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Books > Professional & Technical > Environmental engineering & technology > General
The contents of the book are assembled from selected papers
presented during the International Conference on Isotopes in
Environmental Studies - AQUATIC FORUM 2004 convened in Monaco from
25 to 29 October 2004, which was the most important gathering of
the year of isotope environmental scientists. The book reviews the
present state of the art isotopic methods for better understanding
of key processes in the aquatic environment, responsible for its
future development and its protection.
The main highlights include the latest developments in the study of
the behaviour, transport and distribution of isotopes in the
aquatic environment, recent climate change records using isotopic
tracers in the environment, global isotopic oceanic studies, new
trends in radioecological investigations and modelling, impact of
groundwater-seawater interactions on coastal zones, groundwater
dynamics and modelling, important for management of freshwater
resources, development of new isotopic techniques, such as AMS,
RIMS and ICPMS, and their applications in environmental studies,
new trends in radiometrics underground techniques, new in situ
radiometrics technologies and many other exciting topics which were
presented and discussed during the Conference.
The proceedings constitute an important contribution to the
environmental isotopic research. In publishing this book the aim is
to make the use of isotopes more widespread in the environmental
disciplines and to further stimulate work in this exciting field.
* Presents selected papers from the International Conference on
Isotopes in Environmental Studies - AQUATIC FORUM 2004
* Addresses state-of-the-art isotopic methods for better
understandingof key processes in the aquatic environment
* Aims to make the use of isotopes more widespread in the
environmental disciplines and to further stimulate work in this
exciting field
There is widespread public concern about hazardous chemicals that
are contained in air, soil, water and food. Policy has therefore
adopted a series of laws and regulations concerning emissions into
and concentration levels in different media including food. As
policy makers do not only have to consider the protection of the
environment but also need to ensure a well-functioning economy at
the same time, these limit or target values need to be set in a
balanced way. The main problem, however, is to compare the costs
for achieving these targets with the benefits to society by having
a smaller exposure to hazardous substances (cost-benefit analysis).
This book sets out to improve the reliability of cost-benefit
analyses particularly of hazardous substances present in air,
water, soil and food. It suggests that the human health risk
assessment of chemicals is performed in a bottom-up analysis, i.e.,
following a spatially resolved multimedia modelling approach. In
order to support cost-benefit analyses, the approach is accompanied
by monetary valuation of human health impacts, yielding so-called
external costs. Results for selected priority metals show that
these external costs are small compared to those by the classical
air pollutants and involve rather long time horizons touching on
the aspect of intergenerational equity within sustainable
development. When including further hazardous substances, the total
external costs attributable to contaminants are expected to be more
substantial.
This volume continues the retrospective analyses of Volumes I and
II, but goes beyond that in an attempt to understand how phenolic
acids are partitioned in seedling-solution and
seedling-microbe-soil-sand culture systems and how phenolic acid
effects on seedlings may be related to the actual and/or
conditional physicochemical properties (e.g., solubility,
hydrophobicity, pKa, molecular structure and soil
sorption/desorption) of simple phenolic acids. Specifically, it
explores the quantitative partitioning (i.e., source-sink
relationships) of benzoic and cinnamic acids in cucumber
seedling-solution and cucumber seedling-microbe-soil-sand systems
and how that partitioning may influence phenolic acid effects on
cucumber seedlings. Regressions, correlations and conceptual and
hypothetical models are used to achieve these objectives. Cucumber
seedlings are used as a surrogate for phenolic acid sensitive
herbaceous dicotyledonous weed seedlings. This volume was written
specifically for researchers and their students interested in
understanding how a range of simple phenolic acids and potentially
other putative allelopathic compounds released from living plants
and their litter and residues may modify soil chemistry, soil and
rhizosphere microbial biology, seedling physiology and seedling
growth. In addition, this volume describes the potential
relationships, where they may exist, for direct transfer of organic
compounds between plants, plant communication and plant-plant
allelopathic interactions and addresses the following questions:
Can physicochemical properties of phenolic acids be used as tools
to help understand the complex behavior of phenolic acids and the
ultimate effects of phenolic acids on sensitive seedlings? What
insights do laboratory bioassays and the conceptual and
hypothetical models of laboratory systems provide us concerning the
potential behavior and effects of phenolic acids in field systems?
What potential role may phenolic acids play in broadleaf-weed
seedling emergence in wheat debris cover crop no-till systems?
