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 degradation of renewables - land and freshwater - worldwide leads to conflict over access and/or distribution of these resources. However, not all conflicts become violent. Environmentally-caused violence is hardly found in relations between states. Today, mainly in developing countries, there is a correlation between environmental degradation and violent conflicts. As this synthesis of 40 case studies indicates, there are different causal pathways of current violent conflicts and wars that can be traced to the environmental roots of the conflict. Rwanda is a good example to demonstrate the interaction of ethnic, social, political and ecological factors. Whereas most studies in this field focus on classical security issues, the author here puts an emphasis on growing structural heterogeneity in agricultural societies which tend to discriminate chiefly against those rural producers who are the victims of bad resource allocations, unequal resource distribution, high dependence on natural capital, and bad state performance. One major conclusion to be discussed among scholars, teachers, and advanced students and to be taken seriously by professionals in international organizations is the following: competing land tenure systems, unclear property rights, large-scale farming, and nationalizing land by discriminating against small-holders, pastoralists, the landless, etc. provide a considerable potential for conflict and, thus, contribute to unsustainable resource use, social unrest, and political instability.

Most studies of the impacts of climate change consider impacts in the future from anthropogenic climate change. Very few consider what the impacts of past climate change have been. History and Climate: Memories of the Future? contains 13 interdisciplinary chapters which consider impacts of change in different regions of the world, over the last millennium. Initial chapters assess evidence for the changes, while later chapters consider the impacts on agriculture, fisheries, health, and society. The book will be of interest to anyone working in the field of climate change and history.

Global pesticide use is currently estimated at approximately 2. 5 billion kg per year (Pimentel eta/. , 1998). To be effective, pesticides need to persist for a certain period of time. However, the longer their persistence, the greater the potential for transport of a fraction of the amount applied away from the target area. Pesticides are dispersed in the environment by water currents, wind, or biota. Pesticides can directly contaminate ground and surface waters by leaching, surface run-off and drift. Pesticides can also enter the atmosphere during application by evaporation and drift of small spray droplets, that remain airborne. Following application, pesticides may volatilise from the crop or the soil. Finally, wind erosion can cause soil particles and dust loaded with pesticides to enter the atmosphere. The extent to which pesticides enter the air compartment is dependent upon many factors: the properties of the substance in question (e. g. vapour pressure), the amount used, the method of application, the formulation, the weather conditions (such as wind speed, temperature, humidity), the nature of the crop and soil characteristics. Measurements at application sites reveal that sometimes more than half of the amount applied is lost into the atmosphere within a few days (Spencer and Cliath, 1990; Taylor and Spencer; 1990; Van den Berg et a/. , this issue).

This book systematically investigates the nitrogen removal characteristics of two screened aerobic denitrifying bacteria and their applications in nitrogen oxides emissions reduction. It reveals that Pseudomonas stutzeri PCN-1 possesses excellent capacity for aerobic nitrogen removal, regardless of whether nitrate, nitrite or N2O were taken as denitrification substrates. It also demonstrates that the rapid N2O reduction is due to the coordinate expression of denitrification genes. Further, the book discusses the bioaugmentation experiments conducted in denitrifying SBR and a pilot-scale Carrousel oxidation ditch, which confirmed that the strain could significantly enhance denitrification performance, reduce N2O emission and improve system stability. The second strain, P.aeruginosa PCN-2 accumulated negligible NO during aerobic nitrate and nitrite removal and efficiently removed NO from flue gas. This study is of great significance for potential applications of aerobic denitrification in mitigating nitrogen oxides emissions from biological nitrogen removal systems.

This volume examines legal matters regarding the prevention and fighting of historical pollution caused by industrial emissions. "Historical pollution" refers to the long-term or delayed onset effects of environmental crimes such as groundwater or soil pollution. Historical Pollution presents and compares national legal approaches, including the most interesting and effective mechanisms for managing environmental problems in relation with historical pollution. It features interdisciplinary and international comparisons of traditional and alternative justice mechanisms. This book will be of interest to researchers in criminology and criminal justice and related areas, such as politics, law, and economics, those in the public and private sectors dealing with environmental protection, including international institutions, corporations, specialized national agencies, those involved in the criminal justice system, and policymakers.

