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A Specialist Periodical Report
Envi ro nmental C hemist ry Volume 1
A Review of the Recent Literature Concerning the Organic Chemistry of Environments Published up to mid-I973 Senior Reporter: G. Eglinton, Organic Geochemistry U n i t , School of Chemistry, University of Bristol Reporters
J. E. Allebone, Department of Chemistry, Liverpool Polytechnic P. A. Cranwell, Freshwater Biological Association, Ambleside, Westmorland F. Culkin, Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, Godalming, Surrey J. W. Farrington, Chemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Mass, U.S.A. P. Given, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, Pennsylvania State University University Park, Penna., U.S.A. R. J. Hamilton, Department of Chemistry, Liverpool Polytechnic P. A. Meyers, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A. R. J. Morris, Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, Godalming, Surrey 6. Ravenscroft, Department of Chemistry, Liverpool Polytechnic M. M. Rhead, Department of Environmental Sciences, P Iymouth Polytechnic J. W . S m i t h , CSIRO, Division ofMineralogy, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia - . @ Copyright 1975
The Chemical Society Burlington House, L o n d o n W l V O B N
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ISBN: 0 85j86 755 3
Printed in Northen2 Ireland Lit The Unicersities Press, Belfcrst
Preface This is the first volume in a new biennial series of Specialist Periodical Reports on Environmental Chemistry. This first volume concentrates upon the organic aspects of the subject although in future volumes it is planned to include inorganic and other aspects of environmental chemistry. Volume 2 is scheduled to appear towards the end of 1976. The current volume, being the first, naturally has to provide a good deal of background. It is more descriptive, less condensed and less rigid in format than most Specialist Reports. The period of literature coverage is the two or three years up to mid-1973, but in some chapters this extends to late 1973; however, much prior work is incIuded to give an overview. There are many gaps in the current treatment which it is hoped to fill later. At the present time there is certainly no single, well-defined body of information or of research activity which might be termed “Environmental Chemistry” and this naturally leads to some difficulty in designing and producing highly-structured and inter-related reports. However, the term does conveniently encompass several fast-growing fields of research which merit serious consideration by chemists and other scientists. Very broadly, one may define Environmental Chemistry as the assessment of the distribution and interaction of elements and compounds in the environment, their modes of transport and their effect on biological and other systems. The natural chemistry and the pollution chemistry of environments are best treated together. Thus, the fluxes of natural and pollutant compounds in the environment are both subject to the same processes and laws. A unified approach strengthens both fields. The authors have written for chemists and non-chemists involved in environmental studies. They have defined certain environmental terms which are in common use but may not be known to chemists new to the field. A few study areas, which are intriguing but short of chemical data have been included in the hope of stimulating the necessary research. The formulae of some relatively simple and well-known compounds have been included in order to assist specialists other than chemists. The Report emphasises aquatic environments. Indeed, most types of aquatic environment have been discussed as they are important areas for environmental studies. They are complex ecosystems into which organic matter is contributed directly and indirectly by living organisms, ge