Environmental science contaminant determination

Of key importance in studies of samples and processes relevant to low temperature geochemistry and environmental science is determination of the phases present, phase associations, and the concentration and chemical speciation of inorganic and organic contaminants and pollutants or of trace elements in the case of pristine systems. 

Helmke, P.A., Koons, R.D., Schomberg, P.J. and Iskandar, I.K. (1977) Determination of trace element contamination of sediments by multielement analysis of clay-size fraction. Environmental Science and Technology, 11(10), 984-89. 

Laor, Y., and M. Rebhun. 1997. Compexation—flocculation A new method to determine binding coefficients of organic contaminants to dissolved humic substances. Environmental Science and Technology 31 3558. 

Antonious, C.F. and Kochhar, T.S. (2003) Zingiberene and curcumene in wild tomato. Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B, Pesticides, Food Contaminants, and Agricultural Wastes 38(4), 489-500. Bartley, J.P. (1 995) A new method for the determination of pungent compounds in ginger (Zingiber officinale). 

Helgen, S. O., and Moore, 1. N., 1996, Natural background determination and impact quantification in trace metal-contaminated river sediments Environmental Science Technology, v. 30, no. 1, p. 129-135. 

Sciences de TUnivers. His research interests focus on environmental mineralogy and biogeochemistry of metal contaminants and trace elements using X-ray structural techniques. In the mid-80s, he initiated a new research program on the structure and surface reactivity of poorly crystallized Fe oxides. In the early 90s, this program was extended to Mn oxides, and specifically to minerals of the bimessite family. In the mid-90s, he pioneered the application of synchrotron techniques to determination of the speciation of heavy metals in natural systems. In the last two years, he was a key developer of an X-ray microprobe at the Advanced Light Source of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory dedicated to the study of complex environmental materials. He is also co-lead PI of the French Absorption spectroscopy beamline in Material and Environmental sciences (FAME) at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble. 

The fate of organic contaminants in soils and sediments is of primary concern in environmental science. The capacity to which soil constituents can potentially react with organic contaminants may profoundly impact assessments of risks associated with specific contaminants and their degradation products. In particular, clay mineral surfaces are known to facilitate oxidation/reduction, acid/base, polymerization, and hydrolysis reactions at the mineral-aqueous interface (1, 2). Since these reactions are occurring on or at a hydrated mineral surface, non-invasive spectroscopic analytical methods are the preferred choice to accurately ascertain the reactant products and to monitor reactions in real time, in order to determine the role of the mineral surface in the reaction. Additionally, the in situ methods employed allow us to monitor the ultimate changes in the physico-chemical properties of the minerals. 

Lee Newman (phytoremediation plant nanoparticle interactions ph)doremediation of groundwater contaminated with industrial organic pollutants hyperspectral imaging of plants to determine contaminant exposure and plant microbe interactions to increase plant productivity and decrease stress responses). Past President, International Phytotechnology Society College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York (SUNY), Syracuse, NY... 

Similarly, the metallurgist must often analyze small areas or inclusions in an alloy or determine the nature of a fractured siuface. These problems can be solved ordy with microanalytical techniques. In the fields of environmental science and contamination corrtrol, the chemist most often analyzes single particles of material a few microns or less in size. Asbestos analysis, for example, as specified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is to be performed using a polarized hght microscope (PLM), which is the principal tool of the chemical microscopist. 

Wise SA (1993) Standard reference materials for the determination of trace organic constituents in environmental samples. In Barcelo D, ed. Environmental Analysis Techniques, Applications and Quality Assurance, pp 403-446. Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Wise SA, and Schantz MM (1997) Standard reference materials for the determination of trace organic contaminants in environmental samples. In Clement R and Siu M, eds. Reference Materials for Environmental Analysis Making and Using Them, pp 143-186. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL. 

In this context, speciation science seeks to characterise the various forms in which PTMs occur in soil or, at least, the main metal pools present in soil. Understanding speciation is important for assessing the potential of soil to supply micronutrients for plant growth or to contain toxic quantities of PTMs, and for determining amelioration procedures for soils at risk of causing the PTMs contamination of waterways. The residence time of an element in a soil depends on the mobility of its predominant forms. Speciation science is relevant to scientists with many different backgrounds and should be taken into consideration by legislators in the field of environmental protection. 

Di Bonito, M., Breward, N., Crout, N., Smith, B., and Young, S. (2008). Soil pore water extraction methods for trace metals determination in contaminated soils. In Environmental Geochemistry Site Characterization, Data Analysis, and Case Histories (B. De Vivo, H. E. Belkin, and A. Lima, eds.). Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

Risk assessment in human populations is broadly defined within the vocabulary of the National Academy of Science/National Research Council (NAS/ NRC) (1983) monograph on the topic as [quantitative] characterization of the potential adverse health effects from quantified exposures of humans to environmental hazards. In keeping with the NRC report s use of the term, both qualitative and quantitative risk assessments are considered when dealing with lead contamination and adverse effects in this text, although the most useful information emerged when empirical determination or modeling estimations produced a numerical outcome. Part 4 (Chapters 20—24) of this monograph presents the topic of human health risk assessment in detail. 

---