Considerable recent research has focused on the topic of chemical speciation in the environment. It is increasingly realised that the distribution, mobility and biological availability of chemical elements depend not simply on their concentrations but, critically, on the forms in which they occur in natural systems. Continuing developments in analytical chemistry have made speciation practicable even where analytes are present at trace levels (as is often the case in natural samples). In the second edition of this book, the expertise of scientists involved in chemical speciation in various fields have been brought together to provide an overview of the current status of speciation science and indicate how the field may develop in the future.

Report, the editors replaced the term "speciation" wherever it occurred by "identification and quantification," or "description of abundance," or "reactivity," or "transformation" of a chemical species, according to whichever one of the four meanings the author had evidently meant to convey. In line with the Dahlem Workshop Model, this Report comprises the background papers written in advance of the meeting on the current status of problems in environmental research and on advanced analytical tech niques for the identification and quantification of chemical species, as well as the group reports summarizing the results of the discussions held during the meeting. Each group report was prepared during the meeting by one "rapporteur" with the help of members of that group and finalized by the rapporteur (listed as the first author of the group report) after the meeting, taking into account both verbal comments made during the presentation of the reports in the plenary session at the end of the workshop and written comments received afterwards.

Volume 17, entitled Lead: Its Effects on Environment and Health of the series Metal Ions in Life Sciences centers on the interrelations between biosystems and lead. The book provides an up-to-date review of the bioinorganic chemistry of this metal and its ions; it covers the biogeochemistry of lead, its use (not only as gasoline additive) and anthropogenic release into the environment, its cycling and speciation in the atmosphere, in waters, soils, and sediments, and also in mammalian organs. The analytical tools to determine and to quantify this toxic element in blood, saliva, urine, hair, etc. are described. The properties of lead(II) complexes formed with amino acids, peptides, proteins (including metallothioneins), nucleobases, nucleotides, nucleic acids, and other ligands of biological relevance are summarized for the solid state and for aqueous solutions as well. All this is important for obtaining a coherent picture on the properties of lead, its effects on plants and toxic actions on mammalian organs. This and more is treated in an authoritative and timely manner in the 16 stimulating chapters of Volume 17, which are written by 36 internationally recognized experts from 13 nations. The impact of this recently again vibrant research area is manifested in nearly 2000 references, over 50 tables and more than 100 illustrations (half in color). Lead: Its Effects on Environment and Health is an essential resource for scientists working in the wide range from material sciences, inorganic biochemistry all the way through to medicine including the clinic ... not forgetting that it also provides excellent information for teaching.

The ongoing progress of science has shown that it is important for analytical scientists to determine not only the presence of particular elements, but also their species. There are many fields where this is applicable, and where there are a number of topics to be addressed. Developing separation and measurement systems for the many element species has tested the resourcefulness of analytical chemists over recent decades. A product of the EU sponsored Speciation 21 Network, this book presents a detailed review of the state-of-the-art of speciation issues in the occupational health, food and environment sectors, along with the main conclusions arising from discussions held during expert meetings. Topics covered include mercury and organotin compounds in the environment; factors affecting the health of workers; the importance of speciation of trace elements for health, and subsequent metabolism in the body; analytical methodologies; risk assessment; and legislation. Trace Element Speciation for Environment, Food and Health provides an insight into applied research in the speciation field and how it has become so important in all the fields represented. With its comprehensive coverage, it will be of particular interest to researchers in industry and academia, as well as government agencies and legislative bodies.

Currently, it is a serious concern to manage waste in the environment. Therefore, detailed knowledge of heavy metals, their eco-toxicological and health effects and ecofriendly approaches for their immobilization and detoxification is urgently required to control and minimize the environmental pollution. Composting is one of the popular methods in waste management and there are a lot of issues pertaining to composting. One of it is the leaching of heavy metals. This book discusses thoroughly, the availability, leachability and the speciation of heavy metals in the entire process of composting.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) defines the term “speciation” as the distribution of an element amongst defined chemical species in a system, while the process leading to quantitative estimation of the content of different species is called speciation analysis. The chemical speciation of elements in natural waters and biological fluids is a key topic, essential for discussing the chemical reactivity of constituents in these systems. It is well understood that it is the chemical form of a metal or metalloids that determines its reactivity, lifetime, and fate in the environment. Chemical speciation now involves various sectors of the sciences, from chemistry to biology, biochemistry, and environmental sciences, since—as is well known—the total concentration, alone, of an inorganic or organic component (metal or ligand) in a multicomponent natural system (fresh water, sea water, biological fluids, soil, etc.) is insufficient for a comprehensive understand of its behavior in those contests.

