This book focuses on microplastics as emerging persistent contaminants in terrestrial environments. Scientists from around the globe review recent advances in multi-disciplinary research on micro(nano)plastics, including analytical methods; the sources, fate and distribution of microplastics; ecological risks; toxicity and health risks; and control and countermeasures for microplastics in terrestrial environments. Offering a comprehensive overview of microplastics in terrestrial environments, the book is a valuable resource for environmental researchers, ecologists and toxicologists, as well as for policymakers and non-experts.
Emerging Contaminants in the Environment: Challenges and Sustainable Practices covers all aspects of emerging contaminants in the environment, from basic understanding to different types of emerging contaminants and how these threaten organisms, their environmental fate studies, detection methods, and sustainable practices of dealing with contaminants. Emerging contaminant remediation is a pressing need due to the ever-increasing pollution in the environment, and it has gained a lot of scientific and public attention due to its high effectiveness and sustainability. The discussions in the book on the bioremediation of these contaminants are covered from the perspective of proven technologies and practices through case studies and real-world data. One of the main benefits of this book is that it summarizes future challenges and sustainable solutions. It can, therefore, become an effective guide to the elimination (through sustainable practices) of emerging contaminants. At the back of these explorations on sustainable bioremediation of emerging contaminants lies the set of 17 goals articulated by the United Nations in its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all its member states. This book provides academics, researchers, students, and practitioners interested in the detection and elimination of emerging contaminants from the environment, with the latest advances by leading experts in emerging contaminants the field of environmental sciences. - Covers most aspects of the most predominant emerging contaminants in the environment, including in soil, air, and water - Describes the occurrence of these contaminants, the problems they cause, and the sustainable practices to deal with the contaminants - Includes data from case studies to provide real-world examples of sustainable practices and emerging contaminant remediation
A comprehensive reference handbook on the important aspects of trace elements in the land environment. Each chapter addresses a particular element and gives a general introduction to their role in the environment, where they come from, and their biogeochemical cycles. In addition to a complete updating of each of the element chapters, this new edition has new chapters devoted to aluminum and iron, soil contamination, remediation and trace elements in aquatic ecosystems. In short, an essential resource for environmental scientists and chemists, regulators and policy makers.
This open access book examines global plastic pollution, an issue that has become a critical societal challenge with implications for environmental and public health. This volume provides a comprehensive, holistic analysis on the plastic cycle and its subsequent effects on biota, food security, and human exposure. Importantly, global environmental change and its associated, systems-level processes, including atmospheric deposition, ecosystem complexity, UV exposure, wind patterns, water stratification, ocean circulation, etc., are all important direct and indirect factors governing the fate, transport and biotic and abiotic processing of plastic particles across ecosystem types. Furthermore, the distribution of plastic in the ocean is not independent of terrestrial ecosystem dynamics, since much of the plastic in marine ecosystems originates from land and should therefore be evaluated in the context of the larger plastic cycle. Changes in species size, distribution, habitat, and food web complexity, due to global environmental change, will likely alter trophic transfer dynamics and the ecological effects of nano- and microplastics. The fate and transport dynamics of plastic particles are influenced by their size, form, shape, polymer type, additives, and overall ecosystem conditions. In addition to the risks that plastics pose to the total environment, the potential impacts on human health and exposure routes, including seafood consumption, and air and drinking water need to be assessed in a comprehensive and quantitative manner. Here I present a holistic and interdisciplinary book volume designed to advance the understanding of plastic cycling in the environment with an emphasis on sources, fate and transport, ecotoxicology, climate change effects, food security, microbiology, sustainability, human exposure and public policy.
I intend to fill, with this book, a need that has long been felt by students and professionals in many areas of agricultural, biological, natural, and environmental sciences-the need for a comprehensive reference book on many important aspects of trace elements in the "land" environment. This book is different from other books on trace elements (also commonly referred to as heavy metals) in that each chapter focuses on a particular element, which in tum is discussed in terms of its importance in our economy, its natural occurrence, its fate and behavior in the soil-plant system, its requirement by and detriment to plants, its health limits in drinking water and food, and its origin in the environment. Because of long distance transport to pristine areas of cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc in relatively large quantities, these elements have an extra section on natural ecosystems. A blend of pictorial and tabular data are provided to enhance understanding of the relevant information being conveyed. Since individual chapters are independent of one another, they are arranged alphabetically. However, readers with weak backgrounds in soil science are advised to start with the chapter on zinc, since soil terminology is discussed in more detail here. Sections on sorption, forms and speciation, complexation, and transformations become more technical as soil physical-(bio )chemical phenomena are discussed. The less important "environmental" trace elements are discussed together in the "Other Trace Elements" chapter.
