Organic chemicals model world’ environment

It is true that the above considerations and examples given in Fig. 21.6 must look somewhat far-fetched in the context of the dynamics of organic chemicals in the environment. This is no longer the case for models with more than one variable. Such models are often nonlinear and have multiple steady-states. In this respect, the purpose of Fig. 21.6 is primarily to open the door to a world of complexity which itself leads far beyond the scope of this book. The interested reader is referred to the corresponding literature (e.g., Arrowsmith and Place, 1992). 

After the end of World War II, science was a major organizing factor in Sweden s focusing attention on possible health and environmental risks from humans discharge of chemicals into the environment. For many decades, Sweden has been hailed as an enviable example of how effective environmental policies based on sound expertise can be implemented to the benefit of its inhabitants, and in many respects this reputation is well deserved. For instance, it is now possible to catch salmon from bridges in Stockholm, and a steady stream of delegations from other nations has arrived to learn more about the Swedish model for environmental protection. 

The task of assessing the effect of a chemical substance on the environment is complicated by the complexity of living organisms that may be affected by the chemical substance. To consider toxic effects, a reference species is used. It should be understood that the experiments done are models in a laboratory to understand effects in the outside world at the ecological level. The real challenge is to study the effects produced out in the environment. So a simplified model of real-world phenomena must be also used. The few selected species must represent all the various other species. Because it is not possible... 

Throughout each chapter, boxes titled Chemistry Link to Health and Chemistry Link to the Environment help you connect the chemical concepts you are learning to real-life situations. Many of the figures and diagrams use macro-to-micro illustrations to depict the atomic level of organization of ordinary objects. These visual models illustrate the concepts described in the text and allow you to see the world in a microscopic way. 

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