Conferences
2 November 2028–6 November 2035, Costa de Caparica, Portugal
6th International Caparica Conference on Pollutant Toxic Ions & Molecules 2025
Pollutants—whether inorganic or organic, ionic or neutral—bear the unmistakable signature of human activity. They are a silent threat, a slow-moving death that erodes life on Earth. These contaminants do not just poison ecosystems; they endanger our children, our communities, and our future. Faced with this reality, one must ask the following question, which becomes more difficult to answer with each passing year: does life on Earth still have a chance?
In several regions around the globe, pollution has reached such extreme levels that life has become severely compromised. A recent global study revealed a sobering reality: between 14% and 17% of the world’s cropland is contaminated with toxic heavy metals. It is estimated that nearly 0.9 to 1.4 billion people live in areas facing significant environmental and public health hazards due to pollution (Hou et al., Science, 388, 316–321, 2025).
Elements such as arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, nickel, and lead have been detected across hundred of thousands of sampling points from almost one thousand five hundred regions, revealing a widespread and deeply rooted problem. These heavy metals persist in the environment, infiltrating water sources, accumulating in crops, and entering the food chain, posing severe risks to both human health and biodiversity.
The chronic exposure to such toxic ions and molecules is associated with numerous health issues, including neurological damage, developmental delays in children, kidney dysfunction, and increased risks of cancer. Additionally, ecosystems are crumbling under this toxic burden—soil degradation, the loss of microbial diversity, and a decline in aquatic life are just a few of the consequences that have been observed. Other emerging contaminants such as micro- and nanoplastics, comestics, pharmaceuticals, antibiotics, have been discovered in critically high concentrations.
And so the question remains urgent: are we steering our planet toward collapse?
This critical issue will be addressed at the 6th Edition of the International Conference on Pollutant Toxic Ions and Molecules (PTIM2025), taking place in November 2025 in Costa de Caparica, Portugal. This conference will bring together researchers, policymakers, and innovators to explore solutions and deepen our understanding of the complex interplay between pollution, environment, and health.
Come and participate. More information can be found via the following link: www.ptim2025.com
Contacts: Prof Carlos Lodeiro: clodeiro.ptim2025@bioscopegroup.org
