Georg Schwedt studied chemistry at the University of GÖttingen, Germany, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Hanover, Germany. Schwedt was appointed Director of the Institute of Food Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Stuttgart. From 1987 until his retirement in 2006, he has been Professor of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry at the Clausthal University of Technology. Since 2006, he has worked at the University of Bonn, Germany. Schwedt is the author of several analytical chemistry textbooks and a large number of popular science books.

".... valuable addition to the range of available texts ..." (Times Higher Educational Supplement, 4 January 2002) "a useful source of reference" (World Surface Coatings Abstracts, January 2002"a useful primer" (Industry Environment, January-March 2002)"...The format of the book, with abundant high-quality colour illustrations excellent..." (Chemistry & Industry,5 August 2002) "...This guide will be a must for undergraduate, graduate students taking environmental sciences course." (Int Jnl of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 82, No.10 2002)"…This nice little book is something you would like to posess at once, given the chance to look through it for a minute…" (Int Jnl of Environment and Pollution, Vol.19, No.1, 2003)"...a small compendium covering a truly wide array of topics with a didactically well written and presented range..." (Environmental Geology, Vol 44(876). 2003)

• Preface. Introduction MATERIALS CYCLES Geochemical cycles The carbon cycle The nitrogen cycle The sulphur cycle The phosphorus cycle Metal cycles Special cycles THE ATMOSPHERE Physicochemical processes Ecological photochemistry Air pollution from combustion Anthropogenous pollutants and their effects Principles of air quality control WATER The Earth's water cycle Chemistry in bodies of water Processes for the preparation of drinking water Basic principles of waste water chemistry and sewage treatment SOIL Basic principles of soil science Physico- and biogeochemical processes Metals and acid rain Organic Contaminants Methods for soil remediation Chemistry and technology in landfills ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY OF SELECTED XENOBIOTICS AND HEAVY METALS Pathways of pollutants, food chains and properties of materials General decomposition pathways Hydrocarbons: PAHs and PCBs Dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans Pesticides and tensides Heavy metals and their species PROBLEM- AND ACTIVITY-ORIENTED ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS Environmental analaysis - strategies and concepts Ecotoxicological concepts for evaluating risk Bibliography Index