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Books > Earth & environment > The environment > Pollution & threats to the environment > General
The car, and the range of social and political institutions which sustain its dominance, play an important role in many of the environmental problems faced by contemporary society. But in order to understand the possibilities for moving towards sustainability and 'greening cars', it is first necessary to understand the political forces that have made cars so dominant. This book identifies these forces as a combination of political economy and cultural politics. From the early twentieth century, the car became central to the organization of capitalism and deeply embedded in individual identities, providing people with a source of value and meaning but in a way which was broadly consistent with social imperatives for mobility. Projects for sustainability to reduce the environmental impacts of cars are therefore constrained by these forces but must deal with them in order to shape and achieve their goals.
Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms' metabolism to degrade waste contaminants (sewage, domestic, and industrial effluents) into non-toxic or less toxic materials by natural biological processes. Remediation through fungi-or mycoremediation-has multifarious possibilities in applied remediation engineering and the future of environmental sustainability. Fungi have the biochemical and ecological capability to degrade environmental organic chemicals and to decrease the risk associated with metals, semi-metals, noble metals, and radionuclides, either by chemical modification or by manipulating chemical bioavailability. Additionally, the capability of these fungi to form extended mycelia networks, the low specificity of their catabolic enzymes, and their using pollutants as a growth substrate make these fungi well suited for bioremediation processes. Their mycelia exhibit the robustness of adapting to highly limiting environmental conditions often experienced in the presence of persistent pollutants, which makes them more useful compared to other microbes. However, despite dominating the living biomass in soil and being abundant in aquatic ecosystems, fungi have not been exploited for the bioremediation of such environments. This book covers the various types of fungi and associated fungal processes used to clean up waste and wastewaters in contaminated environments and discusses future potential applications.
Monitoring of Air Pollutants: Sampling, Sample Preparation and Analytical Techniques provides a comprehensive reference on air pollutant monitoring, addressing experimental approaches to sampling and sample preparation, as well as analytical technologies (instrumental methods) which are applicable to a wide range of topics. The book's purpose is to provide an in-depth resource on the monitoring of ambient air pollutants that covers the basic principles, recent developments, and important applications in the field. Current trends and recent advances are discussed, both with respect to analytical techniques and target air pollutants. All aspects of air pollutant monitoring, from sampling, to sample preparation, and analysis, are covered, making this the book of choice for consultation by air monitoring practitioners.
Developing countries recognize the importance of their future role in responding to the uncertainty posed by global climate change through appropriate technical, institutional, and policy measures. The ongoing global negotiations are now in a critical phase. A comprehensive assessment and understanding of issues relevant to developing countries, such as greenhouse gas emissions inventories, contribution of developing countries to greenhouse gas emissions, projected climate change, impacts of climate change on the ecosystems and developing economies, mitigation opportunities, and potential socio-economic implications for developing countries, is necessary in order to address the emerging climate change. This book presents the alternative perspectives of developing countries on opportunities to benefit from the current and emerging global negotiations, institutions, and mechanisms to address climate change. Analyses show that the developing countries, with appropriate policy and institutional responses, could benefit from the global programs for mitigating the climate change. A comprehensive and simplified guide to assist negotiators and policy makers from developing countries, as well as researchers, is provided. The unique feature of this book is that it provides a comprehensive coverage of different issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, mitigation analysis, impacts and adaptation, policy options, emerging global institutions and mechanisms, and alternative perspectives of developing countries. The book provides basic information, analysis, and interpretation of various aspects relevant to climate change and will be a valuable asset to researchers, negotiators, policymakers, and environmental groups engaged in the analysis and discussion of climate change.
Microbial degradation, Phytoremediation, Remediation, Explosive residues, Biotransformation, Mineralization, Degradative Enzymes, Degradation Pathways, Energetics, Soil contamination, Water contamination.
This volume gives a detailed account into how renewables can be transformed into value-added products via homogeneous catalysis, especially via transiton metal homogeneous catalysis. The most important catalytic reactions of oleochemicals, isoprenoids, carbohydrates, lignin, proteins and carbon dioxide are described. Special emphasis is placed on carbon-carbon linkage reactions (hydroformylations, dimerisations, telomerisations, metathesis, polymerisations etc.), hydrogenations, oxidations and other important homogeneous reactions (such as isomerisations, hydrosilylations etc.). Also, tandem reactions including isomerising hydroformylations are presented. Wherever possible, the authors have included mechanistic, kinetic, and technical aspects. The reader is therefore given a total overview of the status quo of homogeneous catalysis directed to the most important renewables.
