Eisler's Encyclopedia of Environmentally Hazardous Priority Chemicals


Book Description

Thousands of inorganic and organic chemicals and their metabolites enter the biosphere daily as a direct result of human activities. Many of these chemicals have serious consequences on sensitive species of natural resources, crops, livestock, and public health. The most hazardous of these were identified by a panel of environmental specialists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; these chemicals are the focus of this encyclopedia.For each priority group of chemicals, information is presented on sources, uses, physical and chemical properties, tissue concentrations in field collections and their significance, lethal and sublethal effects under controlled conditions. This includes effects on survival, growth, reproduction, metabolism, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and mutagenicity - and proposed regulatory criteria for the protection of sensitive natural resources, crops, livestock, and human health. Taxonomic groups of natural resources covered include terrestrial and aquatic plants and invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.* The only product that centers on the most hazardous environmental chemicals to sensitive natural resources* The only single volume compendium on the subject, allowing ease in consulting* Written by a noted national and international authority on chemical risk assessment to living organisms




PAHs


Book Description

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), or polyarenes, are one of the largest and most structurally diverse class of organic molecules known. High percentages of polyarenes, representing a wide range of molecular sizes and structural types, are present in coal tars and petroleum residues. The major sources of PAHs are crude oil, coal and oil shale. The fuels produced from these fossil sources constitute the primary source of energy for the industrial nations of the world, and the petrochemicals from these raw materials are the basis of the synthetic fibre and plastics industries. PAHs are however, widespread pollutants and their impact on the environment and human health must be monitored and controlled. This book will review and assess our scientific understanding of the ecological exposure and effects PAHs have in different environments and habitats. It will accomplish this by taking the recipients of the pollution in the environment as starting points and working its way back through pathways to access what is required for our understanding of effects and rationale for control. Although this book will concentrate on ecological exposure of PAHs, the general impacts of PAHs on human populations will be touched upon. It is thought to be the first book to focus on the ecological aspects of PAHs.




Assessments And Remediation Of Oil Contaminated Soils


Book Description

Paul T. Kostecki, Associate Director, Northeast Regional Environment Public Health Center, School Of Public Health, University Of Massachusetts At Amherst, Received His Ph.D. From The School Of Natural Resources At The University Of Michigan In 1 980. He Has Been Involved With Human And Ecological Risk Assessment And Risk Management Research For The Last 12 Years. Dr. Kostecki Has Co-Authored And Co-Edited Over 50 Articles And 16 Books On Environmental Assessment And Cleanup Including: Remedial Technologies For Leaking Underground Storage Tanks, Soils Contaminated By Petroleum Products; Petroleum Contaminated Soils, Vols. 1 To 3: Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soils And Groundwater, Vols. 1 To 4; Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soils, Vols. 1 To 5; Principles And Practices For Diesel Contaminated Soils, Vols. 1 To 5; Sesoil In Environmental Fate And Risk Modeling, Contaminated Soils, Vol. 1 And Risk Assessment And Environmental Fate Methodologies.Dr. Kostecki Also Serves As Associate Editor For The Journal Of Soil Contamination, Chairman Of The Scientific Advisory Board For Soil And Groundwater Cleanup Magazine As Well As An Editorial Board Member For The Journal Of Human And Ecological Risk Assessment.In A Addition. Dr. Kostecki Serves As Executive Director For The Association For The Environmental Health Of Soils (Aehs) And Was The Scientific Advisor For The Workshop On Assessment And Remediation Of Oil Contaminated Soils Held In Kuwait 18-22 March 1995.Dr. Manaf Behbehani Obtained His B.S. In Biology From The University Of Akron, Usa (1969) And M.S. In Zoology From The Same University (1972). He Continued His Graduate Studies At The University Of New Hampshire Receiving Ph.D. In Marine Ecology And Invertebrates In 1978. Since Then, He Has Been Teaching Ecology And Marine Biology Courses At The Faculty Of Science, Kuwait University. From 1 982-1987, He Held The Post Of Marine Scientist At The Regional Organisation For The Protection Of The Marine Environment (Ropme) In Kuwait. Dr. Behbehani Has Worked On A Number Of Pioneering Research Projects, Namely To Study The Zooplankton Of Kuwaiti Waters And The Western Section Of The Arabian Gulf, And To Study The Distribution, Abundance And Taxonomy Of Marine Invertebrates Living In The Intertidal Zones Of Kuwait. He Has Published Several Scientific Articles And Has Served As External Examiner For Several Masters Thesis. From 1991-1995, Dr. Behbehani Was Vice-Dean For Planning And Laboratories At The Faculty Of Science, Kuwait University And Is Presently Chairman Of The National Biodiversity Committee, State Of Kuwait. He Was The Chairman Of The Scientific Committee For The Workshop On Assessment And Remediation Of Oil Contaminated Soils, The Proceedings Of Which Are Published In This Book.




Ecology of Estuaries


Book Description

Ecology of Estuaries represents the most definitive and comprehensive source of reference information available on the human impact on estuarine ecosystems. The volume discusses both acute and insidious pollution problems plaguing these coastal ecotones. It also provides a detailed examination of the deleterious and pervasive effects of human activities on biotic communities and sensitive habitat areas in estuaries. Specific areas covered include organic loading, oil pollution, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, heavy metals, dredging and dredged-spoil disposal, radionuclides, as well as other contaminants and processes. The diverse components of these anthropogenic influences are assembled in an organized framework and presented in a clear and concise style that facilitates their understanding.







Soil Processes and Current Trends in Quality Assessment


Book Description

Natural processes and human activities alter the properties and quality of soils over time. Nowadays, the growing interest in soil protection prompts abundant research to estimate soil quality in wide-ranging environmental scenarios. The assessment of soil quality entails the evaluation of the capability of a soil to perform its functions in present scenarios but also how those functions can be preserved for future land use. Currently, soil processes, physical, chemical, and biological properties are recognized as indicators to estimate soil quality. Soil processes and current trends in quality assessment provides a wide depiction of current research conducted in soil quality assessment, encompassing general studies on soil processes, evaluation of significant indicators of soil quality such as soil organic matter dynamic and soil-plant interaction, while presenting diverse strategies for soil fitness amelioration.










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