Characterization of Portuguese Geological Materials to be used in Medical Hydrology. Applied Clay Science, 51(3): 258-266. DOI:10.1016/j.clay.2010.11.29. IF. 2.784. REBELO M., VISERAS C., LOPEZ-GALINDO A., ROCHA F., FERREIRA DA SILVA E., 2011. Rheological and thermal characterization of peloids made of selected Portuguese geological materials. Applied Clay Science 52, 219-227. DOI:10.1016/j.clay.2011.02.018. Accepted and Submitted Publications in International Journals COSTA C., REIS AP., FERREIRA DA SILVA E., ROCHA F., PATINHA C., DIAS AC., SEQUEIRA C., TERROSO D., 2012. Assessing the control exerted by soil mineralogy in the fixation of potentially harmful elements in the urban soils of Lisbon, Portugal. Environ-mental Earth Sciences 65 (4): 1133-1145. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12665-011-1362-8 PATINHA, C., REIS, A.P., DIAS, C., CACHADA, A., ADÃO, R., MARTINS, H., FERREIRA DA SILVA, E. AND SOUSA, A.J., 2012. Lead availability in soils from Portugal’s centre region with special reference to bioaccessibility. Journal of Environmental Geochemistry and Health. 34:213–227. DOI: 10.1007/s10653-011-9431-1 SANTOS, I., REIS, A.P, FERREIRA DA SILVA, E., PATINHA, C. DIAS, AC. Definition of areas of probable risk to human health posed by As and Pb in soils and ground-level dusts of the surrounding area of an abandoned As-sulphide mine in the north of Portugal: part 1. Submitted to the Environmental Earth Sciences. VALENTE S., COELHO C., RIBEIRO C., GUIHARD-COSTA A-M., FERREIRA DA SILVA E., INÁCIO M. 2012. Environmental pollution and human health: exploring adverse pregnancy outcomes and food and water consumption in Estarreja municipality. Revista Sud-Ouest Européen. Ed. Philippe Dugot. Submetido (em revisão). SOUTH AFRICA In February 2012, the IMGA Executive Committee approved the request to establish a chapter of Medical Ge-ology in South Africa under the leadership of Prof. Hassina Mouri from the Department of Geology, Univer-sity of Johannesburg (UJ). We have, so far, eight active members, with expertise in various fields of Earth and Medical Sciences. Special welcome to our new members Sabine Verryn (Senior Scientist –XRD, Chair IMA 2014-South Africa), Refilwe Shelembe (PhD student-UJ) and Portia Munyangane (MSc students UJ). The South African Chapter is the 2nd chapter of Medical Geology on the African Continent. At the same time, Has-sina Mouri was elected Chair of the Membership Committee and member of the student committee of IMGA. Amongst the various activities planned in South Africa regarding development of medical geology, the following ARE under consideration: � A short course on medical geology by Prof. Jose Centeno and colleagues from IMGA, followed by one or two days research seminar is planned for early 2013 at the University of Johannesburg. During this occa-sion, the South African Chapter of Medical Geology will be inaugurated officially. � Establishment of a first International Centre of Excellence in Medical Geology in Africa (ICEMGA) in South Africa based at the University of Johannesburg. The program objectives are to provide research solu-tions for geological health threats and to provide education and training for a new generation of researchers who will lead in this field in South Africa and Africa in general. The aim is to develop cutting-edge re-search that will help us understand the benefits and the role of Earth materials and systems in the occur-rence of diseases that are related to naturally occurring geological problems. This would lead to broadening our

