Global environmental processes, human

Increased attention to both local and global environmental issues over the past few decades has resulted in heightened focns on these issues. This new attention has increased the workload, knowledge base, and responsibilities of environmental professionals. Issues ranging from the impact of pollution on human health, global climactic change, national security risks, and nuclear fuel processing pose serions concerns. 

Bergman A, Athanasiadou M, Wehler EK et al (1999) Polybrominated environmental pollutants human and wildlife exposures. Organohalogen Compd 43 89-90 Bidleman TF (1988) Atmospheric processes. Environ Sci Technol 22 361-367 Breivik K, Sweetman A, Pacyna JM et al (2002) Towards a global historical emission inventory for selected PCB congeners—a mass balance apjnoach 1. Global produetion and consumption. Sci Total Environ 290 181-198... 

In the last 23 years remote sensing of atmospheric constituents has established itself as an important research field. Global remote sensing observations are essential to understand the natural processes which determine the global behaviour of the atmosphere and to assess the impact of human activity on the atmosphere. In addition, remote sensing of the atmosphere provides data needed to assess die impact of international agreements designed to limit the environmental impact of industrial activity. 

The Division of Chemistry and the Environment of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has recently approved the creation of an IUPAC-sponsored book series entitled Biophysico-Chemical Processes in Environmental Systems to be published by John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, NJ. This series addresses the fundamentals of physical-chemical-biological interfacial interactions in the environment and the impacts on (1) the transformation, transport and fate of nutrients and pollutants, (2) food chain contamination and food quality and safety, and (3) ecosystem health, including human health. In contrast to classical books that focus largely on separate physical, chemical, and biological processes, this book series is unique in integrating the frontiers of knowledge on both fundamentals and impacts on interfacial interactions of these processes in the global environment. 

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