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Advances in Environmental Chemistry

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2011) | Viewed by 29797

Special Issue Editor

LandS/Lab2PT-Landscapes, Heritage and Territory laboratory (FCT-AUR/04509) and Earth Sciences Department, School of Sciences, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
Interests: environmental geochemistry and mineralogy; natural stone durability; petrographic features and stone decay; salt weathering; porous media; weathering processes in the built environment; effects of pollutants on stone decay; stone decay as markers of pollution effects; conservation strategies for stone architectural heritage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental chemistry is a fundamental tool for the understanding of diverse issues relevant to human health and resources preservation (natural and human-made).

Typical subjects that will be of interest to this special issue "Advances in Environmental Chemistry" include, but are not limited to, the study of pollutants regarding:

  • Origin (both anthropogenic and natural sources as well as the study of chemical signatures);
  • Migration (particles, fluids and gases, including radon), transformation and fixation (sinks);
  • Effects (on living things, on materials and on the planet as a whole);
  • Environmental risk assessment (definition of environmental hazards and evaluation of probability, extension and spatial distribution of impacts);
  • Monitoring (namely the use of elements of the natural and built environments as long term passive samplers);
  • Preventive/intervention strategies and procedures to avoid, minimize or remediate the negative effects of pollutants (from geoengineering to nanotechnologies).

Naturally occurring substances could also have beneficial health effects and studies on this matter based on chemical characteristics will be considered of the utmost importance.

Papers with new groundbreaking findings in Environmental Chemistry as well as review papers with critical synthesis of recent advances on the subject will all be welcome for this special number.

Dr. Carlos Alves
Guest Editor

Keywords

  • natural and anthropogenic pollutants
  • chemical signatures of pollution sources
  • biogeochemical cycles
  • natural radioactivity
  • ecotoxicology
  • climate change
  • environmental hazards
  • risk assessment
  • medical geochemistry
  • passive samplers
  • mitigation and remediation procedures
  • geoengineering
  • nanotechnology
  • beneficial health effects of natural substances

Published Papers (3 papers)

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940 KiB  
Article
The Evaluation for Alterations of DOM Components from Upstream to Downstream Flow of Rivers in Toyama (Japan) Using Three-Dimensional Excitation-Emission Matrix Fluorescence Spectroscopy
by Kazuto Sazawa, Masaki Tachi, Takatoshi Wakimoto, Takanori Kawakami, Noriko Hata, Shigeru Taguchi and Hideki Kuramitz
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2011, 8(5), 1655-1670; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8051655 - 19 May 2011
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 10309
Abstract
The dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the important factors for controlling water quality. The behavior and constitutions of DOM is related to the risk of human health because it is able to directly or indirectly affect the behavior, speciation and toxicity [...] Read more.
The dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the important factors for controlling water quality. The behavior and constitutions of DOM is related to the risk of human health because it is able to directly or indirectly affect the behavior, speciation and toxicity of various environmental pollutants. However, it is not easy to know the contents of DOM components without using various complicated and time consuming analytical methods because DOM is a complex mixture and usually exists at low concentration. Here, we describe the fluorescence properties of DOM components in water samples collected from four rivers in Toyama, Japan by means of the three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix (3DEEM) fluorescence spectroscopy. In order to evaluate the alterations of DOM components in each of the river during the flow from upstream to downstream, the patterns of relative fluorescence intensity (RFI) at six peaks which are originated from fluorophores including humic-like and protein-like components were investigated. The changes in the patterns of RFI values at each of the peak and the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) for each river water sample were discussed in connection with the differences of land use managements and basic water quality parameters, such as pH, EC, turbidity, Fe3+, T-N, NO3-N, T-P, PO4-P, chlorophyll a, DOC and N/P ratio. The DOC concentrations in the water samples collected from these rivers were relatively low (0.63–1.16 mg/L). Two main peaks which have a strong RFI value expressed a positive correlation with the DOC concentration (r = 0.557, 0.535). However, the correlations between the RFI values for other four peaks and the DOC concentration were below 0.287. The alterations of DOM components during the flow of a river from upstream to downstream were investigated from the changes in the patterns of RFI values for six fluorescent peaks. It was clarified that the great increase of RFI values in peak A and peak T from river water located in urban area showed high concentration of PO4-P and Fe3+, and low N/P ratio due to the high biological activities. The values of fluorescence index (FIX) and biological index (BIX) were as high as 1.60 and 0.72, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Environmental Chemistry)
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508 KiB  
Article
The Positive Environmental Contribution of Jarosite by Retaining Lead in Acid Mine Drainage Areas
by Maria-Ondina Figueiredo and Teresa Pereira da Silva
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2011, 8(5), 1575-1582; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8051575 - 13 May 2011
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 9173
Abstract
Jarosite, KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6, is a secondary iron sulphate often found in acid mine drainage (AMD) environments, particularly in mining wastes from polymetallic sulphide ore deposits. Despite the negative environmental connotation usually ascribed to secondary sulphate minerals [...] Read more.
Jarosite, KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6, is a secondary iron sulphate often found in acid mine drainage (AMD) environments, particularly in mining wastes from polymetallic sulphide ore deposits. Despite the negative environmental connotation usually ascribed to secondary sulphate minerals due to the release of hazardous elements to aquifers and soils, jarosite acts as an efficient remover and immobilizer of such metals, particularly lead. The mineral chemistry of jarosite is reviewed and the results of a Fe K-edge XANES (X-Ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure) study of K-, Na- and Pb-jarosite are described and discussed within the context of the abandoned old mines of São Domingos and Aljustrel located in southern Portugal, in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Environmental Chemistry)
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400 KiB  
Article
Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology—An Update
by Leo Stander and Louis Theodore
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2011, 8(2), 470-479; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8020470 - 10 Feb 2011
Cited by 54 | Viewed by 9203
Abstract
Some engineers and scientists are either directly or indirectly involved with nanotechnology issues. Nanotechnology concerns dealing with environmental implications and regulatory compliance encompass practicing areas for these technical individuals. Areas of particular concern include current/proposed environmental regulations and procedures for quantifying both health [...] Read more.
Some engineers and scientists are either directly or indirectly involved with nanotechnology issues. Nanotechnology concerns dealing with environmental implications and regulatory compliance encompass practicing areas for these technical individuals. Areas of particular concern include current/proposed environmental regulations and procedures for quantifying both health risks and hazard risks. This article addresses both of these issues. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Environmental Chemistry)
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