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understanding of the diagnostic spectrum as well as therapy for many geological related health issues and thus improve life quality on the African continent. This program will be in cooperation with various National and International organisations amongst the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA). The proposal for the establishment of this Centre was presented by Hassina Mouri at the 4th Conference on Medical Geology in Bari, Italy, September 2011. � Scientific Sessions on Medical Geology and related topics will form an important part of the scientific pro-gram of the two major events that will take place in South Africa in 2014 (IMA 2014) (http://www.ima2014.co.za) and in 2016 (IGC 35) (http://www.35igc.org). � More information on these plans will be provided in the next newsletter. � Participation at the session on medical geology at the IGC 34 – Brisbane 2012 with three abstracts on topics related to medical geology in South Africa and Africa in general. SWEDEN (Swedish chapter) The chapter is new and started at the beginning of 2012. October 16-17 the Geological Survey arranged a new conference, Geoarena, in Uppsala with several hundred participants from mining industry, agencies, government, companies, environmental people etc. This conference will be held every two years in the future at the big conference building in Uppsala and the aim is to inform all on the diversity of geoscience. It was opened by the minister of industry. Several different sessions with lectures, discussions etc were held. One popular session was medical geology which was allocated much time. The lectures were held by members of IMGA, IMGA was presented and promotional material was distributed.The lecturers were a mixture of medical scientists and geoscientists. The session was chaired by a well known journalist from the Swedish television and was ended with a panel discussion on the future of medical geology and medical geology education at universities. Following lectures were held: Medical geology – our health and natural environment, Olle Selinus Metals in soils in the childrens environment – a study of the playgrounds in Uppsala , Karin Ljung Björklund Medical geology from the perspective of a medical scientist. Martin Fahlén The use of geological databases and and registries of disease in studies of disease . Martin Tondel Medical Geology at Uppsala University, Ulf Lindh Medical geology at Lund University, Leif Johansson The session was popular and it was decided that the next Geoarena 2014 would also include workshops in medical geology. There are also plans to make at least two television programs on medical geology for the general public. TAIWAN (International Medical Geology Association Taiwan Chapter) The Chapter has been involved in the following activities: � We will hold 2012 IMGA Taiwan Chapter 1st Annual Meeting and Conference on May 29, 2012 at National Cheng Kung Univ., International Conference Hall, 3rd Conference Room, Tainan, Taiwan.

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� The latest Taiwan Newsletter was published in December 2011, and the next one is due in about June 2012. We carried out a literature review in medical geology. � We renewed the IMGA Taiwan Chapter website every week in order to promote the visibility IMGA world-wide. http://proj.ncku.edu.tw/imgatwn/ In May 29, 2012 the Taiwan Chapter celebrated their First Annual Meeting and Conference of International Medical Geology Association Taiwan Chapter. The meeting was attended by national and international scien-tists and students. The conference featured two Plenary Speakers, Dr. Jose A. Centeno IMGA Chairman and Dr. Chien-Jen Chen, Vice-President Academia Sinica, Taiwan. The conference was dedicated to the topic of arsenic health effects with over 16 oral presentations and 9 posters". � We linked our IMGA Taiwan Chapter Website to the web page of Department of Earth Science , National Cheng Kung University, to increase the visibility of our IMGA Taiwan Chapter. � The following is a list of Research projects and publications of the Taiwan Chapter Jiin-shuh JeanM, (President of IMGA Taiwan Chapter) Research papers Geomicrobial Control on Mobilization of Arsenic, Iron, and Manganese in Groundwaters of Chianan plain (Taiwan), Bengal Delta Plain (India-Bangladesh), and Chaco-Pampean Plain (Argentina). Adsorption of Tetracycline on 2:1 Layered Non-swelling Clay Mineral Illite P.-H. Chang, Z. Li, J.-S. Jean, W.-T. Jiang, C.-J. Wang, K.-H.Lin. Applied Clay Science (in press) A comparative Study on Arsenic and Humic Substances in Alluvial Aquifers of Bengal Delta Plain (NW Bangladesh), Chianan Plain (SW Taiwan) and Lanyang Plain (NE Taiwan): Implication of Arsenic Mobilization Mechanisms. Selim Reza AH, Jean JS, Yang HJ, Lee MK, Hsu HF, Liu CC, Lee YC, Bundschuh J, Lin KH, Lee CY. Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan. Combination of Hydrous Iron Oxide Precipitation with Zeolite Filtration to Remove Arsenic from Contaminated Water. Ying-Jan Wang (Secretary General of IMGA Taiwan Chapter), Research Papers Arsenic Trioxide and Radiation Enhance Apoptotic Effects in HL-60 Cells Through Increased ROS Generation and Regulation of JNK and p38 MAPK Signaling Pathways. Arsenic Trioxide Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Human Glioma Cells In-vitro and In -vivo Through Downregulation of Survivin. Chiu HW, Ho YS, Wang YJ., Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, National Cheng Kung University Medical College, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 704, Taiwan. Lipoic Acid Ameliorates Arsenic Trioxide-induced HO-1 Expression and Oxidative Stress in THP-1 Monocytes and Macro-phages. Wang L, Weng CY, Wang YJ, Wu MJ., Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, National Cheng Kung Univer-sity Medical College, Tainan 701, Taiwan. Hou-Ran Kuo (Director of the IMGA Taiwan Chapter). Research Papers Gender Effect on Renal Outcome in Patients with Urothelial Carcinoma Peir-Haur Hung, Cheng-Huang Shen, Hung-Bin Tsai, Chih-Yen Hsiao, Pei-Chun Chiang, How-Ran Guo and Kuan-Yu Hung Arsenic trioxide and radiation enhance apoptotic effects in HL-60 cells through increased ROS generation and regulation of JNK and p38 MAPK signalling pathways.

