Joint Nordic screening of emerging pollutants


Book Description

Strategy and results This brochure highlights the work conducted by the Joint Nordic screening group. The activities in the Joint Nordic Screening Group can be divided into three areas: 1) Joint screening studies, 2) Sharing knowledge by organizing seminars and 3) literature studies. The aim of the joint Nordic screening studies is to obtain a snapshot of the occurrence of emerging pollutants in the environment. A Nordic cooperation on screening studies is an advantage for increased representativity of the results since it is possible to include a larger number of samples in a larger area than normally in national studies. In addition, it is cost effective and makes it easy to compare results with neighbouring countries. The group has its own webpage, from where the reports can be downloaded.










Environmental Fate of Emerging Organic Micro-Contaminants


Book Description

The toxicity and fate of pharmaceuticals and other emerging micro-organic contaminants in the natural and built environments have been the focus of much research over the last twenty years. Particular focus has recently centred on the fate of antimicrobial chemicals, including antibiotics and antifungals. The occurrence of such chemicals in the environment is thought to contribute to the selection of resistance in exposed microorganisms. This Special Issue (SI) brings together a broad range of recent advances in the field of emerging micro-organic contaminants, ranging from medicinal contaminants to industrial chemicals in the environment. Notably, these range from chemical extraction and large-scale analysis to adverse effects on non-target aquatic organisms and potential risk to humans via contaminated foodstuffs. Additionally, this Special Issue also presents novel contaminant treatment/degradation methods of both physical and biological nature.




Phytoestrogens in foods on the Nordic market


Book Description

Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds that may bind to estrogen receptors, but with less affinity than the natural ligand estradiol. They may be biologically active as such or after metabolization in our body. To investigate the occurrence and level of phytoestrogens, scientific literature was screened for data on isoflavones, lignans, stilbenes and coumestans in raw and processed foods of plant origin. The review presents data based both on analytical methods hydrolysing glucosides and non-destructive methods.Many phytoestrogens are phytoalexins. Their production is induced when plants are exposed to abiotic and/or biotic stress. This could explain the rather different levels reported in plants by various investigators, and indicates that many samples are required to describe the levels generally occurring in foodstuffs. The influence of food processing was also considered.




Environmental Fate and Effects of Pulp and Paper


Book Description

In recent years, there have been emerging concerns regarding the fate and effects of pulp and paper mill effluents on the environment. Countries throughout the world are focusing attention on the implementation of regulatory and monitoring programs. In response, industry has begun to implement a variety of process and treatment technologies designed to minimize or eliminate the potential impacts. Environmental Fate and Effects of Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents explores the most active and critical current research and experimentation from around the world. This comprehensive overview examines the identity and origin of chemicals in pulp mill effluents, environmental fate of chemicals from pulp and paper mills, bioaccumulation of substances from pulp mills to fish and wildlife, field and laboratory studies of biochemical and whole organism responses associated with pulp and paper effluents, integrated monitoring and future research, and policy directions of this rapidly evolving field. Written by prominent scientists from around the world with contributions from industry, government, and academia, this important new book provides a balanced global perspective of the recent scientific findings and the challenges being faced in the immediate future.




Plants for Environmental Studies


Book Description

One of the problems of using plants in environmental studies is finding current information. Because plants play a key role in environmental studies, from the greenhouse effect to environmental toxicological studies, information is widely scattered over many different fields and in many different sources. Plants for Environmental Studies solves that problem with a single, comprehensive source of information on the many ways plants are used in environmental studies. Written by experts from around the world and edited by a team of prominent environmental specialists, this book is the only source of complete information on environmental impacts, mutation, statistical analyses, relationships between plants and water, algae, plants in ecological risk assessment, compound accumulations, and more. Encompassing algae and vascular plants in both aquatic and terrestrial environments, this book contains a diverse collection of laboratory and in situ studies, methods, and procedures using plants to evaluate air, water, wastewater, sediment, and soil.