Monitoring drought’s slow evolution and identifying the end of a
drought is still a big challenge for scientists, natural resource
managers, and decision makers. This comprehensive two-volume set
with contributions from over 200 experts, and featuring case
studies representing numerous countries throughout the world,
discusses different aspects of drought from types, indices, and
forecasting to monitoring, modeling, and mitigation measures. It
also addresses how climate change is impacting drought and
decision-making concluding with lessons learned about science,
policy, and managing uncertainty. Features: Provides a global
perspective on drought prediction and management and a synthesis of
the recent state of knowledge. Covers a wide range of topics from
essential concepts and advanced techniques for forecasting and
modeling drought to societal impacts, consequences, and planning
Presents numerous case studies with different management approaches
from different regions and countries. Addresses how climate change
impacts drought, the increasing challenges associated with managing
drought, decision making, and policy implications. Includes
contributions from hundreds of experts around the world.
Professionals, researchers, academics, and postgraduate students
with knowledge in Environmental Sciences, Ecology, Agriculture,
Forestry, Hydrology, Water Resources Engineering, and Earth
Sciences, as well as those interested in how climate change impacts
drought management, will gain new insights from the experts
featured in this two-volume handbook.
The Evolution of the Genome provides a much needed overview of
genomic study through clear, detailed, expert-authored discussions
of the key areas in genome biology. This includes the evolution of
genome size, genomic parasites, gene and ancient genome
duplications, polypoidy, comparative genomics, and the implications
of these genome-level phenomena for evolutionary theory. In
addition to reviewing the current state of knowledge of these
fields in an accessible way, the various chapters also provide
historical and conceptual background information, highlight the
ways in which the critical questions are actually being studied,
indicate some important areas for future research, and build
bridges across traditional professional and taxonomic boundaries.
The Evolution of the Genome will serve as a critical resource for
graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and established scientists
alike who are interested in the issue of genome evolution in the
broadest sense.
-Provides detailed, clearly written chapters authored by leading
researchers in their respective fields
-Presents a much-needed overview of the historical and theoretical
context of the various areas of genomic study
-Creates important links between topics in order to promote
integration across subdisciplines, including descriptions of how
each subject is actually studied
-Provides information specifically designed to be accessible to
established researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate
students alike
Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and the Internet of Things are
facing tremendous advances both in terms of energy-efficiency as
well as in the number of available applications. Consequently,
there are challenges that need to be tackled for the future
generation of WSNs. After giving an overview of the WSN protocols
and IEEE 802.15.4 standard, this book proposes IEEE 802.15.4 Medium
Access Control (MAC) sub-layer performance enhancements by
employing not only RTS/CTS combined with packet concatenation but
also scheduled channel poling (MC-SCP). Results have shown that the
use of the RTS/CTS mechanism improves channel efficiency by
decreasing the deferral time before transmitting a data packet.
Furthermore, the Sensor Block Acknowledgment MAC (SBACK-MAC)
protocol enables more efficiency as it allows the aggregation of
several acknowledgement responses in one special Block
Acknowledgment (BACK) Response packet. The throughput and delay
performance have been mathematically derived under both ideal
conditions (a channel environment with no transmission errors) and
non-ideal conditions (with transmission errors). Simulation results
successfully validate the proposed analytical models. This research
reveals the importance of an appropriate design for the MAC
sub-layer protocol for the desired WSN application. Depending on
the mission of the WSN application, different protocols are
required. Therefore, the overall performance of a WSN application
certainly depends on the development and application of suitable
e.g., MAC, network layer protocols.
Sediments and Ecohyraulics is comprised of papers submitted to the
6th International Conference on Cohesive Sediments (INTERCOH 2005)
held in Saga, Japan, September 2005. The papers are divided into
two major categories. The first is basic processes, including
erosion, settling, flocculation, and consolidation. The second
major catagory is application of the understanding of cohesive
sediments to address specific issues, including waterway and part
management, fluid mud behavior, and contaminiated sediment
management.
*Provides an up-to-date resource of the present knowledge of
cohesive sediment transport processes
*Contains practical solutions on cohesive transport problems
*Presents information on managing cohesive sediments
Household Chemicals and Emergency First Aid is an essential manual
that covers 386 household chemicals, discusses their hazards when
mixed with other chemicals, describes the symptoms of overexposure,
and provides instructions for emergency first aid treatment. The
book is intended to be used in the event that label instructions on
household chemicals have not been followed. It describes what may
possibly happen and how to handle the situation if it does occur.
Poison control centers are listed by state with phone numbers and
addresses. Because household accidents involving chemicals are so
prevalent, this manual is a ""must have"" book for all emergency
medical technicians, paramedics, and other emergency first aid
providers. It is also useful for anyone wanting detailed
information regarding emergency situations with household
chemicals.
