Environmental Colloids and Particles: Behaviour, Separation and Characterisation (Series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems) [Hardcover]

Kevin J. Wilkinson (Editor), Jamie R. Lead (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0470024321 | ISBN-13: 978-0470024324 | Publication Date: February 20, 2007 | Edition: 1

This text presents the current knowledge of environmental colloids and includes reviews of the current understanding of structure, role and behaviour of environmental colloids and particles, whilst focussing directly on aquatic systems and soils. In addition, there is substantial critical assessment of the techniques employed for the sampling, size fractionation and characterisation of colloids and particles. Chemical, physical and biological processes and interactions involving colloids are described, and particular attention is paid to quantitative approaches that take account of particle heterogeneity and polydispersity.

• Presents critical reviews of the state-of-the-art knowledge of environmental colloids
• Critical assessment of techniques employed for the sampling, size fractionation and characterisation of colloids and particles are given
• Theoretical and experimental aspects of the methods as well as the required developments and possible recommendations are discussed
• Each chapter gives a brief introduction general enough for the non-specialist
• Written by a internationally recognized group of contributors

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...as an editor I am impressed by the contributors’ knowledge and citation of the literature. The volume’s contributors exceeded all my expectations…" (Journal of Hazardous Metals, July 19, 2007)

From the Back Cover

The IUPAC Series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems provides the scientific community with a critical evaluation of important physicochemical structures and reactions in environmental systems, as well as on the analytical techniques required to study them. The series is aimed at promoting rigorous analysis and understanding of the physicochemical functioning of environmental systems.

In spite of decades of research, the precise role of colloids and nanoparticles in environmental systems is still poorly understood. For example, in surface waters, trace elements are usually bound to colloids, although values of 0-100% binding have been observed based upon the element that is measured, the analytical technique that is employed, the type of water and other factors. In soils and sediments, colloid-facilitated transport is a well known, though rarely quantified, process. Bioavailability and biological effects are likely to be strongly modified by interactions with colloids, but few studies are able to distinguish between complexation effects and direct effects on the organism. While the lack of consensus can often be attributed to the trace element that has been examined, or the nature of the medium in which it occurred, a large variability is often introduced by the analytical technique used to make the determination and by the fact that environmental colloids are always chemically heterogeneous and polydisperse.

Given the complexity of the environmental colloids, this book was written in order to:

(i) identify some of the common problems still needing study in colloid research;

(ii) summarise our current understanding of environmental colloids and their reactions and

(iii) carefully and critically describe a number of important techniques to characterise physical and chemical colloidal properties.

Each chapter is designed to be an independent, critical review of the available literature. An emphasis has been placed on modern and novel applications of techniques that have not been previously examined in detail and on techniques that have seen vast methodological improvements over the past ten years. Both characterisation techniques that look at whole samples and those examining properties of sample fractions have been described. Several chapters review our most recent understanding of the environmental colloids and identify colloidal properties that will need further study in the future.

This book is relevant for academic and industrial researchers in the field of colloid science.  For chapters describing the state-of-the-art research in the field, the literature has been reviewed to bring together the large quantity of independent (and often contradictory) data that are available. In the chapters that describe the analytical techniques that are used to characterise (environmental) colloids, a necessary theoretical explanation of the technique is provided in addition to a critical discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the application. The book is thus accessible to graduate students who are entering the field yet also useful to more experienced researchers who are interested in deepening their understanding about these difficult to characterise, but critically important phases.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 702 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470024321
• ISBN-13: 978-0470024324
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.9 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,073,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars suitable for geochemists dealing with nano particles, September 25, 2010

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Holly (Yokohama, Japan) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Environmental Colloids and Particles: Behaviour, Separation and Characterisation (Series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems) (Hardcover)

It was great to find this before I start nanoscience as a geochemist.
We can learn everything about collidal particles of our interest, from basics to the latest analytical methods. This is extremely useful for beginners.
Also, this book is full of critical reviews with many useful references. We can deepen our understanding from them.
Finally, we can learn about particles other than our major interest. It is better to know something about inorganic particles, even though you are studying organic particles, and vice versa.
This book has helped me a lot in only a few weeks since I started reading it.