Experiments in Environmental Chemistry

Experiments in Environmental Chemistry presents experimental activities that provide practical, first hand experience in the observation of chemical processes occurring in the environment. A variety of techniques with applications in governmental laboratories, industry, and research are described. The experiments are divided into five parts: biochemical processes in aquatic systems; toxic substances in the environment; food additives and contaminants; chemical ecology; and field surveys. This book is divided into five sections and begins with a discussion on the transformations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and energy in aquatic systems. Various aspects of environmental chemistry including photosynthesis, respiration, biogeochemical cycling, primary production, plant nutrients, water quality, eutrophication, and wastewater treatment are considered. The next section focuses on a wide assortment of environmental contaminants in terms of their behavior and occurrence in various sectors of the environment. In this section, the reader is introduced to gas chromatography, atomic absorption spectroscopy, thin layer chromotography, column chromatography, and techniques for the measurement of atmospheric contaminants. Food and the occurrence of foreign substances that result from deliberate additions or other processes are also analyzed, along with chemical compounds such as allelochemicals, pheromones, and chemical defense substances. This monograph will be a valuable resource for environmental chemists.