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Air pollution, people and plants: An introduction
PII:
Environmental Pollution, Vol. 98, No. i, pp. 139-140, 1998 © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights resmwed Printed in Great Britain 0269-7491/98 $19.00 + 0.00 1 (97)00 1 54- 1
S0269-749
ELSEVIER
BOOK REVIEWS PII:
S0269-7491
references, though in this and several other chapters, largely to US Environmental Protection Agency publications. The second part of the book, Chapters 7 to 12, examines the scope of the contaminated land problem and the policy issues relating to prevention and cleanup in a number of countries or regions of the world. Chapters cover the developing countries, the United States and Western Europe, with special attention to The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and importantly the former communist countries of central and eastern Europe. The book succeeds in its objective to provide a broad picture of contaminated land and cleanup, but inevitably is unable to address the numerous aspects of such a large and diverse problem in depth. It is probably not, therefore, a book for the experts in the field but more for those in closely related areas who need to know more about the subject. It will be of value to those requiring an introduction to the subject of contaminated land and to students studying contaminated land from several disciplines. Science students will benefit from the breadth of the book in the history of contaminated land cleanup, the comparisons of approaches in different countries and the legal and economic aspects. Students approaching contaminated land from another viewpoint will benefit from the explanations of the remediation treatments and the chapter on toxicity and human health.
Contaminated Sites and Environmental Cleanup--International Approaches to Prevention, Remediation and Reuse. By G. William Page. Academic Press, New York, 1997, ISBN 0-12-543580-0, 212 pp. Price £45.00. The subject matter of this book is one of increasing concern, covering as it does, both the problems of historical pollution and the prevention of pollution by current industries. The subtitle is perhaps a better description of the contents than the main title, as this book is concerned more with the policies to deal with contaminated sites in the context of the impacts of the costs of cleanup on industry and of national policy on international competitiveness rather than with the technologies available. The introduction stresses five main themes running through the book: prevention of future contamination, remediation of existing contamination, appropriate reuse of sites after cleanup treatment, equity in the distribution of the costs of this environmental cleanup and the impacts of these costs on international competitiveness. The first six chapters present a broad overview starting with a definition of contamination and ranging through remedial treatments and health effects to legal, pollution prevention policy and economic aspects. The chapter on remediation is typical of how these topics are treated. It provides a guided tour of different technologies, helpfully illustrated with simple diagrams (elsewhere in the book illustrations are rare) and case studies, but with little technological or scientific detail or critical appraisal. Each chapter has numerous PII:
(97)00154-1
Hugh Flowers
S0269-7491
Air Pollution, People and Plants: An Introduction. By Sagar V. Krupa. APS Press, 1997, ISBN 0-89054-175-2, 216 pp. Price US$48.00.
(97)00154-1
than many comparable texts, since the impacts of elements of 'climate change' including surface warming, increased CO2 and UVB radiation, are mentioned only in passing. However, this more concentrated coverage gives scope for an extremely comprehensive consideration of air pollutants, based on the hard scientific issues but also fully recognising the broader social, economic and political context. From a first chapter, outlining the basic chemistry and physics of the atmosphere, the text goes on to consider the nature, types, sources and ambient concentrations of air pollutants. The scope of this chapter is wide, but a range of useful data for both gaseous and particulate pollutants are included. An enjoyable chapter on historical perspectives starts with prehistory and ends with a viewpoint on the complex socio-economic aspects of air pollution in the 1990s. The diversity of large scale transport processes are discussed by comparing the processes acting
This volume is intended as an undergraduate textbook, providing an introduction to the various aspects of air pollution. Its foundation in the author's extensive personal experience of both teaching and research in this area is apparent throughout. While the emphasis is unashamedly North American, it is certainly not parochial. The role of Europe in the history of air pollution, as a site both of many early air pollution events, and some of the pioneering investigations into its causes and effects, is not neglected. The importance of considering many problems on a global scale, and the rapidly increasing air pollution problems of developing countries are also highlighted. The coverage is more limited 139
140
Book Reviews
