Human activity has more than doubled the rate of creation of reactive nitrogen on the land surface of the earth over natural levels, with much of this change occurring in recent decades. Major drivers behind this increase are population growth, agricultural intensification, and emissions of nitrogen pollutants to the atmosphere from the combustion of fossil fuels. As a result, nitrogen is accumulating in the landscape and in water at unprecedented levels, and is connected to a host of environmental problems including effects on natural ecosystems and on human health. For example, eutrophication caused by excessive inputs of N from landscapes to the oceans is one of the greatest factors altering water quality in coastal ecosystems worldwide.

This synthesis is the final report from the International SCOPE Project on Nitrogen Transport and Transformations: A Regional and Global Analysis. SCOPE (the Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment) authorized the Nitrogen Project because of the need to better understand how humans have altered nitrogen cycling globally and at the scale of large regions. The project has synthesized information through a series of workshops over the past 8 years, involving over 250 scientists from over 20 different nations. Papers in this volume explore the extent to which human activity has affected the nitrogen cycle in terrestrial regions and in the world's oceans, and discuss the implications of accelerated nitrogen cycling for nature and society.

This book follows up an Advanced Research Workshop dedicated to the subject of adsorption. It presents an up-to-date review of the latest achievements in the synthesis, characterization and applications of hybrid organic-inorganic materials and of carbon and combined adsorbents. The modeling of the adsorption process, including the simulation of carbon masks used for both civil and military protection purposes is also addressed. Includes applications in environmental, military and post-disaster situations.

Photochemical reactions play a major role in the environment including a wide range of reactions in the atmosphere, natural waters, soil and living organisms. This new volume on Environmental Photochemistry up-dates the previous edition with chapters on basic aspects including concepts of photochemical transformations and mechanistic photochemical processes in the atmosphere and water. In addition a range of applications are also detailed such as advanced photochemical oxidation processes for water and air treatment as well as applications of photocatalysis for surface treatment and nuclear fuel reprocessing. The new edition provides a critical up to date overview of the most important research in the field of environmental photochemistry.

Countryside Stewardship is the first cross-country, empirical study to examine the market effects of stewardship policies across Europe, as well as their possible impact on the supply of agricultural commodities.
This timely and insightful book examines the economic nature of the agri-environmental measures that were intended to reduce the negative effects of agricultural production on countryside amenities and stimulate the positive contributions of farmers to countryside management. An international team of authors offers a comparative analysis of stewardship policies across eight different European countries, drawing upon a classification of 330 different agri-environmental measures introduced since 1985. The objective of their analysis is to provide policy makers and all those involved - farmers, extension officers, researchers - with more insight into the organisation and effects of these policies and to present some options for a more effective implementation of policies in this new field.

This book explores the complex problem of how to measure the 'success' of social organisations, projects and activities. Whether improving a local situation, organizing a campaign around sustainability, or assessing the intangible effects of perceived social benefits, currently we have only have a very limited range of mechanisms for judging effectiveness. On the one hand, a market-driven logic demands that qualitative perceptions and experiences are quantified into simplified and numerically defined variables. On the other, community projects are left un-assessed, as one-off outcomes of local and situated processes that must somehow automatically 'make things better'. For academics, researchers and other professionals working in this field this has resulted in the deep frustration of not being able to assess the things that are most centrally important: higher human values such as integrity, trust, respect, equality and social justice. Measuring Intangible Values argues that we can make shared social values - and their measurement - central to decisions about improving civil society. But because these social values are intangible, we need to develop ways of eliciting and validating them at the local level that can capture people's shared meanings across multiple goals and perspectives. We need to develop mechanisms for evaluating whether these values are met that use rigorous but also relevant measures. And we need to develop ways of doing this that are scalable, transferable and comparable across different kinds of organisations and fields of activity. This book will be valuable for researchers in all social science disciplines which touch on human values, such as sociology, social psychology, human geography, social policy, architecture and planning, design and community studies.

This book provides practical, research-based advice on how to conduct high-quality stated choice studies. It covers every aspect of the topic, from planning and writing the survey, to analyzing results, to evaluating quality. There is no other book on the market today that so thoroughly addresses the methodology of stated choice. Chapters are written by top-notch academics and practitioners in an accessible style, offering practical, tough advice.