The manufacture of plastic as well as its indiscriminate disposal and destruction by incineration pollutes atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic ecosystems. Synthetic plastics do not break down; they accumulate in the environment as macro-, micro-, and nanoplastics. These particulate plastics are a major source of pollutants in soil and marine ecosystems. Particulate Plastics in Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments provides a fundamental understanding of the sources of these plastics and the threats they pose to the environment. The book demonstrates the ecotoxicity of particulate plastics using case studies and offers management practices to mitigate particulate plastic contamination in the environment. Features · Describes physical and chemical properties of particulate plastics in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems · Presents information on characteristics of particulate plastics as impacted by weathering processes · Provides numerous approaches for managing particulate plastic contamination · Identifies sources of particulate plastics in the environment; distribution and characteristics of particulate plastics; and management strategies of particulate plastics Written by a global team of scientists, this book is for researchers in the fields of environmental safety and waste management or individuals interested in the impact of particulate plastics on environmental health.
Defining ecology as a system-theory oriented synthesis of both earth and life sciences, the book aims at a novel co- herent understanding of chemicalimpact on the lower at- mosphere and characteristic types of terrestrial ecosystems. To this end comprehensive flux-analytical and hierarchical modelling approaches were developed and consulted, which in- clude a thorough consideration of the specific physical and geographic boundary conditions of the processes involved. The first part is devoted to fundamentals of environmental chemistry and ecology, while the second deals with the com- plex atmospheric pathways of anthropogenic chemicals. In the last part, the manifold interactions of these compounds or their metabolites with the soil-vegetation complex of eco- systems are described. Chapters on pollutant impact on mate- rials and a review of chemical fate modelling are included. Thus scientists and practitioners facing ecological projects may expect to obtain a deeper insight into landscape ecology from the impact point of view owing to the concise presenta- tion of complex mechanisms and the generalized modelling ap- proach.
This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This volume focuses on microscopic plastic debris, also referred to as microplastics, which have been detected in aquatic environments around the globe and have accordingly raised serious concerns. The book explores whether microplastics represent emerging contaminants in freshwater systems, an area that remains underrepresented to date. Given the complexity of the issue, the book covers the current state-of-research on microplastics in rivers and lakes, including analytical aspects, environmental concentrations and sources, modelling approaches, interactions with biota, and ecological implications. To provide a broader perspective, the book also discusses lessons learned from nanomaterials and the implications of plastic debris for regulation, politics, economy, and society. In a research field that is rapidly evolving, it offers a solid overview for environmental chemists, engineers, and toxicologists, as well as water managers and policy-makers.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SERIES The current expansion of both public and scientific interest in environ mental issues has not been accompanied by a commensurate production of adequate books, and those which are available are widely variable in approach and depth. The Environmental Management Series has been established with a view to co-ordinating a series of volumes dealing with each topic within the field in some depth. It is hoped that this Series will provide a uniform and quality coverage and that, over a period of years, it will build up to form a library of reference books covering most of the major topics within this diverse field. It is envisaged that the books will be of single, or dual, authorship, or edited volumes as appropriate for respective topics. The level of presentation will be advanced, the books being aimed primarily at a research/consultancy readership. The coverage will include all aspects of environmental science and engineering pertinent to man agement and monitoring of the natural and man-modified environment, as well as topics dealing with the political, economic, legal and social con siderations pertaining to environmental management. J. CAIRNS and R.M. HARRISON v Preface The behaviour and effects of chemicals in our environment is a fascinating subject for scientific investigation. Furthermore, an understanding of these processes is of fundamental importance in our modern world, and should enable us to understand and limit the adverse effects of pollutants.
