Chemistry And Analysis Of Volatile Organic Compounds In The Environment

Interest in the occurrence and behaviour of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is increasing due to their adverse effects on the environment and human health. It is essential that information is made available on the various aspects of research on VOCs to enable better understanding and control of the various environmental and human health threats. The information in this book will be used to improve communication and understanding of the various approaches. In particular the potential and limitations of the described analytical methods will be essential in defining environmental studies and interpreting the results.

Papers delivered at the symposium of the same name, April 1994, by speakers from seven nations. Twenty presentations are arranged under six topics: regulation and assessment, air quality, environmental fate, environmental measurement, environmental monitoring, and control and remediation. A sampling

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Volatile Organic Compounds in Environment" that was published in Environments

Every day, large quantities of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted into the atmosphere from both anthropogenic and natural sources. The formation of gaseous and particulate secondary products caused by oxidation of VOCs is one of the largest unknowns in the quantitative prediction of the earth’s climate on a regional and global scale, and on the understanding of local air quality. To be able to model and control their impact, it is essential to understand the sources of VOCs, their distribution in the atmosphere and the chemical transformations which remove these compounds from the atmosphere. In recent years techniques for the analysis of organic compounds in the atmosphere have been developed to increase the spectrum of detectable compounds and their detection limits. New methods have been introduced to increase the time resolution of those measurements and to resolve more complex mixtures of organic compounds. Volatile Organic Compounds in the Atmosphere describes the current state of knowledge of the chemistry of VOCs as well as the methods and techniques to analyse gaseous and particulate organic compounds in the atmosphere. The aim is to provide an authoritative review to address the needs of both graduate students and active researchers in the field of atmospheric chemistry research.

Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS) is a rapidly growing analytical technique for detecting and identifying very small quantities of chemical compounds in air. It has seen widespread use in atmospheric monitoring and food science and shows increasing promise in applications such as industrial process monitoring, medical science and in crime and security scenarios. Written by leading researchers, this is the first book devoted to PTR-MS and it provides a comprehensive account of the basic principles, the experimental technique and various applications, thus making this book essential reading for researchers, technicians, postgraduate students and professionals in industry. The book contains nine chapters and is divided into two parts. The first part describes the underlying principles of the PTR-MS technique, including • the relevant ion-molecule chemistry • thermodynamics and reaction kinetics • a discussion of ion sources, drift tubes and mass spectrometers • practical aspects of PTR-MS, including calibration. The second part of the book turns its attention to some of the many applications of PTR-MS, demonstrating the scope and benefits, as well as the limitations, of the technique. The chapters that make up the second part of the book build upon the material presented in the first part and are essentially self-contained reviews focusing on the following topics: • environmental science • food science • medicine • homeland security, and • applications of PTR-MS in liquid analysis.

An excellent introduction to the real world of environmental work, this title helps both college students and working professionals improve their understanding of the data collection process. It covers all phases of data collection (planning, field sampling, laboratory analysis, and data quality assessment), and is a single source comprehensive reference for the resolution of the most common problems that environmental professionals face daily in their work. Why This TitleThis title is written in a clear and logical manner that is accessible to environmental professionals of all disciplines. It contains hundreds of practical tips on planning, sampling, and interactions with analytical laboratories. Having this text as a desk reference will greatly improve skills in planning and sampling, and elevate understanding of chemical data to a new level. This topic is of importance to a wide range of environmental professionals from a variety of disciplines (see audience). Written by a practicing professional for practicing professionals, this handbook provides everything an environmental professional needs to know to competently collect environmental chemical data.

This volume reviews the information currently available regarding the chemistry of organic compounds in the atmosphere. Topics discussed include methods for collecting organic compounds from the atmosphere, the influence of organic compounds on indoor and outdoor air quality, the chemistry of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, environmental tobacco smoke, organic compounds in rainwater, organic oxysulfur compounds, and the effect of organic compounds on visibility. Many of these topics presented have never been reviewed or have never appeared together in a single volume. Anyone concerned with atmospheric organic compound monitoring or who conducts research on organic compounds and their effect on the atmospheric environment will find this book to be extremely beneficial.