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by Sheng-Yow Ho, Wei-Jr Wu, Hui-Wen Chiu, Yi-An Chen, Yuan-Soon Ho, How-Ran Guo, Ying-Jan Wang Atherosclerosis Induced by Arsenic in Drinking Water in Rats Through Altering Lipid Metabolism. Cheng TJ, Chuu JJ, Chang CY, Tsai WC, Chen KJ, Guo HR., Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138 Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 704, Taiwan. � Follow the IMGA Taiwan Chapter on Facebook at website: http://proj.ncku.edu.tw/imgatwn/ The week of May 28-31, 2012, Dr. J. Centeno, IMGA Chair, was in Taiwan meeting with members of the Taiwan Chapter on Medical Geology and presenting invited lectures on medical geology at the Medical Col-lege of the National Cheng Kung University (May 28, 2012), at the First Annual Meeting of the IMGA Taiwan Chapter (May 29, 2012) and the Academia Sinica in Taipei on May 30, 3012. URUGUAY (IMGA Uruguay) Medical Geology in Uruguay has developed a highly qualified team to carry out research work, teaching, hu-man resources training and extension. Some studies of trace elements that impact on health such as arsenic and fluoride in water, selenium in food , silica and asbestos in the air, deficiencies of essential elements such as copper in animals, among others, have already been initiated. In 2011, Uruguay was very well represented in the 4th International Conference on Medical Geology held in Bari, Italy by 6 colleagues (Cousillas, Adriana; Heller, Teresa; Mañay, Nelly; Pereira, Laura; Kremer, Edu-ardo; Noguera, Ana Lía). � 3 oral presentations in different sessions � 5 poster presentations, one of them prize-winning, including some other 10 persons involved in these works, who were not able to attend the Conference personally. � 1 travel award. Also in 2011, we created a Research Group on Medical Geology in the University of the Republic, with re-searchers from the Faculties of Chemistry, Sciences and Veterinary (chemists, toxicologists, geologists and veterinarians respectively), who worked together in order to create a framework for the presentation of future projects. Website: http://darwin.csic.edu.uy/grupos/grupos?tipo=unoro&id=798725 Furthermore, in November 2011, we applied for funds with a project for the creation of an Interdisciplinary Nucleus of Medical Geology within the University of the Republic, of which there is still no official resolu-tion. The leaders of this nucleus are Nelly Mañay, Maria Torre, Mariela Pistón, Cesar Goso, Adriana Cousillas and Luis Barros, all professors from the University of the Republic. The formation of an Interdisciplinary Nucleus on Medical Geology consolidates a multidisciplinary team to approach the impact of geological fac-tors on human health and animals that have no systematic research in the country. The aim of this Interdisciplinary Nucleus is to strengthen Medical Geology research teams, and the specialization or training of human resources so as to integrate the different services from the University involved in this line of work, into their respective graduate and post graduate curricular programs. In addition, the elective course of "Environmental Toxicology and Medical Geology" held in our Faculty of Chemistry since 2005, reaches also students from other Faculties and in 2011, this 3-month course was suc-cessfully conducted, with growing interest and enthusiastic participation, both of students, and lecturers. This course was also included last year, as an

