Noise Control Management presents a system-wide management approach to the many noise-related problems that plague industrial settings. Students learn how to define noise problems and determine the feasibility of mitigating them. The text shows how to identify noise sources and set up priorities for dealing with the problems these sources create. Coverage includes a full range of noise control devices, from quiet equipment to barriers, enclosures, silencers, and other devices.

Comparative analyses of social actors and policy outcomes in Bahia and Texas show the similarities and differences in the actors and the policies adopted in each case. As a result of historical and structural developments in Bahia and Texas, Cetrel operates under pollution-control standards and technologies for protecting the environment and workers that are similar to those of the GCA. This convergent trend is characterized as dependent convergence between developing and developed countries. The author makes recommendations for stronger international solidarity among progressive forces in developed and developing countries to promote preventive alternatives to pollution control.

This book discusses the sources, human health hazards and risk prevention strategies associated with aeolian dust particles (fine and ultrafine) in the atmosphere. It covers the challenges of accurately forecasting aeolian dust and the need to raise public awareness on the warning signs and harmful impacts of airborne dust. Also discussed is the presence of microorganisms, heavy metals and other pollutants in dust which contributes to harmful impacts on human health as well as management and treatment options for the various health issues that can result from exposure. The book is a useful resource for scientists, engineers and policymakers interested in dust and health.

Seawater desalination is a rapidly growing coastal industry that is increasingly threatened by algal blooms. Depending on the severity of algal blooms, desalination systems may be forced to shut down because of clogging and/or poor feed water quality. To maintain stable operation and provide good feed water quality to seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) systems, ultrafiltration (UF) pre-treatment is proposed. This research focused on assessing the ability of UF and other pre-treatment technologies to reduce biofouling in SWRO systems. An improved method to measure bacterial regrowth potential (BRP) was developed and applied at laboratory, pilot and full scale to assess the ability of conventional UF (150 kDa) and tight UF (10 kDa) alone and in combination with a phosphate adsorbent to reduce regrowth potential and delay the onset of biofouling in SWRO. The improved bacterial regrowth potential method employs a natural consortium of marine bacteria as inoculum and flow cytometry. The limit of detection of the BRP method was lowered to 43,000 +/- 12,000 cells/mL, which is equivalent to 9.3 +/- 2.6 g-Cglucose/L. The reduction in bacterial regrowth potential after tight UF (10 kDa) was 3 to 4 times higher than with conventional UF (150 kDa). It was further reduced after the application of a phosphate adsorbent, independent of pore size of the UF membrane. Pilot studies demonstrated that the application of tight UF (10 kDa) coupled with a phosphate adsorbent consistently lowered the bacterial regrowth potential and no feed channel pressure drop increase was observed in membrane fouling simulators (MFS) over a period of 21 days. The study also showed that non-backwashable fouling of UF membranes varied strongly with the type of algal species and the algal organic matter (AOM) they release. The presence of polysaccharide (stretching -OH) and sugar ester groups (stretching S=O) was the main cause of non-backwashable fouling. In conclusion, this study showed that an improved BRP method is suitable for the assessment of SWRO pre-treatment systems and it can be a useful tool to develop potential strategies to mitigate biofouling and improve the sustainability of SWRO systems.

The clock is relentlessly ticking! Our world teeters on a knife-edge between a peaceful and prosperous future for all, and a dark winter of death and destruction that threatens to smother the light of civilization. Within 30 years, in the 2030 decade, six powerful 'drivers' will converge with unprecedented force in a statistical spike that could tear humanity apart and plunge the world into a new Dark Age. Depleted fuel supplies, massive population growth, poverty, global climate change, famine, growing water shortages and international lawlessness are on a crash course with potentially catastrophic consequences. In the face of both doomsaying and denial over the state of our world, Colin Mason cuts through the rhetoric and reams of conflicting data to muster the evidence to illustrate a broad picture of the world as it is, and our possible futures. Ultimately his message is clear; we must act decisively, collectively and immediately to alter the trajectory of humanity away from catastrophe. Offering over 100 priorities for immediate action, The 2030 Spike serves as a guidebook for humanity through the treacherous minefields and wastelands ahead to a bright, peaceful and prosperous future in which all humans have the opportunity to thrive and build a better civilization. This book is powerful and essential reading for all people concerned with the future of humanity and planet earth.