The discovery and development of new computational methods have
expanded the capabilities and uses of simulations. With agent-based
models, the applications of computer simulations are significantly
enhanced. Multi-Agent-Based Simulations Applied to Biological and
Environmental Systems is a pivotal reference source for the latest
research on the implementation of autonomous agents in computer
simulation paradigms. Featuring extensive coverage on relevant
applications, such as biodiversity conservation, pollution
reduction, and environmental risk assessment, this publication is
an ideal source for researchers, academics, engineers,
practitioners, and professionals seeking material on various issues
surrounding the use of agent-based simulations.
Although nanotechnology has revolutionized fields such as medicine,
genetics, biology, bioengineering, mechanics, and chemistry, its
increasing application in the food industry is relatively recent in
comparison. Nanotechnology is being used to discover new methods
for creating new flavors, extending food shelf life, and improving
food protection and nutritional value. Nanotechnology in the food
industry is now being explored for intelligent nutrient delivery
systems, "smart" foods, contaminant detection nanodevices and
nanosensors, advanced food processing, antimicrobial chemicals,
encapsulation, and green nanomaterials. This new three-volume set,
Nanotechnology Horizons in Food Process Engineering, addresses a
multitude of topical issues and new developments in the field.
Volume 1 focuses food preservation, food packaging and sustainable
agriculture, while Volume 2 looks at nanotechnology in food process
engineering, applications of biomaterials in food products, and the
use of modern nanotechnology for human health. The third volume
explores the newest trends in nanotechnology for food applications
and their application for improving food delivery systems.
Together, these three volumes provide a comprehensive and in-depth
look at the emerging status of nanotechnology in the food
processing industry, explaining the benefits and drawbacks of
various methodologies that will aid in the improvement and
development of food product sourcing and food hygiene monitoring
methods. Volume 1 discusses emerging nanotechnolgical applications
in food processing, packaging, and preservation. It focuses on
using nanoparticles for safe and nutritional food production,
protecting crops from pests, increasing nutritional value, and
providing solutions for various environmental issues. This book
especially deals with nanotechnology for controlling plant
pathogens, food packaging and preservation, agricultural
productivity, wastewater treatment, and bioenergy production.
Volume 2 discusses nanotechnology use in non-thermal techniques
such as high-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric fields
(PEFs), pulsed light, ultraviolet, microwave, ohmic heating,
electrospinning, and nano- and microencapsulation. This volume
looks at the role and application of minimal processing techniques
such as ozone treatment, vacuum drying, osmotic dehydration, dense
phase carbon dioxide treatment, and high-pressure assisted
freezing. The successful applications of nanotechnologies on
juices, meat and fish, fruits and vegetable slices, food surface,
purees, milk and milk products, extraction, drying enhancement, and
encapsulation of micro-macro nutrients are also considered. The
volume also presents several computer-aided techniques that are
emerging in the food processing sector, such as robotics, radio
frequency identification (RFID), three-dimensional food printing,
artificial intelligence, etc. Significant role of food properties
in design of specific food and edible packaging films have been
elucidated. Volume 3: Trends, Nanomaterials and Food Delivery
provides an overview of the current trends in nanotechnology for
food applications and food delivery systems. Topics include a
collection of chapters on diverse topics, including the stability
of nanoparticles in food, nanobiosensing for the detection of food
contaminants, nanotechnology applications in agriculture, the role
of nanotechnology in nutrient delivery, how nanotechnology is
applied in dairy products, biofunctional magnetic nanoparticles in
food safety, the development of nutraceuticals using
nanotechnological tools, and more.
Solid design and craftsmanship are a necessity for structures and
infrastructures that must stand up to natural disasters on a
regular basis. Continuous research developments in the engineering
field are imperative for sustaining buildings against the threat of
earthquakes and other natural disasters. Recent Challenges and
Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering provides innovative
insights into the methods of structural engineering techniques, as
well as disaster management strategies. The content within this
publication represents the work of rock fracturing, hazard
analysis, and seismic acceleration. It is a vital reference source
for civil engineers, researchers, and academicians, and covers
topics centered on improving a structure's safety, stability, and
resistance to seismic hazards.
This book describes recent advances in radiative transfer,
atmospheric remote sensing, polarization optics of random media,
and light scattering. It is a valuable resource for anyone involved
in light scattering research. Providing numerous step-by-step
tutorials, it allows readers to quickly learn about various aspects
of theoretical and experimental light scattering media optics. The
book features among others a chapter on aerosol remote sensing that
helps readers to define and solve various aerosol remote sensing
problems.