This book discusses UV radiation, its effects on ecosystems and the likely evolutionary consequences of changed UV radiation environments, past, present and future. The first two chapters examine the history of the UV radiation climate of earth and the factors that determine organismal and ecosystem exposure. Their purpose is to give the reader a physical perspective on UV radiation and an understanding of the constantly changing UV environment that ecosystems are exposed to over time. Variations in the UV radiation environment occur at the local level (such as boundary layer and plant canopy effects) through to global-scale changes (such as alterations in the column abundance of UV-B protecting ozone). UV radiation regimes also vary over temporal scales. These alterations occur on time scales of seconds (the movement of clouds and plant canopies) to literally billions of years (gross long-term changes in the composition of the Earth's atmosphere). In the chapters that follow five specific biological and ecological topics in photobiology are considered. They are effects of UV radiation on amphibians, plants, corals, aquatic microbial ecosystems and Antarctic ecosystems that are exposed to the anthropogenically generated ozone 'hole'. These chapters consider UV radiation effects at a diversity of levels from the biochemical to the community. Their purpose is to provide the reader with our current understanding of the ecological effects of UV radiation, the areas where questions still remain and to provide a perspective from which the reader can better understand questions in evolutionary photobiology. The final chapter investigates the biological consequences of altered extraterrestrial ultraviolet fluxes, which are quite different from those experienced on the Earth. Our knowledge of the role of UV radiation in shaping ecologies and evolutionary change is still in its infancy. This book brings together a number of authors with the aim of helping to consolidate a better understanding of this interesting area of photobiology.

Energy is central to the fabric of society. This book revisits the classic notions of energy impacts by examining the social effects of resource extraction and energy projects which are often overlooked. Energy impacts are often reduced to the narrow configurations of greenhouse gas emissions, chemical spills or land use changes. However, this neglects the fact that the way we produce, distribute and consume energy shapes society, political institutions and culture. The authors trace the impacts of contemporary energy and resource extraction developments and explain their significance for the shaping of powerful social imaginaries and a reconfiguration of political and democratic systems. They analyse not only the complex histories and landscapes of industrial mining and energy development, including oil, coal, wind power, gas (fracking) and electrification, but also their significance for contested energy and social futures. Based on ethnographic and interdisciplinary research from around the world, including case studies from Australia, Germany, Kenya, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Turkey, UK and USA, they document the effects on local communities and how these are often transformed into citizen engagement, protest and resistance. This sheds new light on the relationship between energy and power, reflecting a wide array of pertinent impacts beyond the usual considerations of economic efficiency and energy security. The volume is aimed at advanced students and researchers in anthropology, sociology, human geography, science and technology studies, environmental studies and sustainable development as well as professionals working in the field of impact assessments.

The history of gears with asymmetric teeth is not sufficiently recorded in modern gear literature, with some gear researchers concluding that asymmetric tooth gears were discovered just several decades ago. This book sheds light upon the origins and state of asymmetric gearing, referencing technical articles from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. As a practicing gear engineer with over 40 years' experience, author Alexander L. Kapelevich has successfully implemented asymmetric gears in a variety of custom gear transmissions. This book addresses all aspects of asymmetric gear development, including theoretical fundamentals; tooth geometry optimization; stress analysis and rating; design and production specifics; analytical and experimental comparison to the best symmetric gears; and application examples. Readers are encouraged to look beyond the status quo established by traditional gear design, and to apply principles of asymmetric gearing to actual gear design. Optimal solutions are presented for gear drives that will maximize technical performance and marketability. Features Presents a state-of the-art, comprehensive historical overview of asymmetric gearing Explains the Direct Gear Design (R) approach to asymmetric gear design Describes asymmetric tooth gear geometry optimization, areas of existence, and parameter selection limits Considers practical aspects of asymmetric gear fabrication and measurement Presents analytical and experimental comparison of asymmetric gears to advanced symmetric gears, showing the advantages of asymmetric designs Provides numerous real-world examples of asymmetric gear application