This book comprises some of the major facts and solutions on environmental studies and its importance on the ecosystem. Implementations of Biotechnology on wastewater treatment and removal of toxins from the wastewater have been thoroughly discussed in different chapters with its impacts on the ecosystem. State of art technologies related to the water treatment as well as balancing of various essential components of the ecosystem has also been demonstrated with various technical solutions. Impacts of various toxins, mainly chemical wastes produced by various industries have been precisely identified and there impacts with various solutions are also discussed. This book is also a collection of various ideas and thoughts coming from reputed scientists and researchers working in this field with modernized technological views. A special emphasis has been given to protect and balance our ecosystem to save the entire living beings. Authors have also tried to make a bridge between bioremediation and ecosystem to bring these in a common platform for better understanding and solution of various critical problems with the help of cutting edge technologies. In this particular aspect or research, the novelty of the book is unparallel to show various future opportunities for the researchers, academicians, industrial personnel working in this field.
The book provides a critical evaluation of South Africa's freshwater resources to illustrate the way in which its freshwater resources, water access, services and infrastructure have continued to decline over the past three decades. The continued decline of water governance, management, water service delivery, dilapidated water infrastructure, dysfunctional local governments and overall excessive water degradation is illustrated and emphasized using real-life examples and case studies from various contexts within the country. The main argument of the book is that South Africa's freshwater resources have declined to such an extent that it can be described as a predicament. Questionable water governance decisions and reactive water management practices have led to no improvement and/or increased degradation of freshwater resources. An overall lack of service delivery exists across the country, in various contexts, leading to further water and social decline. An inter-disciplinary evaluation of South Africa's current water predicament is provided, major water crises are prioritized, and suitable recommendations are given to transform its predicament into problems which can be addressed. Suitable background information is given to emphasize the necessity of good water governance, management, and service delivery. South Africa's freshwater resources are evaluated with specific focus on the decline of informed water governance, management, service delivery and water quality. Factors requiring urgent attention are determined and suitable recommendations and/or actions are provided. An evaluation and overall synthesis focused on the transformation of the predicament into problems is provided. Primary water problems are prioritized according to urgency and suitable recommendations are given to assist in transforming the country's current complex water predicament into "simpler" water problems. Political will, collaboration with researchers, stakeholders, non-governmental organizations, and cooperation of civil society is required. South Africa's already scarce freshwater resources and decaying infrastructure will persist and possibly collapse if no major actions or interventions are implemented.
'As a movement for social change it is important that we understand our own history. This is a compelling read.' From the anti-roads protests of the 1990s to HS2 and Extinction Rebellion, conflict and protest have shaped the politics of transport. In 1989, Margaret Thatcher's government announced 'the biggest road-building programme since the Romans.' This is the inside story of the thirty tumultuous years that have followed. Roads, Runways and Resistance draws on over 50 interviews with government ministers, advisors and protestors - many of whom, including 'Swampy', speak here for the first time about the events they describe. It is a story of transport ministers undermined by their own Prime Ministers, protestors attacked or quietly supported by the police, and smartly-dressed protestors who found a way onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament. Today, as a new wave of road building and airport expansion threatens to bust Britain's carbon budgets, climate change protestors find themselves on a collision course with the government. Melia asks, what difference did the protests of the past make? And what impacts might today's protest movements have on the transport of the future?
This Volume 2 contains essential contributions highlighting the use of biotechnology in dye removal. It begins with an overview of activated sludge process for dye removal along with its limitation is carried out and describes the fundamental concepts of dye-containing textile wastewater treatments, particularly microbial and enzymatic approaches, including the most usual textile wastewater treatments and their trends. It discusses the role microbial biofilms play when employed in the integrated treatment system for effective detoxification, degradation and complete mineralization of pollutants in dye waste effluents. It assesses the most recent advances in the biotransformation of synthetic dyes from wastewater, especially anthraquinone-typed dyes. Phycoremediation as an emerging and efficient technology in dye removal, remediation strategies used by microalgae, and the role of fungi in the dye removal are presented.
"Fundamentals of Air Pollution" is an important and widely used textbook in the environmental science and engineering community. This thoroughly revised fifth edition of "Fundamentals of Air Pollution" has been updated throughout and remains the most complete text available, offering a stronger systems perspective and more coverage of international issues relating to air pollution. Sections on pollution control have been reorganized and updated to demonstrate the move from regulation and control approaches to green and sustainable engineering approaches. The fifth edition maintains a strong interdisciplinary approach
to the study of air pollution, covering such topics as chemistry,
physics, meteorology, engineering, toxicology, policy, and
regulation. New material includes near-road air pollution, new risk
assessment approaches, indoor air quality, the impact of biofuels
and fuel additives, mercury emissions, forecasting techniques, and
the most recent results from the National Air Toxics
Assessment.
