Metal pollution particle-water interactions

The association of pollutants such as trace metals, nutrients, and toxic organic molecules to colloids is intimately connected to the health of natural waters. Colloids, with their large specific surface area, play a dominant role in the transportation and eventual deposition of these pollutants. Of particular interest is the size speciation data. It is important to know not only the total amount of pollutant present but also where it is distributed. It has been inherently difficult to study pollutant-colloid interactions because of the lack of methods for particle size determination and fractionation as well as the low concentrations of pollutants present in many systems. This entry outlines a new approach using field-flow fractionation (FFF). 

As discussed in Section 6.5, water vapor and the heat released and absorbed by transitions of water between the vapor state and the liquid or solid state are strongly involved in atmospheric energy transfer. Condensed water vapor in the form of very small droplets is of considerable concern in atmospheric chemistry. The harmful effects of some air pollutants—for instance, the corrosion of metals by acid-forming gases—requires the presence of water, which may come from the atmosphere. Atmospheric water vapor has an important influence on pollution-induced fog formation under some circumstances. Water vapor interacting with pollutant particulate matter in the atmosphere may reduce visibility to undesirable levels through the formation of very small atmospheric aerosol particles. 

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