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elective in the Master in Geosciences programs. In addition, one of the PhD studies going on in our Faculty, is analysing Medical Geology as one part of the history and contribu-tion of Toxicology to Environmental Education for Chemical Sciences students. In early 2011 Dr. Centeno was going to visit us and give a short course on Arsenic issues so as to plan more activities on Medical Geology in Uruguay, but unfortunately he was not able to come, owing to his new job position. This course will be organised for April 2013 Finally, our aim is to motivate and include more colleagues involved in Medical Geology in Uruguay, because we have many interesting initiatives in sight. At the same time, we are willing to integrate Uruguay to proposals coming from IMGA. The following are the lists of abstracts and papers produced by our chapter Members. Presentations in GEOMED 2011, Bari -Italy Facing Arsenic Environmental and Health Issues in Uruguay with Medical Geology Approach. Nelly Mañay, Mariela Pistón, Cesar Goso Biomonitoring and Biomarkers of Lead Exposure: Experience in Uruguay. Nelly Mañay, Adriana Cousillas, Teresa Heller, Laura Pereira Development of arsenic analytical methodologies in water and urine by HG-AAS for routine determinations in Uruguay. Cristina Alvarez, Mariela Pistón, Giovanna Clavijo, María Elvira Gómez, Nelly Mañay A toxicological Approach to Environmental Education in Chemical Sciences: Exploring a new field of study. Teresa Heller, Cristina Alvarez, Nelly Mañay Portland cement and health impacts. Adriana Cousillas, Nelly Mañay, Laura Pereira Testa. Occupational exposure evaluation of workers of Portland cement industry in Uruguay. Laura Pereira, Adriana Cousillas, Giovanna Clavijo. Natural Environmental Radioactivity in valizas resort, Rocha, Uruguay. Ana Noguera, Heinkel Bentos Pereira, Laura Fornaro. Speciation of Mo(VI) oxyanions in natural waters. Lorena Gonzatto, Guzmán Peinado, Julia Torres, Carlos Kremer, Eduardo Kremer Publications Impacts of multidisciplinary actions on environmental lead exposure in Uruguay. Cousillas A, Pereira L, Heller T, Alvarez C, Mañay N. Environ Geochem Health; 2012 Apr;34(2):207-11 Pistón M., Silva J, Pérez-Zambra R, Dol I., Knochen M. Automated method for the determination of total arsenic and selenium in natural and drinking water by HG-AAS.Environmental geochemistry and health. 10/2011; 34(2):273-8. USA (US Chapter on Medical Geology) The USA IMGA Local Chapter has been established and was ap-proved by the IMGA Board in February 2012. A Certificate of Ap-proval was presented to the new Chapter by Prof .Jose Centeno, IMGA Chairman, in April 2012. On April 25, 2012, IMGA Chairman Jose Centeno presented an in-vited seminar on Medical Geology at the Department of Earth Sci-ences, Duke University. During this activity, the US Chapter on Medical Geology was officially awarded its IMGA Chapter Certifi-cate. The Certificate was received by Brittany Merola, Chairperson of the US Chapter on Medical Geology. With a current membership of over 20 active members, the US Chapter has been continuously expanding its research and outreach activities. The Chapter is actively involved on the organizational plans for MEDGEO 2013 - 5th International Conference on Medi-cal Geology to be held in Washington DC". USA (GSA Honorary Chapter)

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The GSA Honorary Chapter is organising the MEDGEO2013 Conference in Washington, see below. BULGARIA The Bulgarian Association of Geomedicine and Geotherapy (BAGG), has recently joined IMGA as an Institutional Member. IMGA extends a warm welcome to BAGG. BAGG will act as the IMGA Local Chapter in Bulgaria and this new Local Chapter is currently awaiting IMGA Board approval. Project information of the Bulgarian Association of Geomedicine and Geotherapy BAGG (2011-2012) www.bagg-bg@org.com; e-mail:bagg.ks@gmail.com The activity of BAGG was associated with conducting several projects aimed at promoting Medical Geology in Bulgaria in 2011. Our team is focused on working with schools and business organizations. We obtained good results, which encourages us. Here is a brief summary of project activities. Project "Our children healthy by nature” BAGG organized and provided a training project "Our children healthy by Nature” in 2011. The project aimed to familiarize students with the principles of medical geology and geotherapy and opportunities for remedial activities. Project activities were focused in two phases, information and creation. The first was focused on working with parents, teachers and students of different ages. We have trained older students and they became instructors in the project. The quality of life in the school environment was assessed. Participants received information about the impact of mineral nutrition on motor activity and the relationship between mineral deficiency and learning difficulties. In the second phase of the project there were separate groups for work in nature, for clay-therapy (stimulation of fine motor activity) and for active sports. Trained instructors organized geotherapeutic routes with brief information modules. All participants had specific rehabilitation modules outdoors in the Karlukovo Karst Geopark. Their instructors were students from Sofia University, Occupational Therapy program. The project ended with a competition “What I learned about geomedicine”. BAGG was supported by the Ministry of Environment, Rotary Club – Interact Division and NGOs. The second project: Last year BAGG started a research project to evaluate the components of the environment and their impact on human health. Activities associated with assessing the quality of air, soil, water and the geological environ-ment, flora, fauna and EMF are being carried out. The area under study is in north-eastern Bulgaria, where there is an active limestone quarry. The research team has obtained information about the quality of environmental components (10 years period observed). The population health status has been examined also. Project activities will continue to assess the health risk for the population under the impact of mining activities. All results obtained on the project will be reported to the health authorities and the Ministry of Environment. The project will be completed this year with a public discussion in the region. The third project: This month BAGG started a research project "Screening of electromagnetic pollution in schools and health risk assessments for students." The project is financed by the Bulgarian Association of Geomedicine and Geotherapy and Sofia University.