on ozone and particulates with those in the origins of acidic precipitation. The latter section also deals briefly with the chemical complexity of 'acid rain'. A broader perspective on environmental change is offered in the chapter on air pollution and global climate change. Consideration of the impacts of air pollutants commences with 17 pages on Human Health, which offers a page or two each to the effects of carbon monoxide, ozone, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons, sulphur dioxide, particulate matter and lead, while the effects of a range of minor pollutants, from arsenic to vinyl chloride, are also noted. The chapter on air quality and crops emphasises gross visible symptoms and losses in yield, rather than underlying physiological or biochemical mechanisms. A wide range of pollutants are discussed, with the effects of hydrogen fluoride receiving as much space as sulphur dioxide, while the effects of nitrogen oxides are mentioned only in passing. A short section on crop responses to global climate change, including elevated CO2 and UVB, is one of the few weaknesses of the text. A small-print caveat that 'there are exceptions to these general statements' cannot disguise the rather superficial treatment, which is unlikely to provide the intended readership with a balanced understanding of this very complex topic. The chapter of air quality and forests again emphasises the visible symptoms of plant damage but also provides a useful overview how pollutant effects may act through ecosystems processes. The chapter on control strategies deals comprehensively with the pros and cons of the range of technologies available for stationary sources (both particulate and gaseous pollutants) and automobiles (concentrating
on carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and oxides of nitrogen). The chapter ends with a useful summary of regulatory aspects of air pollution control. While the control strategy chapter makes little mention of control strategies for CO2, this receives greater consideration in the final chapter that provides a broader socio-economic perspective on air pollution and its impacts. Complex issues ranging from consumer awareness and education, to global politics and the need for greater international co-operation are dealt with concisely and clearly. I felt that this chapter would prove to be one of the most useful elements of this book as an undergraduate text. Some well produced colour plates provide a good indication of some of the more dramatic symptoms of pollutants damage in plants. The many line drawings are also useful, although some fail to make their point, for example a figure claiming to show the balance between the damaging and fertiliser effects of atmospheric SO2 seems to have identical plants for all the treatments. One very positive point throughout is the recognition that the study of air pollution confronts students from diverse backgrounds with concepts and jargon from many disciplines. The comprehensive glossary and the avoidance of unnecessary technical detail will make the text accessible to a wide readership. Overall, this text should prove useful for teachers and students involved in courses focused on air pollution and its impacts, as well as providing a useful introduction to the subject for a wider audience.
Nigel Paul
Environmental Pollution, Vol. 98, No. i, pp. 139-140, 1998 © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights resmwed Printed in Great Britain 0269-7491/98 $19.00 + 0.00 1 (97)00 1 54- 1
S0269-749
ELSEVIER
BOOK REVIEWS PII:
S0269-7491
references, though in this and several other chapters, largely to US Environmental Protection Agency publications. The second part of the book, Chapters 7 to 12, examines the scope of the contaminated land problem and the policy issues relating to prevention and cleanup in a number of countries or regions of the world. Chapters cover the developing countries, the United States and Western Europe, with special attention to The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and importantly the former communist countries of central and eastern Europe. The book succeeds in its objective to provide a broad picture of contaminated land and cleanup, but inevitably is unable to address the numerous aspects of such a large and diverse problem in depth. It is probably not, therefore, a book for the experts in the field but more for those in closely related areas who need to know more about the subject. It will be of value to those requiring an introduction to the subject of contaminated land and to students studying contaminated land from several disciplines. Science students will benefit from the breadth of the book in the history of contaminated land cleanup, the comparisons of approaches in different countries and the legal and economic aspects. Students approaching contaminated land from another viewpoint will benefit from the explanations of the remediation treatments and the chapter on toxicity and human health.
Contaminated Sites and Environmental Cleanup--International Approaches to Prevention, Remediation and Reuse. By G. William Page. Academic Press, New York, 1997, ISBN 0-12-543580-0, 212 pp. Price £45.00. The subject matter of this book is one of increasing concern, covering as it does, both the problems of historical pollution and the prevention of pollution by current industries. The subtitle is perhaps a better description of the contents than the main title, as this book is concerned more with the policies to deal with contaminated sites in the context of the impacts of the costs of cleanup on industry and of national policy on international competitiveness rather than with the technologies available. The introduction stresses five main themes running through the book: prevention of future contamination, remediation of existing contamination, appropriate reuse of sites after cleanup treatment, equity in the distribution of the costs of this environmental cleanup and the impacts of these costs on international competitiveness. The first six chapters present a broad overview starting with a definition of contamination and ranging through remedial treatments and health effects to legal, pollution prevention policy and economic aspects. The chapter on remediation is typical of how these topics are treated. It provides a guided tour of different technologies, helpfully illustrated with simple diagrams (elsewhere in the book illustrations are rare) and case studies, but with little technological or scientific detail or critical appraisal. Each chapter has numerous PII:
(97)00154-1
Hugh Flowers
S0269-7491
Air Pollution, People and Plants: An Introduction. By Sagar V. Krupa. APS Press, 1997, ISBN 0-89054-175-2, 216 pp. Price US$48.00.
