Newswise — A wide variety of nanotechnology topics — from "lab-on-a-chip" microsystems that quickly test for environmental contaminants to tiny sensors that detect bioterrorism — highlight the American Chemical Society's 227th national meeting in Anaheim, March 28 - April 1. The world's leading experts will explore key issues related to this rapidly growing technology in more than a dozen sessions, including a special presidential colloquium.

ACS, the world's largest scientific society, expects more than 14,000 scientists to attend the meeting. More than 8,300 papers will be presented at nearly 700 technical sessions, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, 800 West Katella Avenue, and at surrounding hotels.

In addition to the scientific research, there also will be an exhibition Monday through Wednesday at the convention center by more than 300 companies providing goods and services of interest to the chemical community.

One nanoscience symposia at the meeting explores the environmental effects of engineered nanomaterials. A presentation in this session will examine possible pulmonary health risks related to the introduction of nano (ultrafine) particles into the environment. Another symposium will focus on the growing number of nanocience courses now available to chemistry students.

The Presidential Colloquium: Big Promise from "Small" Science — How Nanotechnology will Change our Lives, will be held Sunday, March 28, from 2 p.m.-5:40 p.m. In the session, five internationally known leaders in nanoscience will describe what is and what is not possible with the technology. The experts will examine the promise and possible impacts of nanotechnology and nanoscience now and in the future and also will address concerns over potential dangers and limitations of this evolving field. ACS President Charles P. Casey, an organizer of this colloquium, will introduce the session.

The broad range of nanotechnology sessions at the meeting includes:

• Nanoscale Chemical Analysis of Biological Systems• Biochemical Aspects of Nanoscience• Nanoscale Separations• Nanotechnology and Education: A State of the Art Symposium• Informatics Challenges in Nanotechnology• Interfacial Phenomena: Linking Atomistic and Macroscopic Properties• Nanotechnology and the Environment• Purification, Separation and Characterization of Single-Walled Nanotubes• Surface Chemistry in Inorganic Chemistry• Optical Microscopy Beyond the Diffraction Limit

For further information on the meeting click on [email protected].