Bernd Markert - Böcker

A fresh and comprehensive overview of ecotoxicology today This book provides comprehensive single-source coverage of the entire field of ecotoxicology, from the ecological basics to the effects of chemicals on the environment and the latest test strategies. Contributions by leading figures in ecotoxicology from around the world reflect the broad scope of current thinking and research, making this volume essential reading for informed professionals and students. Areas covered include:* Ecosystem sensitivity, principles for analysis, and other fundamentals* Fate, distribution, and speciation of chemicals in the environment* Bioaccumulation and effects of chemicals* Ecotoxicological test systems* Concepts of ecological risk assessment Incorporating numerous examples and case studies, this cutting-edge reference is an invaluable resource for those working in environmental toxicology, chemistry, ecology, medicine, engineering, and other related disciplines.

Because of their photosynthetic activity, plants represent the most important form of life on earth, and thus provide a rich and important source for investigation. By studying the levels of elements such as lead, cadmium and mercury in plants, vital information on background concentrations of such elements in the environments can be obtained. The growth in the use of instrumental multi-element techniques, such as neutron activation, X-ray fluorescence and atomic emission spectroscopy in the analysis of plant samples has led to significant advances in our ability to determine accurately the quantities of such elements present in plant samples. Instrumental Element and Multi-Element Analysis of Plant Samples: Methods and Applications presents the latest key advances that have taken place in a wide range of instrumentation, such as improvements in detection limits, reproducibility and accuracy. Potential problem areas such as representative sampling, sampling processes and accuracy are discussed in detail. Although concentrating on the analysis of plant samples, the book also considers general issues associated with multi-element analysis of environmental analysis in general. Instrumental Element and Multi-Element Analysis of Plant Samples: Methods and Applications will be of great interest to all those working in environmental analysis, particularly in the area of plant sample analysis. Its highly practical and inter-disciplinary approach will make it indispensable to chemists, biochemists, biologists and geologists interested in these areas.

This book is written for researchers and students interested in the function and role of chemical elements in biological or environmental systems. Experts have long known that the Periodic System of Elements (PSE) provides only an inadequate chemical description of elements of biological, environmental or medicinal importance. This book explores the notion of a Biological System of the Elements (BSE) established on accurate and precise multi-element data, including evolutionary aspects, representative sampling procedures, inter-element relationships, the physiological function of elements and uptake mechanisms. The book further explores the concept Stoichiometric Network Analysis (SNA) to analyze the biological roles of chemical species. Also discussed is the idea of ecotoxicological identity cards which give a first-hand description of properties relevant for biological and toxicological features of a certain chemical element and its geo biochemically plausible speciation form. The focus of this book goes beyond both classical bioinorganic chemistry and toxicology.

This book is written for researchers and students interested in the function and role of chemical elements in biological or environmental systems. Experts have long known that the Periodic System of Elements (PSE) provides only an inadequate chemical description of elements of biological, environmental or medicinal importance. This book explores the notion of a Biological System of the Elements (BSE) established on accurate and precise multi-element data, including evolutionary aspects, representative sampling procedures, inter-element relationships, the physiological function of elements and uptake mechanisms. The book further explores the concept Stoichiometric Network Analysis (SNA) to analyze the biological roles of chemical species. Also discussed is the idea of ecotoxicological identity cards which give a first-hand description of properties relevant for biological and toxicological features of a certain chemical element and its geo biochemically plausible speciation form. The focus of this book goes beyond both classical bioinorganic chemistry and toxicology.

Modern computational techniques, such as the Finite Element Method, have, since their development several decades ago, successfully exploited continuum theories for numerous applications in science and technology. Although standard continuum methods based upon the Cauchy-Boltzmann continuum are still of great importance and are widely used, it increasingly appears that material properties stemming from microstructural phenomena have to be considered. This is particularly true for inhomogeneous load and deformation states, where lower-scale size effects begin to affect the macroscopic material response; something standard continuum theories fail to account for. Following this idea, it is evident that standard continuum mechanics has to be augmented to capture lower-scale structural and compositional phenomena, and to make this information accessible to macroscopic numerical simulations.