This volume offers detailed comparisons and validations of different methods of assessing groundwater vulnerability (DRASTIC, GOD, PI, RTt, AVI, SINTACS, COP). It contains new aspects of vulnerability assessment for the evaluation of coastal aquifer vulnerability and aquifer vulnerability to methane gas leakage from shale gas wells. The book also contains the results of studies on intrinsic and specific vulnerability assessment (migration of antibiotics and nitrate, groundwatersurface water interaction), with examples of the different national approaches to groundwater vulnerability mapping in Poland, Ireland, Italy and elsewhere. There are 15 chapters derived from two IAH conferences held in Ustron, Poland in 2015 and 2018. The book is valuable for those interested in groundwater vulnerability, in risk assessment, and in environmental issues. It is aimed at land use planners, water managers, the environmental industry, regional and local environmental protection councils and students studying hydrogeology and environmental sciences.
Up-to-date coverage of vanadium research--in two accessible, self-contained volumes Vanadium in the Environment brings together the contributions of leading experts on the chemical and toxicological aspects of vanadium exposure and its effects on aquatic and terrestrial environments, human health, and wildlife. This initial volume focuses on chemistry and biochemistry, while Part Two concentrates on health effects and toxicology in living organisms. Topics in this first volume include:
Only in Australasia can the effect of technological societies on
river systems be truly analysed and this unique, accessible book
covers key issues in river management from a geomorphological
perspective.
This second volume on ''Inorganic-Organic Composites for Water and Wastewater Treatment'' reviews research findings on advanced materials and methods for purification. Considering the fact that new emerging pollutants are released into the environment and water bodies, it is necessary to develop more advanced techniques in order to treat them. The utilization of metal - organic framework in view of applications, synthesis, properties like adsorption, characterization of the electronic and geometric aspects, and hybrid systems is reiewed in this book, and the advantages/disadvantages, shortcomings including future prospects associated with metal-based nanoparticles and nanocomposites for water decontamination are discussed. In addition, the use of carbon quantum dots, supramolecular ion-exchange resins, multifunctional composite aerogels, algal biomass valorization and titania-containing composites in treatment processes are also presented.
This book is the final installation in a three-volume series synthesizing 30 years of mercury research in the Florida Everglades. The first part of this book evaluates the occurrence of trends in both biota mercury concentrations and atmospheric mercury deposition. Through both empirical and deterministic analyses, the likely drivers of biota trends are identified. These analyses help lay the predicate for devising an overall strategy to mitigate and manage the Everglades mercury problem. The book concludes with a model analysis of the likely benefits and uncertainty attendant with implementing the leading candidate strategy for best reducing the Everglades mercury problem.
This book introduces the theory and applications of nanometer photocatalysis, and it briefly presents the concept of photocatalysts, photocatalytic reaction mechanisms and kinetics, and photocatalytic reactor design. In addition, the use of photocatalysis in the control of flue-gas pollutants is discussed in detail. The book also describes how a photocatalytic reactor is designed and implemented to evaluate the photocatalytic oxidation capacity of different photocatalysts on elemental mercury in a simulated flue gas. After that, the effect of photocatalysts on the SO2, NOx and Hg removal in the flue gas is studied. Photocatalytic cleaning technology can be applied not only in gas pollutant cleaning at power plants, but also in wastewater purification. Readers gain a comprehensive understanding of possible mercury emission control methods and the industrial applications of these technologies.
This book offers an overview of the recent studies and advances in environmental catalysis by nanomaterials, considering both the fundamental and the technological aspects. It offers contributions in different areas of environmental catalysis, including the catalytic and photocatalytic abatement of environmentally hazardous effluents from stationary or mobile sources, the valorization of waste and the production of sustainable energy. In other words, this monograph provides an overview of modern environmental and energy related applications with a particular emphasis to nano-sized catalytic materials. Recent concepts, experimental data and advanced theories are reported in this book to give evidence of the environmental and sustainable applications that can be found in the highly interdisciplinary field of catalysis.
This book covers edge-point applications in science and engineering. The chapters discuss the functional properties of advanced engineering materials and biomolecules, improving the comprehension of their chemical physical properties and potential for new technological and medicinal applications. The book presents a small number of experimental techniques and computational simulation models from basic concepts of classical/quantum mechanics, physics, chemistry, biology, statistical methods that can predict important applications and properties of these materials/biomolecules. The content shows how improving design of new systems helps in addressing future world problems (health, energy, food, environment, transportation, housing, clothing, etc.), i.e., almost every aspects of our daily lives.
