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Groundwater Chemicals Desk Reference (Third Edition) John H. Montgomery CRC Press Boca Raton, FL 33431 June 2000, 1345 pp., $159.95 ISBN: 1-56670-498-7 This third edition of Montgomery’s comprehensive reference book follows the same easy reading format of the earlier editions. Information on each chemical is presented in a systematic style starting with synonyms and chemical structure, moving through identification and physical properties, and ending with information on environmental fate, symptoms of exposure, toxicity, standards, and uses. Chemicals are listed in alphabetical order, so it is easy to quickly look up the information you want on any particular chemical by going first to the table of contents. If you do not find the chemical of interest there, you can also quickly check the Synonym Index, a very comprehensive cross listing of the various names that organic compounds usually have. And, in the event that you want to compare information on a particular chemical with information published in previous editions of this work, a Cumulative Index provides the volume and page number in each of the two editions where information on each chemical may be found. The third edition contains essentially the same ~400 compounds as the second edition, so it was a bit 298 A
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disappointing that the author did not take the opportunity to add information on new compounds. However, more than 700 new references were added, bringing the total to more than 2600. Many of these new references are to new data on bioconcentration factors; aquatic mammalian toxicity values; degradation rates and half-lives; ionization potentials; aqueous solubility; and biological, chemical, and theoretical oxygen demand values. Other new features include addition of new data fields for entropy of fusion and the Merck reference citation. The author also indicates that sources of contamination is a new field, but I could not find many examples of its presence, probably because literature references in this area are relatively few. Finally, a number of new tables have been added to those useful ones that were already present in the second edition. These include the quantitative and qualitative nature of petroleum fuels, Henry’s law constants, soil adsorption constants, and toxicity data. This additional information should be helpful for people who are researching risk-based contamination assessments and for environmental engineers, hydrologists, and regulatory personnel. To further enhance the regulatory and risk-assessment value of this information, the section on environmental fate has been expanded where information is available. This edition, as were the previous ones, will be a useful new reference for environmental scientists, chemists, engineers, hydrologists, toxicologists, risk assessment professionals, health professionals, lawyers, and others who need a quick, convenient source of chemical, physical, and toxicological properties together with regulatory values of frequently encountered water pollutants. Reviewed by Lawrence H. Keith, Instant Reference Sources, Inc., Snellville, GA. E-mail:
[email protected].
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / JULY 1, 2001
Books A Fabulous Kingdom: The Exploration of the Arctic, C. Officer; J. Page (Oxford University Press, 2001, 222 pp., $25). The authors present an engaging account of the exploits of those who made major explorations of the Arctic—a scientific history set against a backdrop of the region’s geology, geography, and climate. Chemical and Biological Sensors for Environmental Monitoring, A. Mulchandani, O. A. Sadik, Eds. (Oxford University Press, 2000, 311 pp., $115). This book, part of the ACS Symposium Series, includes research on chemical sensors, enzyme- and protein-based sensors, as well as sensors that are microbial-based, affinitybased, and nucleic acid-based. Community Structure and Cooperation in Biofilms, D. G. Allison, P. Gilbert, H. M. Lappin-Scott, M. Wilson, Eds. (Cambridge University Press, 2000, 349 pp., $125). This summary of the 59th symposium of the Society for General Microbiology, held at the University of Exeter (U.K.) in September 2000, includes 16 research discussions on varying topics, including microbial communities, environmental and genetic factors, prosthetic devices, biofilm matrix polymers, and modeling structure. Effects of Changing Climate on Weather and Other Human Activities, K. E. Trenberth; K. Miller; L. Mearns; S. Rhodes (University Science Books, 2000, 41 pp., $22). This instructional module, produced by the Global Change Instruction Program with support from the National Science Foundation, is a concise, well-illustrated explanation of the differences between weather and climate. Exporting Environmentalism: U.S. Multinational Chemical Corporations in Brazil and Mexico, R. Garcia© 2001 American Chemical Society