Cosmogenic radionuclides are radioactive isotopes which are produced by natural processes and distributed within the Earth system. With a holistic view of the environment the authors show in this book how cosmogenic radionuclides can be used to trace and to reconstruct the history of a large variety of processes. They discuss the way in which cosmogenic radionuclides can assist in the quantification of complex processes in the present-day environment. The book aims to demonstrate to the reader the strength of analytic tools based on cosmogenic radionuclides, their contribution to almost any field of modern science, and how these tools may assist in the solution of many present and future problems that we face here on Earth. The book provides a comprehensive discussion of the basic principles behind the applications of cosmogenic (and other) radionuclides as environmental tracers and dating tools. The second section of the book discusses in some detail the production of radionuclides by cosmic radiation, their transport and distribution in the atmosphere and the hydrosphere, their storage in natural archives, and how they are measured. The third section of the book presents a number of examples selected to illustrate typical tracer and dating applications in a number of different spheres (atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, solar physics and astronomy). At the same time the authors have outlined the limitations of the use of cosmogenic radionuclides. Written on a level understandable by graduate students without specialist skills in physics or mathematics, the book addresses a wide audience, ranging from archaeology, biophysics, and geophysics, to atmospheric physics, hydrology, astrophysics and space science.

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.

The Water Research Institute at the Technion (Israel Institute of Technology) is proud to have initiated and sponsored the International Workshop "Soil and Aquifer Pollution: Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids - Contamination and Recla- tion," held May 13th-15th, 1996, on the Technion campus in Haifa. Groundwater contamination is one of the pressing issues facing Israel and other countries which depend on groundwater for water supply. In Israel, 60% of the water supply comes from groundwater, most of it from two large aquifers. The Coastal Aquifer underlies the area where the largest concentration of human activity already takes place, and where much of future development is expected to occur. It is a phreatic sandstone aquifer, vulnerable to pollution from activities at the surface. The Mountain Aquifer is recharged in the higher terrain to the east, and flows, first in a phreatic zone, then confined, westward and underneath the Coastal Aquifer. This limestone aquifer has higher permeabilities and flow velo- ties, so pollution can reach the groundwater quite readily. Smaller local aquifers are also important components in the national water system. While measures are taken to protect these aquifers from pollution, there are locations where contamination has already occurred. Furthermore, accidental pollution may not be totally avoided in the future. Therefore, understanding the processes of groundwater contamination, recommending the proper measures for preventing it, and determining the best means for reclamation once pollution has occurred, are of great practical importance. Non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) are among the most significant contaminants.

This book describes a cross-domain architecture and design tools for networked complex systems where application subsystems of different criticality coexist and interact on networked multi-core chips. The architecture leverages multi-core platforms for a hierarchical system perspective of mixed-criticality applications. This system perspective is realized by virtualization to establish security, safety and real-time performance. The impact further includes a reduction of time-to-market, decreased development, deployment and maintenance cost, and the exploitation of the economies of scale through cross-domain components and tools. Describes an end-to-end architecture for hypervisor-level, chip-level, and cluster level. Offers a solution for different types of resources including processors, on-chip communication, off-chip communication, and I/O. Provides a cross-domain approach with examples for wind-power, health-care, and avionics. Introduces hierarchical adaptation strategies for mixed-criticality systems Provides modular verification and certification methods for the seamless integration of mixed-criticality systems. Covers platform technologies, along with a methodology for the development process. Presents an experimental evaluation of technological results in cooperation with industrial partners. The information in this book will be extremely useful to industry leaders who design and manufacture products with distributed embedded systems in mixed-criticality use-cases. It will also benefit suppliers of embedded components or development tools used in this area. As an educational tool, this material can be used to teach students and working professionals in areas including embedded systems, computer networks, system architecture, dependability, real-time systems, and avionics, wind-power and health-care systems.

The scope of opportunities in chemical and biomolecular engineering has grown tremendously in recent years. Careers in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering conveys the breadth and depth of today's chemical and biomolecular engineering practice, and describes the intellectually enriching, socially conscious and financially lucrative opportunities available for such graduates in an ever-widening array of industries and applications. This book aims to help students interested in studying chemical engineering and biomolecular engineering to understand the many potential career pathways that are available in these dynamic fields - and is an indispensable resource for the parents, teachers, advisors and guidance counselors who support them, In addition to 10 chapters that discuss the roles such graduates play in many diverse industries, this book also features 25 Profile articles that share in-depth, first-person insight from industry-leading chemical and biomolecular engineers. These technical professionals discuss their work and educational experiences (in terms of both triumphs and challenges), and share wisdom and recommendations for students pursuing these two dynamic engineering disciplines.

