Bioavailability Bioaccessibility And Mobility Of Environmental Contaminants

This book covers all aspects of bioavailability, as related to environmental contaminants. After a discussion of the definition of bioavailability and its context, focus is placed on the role of risk assessment and bioavailability. Methods of analysis are then discussed including a range of atomic spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques for metal analysis and chromatographic approaches for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The occurrence, properties and eco-toxicity of POPs and metals in the soil/sediment environment are discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the uptake of POPs and metals by plants (phytoextraction). Examples of POPs and metals in the environment are reviewed. Methods to assess the bioavailability of POPs and metals in the environment are discussed. The particular approaches considered are: non-exhaustive extraction techniques single extraction techniques sequential extraction techniques use of cyclodextrin and surfactants in-vitro gastrointestinal methods including physiological-based extraction test the use of bioasssays including earthworms. Finally, selected case studies highlight the importance of determining the bioavailability of POPs and metals.

Bioavailability refers to the extent to which humans and ecological receptors are exposed to contaminants in soil or sediment. The concept of bioavailability has recently piqued the interest of the hazardous waste industry as an important consideration in deciding how much waste to clean up. The rationale is that if contaminants in soil and sediment are not bioavailable, then more contaminant mass can be left in place without creating additional risk. A new NRC report notes that the potential for the consideration of bioavailability to influence decision-making is greatest where certain chemical, environmental, and regulatory factors align. The current use of bioavailability in risk assessment and hazardous waste cleanup regulations is demystified, and acceptable tools and models for bioavailability assessment are discussed and ranked according to seven criteria. Finally, the intimate link between bioavailability and bioremediation is explored. The report concludes with suggestions for moving bioavailability forward in the regulatory arena for both soil and sediment cleanup.

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.

Multidisciplinary treatment of the urgent issues surrounding urban pollution worldwide Written by some of the top experts on the subject in the world, this book presents the diverse, complex and current themes of the urban pollution debate across the built environment, urban development and management continuum. It uniquely combines the science of urban pollution with associated policy that seeks to control it, and includes a comprehensive collection of international case studies showing the status of the problem worldwide. Urban Pollution: Science and Management is a multifaceted collection of chapters that address the contemporary concomitant issues of increasing urban living and associated issues with contamination by offering solutions specifically for the built environment. It covers: the impacts of urban pollution; historical urban pollution; evolution of air quality policy and management in urban areas; ground gases in urban environments; bioaccessibility of trace elements in urban environments; urban wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal; living green roofs; light pollution; river ecology; greywater recycling and reuse; containment of pollution from urban waste disposal sites; bioremediation in urban pollution mitigation; air quality monitoring; urban pollution in China and India; urban planning in sub–Saharan Africa and more. Deals with both the science and the relevant policy and management issues Examines the main sources of urban pollution Covers both first-world and developing world urban pollution issues Integrates the latest scientific research with practical case studies Deals with both legacy and emerging pollutants and their effects The integration of physical and environmental sciences, combined with social, economic and political sciences and the use of case studies makes Urban Pollution: Science and Management an incredibly useful resource for policy experts, scientists, engineers and those interested in the subject.

In contrast to the classical books which largely focus on separate, individual physicochemical and biological aspects, this book aims to integrate the frontiers of knowledge on the fundamentals and the impact of physicochemical and biological interactions and processes of AOCs in soil, sediment, water and air. The specific objectives of this book are to address: (1) fundamental biophysico-chemical processes of AOCs in the environment, (2) occurrence and distribution of AOCs in air, water, and soil, and their global cycling, (3) the state-of-the-art analytical techniques of AOCs, and (4) restoration of natural environments contaminated by AOCs. The book also identifies the gaps in knowledge on the subject matter and as such provides future directions to stimulate scientific research to advance the chemical science on biophysico-chemical interfacial reactions in natural habitats. By virtue of complex nature of the interactions of AOCs with different environmental components and matrixes, no single available technique and instrument is satisfactory yet for determining their fate, transport, availability, and risk in the environment. In order to fully understand the biophysico-chemical interactions and processes of AOCs in the environment, it is critical to know chemical, physical and biological properties of AOCs and their analytical techniques. The book is unique because of its multidisciplinary approach as it provides a comprehensive and integrated coverage of biophysico-chemical reactions and processes of AOCs in various environments, associated analytical techniques, and restoration of natural environments contaminated by AOCs.

Heavy-metal contamination is one of the world's major environmental problems, posing significant risks to agro-ecosystems. Conventional technologies employed for heavy-metal remediation have often been expensive and disruptive. This book provides comprehensive, state-of-the-art coverage of the natural, sustainable alternatives that use a wide range of biological materials in the removal/detoxification of heavy metals, consequently leading to the improvement of crops in these soils. Novel, environmentally friendly and inexpensive solutions are presented based on a sound understanding of metal contamination and the roles of plants and microbes in the management of these toxic soils. Written by worldwide experts, the book provides not only the necessary scientific background but also addresses the challenging questions that require special attention in order to better understand metal toxicity in soils and its management through bioremediation.

This book explores current trends in seafood science and examines various related topics including isolation aspects and different methodologies involved in seafood production. It provides detailed explanations about marine species such as fish, seaweed, and crustaceans and discusses their health benefits as well as the health risk for consumption. These topics provide a platform to develop various aquaculture/biotechnology studies. The book is essential reading for the novice and expert in marine-related fields such as aquaculture, as well as those in biotechnology, chemical sciences, natural products, materials science, pharmaceutical science, and nutraceutical science.

The fifth edition includes new sections on the use of adverse outcome pathways, how climate change changes how we think about toxicology, and a new chapter on contaminants of emerging concern. Additional information is provided on the derivation of exposure-response curves to describe toxicity and they are compared to the use of hypothesis testing. The text is unified around the theme of describing the entire cause-effect pathway from the importance of chemical structure in determining exposure and interaction with receptors to the use of complex systems and hierarchical patch dynamic theory to describe effects to landscapes.