Many environmental problems resulting from atmospheric, land and water pollution are now widely understood. The combination of both improved technology and legislative pressure has led to a reduction in pollution from industrial practices in the West in recent years. However, sustainable development is dependent upon a new approach to environmental protection - clean technology. This book is in two parts. The first explores the ecological principles governing the function of ecosystems, sustain ability and biodiversity (Chapter 1) and the problems resulting from atmospheric pollution (Chapter 2), water pollution (Chapter 3) and land pollution (Chapter 4). For example, there is increasing international concern that the combustion of fossil fuels is leading to an increase in the levels of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen gases which pollute the atmosphere of our planet. The enhanced levels of carbon gases such as carbon dioxide may cause change in our global climate and, in tum, lead to flooding and loss of low-lying coastal regions. In addition, the deposition of sulphur and nitrogen oxides is believed to be the cause of 'acid rain' which has led to loss of fish stocks from upland lochs and damage to forestry plantations.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
It would be of value to someone in industry or academia venturing into the subject and wanting an overview of the issues. - Environmental Pollution; This is an excellent book which can be recommended for teachers and students alike, technocrats and all those interested in making the earth a better place to live in. - Chemical Business; ...well recommended to all environmental scientists from advanced undergraduate course level upwards... - Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology; ...a useful read. - Integrated Environmental Management
Auflage
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Für Beruf und Forschung
Research
Illustrationen
Maße
Höhe: 241 mm
Breite: 160 mm
Dicke: 25 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-7514-0037-3 (9780751400373)
DOI
10.1007/978-94-011-1312-0
Schweitzer Klassifikation
1 Environment and human influence.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 The environmental issue.- 1.3 The environment, abiotic and biotic components.- 1.4 The ecosystem, energy flow, biogeochemical cycling and biodiversity.- 1.5 Human population increase and its influence on the environment.- 1.6 The problem of environmental pollutants.- 1.7 The scope and nature of the problem of toxic chemicals.- 1.8 The strategy of sustainable development.- 1.9 Clean technology in relation to major industrial processes.- 1.10 Concluding remarks.- References.- 2 Atmospheric pollution: components, mechanisms, control and remediation.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 The structure of the atmosphere.- 2.3 Key air pollution species.- 2.4 Air quality standards and guidelines.- 2.5 Emissions of air pollutants.- 2.6 Transport, reaction and deposition of air pollutants.- 2.7 Toxic organic pollutants.- 2.8 Acid deposition.- 2.9 Stratòspheric ozone depletion.- 2.10 The greenhouse effect.- 2.11 Conclusions.- References.- 3 Water pollution.- 3.1 Introduction: water - the essential resource.- 3.2 The present state of the aquatic environment.- 3.3 The impact of pollution on aquatic systems.- 3.4 Legislation and control systems.- 3.5 The way ahead.- References.- 4 Bioremediation: a practical solution to land pollution.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Microbial nutrition and environmental requirements.- 4.3 Bioremediation options.- 4.4 Composting.- 4.5 Land treatment.- 4.6 In situ bioremediation.- 4.7 The oxygen question.- 4.8 Conclusions.- References.- 5 The economics of pollution.- 5.1 Introduction: environmental economics.- 5.2 The basic analytics.- 5.3 Illustrating the economic approach - 'energy adders'.- 5.4 An application to recycling and waste disposal.- 5.5 Conclusions.- References.- 6 Introduction to cleantechnology.- 6.1 Clean technology and clean-up technology.- 6.2 How clean is the technology? Environmental life cycle assessment.- 6.3 Services and commodities.- 6.4 Materials reuse: the new industrial ecology.- 6.5 Waste reduction at source.- 6.6 Concluding remarks.- References.- 7 Agricultural and pharmaceutical chemicals.- 7.1 Introduction - agricultural and pharmaceutical chemicals.- 7.2 Why clean technology?.- 7.3 Clean technology is not new.- 7.4 What has caused the move towards clean technology?.- 7.5 The need for an even playing field.- 7.6 Position of agricultural and pharmaceutical chemicals businesses.- 7.7 The future for agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals.- 7.8 Importance of agriculture.- 7.9 Plant nutrition.- 7.10 Animal health and nutrition.- 7.11 Outline of historical development of agrochemicals.- 7.12 Outline of problems with pesticides.- 7.13 The DDT experience.- 7.14 The 2,4,5-T experience.- 7.15 Legislative control relating to pesticides.- 7.16 Agrochemicals - finding new active ingredients.- 7.17 The pharmaceutical chemicals industry.- 7.18 Outline of historical development of pharmaceutical chemicals.- 7.19 Outline of problems with pharmaceutical chemicals.- 7.20 The thalidomide experience.- 7.21 Legislative control relating to pharmaceutical chemicals.- 7.22 Finding new pharmaceutical actives.- 7.23 Pharmaceutical process development.- 7.24 Pharmaceutical formulation development.- 7.25 Conclusion.- References.- 8 Plastics.- 8.1 Plastics today.- 8.2 Source and nature of plastics.- 8.3 Common plastics and their uses.- 8.4 Cleaner technology of plastics production.- 8.5 Life cycle analysis.- 8.6 Processes available for recycling plastics.- 8.7 Biodegradable plastics.- 8.8 Legislation.- 8.9 Conclusions.- 8.10 Information sources.- References.- 9Clean technology in the food industry.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Ingredients and processing: environmental contamination of foods.- 9.3 Cleaning of food process plant.- 9.4 Liquid and solid wastes.- 9.5 Opportunities for waste minimisation.- 9.6 The environmental impact of food packaging.- 9.7 Clean technology and the food industry.- References.- 10 Clean synthesis.- 10.1 Scope of chapter.- 10.2 Stochiometric reactions.- 10.3 Non-biological catalysts.- 10.4 Biological catalysis.- 10.5 Embryonic ideas in conclusion.- References.- 11 Clean energy supply and use.- 11.1 Introduction.- 11.2 Principles of clean energy.- 11.3 Consequences of the laws of thermodynamics and matter.- 11.4 Case studies.- 11.5 Conclusions.- References.
