Pedro Alejandro Segura, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry of Université de Sherbrooke
The search for zero in environmental analysis: lessons learned, opportunities, and perspectives.
Abstract
Organic compounds are ubiquitous in modern societies and the scientific literature shows that new compounds are being discovered at an increasing rate. Unfortunately, these chemicals ultimately end up in our air, rivers, and food. Consequently, today environmental analytical chemists face a multitude of challenges in understanding the intricate interactions between these contaminants and the natural environment’s abiotic and biotic components. Nowadays, one of the most powerful tools in the analytical arsenal of scientists is the mass spectrometer, which coupled to other modern analysis techniques has become a formidable instrument to study the occurrence and fate of contaminants at very low concentrations. In this presentation, I’ll discuss the progress of environmental analysis in recent years as well as different strategies that we have applied in the last 10 years to improve the discovery of new contaminants and their transformation products in surface waters.
Biosketch
Pedro A. Segura received his doctorate from the Université de Montréal in 2009, where he focused on developing innovative techniques for detecting antibiotics in environmental waters at ultra-low levels. He continued his research as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the St. Laurent Centre of Environment and Climate Change Canada and then at McGill University, where he utilized high-resolution mass spectrometry to investigate the occurrence and transformation of emerging contaminants. Since 2013, he has led a research group at the Department of Chemistry of Université de Sherbrooke, dedicated to enhancing our knowledge of the fate and impacts of organic contaminants in the environment.
Date
Date(s) - April 18, 2024
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Emplacement / Location
Université de Montréal - Campus MIL (Beer and pizza at 18h, conference at 19h in A-4502)