(97)00154-1
than many comparable texts, since the impacts of elements of 'climate change' including surface warming, increased CO2 and UVB radiation, are mentioned only in passing. However, this more concentrated coverage gives scope for an extremely comprehensive consideration of air pollutants, based on the hard scientific issues but also fully recognising the broader social, economic and political context. From a first chapter, outlining the basic chemistry and physics of the atmosphere, the text goes on to consider the nature, types, sources and ambient concentrations of air pollutants. The scope of this chapter is wide, but a range of useful data for both gaseous and particulate pollutants are included. An enjoyable chapter on historical perspectives starts with prehistory and ends with a viewpoint on the complex socio-economic aspects of air pollution in the 1990s. The diversity of large scale transport processes are discussed by comparing the processes acting
This volume is intended as an undergraduate textbook, providing an introduction to the various aspects of air pollution. Its foundation in the author's extensive personal experience of both teaching and research in this area is apparent throughout. While the emphasis is unashamedly North American, it is certainly not parochial. The role of Europe in the history of air pollution, as a site both of many early air pollution events, and some of the pioneering investigations into its causes and effects, is not neglected. The importance of considering many problems on a global scale, and the rapidly increasing air pollution problems of developing countries are also highlighted. The coverage is more limited 139
140
Book Reviews
on ozone and particulates with those in the origins of acidic precipitation. The latter section also deals briefly with the chemical complexity of 'acid rain'. A broader perspective on environmental change is offered in the chapter on air pollution and global climate change. Consideration of the impacts of air pollutants commences with 17 pages on Human Health, which offers a page or two each to the effects of carbon monoxide, ozone, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons, sulphur dioxide, particulate matter and lead, while the effects of a range of minor pollutants, from arsenic to vinyl chloride, are also noted. The chapter on air quality and crops emphasises gross visible symptoms and losses in yield, rather than underlying physiological or biochemical mechanisms. A wide range of pollutants are discussed, with the effects of hydrogen fluoride receiving as much space as sulphur dioxide, while the effects of nitrogen oxides are mentioned only in passing. A short section on crop responses to global climate change, including elevated CO2 and UVB, is one of the few weaknesses of the text. A small-print caveat that 'there are exceptions to these general statements' cannot disguise the rather superficial treatment, which is unlikely to provide the intended readership with a balanced understanding of this very complex topic. The chapter of air quality and forests again emphasises the visible symptoms of plant damage but also provides a useful overview how pollutant effects may act through ecosystems processes. The chapter on control strategies deals comprehensively with the pros and cons of the range of technologies available for stationary sources (both particulate and gaseous pollutants) and automobiles (concentrating
on carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and oxides of nitrogen). The chapter ends with a useful summary of regulatory aspects of air pollution control. While the control strategy chapter makes little mention of control strategies for CO2, this receives greater consideration in the final chapter that provides a broader socio-economic perspective on air pollution and its impacts. Complex issues ranging from consumer awareness and education, to global politics and the need for greater international co-operation are dealt with concisely and clearly. I felt that this chapter would prove to be one of the most useful elements of this book as an undergraduate text. Some well produced colour plates provide a good indication of some of the more dramatic symptoms of pollutants damage in plants. The many line drawings are also useful, although some fail to make their point, for example a figure claiming to show the balance between the damaging and fertiliser effects of atmospheric SO2 seems to have identical plants for all the treatments. One very positive point throughout is the recognition that the study of air pollution confronts students from diverse backgrounds with concepts and jargon from many disciplines. The comprehensive glossary and the avoidance of unnecessary technical detail will make the text accessible to a wide readership. Overall, this text should prove useful for teachers and students involved in courses focused on air pollution and its impacts, as well as providing a useful introduction to the subject for a wider audience.
Nigel Paul