Water, Land, and Forest Susceptibility and Sustainability, Volume 1: Geospatial Approaches & Modeling brings an interdisciplinary perspective to solving complex problems in sustainability, utilizing the latest research and technologies, and includes case studies that emphasize the applications of remote sensing, GIS, and image processing for addressing the current state and future needs to achieve sustainability. As forests, land, and water are among the most precious resources on earth, emphasizing the need to conserve them for future generations and, of course, a safe and sustainable planet. The assessment of the susceptibility of all these three precious resources must therefore be addressed to inform their sustainable management. This 1st volume encourages adaptive activities among experts employed in interdisciplinary fields, from data mining and machine learning to environmental science by linking geospatial computational intelligence technology to forest, land and water issues.

Estimates of the air pollution health impact play a crucial role in environmental protection. These estimates require accurate data on the pollutant exposure and dose to the population as well as the dose-response relationships to calculate the health impact. From an air quality manager's perspective there is concern about the validity and accuracy of these calculations. There is a need for information and possible ways to adjust the assessment. One important topic for air quality managers is to understand the relative cont- bution of sources to the total exposure. These sources may be coming from both different outdoor sources from sectors such as transport, industry and energy ind- tries, and from a number of indoor sources, such as heating, ventilation and indoor activities as well as out-gassing from building material and furniture. Indoor air quality is now drawing the attention of policy makers. The basic right to, and importance of, healthy indoor air was emphasized by the World Health Organization as early as 2000 and several countries have described target conc- trations for various pollutants. The WHO Air Quality Guidelines 2005 rec- mended the development of specific guidelines for indoor air quality and these are expected to be published soon. Indoor air pollutants have not been as extensively monitored as outdoor air pollutants and the evidence base for contributions to health effects needs to be strengthened.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling Alan Gratz comes this must-read middle grade novel tackling the urgent topic of climate change. Fire. Flood. Ice. Three natural disasters. Three kids who must fight to survive and change things for the better. In California, Akira Kristiansen is driving through the mountains with her mom when a wildfire sparks - and grows scarily fast. In just moments, Akira and her family have to evacuate... but which way is safe with fire all around them? In Churchill, Manitoba, Owen Mackenzie is running a tour for travellers who've come to see the polar bears. Lately the bears show up more and more as the ice thins. When Owen and his friend see a bear much too close for comfort, they end up in a fight for their lives. In Miami, a hurricane bears down on Natalie Torres. That's not so uncommon ... but everyone's saying this could be it. The Big One. Natalie and her mother don't have anywhere to run to, so they hunker down to ride out the storm. Akira, Owen, and Natalie are all swept up in the global effects of climate change, each struggling to survive. But the three kids are more deeply connected than they could ever imagine - in ways that will change them can change the world. From the bestselling author of Refugee, Allies and Ground Zero Sheds a light on the increasingly urgent threat of climate change in an engaging way Gratz writing is exciting and takes readers on a nonstop adventure

Most publications on heavy metals and the environment have focused on environmental pathways and risks. The present book establishes a link between the environmental risks of heavy metals and the societal causes of the risks. Economic models, substance flow models and environmental fate and risk assessment models have been integrated into a single analytical framework that has been used to trace and understand the routes by which four heavy metals enter the economy, through to their final destination in the environment. The long-term impacts of the current metals management regime in the Netherlands have been used as a case study by which to assess the effectiveness of certain policy measures. Readership: Environmental scientists, especially those practising in the areas of ecological economics, industrial ecology, materials flow accounting and integrated environmental assessment. Environmental policy makers will also find the book an invaluable aid in their deliberations.

This volume highlights some of the challenges in delivering effective environmental health interventions, and presents examples of emergent theories and case studies that can help close the gap between intent and impact. These include impact crediting systems, objective evidence gathering tools, and social businesses that service environmental health. The case studies presented cross disciplines, scales, organizational and national boundaries and can defy easy categorization. A water project may be designed for a health impact, but financed with a climate change tool, and leverage high tech cell phone sensors. A cookstove program may be primarily concerned with employment and capacity building, but balance environmental and health concerns. Presently, the impact of interventions may not always be aligned to the intent sought. In this book, readers will discover alternative ways to move the mindset of funders and implementers toward pay-for-performance models of humanitarian and environmental interventions. Undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, global health, appropriate technology, international development and development engineering would benefit from these increasingly non-traditional case studies that challenge commonly accepted presentations of poverty reduction and social enterprise.

