The field of plasmonics has shown extraordinary capabilities in realizing highly sensitive and accurate sensors for environmental monitoring and measurement of biological analytes. The inherent potential of such devices has led to growing interest worldwide in commercial fiber optic chemical and biosensors. Optical Sensors for Biomedical Diagnostics and Environmental Monitoring is an essential resource for students, established researchers, and industry developers in need of a reference work on both the fundamentals and latest advances in optical fiber sensor technology in biomedical diagnostics and environmental monitoring. The book includes rigorous theory and experimental techniques of surface plasmon and lossy mode resonances, as well as real-time sensing applications of resonance techniques implemented over optical fiber substrate using bulk layer and/or nanostructures as transducer and sensing layers. In addition, discussion of various design options for real-time sensors in environmental monitoring and biomedical diagnostics make the book approachable to readers from multidisciplinary fields.
During recent years both research activity and the number of reports on biosensor systems applied to environmental analysis have increased significantly. Compounds present in the environment have increasingly been shown to have effects on biological systems such as cells, enzymes, binding proteins, and DNA. In order to deal with the increasing demand for information about possible pollution of the environment there is need for improvements to analytical methods. Thus, biochemistry-based analytical methods should offer the possibility of monitoring these effects. This text provides an overview of existing biosensor principles, commercially available instruments, and related biochemical assays which have been developed and applied to environmental monitoring. Providing the reader with detailed information on methodology and a description of the practical application of selected sensors, this text also includes reports on established chemical methods for comparison. This volume presents fundamental principles together with examples of applications and discussion of drawbacks, and future developments. Of interest to all in the field of environmental analysis and biosensor technology, this text provides a comprehensive treatise on the latest research and developments in the field.
This interesting book covers latest aspects of a highly sophisticated technology; results treated in critical detail; demonstrates applicability of this technology to practical problems in process control, biochip methods, clinical analysis, environmental sciences
Leading experts discuss the characteristics, advantages, limitations and future aspects of modern spectroscopic techniques for environmental analysis. Demonstrates how these methods can be applied to trace gas detection and assessment. Concentrates on the latest techniques--both laser and non-laser based--which offer advantages for air pollution and gas monitoring as opposed to more conventional methods. Numerous examples of applications illustrate the potential of the techniques backed up by cutting-edge information and representative data.
Optical science and engineering affect almost every aspect of our lives. Millions of miles of optical fiber carry voice and data signals around the world. Lasers are used in surgery of the retina, kidneys, and heart. New high-efficiency light sources promise dramatic reductions in electricity consumption. Night-vision equipment and satellite surveillance are changing how wars are fought. Industry uses optical methods in everything from the production of computer chips to the construction of tunnels. Harnessing Light surveys this multitude of applications, as well as the status of the optics industry and of research and education in optics, and identifies actions that could enhance the field's contributions to society and facilitate its continued technical development.
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are revolutionizing the world in a way their original developers never envisaged. From being military “war” tools, GNSS satellites are rapidly becoming “peace” tools that play a potentially critical role in enabling changing environmental phenomenon that do not permit direct measurements to be remotely observed via their all-weather, highly accurate and continuously updatable positional time series. This is evident, for example, in their use in emerging environmental monitoring methods that are considered in this book. These include: GPS-based radio telemetry, which is enhancing ecological and conservation monitoring by more accurately mapping animal movements, their behaviours, and their impact on the environment; GNSS-meteorology, which is contributing to weather and climate change studies; GNSS-remote sensing, which, for example, allows the rapid monitoring of changes in fresh water resources and cryosphere; Geosensor network techniques, which are earning a crucial role in disaster response management; Epidemiology, for improved efficiency in tracking and studying the spread of infectious diseases and climate change effects on vector-borne diseases; and Economics, to provide data for the econometric modelling of casual impact of policies. In Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA), and Sustainability Assessments (SA), GNSS, together with other spaced-based remote sensing techniques, are emerging, not only as modern tools that connect the developers to the community, but also provide information that support Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) methods, which inform decision making and policy formulations. By bringing the two fields of geodesy (the parent of GNSS technology) and environmental studies (potential users of this technology), this book presents the concepts of GNSS in a simplified way that can, on the one hand, be understood and utilised by environmentalists, while on the other, outlines its potential applications to environmental monitoring and management for those engaged more with its technology, which hopefully will further energise the already innovative research that is being carried out. Lastly, this book is most relevant to all the professionals whose work is related to the environment such as hydrologists, meteorologists, epidemiologists, economist, and engineers, to name just a few. A comprehensive yet candid and compelling presentation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems and its application to environmental monitoring and a host of other socio-economic activities. This is an essential and new ground breaking reading for all professional practitioners and even academics seeking to study and become involved in using Global Navigation Satellite Systems in diverse fields ranging from environmental monitoring to economic activities such as monitoring weather and climate in order to design crop failure insurance. Nathaniel O. Agola, Professor of Business and Financial Economics, Ritsumeikan University, Japan
Tools, Techniques and Protocols for Monitoring Environmental Contaminants describes information on the strategic integration of available monitoring methods with molecular techniques, with a focus on omics (DNA, RNA and protein based) and molecular imprinted polymer and nanomaterial based advanced biosensors for environmental applications. It discusses the most commonly practiced analytic techniques, such as HPLC, MS, GCMS and traditional biosensors, giving an overview of the benefits of advanced biosensors over commonly practiced methods in the rapid and reliable assessment of environmental contaminants. As environmental contaminants have become one of the serious concerns in terms of their rapid growth and monitoring in the environment, which is often limited due to costly and laborious methods, this book provides a comprehensive update on their removal, the challenges they create for environmental regulatory agencies, and their diverse effects on terrestrial and aquatic environments.
The NATO Advanced Study Institute on “Sensors for Environment, Health and Security: Advanced Materials and Technology” was held in Vichy (France) on September 16–27, 2007 where more than 65 participants, ranging from Ph. D. students to experienced senior scientists, met and exchanged ideas and know-how in a friendly atmosphere. The present book intends to cover the main topics of this NATO ASI through 32 chapters distributed over two parts (Part I: “Materials and Technologies” and Part II: “Applications to Environment, Health and Security”). The scientific programme of the NATO ASI consisted in 28 1-hour lectures given by 14 invited lecturers, 5 additional 1-hour lectures given by seminar speakers, 22 oral presentations by selected ASI participants and a poster session. The programme was divided into four sessions: (1) Advanced materials and technologies; (2) Sensors for environment; (3) Sensors for health; (4) Sensors for security. During the “Advanced Materials and Technologies” session (Part I of the present book), the lectures were dedicated to critical analyses of current methods for the synthesis of materials, nanomaterials (nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes, ...) and nanocomposites to be used for the fabrication of sensing devices, mainly semiconductor sensors. Among the synthesis methods, chemical (sol-gel, etc. ) and physical methods (laser deposition, DC magnetron sputtering, etc. ) were discussed. Several lectures addressed characterization techniques and it was concluded that the physical and chemical control of the materials/nanomaterials, including surface chemistry, remains a key issue for the reproducibility of the final device.
