Environmental Analytical Chemistry

This new edition has been thoroughly revised to take fullaccount of the rapid changes and development in the field over thepast five years. Separation science, atomic spectroscopy andspeciation determinations are areas in which significantdevelopments have been made, and these are reflected in the newedition. The importance of the assessment of the effects ofpollutants on real systems has been recognised by the restructuringof the chapter on biological testing and incorporation of a new oneon environmental toxicology. Self-assessment questions have beenadded.

Environmental science was one of the key concerns of the latterpart of the twentieth century and will continue to be into thetwenty-first. Concerns for environmental protection and publichealth worldwide have led to extensive legislation. Theinvestigation and modelling of environmental systems, together withthe implementation of laws and regulations, has led to a demand fora large number of environmental measurements, many of which aremade by techniques falling within the broad range of analyticalchemistry. Many professionals make regular use of data obtained bytechniques of analytical chemistry. Thus, although not primarilyanalytical chemists or even chemists, they need sufficientknowledge of the background of analytical chemistry to judge thequality and limitations of the environmental data obtained. Verymuch the same situation arises in the academic world, wherestudents are involved in environmental science studies or projectsin which they need appropriate analytical chemistryinformation.

Both analytical chemistry and environmental science have anextensive literature at varying levels of sophistication. However, there have been few attempts to link the two. This book sets outthe background to analytical chemistry and covers the principles ofits most important techniques. This is done in a way that enables auser to grasp the strengths and weaknesses of a technique, togetherwith its principles of operation, without becoming enmeshed in thechemical small print. Links to environmental uses are indicated inbroad terms and then exemplified in more detail by accounts ofspecific and important environmental problems.

Written for students of chemistry, environmental science andrelated disciplines, the book is also an essential reference sourcefor those who use environmental information and need to be aware ofthe factors affecting its quality and reliability.

• This is still the only book to focus exclusively on theanalytical chemistry methods relevant to environmentalstudies.
• As useful to chemists as it is to non-specialists who requirean understanding of the techniques employed to collect data intheir disciplines (e.g. environmental researchers, ecotoxicologists, etc).