With an annual growth rate of over 35%, wind is the fastest growing energy source in the world today. As a result of intensive research and developmental efforts, the technology of generating energy from wind has significantly changed during the past five years. The book brings together all the latest aspects of wind energy conversion technology - right from the wind resource analysis to grid integration of the wind generated electricity. The chapters are contributed by academic and industrial experts having vast experience in these areas. Each chapter begins with an introduction explaining the current status of the technology and proceeds further to the advanced lever to cater for the needs of readers from different subject backgrounds. Extensive bibliography/references appended to each chapter give further guidance to the interested readers.

What happens when a chemical is released into the environment? It diffuses, disperses, adsorbs, reacts, and/or changes state. To predict and analyze this process, the mathematics of diffusion is applied to lakes, rivers, groundwater, the atmosphere, the oceans, and transport between these media. A sustainable world requires a deep understanding of the transport of chemicals through the environment and how to address and harness this process. This volume presents a succinct and in-depth introduction to this critical topic. Featuring authoritative, peer-reviewed articles from the Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Transport and Fate of Chemicals in the Environment represents an essential one-stop reference for an audience of researchers, undergraduate and graduate students, and industry professionals.

This book explores various facets of the transition to renewable energy in the Arctic region. It critically examines the adverse effects of fossil fuel extraction and use, environmental and social impacts of climate change, and the possibility of a low carbon energy system through innovation and technology. Drawing together a diverse range of contributors and considering a range of new energy sources, this volume also looks at the scale of the transition challenges in the Arctic energy production and use, the necessary flexibility to balance energy demand and supply, the need of a more integrated energy infrastructure, and the new energy business models, health and safety, and quality standards for the region. Finally, it examines the transit and influence between Arctic and non-Arctic countries, in terms of growth, partnerships and new dynamics of a transitioning process to a sustainable energy system. Focusing on specific case studies that represent the most relevant energy projects in the region, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars of energy policy and transitions, climate change, global business and sustainable development.

Based on a symposium sponsored by the Environmental Division of the American Chemical Society, Perchlorate in the Environment is the first comprehensive book to address perchlorate as a potable water contaminant. The two main topics are: analytical chemistry (focusing on ion chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry), and treatment or remediation. Also included are topics such as ion exchange, phytoremediation, bacterial reduction of perchlorate, bioreactors, and in situ bioremediation. To provide complete coverage, background chapters on fundamental chemistry, toxicology, and reulatory issues are also included. The authors are environmental consultants, government researchers, industry experts, and university professors from a wide array of disciplines.

Since the 1950s, the pines native to the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California have shown symptoms of decline that have proven to result from exposure to ozone, a major plant-damaging gas in photochemical oxidant air pollution. Because of their proximity to major urban areas, the San Bernardino Mountains have served as a natural laboratory for studying effects of oxidant and acidic air pollution on a mixed-conifer forest. This volume presents a body of research conducted over more than thirty years, including an intensive interdisciplinary five-year study begun in 1991. Chapters include studies of the relationships of biogeography and climate to the region's air pollution, the chemical and physiological mechanisms of ozone injury, as well as the impacts of nitrogen-containing pollutants and natural stresses on polluted forests. The synthesis of such long-term studies provides insights into the combined influences of pollutants on ecosystem function in forested regions with Mediterranean-type climates.

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.

It is the publicity about the Pollutant Release Inventory's data which creates an incentive for firms to achieve emission reductions. Accordingly, public access to environmental information constitutes a core characteristic of the aforementioned inventory. Here, in essence, two facets arise. First, with regard to the collection, it is disputed whether such information, which may comprise confidential commercial and industrial information in the EU as well as trade secrets in the US, can be protected under fundamental and constitutional property rights respectively. Second, in the context of dissemination and utilisation, it is arguable whether the information indeed impacts polluters and produces an outcome that secures a certain level of environmental protection. The author responds to the first issue by taking the EU and US jurisdictions into account and strives to analyse how this novel form of Internet disclosure liberates market mechanisms in the quest for effective and efficient emission reductions.