Waters in Peril presents the most recent scientific evidence produced by internationally renowned ocean scientists on the current state of ocean ecosystems, globally. Covering over seventy percent of the earth's surface, the ocean is the world's largest common property resource, jointly owned by over six billion humans. It is the foundation for life on earth as we know it. The content ranges from the movement of essential nutrients in the sea to the loss of diversity as a consequence of overharvesting practices and habitat loss. Essential to the maintenance of complex ecosystems is the proper functioning of biogeochemical cycles within the oceans. Waters in Peril addresses this topic by detailing behavior of the essential nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, and discussing how these cycles are being altered so as to compromise the function of ocean ecosystems. Issues regarding how man-made activities are further altering the structure of oceanic systems are also discussed. In addition, the mechanism for and consequences of the loss of biodiversity are described, with issues such as overfishing, the invasion of exotic species, and the loss of ocean habitat being presented in such a way that the average reader can readily grasp the concepts. Rather than end on a negative Doomsday' note, the final chapters provide recommendations and directions for solutions as to how to reverse these human-induced trends.
This compilation of techniques, methodologies and scientific data arises from a four-year Italian research project, which took place at university research stations in Turin, Piacenza, Naples and Potenza. Soil Organic Matter (SOM) represents an active and essential pool of the total organic carbon on the planet. Consequently, even small changes in this SOM carbon pool may have a significant impact on the concentration of atmospheric CO2. Recent new understanding of the chemical nature of SOM indicates that innovative and sustainable technologies may be applied to sequester carbon in agricultural soils. Overall results of the project have been applied to develop an innovative model for the prediction and description, both quantitatively and qualitatively, of carbon sequestration in agricultural soils. This book provides experts in different areas of soil science with a complete picture of the effects of new soil management methods and their potentials for practical application in farm management.
This comprehensive book contains contributions from specialists who provide a complete status update along with outstanding issues encompassing different topics related to deep-sea mining. Interest in exploration and exploitation of deep-sea minerals is seeing a revival due to diminishing grades and increasing costs of processing of terrestrial minerals as well as availability of several strategic metals in seabed mineral resources; it therefore becomes imperative to take stock of various issues related to deep-sea mining. The authors are experienced scientists and engineers from around the globe developing advanced technologies for mining and metallurgical extraction as well as performing deep sea exploration for several decades. They invite readers to learn about the resource potential of different deep-sea minerals, design considerations and development of mining systems, and the potential environmental impacts of mining in international waters.
Medicinal plants are accumulating impurities from increasing environmental pollution. Pollutants have altered growth features, gas exchange parameters, biochemical attributes, bioactive substances, antioxidant activity, and gene expression. This book brings to light these conditions and a need to alter them. Plants are the natural source of medicines mainly due to the presence of secondary metabolites and have been used as medicine in crude extract form. They have been used to isolate the bioactive compounds in modern medicine as well as in herbal medicine systems and are used worldwide as a valuable source for new drug formulations. This book focuses on secondary metabolites, phytochemicals, and bioactive compounds associated with medicinal plants growing in contamination conditions. There is no existing book on this topic.
Comprehensive coverage, state-of-the-art methods This groundbreaking volume describes the statistical theory that underlies the detection and quantification of environmental pollution both in the laboratory and in the field. It presents the foundation of relating measured concentrations to true concentrations and the development of intervals of uncertainty for true concentrations, and it presents a comprehensive review of the problem of estimating thresholds at which detection and quantification decisions can be made reliably. The authors demonstrate the use of analytical measurements in making environmental impact decisions and in comparing environmental data to regulatory standards and naturally occurring background concentrations. Taking the next step in a major evolution in the way environmental impact decisions are made, Statistical Methods for Detection and Quantification of Environmental Contamination:
An indispensable handbook for scientists and engineers involved in environmental monitoring programs, this book is also an important resource for public health officials, waste facility managers, regulators, statisticians, and analytical chemists.
This book reviews the unique ecosystem of the Lake Skadar/Shkodra and its basin, and discusses the latest advances made in this region to face the impact of climate change. Divided into 23 chapters, the book gathers leading expertise from various scientific and engineering communities and provides readers with extensive discussions of core issues, including the water and sediment chemistry of Lake Skadar/Shkodra and the metal pollution that is evident in plants, aquatic invertebrates and fish. Readers will discover how a sustainable science-based management approach can be applied to the Lake Skadar/Shkodra region, and will learn about the environment prospects for the region. This book is intended as an essential tool for all scientists interested in the Lake Skadar/Shkodra environment - in particular those investigating the interactions between land and water, between limnology and biota, and between natural and cultural resources. |
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