Comprehensive and multidisciplinary presentation of the current trends in trace elements for human, animals, plants, and the environment This reference provides the latest research into the presence, characterization, and applications of trace elements and their role in humans, animals, and plants as well as their use in developing novel, functional feeds, foods, and fertilizers. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to the subject, describing the biological and industrial applications of trace elements. It covers various topics, such as the occurrence, role, and monitoring of trace elements and their characterization, as well as applications from the preliminary research to laboratory trials. Recent Advances in Trace Elements focuses on the introduction and prospects of trace elements; tackles environmental aspects such as sources of emission, methods of monitoring, and treatment/remediation processes; goes over the biological role of trace elements in plants, animals, and human organisms; and discusses the relevance of biomedical applications and commercialization. A compendium of recent knowledge in interdisciplinary trace element research Uniquely covers production and characterization of trace elements, as well as the industrial and biomedical aspects of their use Paves the way for the development of innovative products in diverse fields, including pharmaceuticals, food, environment, and materials science Edited by well-known experts in the field of trace elements with contributions from international specialists from a wide range of areas Unique in presenting comprehensive and multidisciplinary information of the key aspects of trace elements research in a digestible form, this book is essential reading for the novice and expert in the fields of environmental science, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, materials science, pharmaceutical science, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical sciences. It is also valuable for companies that implement new products incorporating trace elements to the market.

Recent developments clearly indicate that speciation studies in biological and environmental matrices are much more important than the total element determination due to the tremendous difference in bioavailability and toxicity of various chemical forms of a particular element. Different separation-detection techniques and hyphenated systems—each with its own advantages and disadvantages with respect to precision, sensitivity and detection limit—have been developed for the identification and quantification of the species present in systems at ultra-trace levels. This book aims to evaluate the speciation analysis in depth and present a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art analytical approaches used for the speciation of elements in environmental samples.

This book provides extensive and comprehensive information to researchers and academicians who are interested in radionuclide contamination, its sources and environmental impact. It is also useful for graduate and undergraduate students specializing in radioactive-waste disposal and its impact on natural as well as manmade environments. A number of sites are affected by large legacies of waste from the mining and processing of radioactive minerals. Over recent decades, several hundred radioactive isotopes (radioisotopes) of natural elements have been produced artificially, including 90Sr, 137Cs and 131I. Several other anthropogenic radioactive elements have also been produced in large quantities, for example technetium, neptunium, plutonium and americium, although plutonium does occur naturally in trace amounts in uranium ores. The deposition of radionuclides on vegetation and soil, as well as the uptake from polluted aquifers (root uptake or irrigation) are the initial point for their transfer into the terrestrial environment and into food chains. There are two principal deposition processes for the removal of pollutants from the atmosphere: dry deposition is the direct transfer through absorption of gases and particles by natural surfaces, such as vegetation, whereas showery or wet deposition is the transport of a substance from the atmosphere to the ground by snow, hail or rain. Once deposited on any vegetation, radionuclides are removed from plants by the airstre am and rain, either through percolation or by cuticular scratch. The increase in biomass during plant growth does not cause a loss of activity, but it does lead to a decrease in activity concentration due to effective dilution. There is also systemic transport (translocation) of radionuclides within the plant subsequent to foliar uptake, leading the transfer of chemical components to other parts of the plant that have not been contaminated directly.

This book provides the fundamentals, recent developments, and future research needs for critical mercury transformation and transport processes, as well as the experimental methods that have been employed in recent studies. The coverage discusses the environmental behavior and toxicological effects of mercury on organisms, including humans, and provides case studies at the end of each chapter. Bringing together information normally spread across several books, this text is unique in covering the entire mercury cycle and providing a baseline for what is known and what uncertainties remain in respect to mercury cycling.