The book compiles an update information about the state of bioremediation in emerging Latin American countries. Some of the studied regions are sites that suffered decades of pollution by agrochemicals, heavy metals and industrial waste due to the lack of control by government regulations. Such is the case of Northern Argentina, where were illegally deposited over 30 tn of obsolete organochlorine pesticides in 1994. The content has focused in the use of native organisms (from bacteria to plants) as a viable solution to the problem of pollution, using low-cost and powerful techniques, socially well accepted and appropriate from the environmental point of view. In this context, levels of pesticide found in the Latin American population are informed. It was also displayed as a multidisciplinary approach based on concerns of a diverse group of researchers (biochemists, biologists, chemical engineers and geneticists) about a global problem, dealing with specific cases of study, with a view to project their findings to worldwide. In this regard, researchers provide their findings to regulatory sectors, whom could make appropriate decisions.

This book reviews comprehensively the opportunities and responsibilities of science, society and politics to combat plastic pollution in marine and freshwaters. It provides insights on what information is needed, and from whom, and it outlines policies proposed by various institutions including OSPAR, HELCOM and the European Union. Plastic waste has become a global threat to the aquatic environment that does not stop at country borders. Meanwhile, there are many efforts in science, industry, commerce and governments to tackle the problem worldwide. School education, NGO public actions, voluntary trade reduction measures, governmental management options and governmental regulatory actions are part of the portfolio of efforts to deal with the problem. Together with the companion volume Plastics in the Aquatic Environment - Part I: Current Status and Challenges, it provides scientists, policymakers and environmental managers with essential reference information on how this problem is being solved, what challenges and barriers are expected and how they can be overcome.

This book discusses bioavailability concepts and methods, summarizing the current knowledge on bioavailability science, as well as possible pathways for integrating bioavailability into risk assessment and the regulation of organic chemicals. Divided into 5 parts, it begins with an overview of chemical distribution in soil and sediment, as well as the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of chemicals in plants, soil, invertebrates and vertebrates (including humans). It then focuses on the impact of sorption processes and reviews bioavailability measurement methods. The closing chapters discuss the impact of bioavailability studies on chemical risk assessment, and highlights further research needs. Written by a multi-disciplinary team of authors, it is an essential resource for scientists in academia and industry, students, as well as for authorities.

With increasing population and industrialization, our negative impact on our environment is no longer limited to coastal and surface waters or to urban air; it is necessary to examine the movement of chemical pollutants over vastly greater areas. Oceans, deep groundwater aquifers, and even the stratosphere are significantly affected. The mechanisms by which pollutants reach these areas, how they migrate and are transformed through physical and biochemical processes, and their ultimate effects are the topics at the forefront of environmental science. This volume addresses the fate of chemical pollutants in our air, water, and soil. The result of a historic collaboration between eminent Russian and American scientists, Fate of Pesticides and Chemicals in the Environment contains new predictive models of transport and transformation from many of the leading scientists in this area of research. Numerous informative chapters analyze the biotransformation of organic chemicals and pesticides, atmospheric deposition of toxic pollutants in the Great Lakes and elsewhere, the transport of volatile organic compounds and pesticide residues through surface soil, and many other important problems in the field. The sources and pathways of pollutants into all areas of the environment are thoroughly explored; the role of free radicals in chemical transformations, surface and bottom sediment redox reactions in water, the contribution of microbial degradation, and considerations for in situ biorestoration are just a few of the complex issues addressed. The book also contains comprehensive information on pesticide labeling laws and groundwater protection which will be of interest to all soil and waterchemists and environmental engineers.

