To Frederick Challenger, DEDICATION, PREFACE - ACS Publications

Downloaded by 80.82.77.83 on January 4, 2018 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: January 12, 1979 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1978-0082.pr001

To Frederick Challenger

Brinckman and Bellama; Organometals and Organometalloids ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1979.


EMERITUS

PROFESSOR

O F ORGANIC

CHEMISTRY

UNIVERSITY O F LEEDS


DEDICATION


he significance of the metal-carbon or metalloid-carbon bond to that Α

rather vague area of descriptive science variously termed "environ

mental chemistry," "bioinorganie chemistry," or "biogeochemistry," is now perceived as basic to the assessment of man's activities and future on our planet, and there is one individual who stands out as the pioneer in this field that encompasses so many disciplines. More than 40 years ago, long before chemists recognized the implications of sterically con strained donor sites or enjoyed spectrometric means for virtually non destructive characterization

of trace materials, this researcher single-

handedly applied all available chemical forces to a unified study of the biogenesis of organometalloids. His work still stands as a beacon i n the field, and even today a report rarely appears without citing one or more of the many papers of Professor Frederick Challenger—papers that span 60 years of personal research. Today technological, social, and political pressures give urgency to expanded studies on the occurrence and fate of organometals and their implications for mankind: this volume is an attempt to highlight such work. It is obvious that no attempt to give a topical perspective on our present state of knowledge concerning problems in the field could succeed without the most direct recognition of Professor Challenger s contribu tions and views. The

editors deem themselves and all readers most fortunate that

Professor Challenger, now enjoying more than 90 summers of health, could and would give this symposium volume a keynote paper.

Most

happily, all contributors to this volume take this opportunity as fitting and proper to recognize his past and present primal role in the field of environmental organometallic chemistry. W e dedicate this book to h i m and to his work. F. E .

BRINCKMAN

J. M . B E L L A M A

National Bureau of Standards

University of Maryland

Washington, D C

College Park, M D xi




PREFACE he inorganic chemist today is confronted with an intriguing and challenging prospect which will significantly advance our understanding of chemical reactions and transport of toxic elements in the environment.

T h e opportunity lies partly in extending fundamental

studies of bioactive sigma carbon-metal bonds or other similar toxic Downloaded by 80.82.77.83 on January 4, 2018 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: January 12, 1979 | doi: 10.1021/bk-1978-0082.pr001

heteroatomic

combinations that are formed in polar transport

media

such as water. T h e challenge also exists for inorganic chemists to inject their ideas and findings into that diverse interdisciplinary field loosely described as "environmental chemistry" and thereby to profit from such an interchange by finding exciting new problems to solve. Our current perception of mobilization and transport of certain combinations of organometals and organometalloids is that certain toxic moieties can be and are relocated on a global scale. Recent unambiguous findings show that even simple, labile methylmetal species occur in the environment as a result of biogenic processes.

Moreover, anthropogenic

inputs of organometals parallel growing technological and agricultural demands. Matching these increased demands are amplified requirements to understand the potential, or lack of it, for wastewater treatment of refractory organometals and organometalloids by chlorination or ozonation, a neglected study area. Similarly, study and discussion are necessary for us to understand the means b y which man introduces organometals and organometalloids into the environment, and the pathways by which the environment can pass on ( return ) such bioactive metal species to the human organism. Consequently, not only from pragmatic environmental quality or public health perspectives, but also from basic needs to understand biogeochemical cycles, participation of inorganic chemists in the dialogue is timely and is needed urgently. T h e symposium on inorganic chemical problems in the environment could not deal with the entire range of such identifiable problems amenable to inorganic research in a brief two-day meeting.

Therefore, the

symposium focused on two main objectives: a) definition, by example, of the latest research concerned with organometal and organometalloid chemistry relevant to environmental concerns, with particular emphasis on aqueous reactions and transport mechanisms; and b) dialogue, with interested and competent colleagues outside the inorganic community, who can best transmit the current needs and consequences of alternative courses for future research relevant to biological implications of organometallic chemistry. xiii Brinckman and Bellama; Organometals and Organometalloids ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1979.

Therefore, this symposium comprises a series of invited research and review papers by researchers active internationally in both biological and organometallic chemistry. A t the welcome suggestion of reviewers, additional papers were solicited from highly competent colleagues to achieve better balance and topical presentation for this volume. T h e editors assume full responsibility for the fact that additional areas in the title field are not discussed. Such omissions were dictated by our personal biases, constraints of publication costs, and the obvious need to produce similar symposia in the near future. W e have not attempted to arrange papers in chronological order, e.g. in the symposium format.

Rather, we have exercised editorial preroga-


tive and (with apologies to authors) have assembled the volume into three broad categories of needed and ongoing research: biogenesis of organometals and organometalloids; underlying abiotic aquatic chemistry and mechanisms; and the nature of entry, transport, or uptake of organometals and organometalloids into environmental compartments. Clearly, many papers overlap these classifications, just as expected for such an interdisciplinary dialogue. Just as clearly, some readers will find useful a structuring which aids them in placing their own interests into perspective with others. T h e editors also chose to adopt a symposium format which devoted approximately 30%

of available meeting time to discussion.

(Authors

were asked to complete their manuscripts after the symposium to exploit this feedback feature.)

W e have recorded and edited these additional

verbal interactions between symposium participants, and have attached these discussions to the end of each paper. Again, rigorous, and hopefully equitable, editing was imposed to provide the best presentation of each commentator's remarks while adhering to minimum length. T h e editors hope that readers will find the discussions to be useful supplements to the formal papers, particularly from the standpoint of highlighting untouched research topics in this fascinating field. In addition to the authors who have steadfastly supported the attempts of the editors to produce a volume of excellent papers, and the referees (those from the American Chemical Society ( A C S ) as well as those who critically read the individual papers), we owe debts of gratitude to many others.

W e are deeply grateful to S. Sisk (University of

Maryland) and to C . L a m b (National Bureau of Standards ( N B S ) ) who unstintingly provided the secretarial critical to a book in this format.

and professional typing support

W e especially thank our colleagues,

particularly Professors J. M . W o o d , M . L . Good, J. S. Thayer, J. K . Kochi, and W . R. Cullen, who sparked and sustained our effort for so many months. In the final analysis, these colleagues gave their talents to conducting and pacing symposium sessions, without which realization of this volume would have been impossible. xiv Brinckman and Bellama; Organometals and Organometalloids ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1979.

Finally, we are grateful to our sponsors who both financially a n d spiritually supported our effort. W e thank the A C S for many valuable suggestions and aids i n producing the symposium. W e are indebted to the National Measurements Laboratory, N B S , and the Division of Inorganic Chemistry, A C S , for assistance in organizing and defraying costs for invited authors. F. E . BRINCKMAN

J. M . B E L L A M A

Center for Materials Science

Department of Chemistry

National Bureau of Standards

University of Maryland


Washington, D C 20234

College Park, M D 20742

August, 1978

xv


To Frederick Challenger, DEDICATION, PREFACE - ACS Publications

Recommend Documents