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The project objective is screening of electromagnetic pollution in schools from different types of high-technology equipment and a school for children with special educational needs. Expected results are related to clarifying the causes of fatigue, hyperactivity, attention deficit, etc. All results will be prepared for publishing by the end of 2012. Publications list: Staneva, K, 2008. Impact of geopathogenic stress on human health. Geology and Mineral Resource, 10, 37-42. Staneva, K. , 2009. Geomedicine and Geotherapy- perspectives and development in Bulgaria., GMR, 10,7-9. Staneva, K., G. Georgieva, 2009. Geochemical assessment of groundwater and soils in urban area. Forestry ideas, 15, 2, 131-142. Staneva, K, 2011. Risk Assessment of pollution in areas of gas stations. GMR, 4. Staneva, K., 2011. Geoecological estimate of urban areas with gas stations. GMR, Staneva, K., E. Marinov, 2011. Geomedical problems in urban areas. Annual of Shumen Un. Staneva, K., Ch. Georgieva, 2011. Risk assessment of hydrocarbons pollution in oil and gas stations. Annual of Shumen Un. MEXICO Report from Mexico Chapter Leader Prof. Hector Rubio Arias The Mexican Local Chapter of IMGA has just been formed. IMGA extends a warm welcome to the Mexico Local Chapter, which is currently awaiting IMGA Board approval. Education One of the major tasks of the Education Committee of IMGA is to facilitate a service to students interested in Medical Geology – list of opportunities on scholarships, courses, projects, collaborations, etc. One such list has recently been compiled, and includes opportunities with 40 researchers from 14 countries. This list is posted on the websites of IMGA, IUGS, and other sites.

A second major task is to provide a list of universities that offer undergraduate courses in Medical Geology which is now under preparation.

An increasing number of students are asking about opportunities to continue their education in Medical Geology. They are seeking courses, degree programs, mentors, advisors, scholarships, internships, volunteer opportunities, etc., as well as job opportunities. One very important service that we can provide is to develop and maintain a list of professors and organizations seeking students for medical geology programs, to work on medical geology research projects, and as candidates for job opportunities. If you have, or anticipate having, an opportunity for students to advance their education and/or training we are asking you to fill out the attached form and provide any other relevant details about the opportunity. Feel free to add any other information that may be relevant especially opportunities for funding. This information will be compiled into a master database that will be available on the IMGA, SEGH, and GSA Geology and Health Division websites. ADVANCED TRAINING DIPLOMA IN MEDICAL GEOLOGY, Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST) in Lisboa, Portugal.