Non-Exhaust Emissions: An Urban Air Quality Problem for Public Health comprehensively summarizes the most recent research in the field, also giving guidance on research gaps and future needs to evaluate the health impact and possible remediation of non-exhaust particle emissions. With contributions from some of the major experts and stakeholders in air quality, this book comprehensively defines the state-of-the-art of current knowledge, gaps and future needs for a better understanding of particulate matter (PM) emissions, from non-exhaust sources of road traffic to improve public health. PM is a heterogeneous mix of chemical elements and sources, with road traffic being the major source in large cities. A significant part of these emissions come from non-exhaust processes, such as brake, tire, road wear, and road dust resuspension. While motor exhaust emissions have been successfully reduced by means of regulation, non-exhaust emissions are currently uncontrolled and their importance is destined to increase and become the dominant urban source of particle matter by 2020. Nevertheless, current knowledge on the non-exhaust emissions is still limited. This is an essential book to researchers and advanced students from a broad range of disciplines, such as public health, toxicology, atmospheric sciences, environmental sciences, atmospheric chemistry and physics, geochemistry, epidemiology, built environment, road and vehicle engineering, and city planning. In addition, European and local authorities responsible for air quality and those in the industrial sectors related to vehicle and brake manufacturing and technological remediation measures will also find the book valuable.

Forty years after the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, this important study examines the history, industrial uses, and harmful effects of the twelve most commonly used organochloride chemicals. All have been fully or partially banned by the Stockholm Protocol, an international treaty signed by about 120 countries in December 2000. Among the twelve are the dioxins (the active ingredient in Agent Orange) and polychlorinated byphenyls (PCBs), which are toxic in minute quantities. Johansen pays special attention to the Inuit of the Arctic, where these chemicals have been bio-accumulating to dangerous levels, moving up the food chain to a degree of toxicity that some Inuit mothers are no longer able to safely breast-feed their infants. The polar stratospheric ozone has been devastated by emissions of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and new scientific findings connect global warming near the Earth's surface to significant cooling in the stratosphere. This synergy aggravates ozone depletion because the chemical reactions that destroy the ozone become more energetic as temperatures drop. Synthetic toxins have taken their toll on minority ethnic groups in the United States, and persistent organic pollutants have inflicted physiological damage on humans and other animals. Finally, Johansen explores the estrogenic effects of such chemicals. Sperm counts have declined as much as 50% in 50 years.

This book provides essential information on the role of phytonanotechnology in the removal of environmental pollutants and covers recent advances in experimental and theoretical studies on plant-derived nanoparticles. It also discusses their current and potential applications and challenges.The combination of nanotechnology and phytoremediation, which is called phytonanotechnology, have the potential to remove contaminants from the environment or degrade them. The efficiency of contaminant removal can be improved by combining both methods as they are complementary to each other.Phytonanotechnology offers the advantages of increased bioavailability, prolongation of heavy metal absorption time, and multiple metal removal, all contributing to improved efficacy and decreased toxicity in plants and surroundings. Therefore, there is immense scope for nature-derived molecules to be formulated into nanotechnology-based phytoremediation approaches targeting the specific heavy metal removal from effluents and surroundings. This encourages research initiatives to synthesize more phytonanotechnology based uptake plant systems with high efficiency. Efficient formulation targeting strategies and the evaluation of targeting efficiency of phytonanotechnology, conforming to international standards of their toxicology and biocompatibility, could pave the way for heavy metal uptake and removal by plant-based systems.This book serves as a valuable resource for postgraduate students, environmental scientists and materials scientists in academia and corporate research.

This established textbook offers a one-stop, comprehensive coverage of air pollution, all in an easy-reading and accessible style. The fourth edition, broadly updated and developed throughout, includes a brand-new chapter providing a broader overview to the topic for general reading, and presents fresh materials on air pollution modelling, mitigation and control, tailored to the needs of both amateur and specialist users. Retaining a quantitative perspective, the covered topics include: gaseous and particulate air pollutants, measurement techniques, meteorology and modelling, area sources, mobile sources, indoor air, effects on plants, materials, humans and animals, impact on climate change and ozone profiles and air quality legislations. This edition also includes a final chapter covering a suite of sampling and laboratory practical experiments that can be used for either classroom teachings, or as part of research projects. As with previous editions, the book is aimed to serve as a useful reading resource for upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate courses specialising in air pollution, with dedicated case studies at the end of each chapter, as well as a list of revision questions provided at the end as a complementary section.

This book embodies the potentials of nanobiotechnology-based water treatment techniques to provide a solid understanding of the subjects. Starting with a refresher of the basic conventional technologies which are now been integrated with nanomaterials for an efficient, viable, and eco-friendly treatment of contaminated water. The book covers various physical, chemical, and hybrid methods of nanobiomaterial synthesis and their fabrication for characterizing existing techniques. The book gives special attention to those nanotechnology-based approaches that promise easier, faster, and cheaper processes in contaminants monitoring and their treatment. Several case studies explain in an easy to understand format how employing nanobiomaterials as an indicator and analytical tool will enable students to learn about cleaning up the environment.

