Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

NC1022 : The Chemical and Physical Nature of Particulate Matter Affecting Air, Water and Soil Quality. (NCR174) Annual/Termination Reports (SAES-422): [10/10/2006] Date of Annual Report: 10/10/2006 Report Information: Annual Meeting Date: 07/09/2006 Period the Report Covers: 10/2005 to 09/2006 Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting Sunday, July 9, 2006 Constitution Room (2nd Floor) Crowne Plaza Philadelphia Business meeting was held Sunday, July 9, 2006 in conjunction with the World Congress of Soil Science in Philadelphia, PA, Dean Hesterberg presiding. No technical presentations were given because many member presented papers at the WCSS symposium Synchrotron Spectromicroscopy of Particulate Matter Affecting Air, Water organized by Will Bleam and Paul Bertsch. Fifteen papers were submitted. NC-1022 Tasks for 2007 1. Formally request that the Undersecretary of Agriculture (CSREES) restore funding for soils in the USDA-NRI competitive grants program. 2. Try some preliminary spatial-statistical analyses on micro-scale x-ray absorption maps of heavy metals in soil, and report back to the committee. 3. Prepare and submit a Bouyoucos Conference proposal for gathering soil scientists specializing in synchrotron radiation techniques and atmospheric scientists who would benefit from these advanced technologies. Election of new officers: Brian Teppen (Chair), Dan Strawn (Vice-Chair) (See attached copy of full minutes) Accomplishments A USDA-NRI Conference grant proposal submitted by members of this group was awarded $10,000 for a conference titled Conference on Synchrotron Characterization of Airborne Soil Organic and Mineral Particulates Originating from Agricultural and other Modified Ecosystems. To develop a future proposal for a Bouyoucos Conference grant, we determined the following focus areas for the conference: 1. Determining effects of airborne particulate microstructure on viability of microbes and pathogens. 2. Characterizing organic functional group content of airborne particulates in relation to transport of organic contaminants and viability of microbes and pathogens. 3. Characterizing trace and rare element composition of airborne particulates for aerosol source apportionment and transport of potentially-toxic metals. Committee members submitted abstracts and presented papers at the WCSS in a symposium focusing on the subject area of this committee (spectromicroscopy). This symposium served as an outlet to a broader scientific audience for new research developments from members of NC-1022.