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The Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST) in Lisboa, Portugal, has recently established an Advanced Training Di-ploma in Medical Geology. To launch the program, IST held a successful five-day Course and Workshop on Medical Geology during the week of July 5-9, 2010, under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Luis Filipe Tavares Ribeiro (luís.ribeiro@ist.utl.pt) , a member of the Portuguese Chapter on Medical Geology. This specialized course was supported by IST and the International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) and brought to-gether health and geosciences professionals working in the field of Medical Geology. IMGA was represented by its Chairman, Jose A. Centeno. Jose presented two lectures on medical geology research topics, and pre-sented the IMGA Chapter Certificate officially establishing the Portuguese Chapter on Medical Geology. The IMGA Chapter Certificate was presented to Prof. Dr. Eduardo Ferreira da Silva (eafsilva@ua.pt), Chairman, Portuguese Chapter on Medical Geology. Selected conferences 2012 SINO-EUROPEAN SYMPOSIUM ON ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH (SESH) Galway, Ireland, 20 August 2012 The International Medical Geology participated as a co-sponsor and organizer of a two days short course on Medical Geology during the 2012 SINO-European Conference on Environmental and Health organized during the week of August 18-25, 2012 at National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. This brand new conference has attracted a total number of 212 participants from a total number of 28 countries, including 53 students and 10 accompanying persons. The IMGA Short Course on Medical Geology was organized as a pre-conference workshop of SESEH 2012, led by Dr. Jose Centeno, Dr. Olle Selinus, Dr. Bob Finkelman, and Dr. Maurice Mulcahy. The International Medical Geology Association participated as one a co-sponsor and con-organizer of the 9th International Symposium on Environmental Geochemistry which was recently organized at Aveiro University, Portugal, the week of July 15-21, 2012. The 9th ISEG was chaired by Prof. Dr. Eduardo Anselmo da Silva and it brought together over 200 international scientists from the geochemistry, environmental health, and geology communities. As part of the scientific program for the 9th ISEG, IMGA organized a two-days short course on Medical Geology and IMGA Chairman, Jose Centeno, presented a Plenary Talk entitled: “Earth and Health – Medical Geology- Building a Safer Environment”. Medical geology was once again highlighted as part of the scientific program for the Ninth International Symposium on Recent Advances in Environmental Health Research (ISRAEHR), recently organized in Jackson State University, September 16-19, 2012, Jackson, Mississippi. Since its insertion in 2004, the ISRAEHR has been a leading conference in biomedical research highlighting the latest research findings on “Medical Geology and Human Health”. This year, IMGA speakers included Dr. Jose Centeno (USA), Dr. Robert Finkelman (USA), Dr. Hector Rubio (Mexico). IMGA was well represented by members of our Mexican Chapter on Medical Geology lead by Prof. Dr. Hector Rubio (Chihuahua University, Mexico). In collaboration with the organizers of the XXIX Congress of the International Academy of Pathology (IAP), IMGA served as a co-organizer and co-sponsor of a Symposium on Environmental Pathology entitled “Pathology, Toxicology, and Public Health - Impacts of Environmental Disasters”. The XXIX IAP Congress was held in Cape Town, South Africa, the week of October 1-5, 2012. IMGA speakers included members of the Argentine Chapter on Medical Geology (Dr. Diego Fridman and Dr. Eduardo Santini-Araujo), members of the

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South Africa Chapter on Medical Geology (Prof. Dr. Hassina Mouri), members of the US Chapter on Medical Geology (Dr. Mark Lyles), and IMGA Executive Committee (Dr. Jose A. Centeno). For the last 12 years, the IAP Environmental Pathology Symposium has served as an international forum bringing together pathologists, public health, environmental and geoscientists to discuss the latest research trends on environmentally-related illnesses, including infectious diseases and chronic conditions such as cancer induced by exposure to natural environmental contaminants and geological processes. IMGA is committed to our continue support to these series of Symposia and to our long-term collaborations with the International Academy of Pathology. On May 28-30 2012, Jose Centeno was invited to present a series of IMGA lectures at the First Annual Conference of the Taiwan Chapter on Medical Geology, the National Cheng Kung University Medical College, Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health, and the Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan. These activities were attended by members of the IMGA Taiwan Chapter on Medical Geology, by students, faculty, and researchers from the National Cheng Kung University and the Academia Sinica. For more information on the IMGA Taiwan Chapter on Medical Geology, please visit the Chapter’s website at: http://proj.ncku.edu.tw/imgatwn/ The Geology and Health Division has contracted with the Hilton Crystal City Hotel to host the 2013 IMGA conference. The hotel, near Reagan National Airport, Arlington, Virginia, is only minutes away from Washington D.C. by Metro (walking distance from the hotel) or by car. The conference will begin on Sunday, August 25, 2013 with short courses/workshops and an Ice Breaker. The conference will commence on Monday, August 26th with a plenary session, technical sessions will conclude on Thursday August 29th.

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Collaboration with other groups and associations Selected organisations: • Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health, SEGH (with an official

representative of IMGA) • IUGS International Union of Geological Sciences • International Society of Medical Geography • Nordic Working Group on Medical Geography • International Association of Geochemistry and Cosmochemistry, Working Group on Geochemistry and Disease • American Registry of Pathology • Geomedical Committee of the Norwegian Academy of Science and letters • International Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE) • Geology and Health Division of the Geological Society of America New edition of the book Essentials of Medical Geology

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Closing comments – what to look for next year and in the future The IMGA needs to continue to grow and serve its members in ways that will stimulate interest and involvement in medical geology. To this end we will continue to foster regional, national and international medical geology conferences; explore ways to facilitate the exchange of information between medical geologists; provide support and encouragement for young professionals, teachers and students interested in medical geology; and continue to reach out to our colleagues in the biomedical/public health sector to help build strong, productive collaborations. To accomplish this two things are vital: funding and active participation of our members. We encourage each and every one of you to step up and volunteer to help the IMGA accomplish these worthwhile goals.