Network meeting within emerging plant toxins and distribution

by ESR4 Bettina Gro Sørensen

There are thousands of plant species, hundreds of different plant toxins and many possible water body types and locations for sampling, and little known about the distribution and nature of the plant toxins. This brings us in the advantagerous situation that there is much to research, but it also calls for prioritization. How do we best make sure that we investigate the chemical structures and species, that are most relevant for the topic? How do we coordinate and collaborate so that we may reach the goals of NaToxAq; to evaluate whether natural toxins pose a risk for human consumption in terms of drinking water resources?

Questions such as these were the topic of the first network meeting for the ESRs and supervisors working on emerging plant toxins and distribution. The purpose was, in a smaller group, to discuss in detail how we may best obtain our goals and to provide feedback on each other's work. The program included a welcome from Bettina Gro Soerensen (organizer, Helmholtz UFZ), a welcome from Hans Christian Bruun Hansen (project coordinator of NaToxAq, UCPH), a status update from each of the ESRs with feedback from the other ESRs and supervisors, discussions on prioritization, presentations on sample sharing (Mulatu Nanusha, Helmholtz UFZ), a case study regarding prioritization of alkaloids (Jawameer Hama, UCPH) and current status and future developments of the database (Ines Leal, SU, and Barbara Guenthardt, Agroscope).

The main outcomes were:

A) Update, feedback and knowledge exchange within the network.

B) Established several temporary working groups in order to facilitate knowledge exchange and achieve the common goal of prioritization:

• Prioritization from the aspect of physico-chemical properties (Carina, Ines, Barbara G.)
  • Outcome/ deliverable: webinar in December for fellow researchers
• Prioritization from the aspect of plants: abundance and risk factors (closeness to water) – biogeography / vegetation maps (Lars, Vaidotas, Jawameer, Xiaomeng, Bettina, Mulatu, Barbara G.)
  • Webinar early in the new year / presentation on next workshop in Marts (TBA)

• Potential working group on prioritization from the aspect of water types and geology (and soil science), e.g. karst aquifers versus sedimentary (location, risk, relation to plant/ vegetation maps). To be decided after results of WG above.

• Lupin WG regarding collaborative field work/ secondments at Agroscope (Jawameer (task holder), Daniel, Bettina, Xiaomeng, Carina)

C) An online system is established for sample exchange (Mulatu), including links to SOP. A common SOP shall be developed for ‘back-up samples’ for the network.

D) Information shall be added to the database initiated by Barbara G. (Agroscope), to include information on the applicability domain regarding the modelled physico-chemical properties and other results from our research. This will be an ongoing task to be followed up on on future network meetings.

E) Agreed to set a date in March for a follow-up meeting (TBA).

Minutes have been made available for all ESRs, partners and supervisors (absalon).

Participants: Inés Rodríguez Leal (ESR1), Xiaomeng Liang (ESR2), Bettina Gro Soerensen (ESR4), Mulatu Yohannes Nanusha (ESR5), Jawameer Hama (ESR8), Carina Schönsee (ESR9), Barbara Guenthardt (working on plant toxins at Acroscope), Lars Holm Rasmussen (supervisor UCPH, representing ESR7 and ESR13), Bjarne Strobel (supervisor UCPH), Thomas Bucheli (supervisor Agroscope), Werner Brack (supervisor Helmholtz UFZ)

Time and date: 27.11.2017, 10-17.

Venue: Tagungszentrum Ka Eins, Frankfurt, Germany

Organizers: The team at Helmholtz UFZ, Germany: Bettina Gro Soerensen (ESR4), Mulatu Nanusha (ESR5), Werner Brack (supervisor)