Prof. Zhang Chaosheng, Director of GIS Centre, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway visited IMHE and gave a presentation titled “Bioavailability assessment of P, As and metals in soils and sediments: Development of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT)” on May 4, 2015. 

Dr. Zhang gave an introduction on the theory and research development of novel thin film DGT and its application as a useful tool in the studies related to on-site detection and spatial variation analysis of P、S、Fe in soil and sediment. The achievement was published in the journal of Environmental Science & Technology and Analytical Chemistry since 2010 to 2014. 

Then Prof. Zhang had an in-depth discussion with participants about the application condition, standardization and costing of DGT technology. 

After that, Dr.Zhang and Prof. Tang Xiangyu 's research team as well as other staff from Yan Ting Station also had very thought-provoking discussions on the potential application of DGT techniques to the on-site monitoring of organic pollutants in sloping farmland soil and to the spatial variation study of effective P in riparian zone of Three Gorges Reservoir Area 

As an initiator of Sino-European Symposium on Environment and Health (SESEH) and organizer of the third SESEH, Prof. Zhang introduced the symposium and extended an invitation to IMHE researchers. Prof. Zhang is now Vice Chairman of Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health and editorial board member of Journal of Science of the Total Environment.