Topics

All Abstracts, Reviews, short articles, Full articles, Posters are welcomed related with any of the following research fields:

1. Green Chemistry

Green Chemistry focuses on the design of products and processes that minimize or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.

Principles of Sustainable Synthesis
- Atom Economy: Maximizing the incorporation of all materials used in the process into the final product.
- Bio-based Feedstocks: Transitioning from petroleum-based precursors to renewable biological sources.
- Catalysis vs. Stoichiometric Reagents: Reducing waste through the use of reusable catalytic agents.
Green Solvent Systems
- Supercritical fluids (e.g., CO2 extraction).
- Aqueous-phase chemistry (water as a solvent).
- Ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents.
Design for Degradation
- Biodegradable polymers and bioplastics.
- Molecular design to prevent bioaccumulation in fatty tissues.
- Non-persistent pesticide formulations.
Energy Efficiency in Chemical Manufacturing
- Microwave-assisted synthesis.
- Photochemical and electrochemical processes.

Ecological agriculture (Agroecology) applies ecological principles to the design and management of sustainable food systems.

Soil Health and Carbon Sequestration
- The Soil Microbiome: Role of fungi and bacteria in nutrient cycling.
- Regenerative Tillage: Minimizing soil disturbance to maintain structure and carbon stores.
- Cover Cropping and Green Manures: Natural nitrogen fixation and erosion control.
Biodiversity-Based Pest Management
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Reducing reliance on broad-spectrum synthetic toxins.
- Biological Controls: Using natural predators and pheromone traps.
- Polycultures and Intercropping: Using plant diversity to break pest cycles.
Closed-Loop Nutrient Management
- Composting and anaerobic digestion of farm waste.
- Precision Agriculture: Using sensors to reduce fertilizer runoff (preventing eutrophication).
- Circular bio-economy in livestock and crop integration.

Public health in this context focuses on the prevention of disease and the promotion of wellness through a healthy environment.

Environmental Epidemiology
- Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs): Studying the impact of pesticides and plastics on human hormones.
- Chronic Low-Dose Exposure: Assessing the "cocktail effect" of multiple chemical residues.
- Respiratory Health: Impacts of agricultural burning and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Nutritional Toxicology and Food Safety
- Nutrient Density: Comparison of mineral content in ecological vs. industrial soils.
- Pesticide Residue Limits: Setting safety thresholds for vulnerable populations (infants/pregnant women).
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): The link between sub-therapeutic antibiotic use in livestock and human "superbugs."
Social and Occupational Health
- Farmworker Protection: Reducing acute poisoning through green chemistry alternatives.
- Environmental Justice: Addressing the disproportionate impact of chemical runoff on marginalized communities.

These topics exist at the "overlap" where the three fields merge into one cohesive strategy.

One Health Initiative
- A collaborative approach recognizing that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment.
The Biorefinery Concept
- Using Green Chemistry to turn agricultural waste (Ecological Agriculture) into medicines or non-toxic chemicals (Public Health).
Ecotoxicology
- The study of how green chemical design affects the broader ecosystem, which eventually cycles back into the human food chain.
Policy and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Measuring the "cradle-to-grave" impact of a product, from the farm/lab to human consumption and eventual disposal.
Sustainable Food Systems
- Aligning chemical safety, agricultural productivity, and human nutrition to meet global food security goals.