Climate Change and Chemicals: Environmental & Biological Aspects

The book ‘Climate Change and Chemicals - Environmental and Biological Aspects’ has addressed the two key environmental issues : climate change and chemical impacts on human health, environment and agricultural production with reference to chemistry, Ecotoxicology, toxicology, and biology. The book reviewed and summarised research results and information from both developed and developing countries including Asia-Pacific, Australasia and other parts of the world. Part-1 of the book ‘Climate Change Impacts’ provides an account of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) and its relationships with climate change and likely impacts on water resources, agriculture and livestock, fisheries and aquatic ecosystems and human health. The key data and information provided in Part-1 are as follows: Climate change and greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide emissions from different countries of the world; measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including key mitigation technologies; and projections for future climate changes (temperatures and sea levels; precipitation; glaciers and cyclones) and Kyoto protocol and Copenhagen Accord (COP 15). Water resources: World’s freshwater resources and projections for future climate change impacts on water resources (surface waters; floods and droughts; ground water; water quality; snows and glaciers melting; sea level rise; shared water resources) and adaptation measures. Agriculture and livestock : Future worlds agricultural and livestock production relating to climate changes (enhanced CO2 effect on C3 and C4 plants/crops; effects of higher temperature; precipitation, water availability, irrigation; extreme events and climate variability; sea level rise; and pests and diseases) and adaptation measures. Fisheries and aquatic ecosystems : Effects of climate change on world’s fisheries and aquaculture production and projected impacts on freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems (rising temperatures, dissolved oxygen and hypoxia; toxicological effects of contaminants; rising CO2 and acidification of oceans; rising temperatures and fish growth and fish recruitment) and adaptation measures. Human health : Observed climate change related health effects in the world; Projected impacts of climate change on human health (heat waves; ultra violet radiation; floods and storms; drought; forest fire; El Niño; diseases – malaria, dengue, cholera; food poisoning and aeroallergens) and adaptation measures. Part-2 of the book ‘Chemical Impacts’ highlights the impact of arsenic, heavy metals, pesticides, dioxins, endocrine disrupting chemicals, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary drugs) and freshwater and marine biotoxins. The key data and information provided in Part-2 are as follows: Arsenic (As) : Arsenic contamination in the global environment; arsenic speciation; environmental and biological impacts (toxicity of arsenic to biota, plants and human; environmental and food safety guidelines for arsenic) and a