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Vol.
30 No. 5
September-October 2008
Biophysico-Chemical Processes of Anthropogenic Organic Compounds in Environmental Systems
Anthropogenic organic compounds (AOC) are synthetically made organic chemicals. They range from gasoline components (e.g., benzene, toluene, xylene) to emerging contaminants such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals and personal care products. Because of their widespread use and disposal, AOCs are commonly found in our environments, including in the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the soil in which we grow our food. These compounds are often toxic and can severely deteriorate an ecosystem. They can also bioaccumulate through food chains and cause various diseases (and even death) to organisms, including humans. AOCs behave differently in different environmental media, which vary in their physical, chemical, and biological components and processes. Therefore, a more complete understanding of the biophysico-chemical processes of AOCs in environmental systems is essential to the development of innovative management strategies for sustaining the environment and ecosystem integrity.
Physical, chemical, and biological interfacial interactions and processes govern the fate, transport, availability, exposure, and risk of AOCs. However, the fundamentals of many physicochemical and biological interfacial reactions of AOCs and their impacts on ecosystems largely remain unknown. As a result, predictive models for their fate, transport, and risk in different media are often off target. Advancing knowledge in this area would require a concerted effort of scientists in relevant physical and life sciences, including chemistry, mineralogy, geochemistry, microbiology, ecology, and in the soil, atmospheric, and aquatic sciences.
In contrast to traditional books that largely focus on separate, individual physicochemical and biological aspects, the proposed IUPAC-sponsored book on Biophysico-Chemical Processes of Anthropogenic Organic Compounds in Environmental Systems aims to integrate the frontiers of knowledge related to the fundamentals and the impact of physicochemical and biological interactions and processes of AOCs in soil, sediment, water, and air. The objectives of the 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) state-of-the-art analytical techniques of AOCs, and (4) restoration of natural environments contaminated by AOCs. The proposed book will also identify gaps in knowledge on the subject matter and, accordingly, suggest future areas of research.
Ideally, this book will bring together world-renowned international scientists to integrate state-of-the-art issues, the latest discoveries, and future prospects related to research on AOCs in the environment. The book will be an important addition to the scientific literature and a valuable source of reference for students, professors, scientists, and engineers.
This book will be coedited by Baoshan Xing, Nicola Senesi, and P. Ming Huang and will be published as Volume III in the IUPAC series on Biophysico-Chemical Processes in Environmental Systems.
For more information and comments, contact Baoshan Xing <[email protected]>.
www.iupac.org/web/ins/2008-001-1-600
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last modified 22 September 2008.
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