M
Books
M
Books
M
Books
OnlineMIn Print
Pesticides in Stream Sediment and Aquatic Biota: Distribution, Trends, and Governing Factors Lisa H. Nowell, Paul D. Capel, and Peter D. Dileanis Lewis Publishers/CRC Press LLC Boca Raton, FL 33431 Dec. 28, 1999, 1035 pp. $89.95 hardcover. ISBN 1-56670-469-3 This reference work, prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey, is volume 4 in the Pesticides in the Hydrologic System series. A reprint of a government publication, it characterizes hundreds of relevant studies conducted during the last four decades and collects large amounts of useful sediment and biota data into one volume. Some tables are so comprehensive (Table 2.2, included as Appendix B, has a length of 245 pages) that they have been placed as appendices at the end of the book rather than following the customary technique of including them in the chapter’s text. In fact, approximately 400 pages of the book are tables of previous studies for pesticides found in sediment and aquatic biota samples. Another 80 pages contain the reference list for the tabulated studies. The majority of the references date from the 1970s through the 1990s, although there are some earlier entries, from the 1950s and 1960s, and one from 1946. The most recent references cited are from 1997. © 2001 American Chemical Society
The text portion of the book is well written and easily read, reflecting good organization and style, although flipping back and forth from the text to appendices in order to review tables of information can be distracting. The text is definitely valuable to those engaged in pesticide analyses of sediments and aquatic organisms but is not targeted to and has limited usefulness for those not engaged in this research area. Also included are some interesting and potentially useful historical comments concerning the use of individual pesticides in the United States. As a working environmental chemist, I found one drawback with the book: the lack of structural formulas for most of the pesticides discussed. Although it can be argued that these formulas can be found elsewhere and that including them would have added several pages to an already weighty tome, their inclusion would have been useful to most individuals practicing in the field. Moreover, this is after all a reference book, and as such, structural formulas would make it more complete. At a cost of around $90, this book is not a best buy for a personal library for those mainly studying other sectors of the environment, but it is definitely appropriate for a library used by academic, consulting, industry, and regulatory personnel. Reviewed by Daniel E. Wellman, Department of Environmental and Chemical Sciences, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866 (
[email protected]).
Books A Systems Approach to the Environmental Analysis of Pollution Minimization, S. E. Jørgensen, Ed. (Lewis Publishers, 2000, 255 pp., $79.95). The author identifies and describes the common factors shared by several
systems—ecosytems, production systems, and a country or region—and discusses the use of mass and energy balances to quantify the extent of pollution and its sources. Applications of Environmental Chemistry: A Practical Guide for Environmental Professionals, E. R. Weiner (Lewis Publishers, 2000, 276 pp., $79.95). This text is designed as an easy-to-use resource, with extensive data, a dictionary of water quality parameters and pollutants, and case histories, as well as the equations, theories, and principles needed to solve most environmental chemistry problems. Chemistry and Physics of Carbon, L. R. Radovic, Ed. (Marcel Dekker, 2001, 416 pp., $225). This text, the 27th volume in The Chemistry and Physics of Carbon series, presents a thorough, interdisciplinary examination of the scientific and technological issues pertaining to environmental applications of carbon materials. Groundwater and the Environment: Applications for the Global Community, I. S. Zekster, L. G. Everett, Eds. (Lewis Publishers, 2000, 175 pp., $79.95). The author draws on more than 25 years of study and examples from around the world, including data from the former Soviet Union and Russia, to illustrate the close connection between groundwater and potable water, human health, river runoff, and land surface subsidence. Heavy Metals in the Environment: Using Wetlands for their Removal, H. T. Odum (Lewis Publishers, 2000, 326 pp., $89.95). The author presents international studies to address how wetlands remove lead from the environment and discusses this issue in the larger context of ecological economics. Microbial Ecology of the Ocean, D. L. Kirchman, Ed. (John Wiley, 2000, 542
APRIL 1, 2001 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
I
165 A
Web Sites
Web Sites
Web Sites