Groundwater issues have generated worldwide concern in recent decades. The problems are numerous: too little groundwater, too much groundwater, groundwater contaminated by either saline water or a broad spectrum of industrial and domestic pollutants. Many urban groundwater problems are not unique to any one region, which is the thinking behind this book. Many of the case studies presented here have never before been described in English. Overall, the papers represent the work and experience of researchers and groundwater professionals who have worked on urban groundwater issues in developed and less-developed nations around the world. They reveal the magnitude and scope of the problem as well as identify future challenges, potential courses of action, and emerging technologies that offer hope for the future.

This book is focused on the current status of industrial pollution, its source, characteristics, and management through various advanced treatment technologies. The book covers the recycle, reuse and recovery of waste for the production of value-added products. The book explores industrial wastewater pollution and its treatment through various advanced technologies and also the source and characteristics of solid waste and its management for environmental safety. It discusses new methods and technologies to combat the waste-related pollution and focuses on the use of recycled products. This book is of value to upcoming students, researchers, scientists, industry persons and professionals in the field of environmental science and engineering, microbiology, biotechnology, toxicology, further it is useful for global and local authorities and policy makers responsible for the management of liquid and solid wastes.

This professional reference tool combines basic concepts of hydrology with the latest applications for landscape architecture and site engineering—including effective, eco-friendly, and people-friendly design methods for:

• Wetlands construction
• Groundwater recharge
• Infiltration
• Porous pavements
• Stream restoration
• Water harvesting

Stormwater management is an essential component of all landscape architecture and site engineering projects. Introduction to Stormwater helps solve environmental problems that arise in the process of planning, implementing, and evaluating the built environment.

This useful guide is of singular importance to landscape architects, civil engineers, architects, wetlands scientists, and other environmental professionals who must comply with ever-changing government regulations. Concepts such as drainage, runoff quality, and drought control are presented in an easy-to-learn, nontechnical format, using case studies drawn from all regions of the United States. Over 200 charts, tables, photographs, and examples aid in conceptualization and calculations. Each chapter contains exercises to ensure that the user acquires applied skills essential to professional licensure exams and practice in the field, as well as information on related software.

The use of public lands in the western United States has become the focus of international, national, and regional debate. Public concern for wildlife, fish, wilderness, recreation, and other values associated with these lands has increased substantially since the 1960s. And that concern has clashed with the more user/extraction orientation of traditional interests. The priorities for management of these lands have become the subject of increasing controversy and litigation, particularly with regard to U.S. federal forests and rangelands. At the heart of this debate are differing philosophical and normative views about the natural environment and human relationship to that environment. This volume provides an analysis of public values and philosophical views about the environment from an interdisciplinary perspective and will be of interest to scholars and policymakers in public policy, business-government relations, and environmentalism.

This volume comprises the proceedings of the First International Rehovot Conference on Modern Agriculture and the Environment. It covers the broad spectrum of environmental problems related to agriculture, such as chemical pesticides, means to reduce their utilization, and some of the main alternatives to their overuse and misuse; pollution caused by chemical fertilizers, aquaculture and heavy metals; treatment of wastewater; recycling of municipal and agricultural wastes; modelling and bioremediation of agricultural pollution; as well as economic and policy aspects of natural resources. Illustrated with numerousinternational case studies, it is intended for agriculturists, researchers, students, policy-makers and environmentalists.

Environmental stories have all the elements of a good drama-villains that plunge the world into danger and heroes that fight for positive change. Industrial Disasters and Environmental Policy: Stories of Villains, Heroes, and the Rest of Us illuminates the interplay between environmental policies and the people and groups who influence their development and implementation. Through the stories of four major industrial disasters-the Union Carbide plant explosion, the BP oil spill, the Upper Big Branch Mine explosion, and the asbestos poisoning in Libby, Montana-this book examines the organizational breakdowns and regulatory lapses that caused these disasters, and how attitudes and policies changed as a result. It also explores the achievements of environmental heroes like Gaylord Nelson and Judy Bonds and how their activism has shaped US environmental politics and policies. Industrial Disasters and Environmental Policy concludes with a discussion of how the "rest of us" can participate in everyday environmental actions, hold corporations and the government accountable, and lobby for greater environmental protections. With its compelling stories and calls to action, this book helps students understand how US environmental policies have developed and transformed-and how they can continue to do so.