Fate of Biological Contaminants During Recycling of Organic Wastes covers the fate of viruses, HPBs, and ARGs in organic wastes, and their eliminating methods, including composting, vermicomposting and anaerobic digestion. In addition, this work describes the environmental risks associated with the application of excess sludge, livestock and other bio-wastes in soils Fate of Biological Contaminants During Recycling of Organic Wastes will benefit environmental and soil scientists engaged in the latest research regarding risk assessment and remediation techniques in wastewater, and solid wastes, and agricultural wastes.

This book, divided in two volumes, originates from Techno-Societal 2020: the 3rd International Conference on Advanced Technologies for Societal Applications, Maharashtra, India, that brings together faculty members of various engineering colleges to solve Indian regional relevant problems under the guidance of eminent researchers from various reputed organizations. The focus of this volume is on technologies that help develop and improve society, in particular on issues such as sensor and ICT based technologies for the betterment of people, Technologies for agriculture and healthcare, micro and nano technological applications. This conference aims to help innovators to share their best practices or products developed to solve specific local problems which in turn may help the other researchers to take inspiration to solve problems in their region. On the other hand, technologies proposed by expert researchers may find applications in different regions. This offers a multidisciplinary platform for researchers from a broad range of disciplines of Science, Engineering and Technology for reporting innovations at different levels.

This book presents chemical analyses of our most pressing waste, pollution, and resource problems for the undergraduate or graduate student. The distinctive holistic approach provides both a solid ground in theory, as well as a laboratory manual detailing introductory and advanced experimental applications. The laboratory procedures are presented at microscale conditions, for minimum waste and maximum economy. This work fulfills an urgent need for an introductory text in environmental chemistry combining theory and practice, and is a valuable tool for preparing the next generation of environmental scientists.

In line with COP21 agreements, state-led climate change mitigation and adaptation actions are being undertaken to transition to carbon-neutral, green economies. However, the capacity of many countries for action is limited and may result in a 'boomerang effect', defined as the unintended negative consequences of such policies and programmes on local communities and their negative feedbacks on the state. To avoid this effect, there is a need to understand the policy drivers, decision-making processes, and impacts of such action, in order to determine the ways and means of minimizing negative effects and maximizing mutually beneficial policy outcomes. This book directly engages the policy debates surrounding water resources and climate actions through both theoretical and comparative case studies. It develops the 'boomerang effect' concept and sets it in relation to other conceptual tools for understanding the mixed outcomes of state-led climate change action, for example 'backdraft' effect and 'maldevelopment'. It also presents case studies illustrative of the consequences of ill-considered state-led policy in the water sector from around the world. These include Africa, China, South Asia, South America, the Middle East, Turkey and Vietnam, and examples of groundwater, hydropower development and forest hydrology, where there are often transboundary consequences of a state's policies and actions. In this way, the book adds empirical and theoretical insights to a still developing debate regarding the appropriate ways and means of combating climate change without undermining state and social development.

Recent results on the nature of low-, intermediate- and high-energy nuclear forces as well as on the internal structure of nucleons and atomic nuclei are presented. Prospects to find a new state of the nuclear matter at extreme conditions that existed in the early Universe and the utilisation of the nuclear energy are discussed.

Healthcare Kaizen focuses on the principles and methods of daily continuous improvement, or Kaizen, for healthcare professionals and organizations. Kaizen is a Japanese word that means "change for the better," as popularized by Masaaki Imai in his 1986 book Kaizen: The Key to Japan's Competitive Success and through the books of Norman Bodek, both of whom contributed introductory material for this book. Winner of a 2013 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award! In 1989, Dr. Donald M. Berwick, founder of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, endorsed the principles of Kaizen in the New England Journal of Medicine, describing it as "the continuous search for opportunities for all processes to get better." This book shows how to make this goal a reality. Healthcare Kaizen shares some of the methods used by numerous hospitals around the world, including Franciscan St. Francis Health, where co-author Joe Swartz has led these efforts. Most importantly, the book covers the management mindsets and philosophies required to make Kaizen work effectively in a hospital department or as an organization-wide program. All of the examples in the book were shared by leading healthcare organizations, with over 200 full-color pictures and visual illustrations of Kaizen-based improvements that were initiated by nurses, physicians, housekeepers, senior executives and other staff members at all levels. Healthcare Kaizen will be helpful for organizations that have embraced weeklong improvement events, but now want to follow the lead of ThedaCare, Virginia Mason Medical Center, and others who have moved beyond just doing events into a more complete management system based on Lean or the Toyota Production System. It's often said, without much reflection, that people hate change. The experiences shared