Potentiation complex pollution problems

Symptoms of acute injury are frequently used to identify pollutant sources and to estimate dosage. These symptoms are considered characteristic of the pollutant particularly when they occur on species known to be susceptible to the toxicant. A skilled observer must be able to differentiate these symptoms from injury produced by plant diseases, nutrient imbalance, climatic stress, insect feeding, or soil-borne toxicants. The symptom syndrome may be further complicated by a variety of less characteristic acute and chronic symptoms in the plant community. Systematic field observations provide one of the most valuable means of evaluating an actual or potential air pollution problem, but the observer should recognize the complexity of evaluating the various symptoms which may be encountered. 

The abundance and reactivity of any compound is governed by thermodynamic and kinetic principles. Therefore, analytical data is used in conjunction with thermodynamic and kinetic parameters to model complex systems. Often, the most toxic elemental forms are the most reactive and therefore represent the lowest concentrated chemicals species in water. This leads to additional problems in isolation, identification and quantification when assessing potential pollution problems. 

Experience dictates that air pollution problems are not easily rationalized. Well-documented issues such as photochemical smog or the fate of atmospheric chlorofluorocarbons have revealed the potential for chemistry of considerable complexity, and even it seems for a different result (i.e. ozone enrichment or depletion) from not too dissimilar photochemical reactions. Smoke or add gases from combustion processes continue to cause concern, " and informed exchanges highlight the problems of identifying a source even for well-defined emissions. 

It is my hope that this book can define a very complex problem and describe solutions. The examples of dioxin cleanup issues and procedures are offered to provide engineers, health scientists, regulators, lawyers, business people, and other concerned individuals with a methodology applicable to other hazardous chemicals. I believe that science can detect pollutants in the environment and estimate their potential health risk. Society as a whole, scientist and nonscientist, determines acceptable risk. Society also plays a major role in managing risk because we face many problems and have limited resources to deal with them all. 

Ecological studies are needed at this time to develop present-day baseline data on which to evaluate potential future effects in areas subject to acidic pollution loading. Other forms of environmental toxification are known to occur in conjunction with aerosol scavenging via investigation of this complex problem is also needed ... 

Perhaps the weakest link in hazard assessment is the process of extrapolating from laboratory data to actual aquatic ecosystems. While reproductive tolerances can be established accurately for test populations, it is difficult to assess at what point diminished reproductive potential significantly affects population dynamics in natural communities. Though this is a complex problem, one aspect of this dilemma is the lack of precise knowledge of the reproductive resiliency of different aquatic species. In this regard, we must understand the effects of both pollution stress and natural environmental stress, and the two should be taken in consort when evaluating aquatic hazards. 

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