After three children stumble on dumped radioactive waste in a Murmansk forest, one of them dies from radiation poisoning. Outraged by such a tragic waste of a child's life, American doctor John Ross joins forces with a Typhoon class submarine captain (the father of one of the surviving children) and an undercover operative from the Russian Radiation Authority to hunt down those responsible. This puts them on a collision course with a Russian Mafia boss and an Al-Qaeda agent determined to acquire nuclear material. They find themselves entangled in a web of brutality, bribery and blackmail, where no one is who they seem and everyone is expendable ...

"Toxic Metal Syndrome" exposes the root causes of the wastes that cause debilitating conditions and pollute the environment and explodes the myth that nothing can be done to avoid or treat them.

While not all metals in Soil--plant systems are inherently toxic, particularly in low concentrations, there is an increasing incidence of metal pollution from aerial fallout, spoils, wastes and agricultural amendments including sewage sludge. Toxic Metals in Soil--Plant Systems discusses the processes of trace-metal cycling in contaminated ecosystems under conditions where their concentrations become toxic through high loading rates, long-term exposure or altered environmental conditions. Other environmental and pedological concentration mechanisms are discussed, including cation exchange and anion adsorption onto different soil materials. The book is divided into two sections; the first part discusses the sources and fates of metals in ecosystems, with an up-to-date review of the processes which control metal speciation in soils, metal uptake mechanisms, and plant responses to toxic metal concentrations in soils. A clear understanding of these processes and their interactions in soil is necessary before it is possible to instigate amelioration and restoration programmes for metal-contaminated land. In the second part of the book, a selection of case studies are presented which discuss metal toxicities and metal cycling in a range of different ecosystems, including managed agricultural systems, deciduous woodland, upland heather moorland, and tropical wetlands. In these studies a number of current issues are addressed, including the setting of toxicity thresholds for safe sewage sludge application to agricultural land, the accumulation of soil metals over time in aerially impacted systems, and metal transfers between ecosystem compartments, which are of particular concern in food crops. Providing an integrated view of toxic metals both in the soil and associated growing plants, this book covers a wide range of topics including agriculture, soil science, ecology and forestry and will be of use to researchers and environmental consultants working in these fields.

The knowledge of metal ion speciation is essential for predicting the exact toxicities of metal ion species in the environment. Metal ions can exist in various oxidation states, each of which possesses different physical and chemical properties as well as exhibit varying toxicities. Often, toxicity data is unreliable because it is based on metal io

Heavy metals and metalloids, singly or in combination, induce toxic manifestations either through acute or chronic pathology. In particular, long-term chronic exposure to diverse heavy metals and metalloids to humans and animals can lead to numerous physical, muscular, neurological, nephrological, and diverse degenerative diseases and dysfunctions, including multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and several others. Recognized heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, thallium, and hexavalent chromium are known for enormous toxicity. The immediate vital signs of acute heavy metal exposure include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and acute abdominal pain. Mercury has been identified as the most toxic heavy metal, and mercury poisoning is known as acrodynia or pink disease. Similarly, lead, another toxic heavy metal, was at one time an integral part of painting. Metal Toxicology Handbook further explains and discusses the varying attributes of metals, discussing toxicity, safety, and proper human utilization of metals. Beginning with a broad overview of metals, metalloids, redox biology, and neurodegeneration and going further into the roles, benefits, and toxicity of metals with each section, the text contains 28 chapters from eminent researchers and scientists in their respective fields and is a must-have for anyone researching the potential toxicity in metals. Key Features Discusses the pathology of metal toxicity Highlights the benefits of metals Explains the mechanism and salient features of restoring metabolic homeostasis Highlights dose-dependent beneficial and adverse effects of vanadium safety and toxicity The initial introductory section provides a broad overview of metals, metalloids, redox biology, and neurodegeneration. The second section discusses the pathology of metal toxicity in two chapters, while the third section highlights the mechanism and salient features of restoring metabolic homeostasis in two chapters. The fourth section demonstrates the aspect of radionuclides toxicity. In a change of pace, the fifth section discusses the benefits of metals in four chapters. The sixth section, titled "Toxic Manifestations by Diverse Heavy Metals and Metalloids," provides fourteen chapters that discuss the toxicological mechanism and manifestation of individual metals. The editors have crafted a commentary titled "A Treatise on Metal Toxicity" and summarized a vivid scenario of metal toxicity and its consequences.

This book presents an overview of the latest advances and developments in plant biotechnology. The respective chapters explore emerging areas of plant biotechnology such as RNAi technology, fermentation technology, genetic engineering, nanoparticles and their applications, climate resilient crops, bio-films, bio-plastic, bio-remediation, flavonoids, antioxidants etc. All chapters were written by respected experts and address the latest developments in plant biotechnology that are of industrial importance, especially with regard to crop yields and post-harvest strategies. As such, the book offers a valuable guide for students, educators and researchers in all disciplines of the life sciences, agricultural sciences, medicine, and biotechnology at universities, research institutions and biotechnology companies.

Filling the urgent need for a professional book that specifies the applications of nanoelectrochemistry for the monitoring of persistent toxic substances, this monograph clearly describes the design concept, construction strategies and practical applications of PTS sensing interfaces based on nanoelectrochemical methods. The comprehensive and systematic information not only provides readers with the fundamentals, but also inspires them to develop PTS monitoring sensors based on functional nanostructures and nanomaterials. Of interestto chemists, electrochemistry researchers, materials researchers, environmental scientists, and companies dealing with electrochemical treatment and environment.

Volume 44, devoted solely to the vital research areas concerning the biogeochemistry of metals and their transport in the environment and availability to living systems, offers 9 timely and authoritative chapters on these fascinating topics by 19 internationally recognized experts.

As one of many tasks of an analytical chemistry program sponsored by the office of Pesticides and Toxic Substances, Field Studies Branch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (EPA Prime Contract No. 68-02-3938), Midwest Research Institute (MRI) prepared these summaries of the mammalian toxicology of 52 individual elements (metals and metalloids) and the lanthanides (rare earth elements). MRI is assisting the EPA in developing protocols for the monitoring of selected metals and organic compounds in the blood of the general U.S. population. The monitoring will enable evaluation of changes in the blood levels over time and any trends associated with instituted control measures. This review will help EPA select the metals to be included in the monitoring effort based on toxicity, relative exposure, and the ability of blood measurements to reflect exposure.