The countries of West Asia and North Africa (WANA) have long had the challenge of providing sustainable livelihoods for their populations in the fragile ecosystems of semi-arid and arid areas. Climate change is already a reality in WANA and it places additional constraints on the already fragile ecosystems of dry areas and limited natural resources in WANA. A comprehensive and integrated approach to planning and implementing the climate change adaptation strategies across the wide range of agro-ecosystems in different countries in WANA could help both the planners and the local communities to deal effectively with the projected impacts and also contribute to overall sustainability of agricultural production systems. This book addresses the important issue of climate change and food security in West Asia and North Africa and presents the appropriate strategies which could help in the development of new policies to better adapt agriculture production systems and enhance food security in WANA.

This book discusses the development, types and application principles of portable air purifiers in China. It analyzes the theoretical characteristics of air purifiers under various operational conditions, and points out that the term "Clean Air Delivery Rate" cannot be used to precisely reflect the problems that occur under various operational conditions. By comparing theoretical and measured data, it highlights the mainfeatures of air purifiers and key points in the design process for different applications. Calculation methods for the indoor particle concentration and the self-purification time are also provided. The book describes the conditions for window opening in smog and for selecting air purifiers, and proposes a newmethod for improvingtheir measurement. In closing, it includes a new assessment index.

Personal computers have made life convenient in many ways, but what about their impacts on the environment due to production, use and disposal? Manufacturing computers requires prodigious quantities of fossil fuels, toxic chemicals and water. Rapid improvements in performance mean we often buy a new machine every 1-3 years, which adds up to mountains of waste computers. How should societies respond to manage these environmental impacts?
This volume addresses the environmental impacts and management of computers through a set of analyses on issues ranging from environmental assessment, technologies for recycling, consumer behaviour, strategies of computer manufacturing firms, and government policies. One conclusion is that extending the lifespan of computers (e.g. through reselling) is an environmentally and economically effective strategy that deserves more attention from governments, firms and the general public.

This Special Issue of Water, Air and Soil Pollution offers contributions from the th 18 IUFRO workshop on Air Pollution Stress, Forest Responses to the Pollution st Climate of the 21 Century held in Edinburgh, Scotland, from September 21 to 23,1998. The meeting was held under the auspices of IUFRO, Research Group 7.04.00 chaired by Dr Kevin Percy of Canada. A new session structure was adopted to stimulate activity within the six working parties and a brief resume of these is presented at the front of this volume. The two, one-day plenary sessions were devoted to the two important air pollution issues, nitrogen deposition and ozone. Invited papers were augmented by a large and excellent contribution of poster papers. The final day comprised parallel Working Party Sessions with pre arranged speakers to stimulate discussions. One hundred and thirty one scientists attended, representing 20 countries and 7 IUFRO regions: Northern Europe, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Mediterranean, North America, Asia and the Western Pacific. Lucy Sheppard David Fowler Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 116: 1, 1999.

In this study, an overview is presented of agricultural policies on manure and minerals, relating to the Nitrate Directive to remedy excessive surface- and groundwater contamination from intensive agricultural practices. Six countries belonging to the European Union were studied: the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The policies and their legal incorporation were related to agricultural and environmental conditions in each country. In addition, an inventory was made of agricultural mineral poli cies in the United States and Canada. Conditions for livestock farming in North America differ considerably from those in Europe, but their solutions shed a different light on European policies. Research has shown that there are still very considerable mineral surpluses in many countries and regions. In both the Netherlands and in the Flemish part of Belgium, existing problems due to very high levels of manure production are structural rather than local and cannot easily be solved by transport of manure to other regions. To a lesser extent. Germany, Denmark and relatively small parts of France (Brittany) and the United Kingdom, still exceed the norms for an equilibrium fertilization. In Denmark, existing problems can probably be solved within the existing legislative framework. The Netherlands, Flanders. several German Lander (Nordrhein-Westfalen and Schleswig-Holstein) and Brittany."