Groundwater management requires a multidisciplinary approach that integrates isotope tools and age data analysis with geology, hydrogeology, and geochemistry. This session focuses on these combined methods to address the challenges of sustainable groundwater management. We invite papers that present innovative uses in hydrogeology of isotopes, gas and age dating tracers, emphasizing their role in understanding groundwater dynamics, quality, and flow. Papers should highlight the synergy between these fields and provide practical insights. The session will include oral and poster presentations and will encourage interactive discussions on the importance of a multidisciplinary perspective in groundwater research. The session will include both oral and poster presentations, fostering interactive discussions. Presenters are encouraged to underscore the multidisciplinary aspects of their work, emphasizing the significance of age data analysis and geochemical tools in addressing complex groundwater challenges. Chairs: Daniela Ducci (University of Naples, Italy); Daren Goody (British Geological Survey, BGS, Wallingford – UK); Andrea H. Manning (USGS – USA); Chiara Porru (University of Cagliari -Italy) IAH Italy session
It is estimated by 2050 two-thirds of the total human population will be living in urban areas. The very high population densities and associated human activities in cities increase the impact of human waste products from industrial activities, fossil fuel burning, and consumer products, food, and water consumption. In many locations the lack of adequate waste disposal enhances the problem of accelerated chemical introductions including those that are synthetic. The occurrence of the built infrastructure changes the hydrological cycle by the abundance of impervious surfaces redirecting water and chemical flows. In addition, infrastructure aging over time and other legacy activities can greatly alter biogeochemical cycles. Clearly, understanding the influence of urban areas on biogeochemical cycles is important for the well-being of urban citizens. In the session we encourage presentations on the impact of past, present, or anticipated future human activities on the biogeochemistry of the soil, water and atmosphere in urban settings. Emphasis will be placed on the identification and quantification of the anthropogenic alteration of biogeochemical cycles in cities, the global impact of cities on the transport and fate of chemicals in the surface environment, and implications to human and ecosystem health. Chairs: Enric Vazquez (IDAEA – Spain), David T Long (Michigan State University -USA), W Berry Lyons (The Ohio State University – USA)
Fluid regimes operating during high-temperature geological processes at depth dictate the stability of minerals and rheological properties of rocks in the Earth’s interior. Despite the common belief that predominant fluid-absent conditions govern in the deep lithosphere, a growing body of evidence shows that a wide variety of fluid species (not only melts, but also COH-fluids, and brines) may be present, impacting metamorphic reactions, petrological processes, and deformation. At greater depths, slab-derived fluids and melts in subduction zones interact with the lithospheric mantle, causing profound chemical changes. Therefore, quantifying the composition of fluids s.l. and understanding how they may influence metamorphism, anatexis, metasomatism, and deformation at different crustal and mantle levels is fundamental. Join us on this journey to unravel the role and importance of hot and deep fluid-rock interactions! We welcome contributions focused on high-temperature processes in the lithosphere through natural and experimental research on igneous and metamorphic petrology, mineralogy, microstructures, geochemistry, and geochronology. Chairs: B.B. Carvalho (University of Padua – Italy); Alessia Borghini (University of Kraków – Poland); Károly Hidas (IGME, CSIC, Spain); Zhao Liu (Northwest University, Xi’an, China)
Fluids and melts are fundamental for most of the geological processes taking place on our planet and beyond, and yet they are often difficult to target – unless we find fluid and melt inclusions in natural rocks! These portions of preserved fluids, often micrometric in scale, can be found in many minerals from sedimentary basin, fossil and recent hydrothermal systems, magmatic rocks and mineralized bodies. Fluid and melt inclusions investigation in all these geological settings has been ongoing for almost two centuries. Yet, this field of study keeps having a crucial role in unravelling Earth’s evolution and the redistribution-reconcentration of natural materials, from fossil fuels to critical raw materials in high demand for the ongoing green revolution. This session aims to bring together specialists of inclusion studies from the broad spectrum of Earth sciences to display the most recent advancements of fluid inclusion studies in sedimentary, magmatic and ore deposits, in order to promote fruitful contaminations across disciplines. Chairs: Silvio Ferrero (University of Cagliari – Italy); Giovanni Ruggeri (IGG-CNR, Italy)
Rare Earth Elements (REEs) have garnered substantial geopolitical and media attention in recent decades. They are included among the technologically-critical elements (TCEs) and are essential for many emerging technologies. Their application spans various high-tech sectors, including green energy, medicine, defense, and nuclear industries. In November 2023, the European Union reached a provisional agreement on the European Critical Raw Materials Act, which promotes local production, processing and recycling of critical elements, particularly REEs. Despite their essential role in the green energy transition, REEs production is associated with significant environmental impact, prompting efforts aimed at reducing this footprint. However, the effects of anthropogenic activities on REEs cycling remains largely unknown. The scientific community also utilizes REEs as tracers for natural geochemical processes and anthropogenic contamination. It is important to increase the knowledge on the geochemical behaviour of REEs and to extend their use as geochemical tracers. REEs distribution in the environment is influenced by input, removal, transport, fractionation and biogeochemical cycling. Understanding and disentangling these processes is a major challenge in contemporary geochemistry. This knowledge is crucial for predicting future changes across various environmental compartments due to both natural and anthropogenic factors, including pollution. Such factors can potentially affect REEs mobility, availability, biotic uptake, ecotoxicity, and, consequently, ecosystem services and human health. Increasing the knowledge on REE, also including their concentration in waste materials, we contribute to the exploration of new unconventional REEs sources. This session aims to bring together experts in geochemistry, biogeochemistry, and environmental sciences to discuss the latest advancements in research on REEs. Participants will have the opportunity to share insights on the following topics: 1) innovative analytical methodologies for the pre-concentration, separation and analysis of REEs; 2) investigations into the behavior of REEs, and their application as tracers in geochemical and biogeochemical processes; 3) prospective unconventional sources of REEs; 4) REEs cycles and its implications for ecosystems and human health; and 5) sustainable strategies for the recovery and utilization of REEs, among others. Marcella Barbera (University of Palermo – Italy); Sergio Calabrese (University of Palermo – INGV -Italy); Claudio Inguaggiato (CICESE – México); Yongjie Lin (Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing – China) This session is dedicated to Prof. Paolo Censi who has recently passed away. Paolo worked at the Università degli Studi di Palermo, investigating REE for more than 25 years. He brought invaluable knowledge to this field and passionately training new generations of students.