Handbook of Environmental Health, Volume II: Pollutant Interactions in Air, Water, and Soil

The Handbook of Environmental Health-Pollutant Interactions in Air, Water, and Soil includes Nine Chapters on a variety of topics basically following a standard chapter outline where applicable with the exception of Chapters 8 and 9. The outline is as follows:
1. Background and status

Chapter 1, Air Quality Management discusses various clean air acts, toxic air pollutants, the various types of pollutants, the composition of the atmosphere, global warming, ozone depletion, various atmospheric regions, air currents and movement, air temperature, inversions, urban and topographic effects, weather, physical properties of gases including various laws, psychometric properties of air, particulate matter, settling velocity of particles, particle retention in lungs, alteration and transportation of particulate matter, bubble concept. It also discusses various regulated air pollutants including nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, a range of hydrocarbons both aliphatic and aromatic, photochemical oxidants, organic gaseous discharges, simplified reactions in the atmosphere, ozone, methyl bromide, lead, asbestos, beryllium, cadmium, mercury, fluorides, odors. Air pollutants from incinerators, cement kilns, backyard burning, external combustion, internal combustion, attrition, evaporation, incineration, pulp and paper mills, iron and steel mills, petroleum refineries, metallurgical industries, chemical manufacturers, power plants, food and agricultural industries are also included. Air toxics and hazardous air pollutants are of considerable significance. Major source categories of air pollutants are discussed. There is a significant amount of material on disease and injury potential from air pollutants and a discussion of the respiratory system, the eye, systemic effect, digestive system. Economic effects are discussed including problems of visibility, acid deposition, global atmospheric changes. The latest standards, practices and techniques used for all of the air pollutants discussed as well as modes of surveillance and evaluation are in the text. Air pollution controls and state-of-the-art graphics are utilized to better understand how to control various air pollutants.

Chapter 2, Solid and Hazardous Waste Management discusses residential waste, commercial waste, municipal waste, institutional and research laboratory waste, infectious and medical waste, industrial waste, food waste, yard waste, food processing waste, metal waste, paper, plastics, glass, wood, aluminum, chemical waste, rubber, radioactive waste, mining waste, agricultural waste, recreational waste, abandoned automobiles, packaging materials, refuse-derived fuels, heavy metals, toxic releases. It also discusses in detail pollution prevention and waste minimization, municipal solid waste reduction, Hazardous Waste and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, solid waste storage systems, on-site volume reduction systems, central volume reduction systems. Various collections systems, individual, community, industrial, agricultural are included. Sanitary landfills and the attendant problems are discussed in detail. Other concerns include types and properties of solid waste, hydrology and climatology, soils and geology, planning and design of landfills, site selection, types of soils, equipment, converting landfill gas and electricity. Incineration of various types are discussed including air emissions, general design of equipment, residue analysis and, incinerator process water, special waste handling. Composting and biological treatment includes physical and chemical processes, biological processes, different compost systems, innovative uses of compost. Pyrolysis includes pyrolysis oils, carbon black, reclamation and recycling. The disposal of solid waste includes the problems of land pollution, water pollution, air pollution, spread of disease through the waste and by means of insects and rodents. Chemical hazards in the human environment include endocrine disruptors, dioxins, other hazardous waste, injuries and occupational hazards. Types of hazardous waste include ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic waste. Hazardous waste transportation, waste discharge hazards, underground storage tanks are also discussed. Toxics release inventory, material handling technologies are significant. Redeveloping Brownfields are important. Standards, practices, and techniques are available for all forms of solid and hazardous waste disposal. The Superfund and the various acts related to it, are discussed. Study and evaluation techniques as well as controls and treatment techniques are an essential part of the material. Employee protection programs as well as other solid and hazardous waste programs and integrated techniques of disposal are part of the material.

Chapter 3, Private and Public Water Supplies discusses the most recent laws and water quality. It also discusses the hydrologic cycle, human impact on the water cycle, hydrogeology, geographic information system, EnviroMapper, global positioning system. There is an extensive discussion of water treatment including chemical reactions, dosage and concentration terminology, environmental concerns, water distribution, wells, ponds or lakes, springs, rivers. Water treatment plants include state-of-the-art graphics of water intake, aeration, sedimentation, filtration, chlorination, storage including reservoirs where discussions of hypochlorination of water, ozone, aeration, chlorine, chlorine dioxide are described. Wate