Welcome from the Conference Chair
It is my enormous pleasure, to welcome you to the First Joint International Conference of Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements (ICOBTE) & International Conference of Heavy Metals (ICHMET)! Both conferences are worldwide leading in this scientific area and both have a long tradition. Definitely, it is a milestone that both conferences will be held together for the first time! Although both conferences have been held at many different places around the world (explore the history on the website!), they are, however, for the first time held in Germany!
The motto of the conference is “Clean Environment, Human Health, Our future”. Environmental pollution is an eminent, ever-present problem for mankind, jeopardizing the health of humans, ecosystems, and the environment. Thus, maintaining a clean environment for human health is a constantly urgent need for a global society. The 1st joint ICOBTE & ICHMET 2023 conference ultimately addresses means to overcome environmental pollution and contaminant issues. This conference will bring together, from a global perspective, scientists, researchers, early career scientists, end-users, industry, policy makers, and other professionals to exchange ideas, advance knowledge and discuss key topics related to environmental pollution, with a focus on trace element and heavy metal contamination in the environment. The conference is a forum where world-leading scientists in the field of trace elements and heavy metals in the environment present their latest research, insights, and cutting edge technologies. Interactions occur across various disciplines, including human health issues, ecotoxicology, oceanic, atmospheric and earth science, trace element geochemistry and biogeochemistry, environmental technology and analytical chemistry. Further, the co-location with the COST Action CA 19116 “Trace Metal Metabolism in Plants – PLANTMETALS” and the support of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS e. V.) are remarkable.
Now, everything is in place for the First Joint ICOBTE-ICHMET 2023 to begin and become the scientific event of the year! Make sure your busy conference days are balanced by our exciting evening events like the Ice Breaker party, the Brewery Evening and the Gala Dinner! To those of you who have the possibility for some sightseeing, I recommend to explore the sights of the City of Wuppertal as well as the surroundings! You may enjoy the spectacular scenery while relaxing on a Rhine River cruise or dive into the medieval past of the area and roam the famous Cologne Cathedral. Or you may travel even further back in time and discover where the first Neanderthals were found at the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann, and many more.
My team and I have been working hard during the past 1.5 years to provide you a conference of the highest scientific level along with an exciting social program! We are happy about the enormous resonance of the conference and that many of you have contributed! Enjoy the scientific oral and poster presentations and the related discussions! Those discussions during coffee breaks and evenings are often of special importance and can be very fruitful. Interact, exchange ideas and establish new collaborations!
Many thanks to our plenary and keynote speakers, to all oral and poster presenters, to the organizers of special sessions, to all committee members, exhibitors, and attendees! It is all of you who make this event successful! Thank you so much! Also, special thanks go to our Sponsors and to the University of Wuppertal, for the very strong support!
We warmly welcome you in Wuppertal and we look forward to an exciting conference!
Kind regards
Professor Jörg Rinklebe
Chair of the First Joint International Conference of Biogeochemistry of Trace Elements (ICOBTE) & International Conference of Heavy Metals (ICHMET)
and
President of the International Society of Trace Element Biogeochemistry (ISTEB)