Book Description

Chemistry of the Environment provides a basic level of chemical knowledge on the principles of environmental chemistry and a general understanding of environmental problems. Organized into 17 chapters, this book is developed from the notes for a course in "Chemistry of the Environment for juniors, seniors, and graduate students in Science and Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The opening chapters of this book discuss the problems related to waste disposal and energy production and the principles of atmospheric circulation and photochemical reactions, with an emphasis on the effects of human activities on the atmosphere and climate. Considerable chapters are devoted to various industries, including petroleum chlorinated hydrocarbons, pesticides, heavy metals, and nuclear chemistry, and the contributions of these industries to environmental problems. General topics on both natural and technological processes that impinge on the environment are explored. Other chapters discuss the principles of atmospheric photochemistry and the natural and artificial photochemical processes occurring in the biosphere. This book also examines the chemistry of some of the most important elements and how they relate to the properties of the environment and to biological effects. The concluding chapter provides insights into the nature, as well as the sources and the hazards of ionizing radiation in the environment, with particular emphasis on naturally occurring and artificial nuclear sources of ionizing radiation. This book is of great benefit to environmental chemists and researchers, biochemists, and elementary organic chemists.