Environmental Radioactivity from Natural, Industrial, and Military Sources is the comprehensive source of information on radiation in the environment and human exposure to radioactivity. This Fourth Edition isa complete revision and extension of the classic work, reflecting major new developments and concerns as the Cold War ended, nuclear weapons began to be dismantled, and cleanup of the nuclear weapons facilities assumed center stage. Contamination from accidents involving weapons, reactors, and radionuclide sources are discussed in an updated chapter, including the latest information about the effects of the Chernobyl accident. Important revisions are also made to the chapters on natural radioactivity, nuclear fuels and power reactors, radioactive waste management, and various other sources of exposure. Several chapters provide primers for readers who may not be familiar with the fundamentals of radiation biology, protection standards, and pathways for the environmental transport of radionuclides. An Appendix lists the properties of the more important radionuclides found in the environment. The book concludes with a commentary on contemporary social aspects of radiation exposure and risks that offers analternative view to current, often excessive concerns over radiation, nuclear technology, and waste.
Key Features
* Describes every important source of environmental radioactivity
* Reviews the vexing problems of radioactive waste management and cleanup of contaminated sites
* Contains measured or projected radiation dose estimates for the major sources
* Features 126 figures, 80 tables, and more than 1200 references
* Discusses current problems in historical context
* The two authors bring more than 75 years of combined experience with environmental radioactivity
* Provides an understanding of the sources of environmental radioactivity and human exposure from the mining of ores to final disposal of wastes
* Thoroughly reviews important contamination accidents

Surveys the state-of-the-art in the toxicology of important aquatic pollutants. Evaluates new concepts, methods, and data, and provides an overview of key research results. Topics covered range from the principles of aquatic toxicology and the development of water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic resources, to the environmental effects of monitoring and future trends in water quality management. Emphasized is the importance of the linkages between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems to practical and effective environmental effects assessment.

The main focus of this book is the study of environmental dynamics in the Arctic, coupled with ecosystem dynamics. Particular emphasis is placed on problems of the composition of the Arctic atmosphere, including minor gases, aerosols and clouds, as well as changes in the composition due to impacts of human activity. Analysis of observational data and numerical modelling results, which characterize the Arctic basin pollution dynamics, and its impact on ecosystems is also provided. Other topics covered include problems of general circulation in the atmosphere and oceans - beginning with the 1930s when the Arctic was regarded as the kitchen of global weather and climate and concluding with the situation today when modern observational data and numerical modelling make for a more balanced view.

Assessment, Restoration and Reclamation of Mining Influenced Soils covers processes operating in the environment as a result of mining activity, including the whole spectra of negative effects of anthropopressure and the environment, from changes in soil chemistry, changes in soil physical properties, geomechanical disturbances, and mine water discharges. Mining activity and its waste are an environmental concern. Knowledge of the fate of potentially harmful elements and their effect on plants and the food chain, and ultimately on human health, is still being understood. Therefore, there is a need for better knowledge on the origin, distribution, and management of mine waste on a global level. This book provides information on hazard assessment and remediation of the disturbed environment, including stabilization of contaminated soils and phytoremediation, and will help scientists and public authorities formulate answers to the daily challenges related to the restoration of contaminated land.

Human Colonization of the Arctic: The Interaction Between Early Migration and the Paleoenvironment explores the relationship between humans and the environment during this early time of colonization, utilizing analytical methods from both the social and natural sciences to develop a unique, interdisciplinary approach that gives the reader a much broader understanding of the interrelationship between humanity and the environment. As colonization of the polar region was intermittent and irregular, based on how early humans interacted with the land, this book provides a glance into how humans developed new ways to make the region more habitable. The book applies not only to the physical continents, but also the arctic waters. This is how humans succeeded in crossing the Bering Strait and water area between Canadian Arctic Islands. About 4500 years ago , humans reached the northern extremity of Greenland and were able to live through the months of polar nights by both adapting to, and making, changes in their environment.