The study of nature is a complex science involving many different
fields from geology and meteorology to biology, zoology, and
botany. This complexity indicates nature's broad scope of impact.
It is at once beautiful and dangerous, displaying power beyond
human control. An understanding of the basic principles and
concepts of the study of nature is therefore both enriching and
practical. In The Handbook of Nature, authors Frank R. Spellman and
Joni Price-Bayer provide a comprehensive guide to the study of
nature in terms the layperson can grasp easily. This accessible
reference work is for the non-specialist looking for quick,
accurate information on all aspects of the study of nature. The
handbook is arranged thematically for a logical and user-friendly
progression through the material. It includes chapters on the
earth's structure and landforms, the atmosphere and weather, water
and water sources, and the many different forms of life from
single-celled organisms to complex vertebrates. Along with basic
natural scientific principles, the authors look closely at the
consequences of human interactions with the environment we inhabit.
This reference concludes with a glossary and index, and each
chapter provides further resources and recommended reading. It is
an essential tool for students and professionals alike.
Advances in Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering focuses
on the research of Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering.
The proceedings featurethe most cutting-edge research directions
and achievements related to Civil Engineering and Environmental.
Subjects in the proceedings include: Civil Engineering Technology
Civil Engineering Surveying Geological Engineering Structural
Engineering Tunnel and Bridge Engineering Environmental protection
materials Pollution control project Building environment and
equipment engineering The works of this proceedings can promote
development of Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering,
resource sharing, flexibility and high efficiency. Thereby, promote
scientific information interchange between scholars from the top
universities, research centers and high-tech enterprises working
all around the world.
Frontiers in Civil and Hydraulic Engineering focuses on the
research of architecture and hydraulic engineering in civil
engineering. The proceedings feature the most cutting-edge research
directions and achievements related to civil and hydraulic
engineering. Subjects in the proceedings including: * Engineering
Structure * Intelligent Building * Structural Seismic Resistance *
Monitoring and Testing * Hydraulic Engineering * Engineering
Facility The works of this proceedings can promote development of
civil and hydraulic engineering, resource sharing, flexibility and
high efficiency. Thereby, promote scientific information
interchange between scholars from the top universities, research
centers and high-tech enterprises working all around the world.
Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to
provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy
and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavor in the
total field of xenobiotics, in any segment of the environment, as
well as toxicological implications.
This book not only introduces the chemistry and physicochemical
properties of phthalonitrile resins, but also describes strategies
for crosslinking and structural modification. The authors explore
blends and composites of phthalonitriles with other
high-performance polymers and give an outlook on the future of the
field.
With the increasingly important requirement for textile
manufacturers to reduce pollution in textile production, the use of
enzymes in the chemical processing of fibres and textiles is
rapidly gaining wider recognition because of their non-toxic and
eco-friendly characteristics. They can be safely used in a wide
selection of textile processes such as de-sizing, scouring,
bleaching, dyeing and finishing, where the alternatives are very
harsh chemicals whose disposal into the environment causes many
problems.
Textile processing with enzymes aims to provide the textile
technologist with an understanding of enzymes and their use with
textile materials and in process engineering. It covers all the
relevant aspects of textile processing with enzymes, from the
chemical constitution and properties of textile materials as
potential substrates for enzymes, to the processing of these
materials; from basic biochemistry and enzymology to the industrial
application of these biocatalysts.
The introductory chapter contains an historic overview of the
subject, followed by an overview of the fundamental aspects of
enzymes determining catalytic properties. There is also a review of
non-fibrous materials as substrates for enzymes. Chapter four
covers catalysis and processing; providing an analysis of the
function and application of enzymes used in textile processing. The
fifth chapter offers important insights in process engineering and
describes major problems of industrial applications of enzymes in
textiles. Chapter six discusses practical aspects of handling with
enzymes. Enzyme stabilities, operational and storage stabilities
are discussed in detail along with health and safety issues. The
final chapter deals with the potential of enzymes in textile
effluent treatment.
It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the use of
enzymes in textiles including textile students, scientists and
engineers with a background in textiles, biotechnology, chemistry
and process engineering.
Aims to provide the textile technologist with an understanding of
enzymes and their use with textile materials and in process
engineeringCovers the relevant aspects of textile processing with
enzymes, from the chemical constitution and properties of textile
materials as potential substrates for enzymes, to the processing of
these materialsOutlines the benefits of using enzymes in the
chemical processing of fibres and textiles thanks to their
non-toxic and eco-friendly characteristics
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