Environmental chemistry is becoming increasingly important and is crucial in the understanding of a range of issues, ranging from climate change to local pollution problems. Principles of Environmental Chemistry draws upon sections of the authors' previous text (Understanding our Environment) and reflects the growing trend of a more sophisticated approach to teaching environmental science at university. This new, revised text book focuses on the chemistry involved in environmental problems. Written by leading experts in the field, the book provides an in depth introduction to the chemical processes influencing the atmosphere, freshwaters, salt waters and soils. Subsequent sections discuss the behaviour of organic chemicals in the environment and environmental transfer between compartments such as air, soil and water. Also included is a section on biogeochemical cycling, which is crucial in the understanding of the behaviour of chemicals in the environment. Complete with worked examples, the book is aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate chemistry students studying environmental chemistry. "...Overall i see this as a solid, informative and generally useful piece of work.""...it will certainly be a useful addition to library shelves and ...on a recommended book list for a university course..." ― Physical Sciences Educational Reviews, Volume 10, Issue, Dipak K Sarker "The book however will have a broader audience and certainly will be of interest to many eager readers willing or requiring a basic understanding of environmental processes." ― International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry Written with the university-level chemistry student firmly in mind.....overall, an authoritative text that should deservedly feature on office and library shelves. ― Chemistry World, August 2007, 67 (Mathew Heal) Principles of Environmental Chemistry draws upon sections of the authors' previous text (Understanding our Environment) and reflects the growing trend of a more sophisticated approach to teaching environmental science at university. This new, revised text book focuses on the chemistry involved in environmental problems. Complete with worked examples, the book is aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate chemistry students studying environmental chemistry. Roy Harrison OBE is Queen Elizabeth II Birmingham Centenary Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Birmingham. In 2004 he was appointed OBE for services to environmental science. Professor Harrison’s research interests lie in the field of environment and human health. His main specialism is in air pollution, from emissions through atmospheric chemical and physical transformations to exposure and effects on human health. Much of this work is designed to inform the development of policy. Principles of Environmental Chemistry By Roy M Harrison The Royal Society of Chemistry Copyright © 2007 The Royal Society of Chemistry All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-85404-371-2 Contents Chapter 1 Introduction R.M. Harrison, 1, Chapter 2 Chemistry of the Atmosphere P.S. Monks, 8, Chapter 3 Chemistry of Freshwaters M.C. Graham and J.G. Farmer, 80, Chapter 4 Chemistry of the Oceans S.J. de Mora, 170, Chapter 5 The Chemistry of the Solid Earth I.D. Pulford, 234, Chapter 6 Environmental Organic Chemistry C.J. Halsall, 279, Chapter 7 Biogeochemical Cycling of Chemicals R.M. Harrison, 314, Glossary, 347, Subject Index, 354, CHAPTER 1 Introduction ROY M. HARRISON Division of Environmental Health and Risk Management, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2TT, Birmingham, UK 1.1 THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES It may surprise the student of today to learn that 'the environment' has not always been topical and indeed that environmental issues have become a matter of widespread public concern only over the past 20 years or so. Nonetheless, basic environmental science has existed as a facet of human scientific endeavour since the earliest days of scientific investigation. In the physical sciences, disciplines such as geology, geophysics, meteorology, oceanography, and hydrology, and in the life sciences, ecology, have a long and proud scientific tradition. These fundamental environmental sciences underpin our understanding of the natural world and its current-day counterpart perturbed by human activity, in which we all live. The environmental physical sciences have traditionally been concerned with individual environmental compartments. Thus, geology is centred primarily on the solid earth, meteorology on the atmosphere, oceanography upon the salt-water basins, and hydrology upon the behaviour of fresh waters. In general (but not exclusively) it has been the physical behaviour of these media which has been traditionally perceived as important. Accordingly, dynamic meteorology is concerned primarily with the physical processes responsible for atmospheric