pp., $69.95). This book, written by international experts, reviews current knowledge of marine microbiology and provides researchers and students with an appreciation of the diverse nature of microbes and viruses found in the oceans, as well as an understanding of the processes mediated by these microbes in aquatic environments. Open-Channel Flow, S. C. Jain (John Wiley, 2000, 328 pp., $79.95). Through use of simple numerical methods not requiring the use of computer software, this text provides the fundamental knowledge of flow in open channels necessary for planning and designing systems to manage water resources. Physical Science: What the Technology Professional Needs to Know, C. L. Enloe; E. Garnett; J. Miles; S. Swanson (John Wiley, 2001, 541 pp., $69.95 paper). This introductory, elementary text provides students with the tools needed to master the basic principles of physics and chemistry, so as to better appreciate modern technological developments across a broad spectrum of fields of science. Space in the Tropics: From Convicts to Rockets in French Guiana, P. Redfield (University of California Press, 2000, 361 pp., $55). From careful analysis of historical developments in French Guiana, the author builds a thesis that argues that, whether at local or global scales, the intersection of technology and nature must be understood in the context of ecological displacement. The Chemistry of Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Composition and Measurement, 2nd Edition, R. A. Jenkins; M. R. Guerin; B. A. Tomkins (Lewis Publishers, 2000, 467 pp., $79.99). The authors provide data on the properties of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and on the concentration of its constituents in indoor air, with an increased emphasis on trace urban air contaminants and the interrelationships of ETS markers. The Effects of UV Radiation in the Marine Environment, S. de Mora; S. Demers; M. Vernet (Cambridge University Press, 2000, 324 pp., $80). Written for researchers and graduate students in photobiology, photochemistry, and environmental sci166 A
I
ence, this text describes the attenuation of UV radiation in the atmosphere and seawater, outlining the photochemical reactions involved and highlighting their role in influencing the biogeochemical cycling of various elements. The Environmental Pendulum: A Quest for the Truth about Toxic Chemicals, Human Health, and Environmental Protection, R. A. Freese (University of California Press, 2000, 323 pp., $50). This overview of the past 20 years of waste management argues that environmental policies should be based on an accurate appraisal of the risks associated with environmental toxins rather than on the prevailing political sway. The Process of Business/Environmental Collaborations: Partnering for Sustainability, A. J. Stern; T. Hicks (Quorum Books, 2000, 204 pp., $67.50). Using case studies, the authors present practical techniques for collaborations without governmental intervention among environmentalists, corporations, and other organizations.
Web Sites The National Wind Technology Center (www.nrel.gov/wind), operated by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is an information clearinghouse for emerging wind technologies. Users can access data on wind energy in the marketplace, wind turbine research, and updates on avian issues. The site provides extensive wind resource data and information, including a wind energy resource atlas, research on wind potential, and a bibliography. Users can link to National Climatic Data Center wind speed and wind technology data, as well as current weather conditions. The Institute for Global Communications (IGC) (www.igc.org/igc) was formed in 1987 to manage PeaceNet and EcoNet—the world’s first computer network dedicated to environmental preservation and sustainability. In partnership with six international organizations, IGC cofounded the Association for Progressive Communi-
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / APRIL 1, 2001
cations (APC) in 1990. APC is an international coalition of computer networks, including 25 members and 40 partners. APC provides communications and information-sharing tools to nongovernmental organizations and citizen activists working for social change in more than 130 countries. Users can access links to hundreds of environmental, research, government, and nongovernmental organizations. Users can also search for documents from IGC’s 15,000 members. The Research Triangle Institute (RTI) (www. rti.org) is an independent organization dedicated to conducting innovative, multidisciplinary research that improves the human condition. With a worldwide staff of more than 1800, RTI is active in health and medicine, environmental protection, technology commercialization, education, and decision support systems. Universities in North Carolina founded RTI in 1958 as the first scientific organization in and centerpiece of Research Triangle Park. The Institute conducts research and development and provides technical services in health and pharmaceuticals, environment, education and training, technology commercialization, and decision support. Users can access RTI’s Statistical, Survey, and Computing Sciences division, which conducts research on medical, environmental, and social topics, as well as public health and public policy. Information is available in categories such as survey research, statistics, research computing, and health. The Power Scorecard’s site (www.powerscorecard.org) offers a consumer information rating mechanism that assesses the environmental impact of different types of electricity generation. In areas of the United States where electricity markets are open to competition, users can access ratings of various types of electrical products and sources, such as coal, natural gas, and solar, based on two measures: the environmental impact on air, land, and water; and the amount of energy generated from renewable resources, such as wind, geothermal, and biomass. Power Scorecard was developed with the technical support of the Pace Law School Energy Project to allow users to rate electricity sources in various states by entering state and energy preferences.