Johnson (The MIT Press, 2000, 282 pp., $20). The author examines the ways in which industry has promoted environmental ideas and policies across national boundaries and the incentives that large organizations, such as multinationals, have to raise their level of environmental awareness. Gas Chromatography—Olfactometry: The State of the Art, J. V. Leland, P. Shieberle, A. Buettner, T. E. Acree, Eds. (Oxford University Press, 2001, 218 pp., $110). This ACS Symposium Series book presents 16 analyses on varying aspects of gas chromatography, including trace compound analysis, flavor, aroma, standards, and measurements. Green Chemical Syntheses and Processes, P. T. Anastas, L. G. Heine, T. C. Williamson, Eds. (Oxford University Press, 2000, 353 pp., $115). This ACS Symposium Series book presents discussions on topics such as green chemical synthesis, designing safer chemicals, green solvent systems, and biocatalysis and biosynthesis. Natural Organic Matter and Disinfection By-Products: Characterization and Control in Drinking Water, S. E. Barrett; S. W. Krasner; G. L. Amy (Oxford University Press, 2000, 424 pp., $135). This ACS Symposium book includes research on regulatory and health effects, natural organic matter characterization and reactivity, disinfection byproduct methods development, chemistry of alternative disinfectants, and formation of chlorination disinfection byproducts. The Environmental Pendulum: A Quest for the Truth About Toxic Chemicals, Human Health, and Environmental Protection, R. A. Freeze (University of California Press, 2000, 323 pp., $19.95). The author examines the management of hazardous waste and the debate over chemical contaminants and human health and related environmental policies.
Web Sites The Information Center for the Environment, University of California– Davis (http://ice.ucdavis.edu) is a cooperative effort of environmental scientists at the University of California–
Davis and collaborators at more than 30 private, state, federal, and international organizations interested in environmental protection. More than 10 new links include the Interactive Natural Resources Query System, Water Quality Inventory Database, Consumers Research Group, Clearlake Environmental Research Center, statewide studies on watersheds, plant vegetation, and links to other academic and research organizations. The Chemical Industry Home Page (www.neis.com/environmental_ resources.html) is a straightforward list of links in several categories and includes a worldwide searchable database of government and private organizations. Links, in broad subject categories, include environmental resources on the Web, such as the EPAfunded ChemAlliance, which provides regulatory assistance to chemical process industries; an environmental professionals home page of related links; and resources for environmental scientists. More specific categories of links include specialized sites for environmental news, legislative organizations, the U.S. EPA, and home pages for related agencies and organizations, environmental books, water waste exchange, and national and regional organizations. U.S. EPA’s Design for the Environment (DFE) (www.epa.gov/opptintr/ dfe) helps businesses incorporate environmental considerations into the design and redesign of products, processes, and technical and management systems. Initiated by EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics in 1992, DFE forms voluntary partnerships with industry, universities, research institutions, public interest groups, and other government agencies. Users can access several links, including the National Environmental Performance Tracking Web site and links to related resources. U.S. EPA’s New Chemicals Program (www.epa.gov/opptintr/newchems), located in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, was established to help manage the potential risk from chemicals new to the marketplace. It is mandated by Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). TSCA, enacted by Congress in 1976, gives EPA broad authority to identify and control substances that
may pose a threat to human health or the environment. With this program, site users can find out how to identify conditions, up to and including a ban on production, to be placed on the use of a new chemical before it is entered into commerce. The U.S. Global Change Research Program recently updated its “What’s New” page at www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/ new.htm. The page is updated at least once a month and provides an easy way to monitor important scientific developments without having to sift through dozens of different Web sites. Users can access archived and current research summaries in topics such as biogeochemistry, carbon cycle science, paleoclimate and paleoenvironment, and human dimensions of global change. Recent highlights include links to reports such as Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis; Summary for Policymakers; Document from Working Group I of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), (January 2001), and High-End Climate Science: Development of Modeling and Related Computing Capabilities. A report to the U.S. Global Change Research Program from the U.S. Government’s ad hoc Working Group on Climate Modeling (December 2000) is also provided. U.S. Global Change Data and Information Systems (http://globalchange. gov) offers extensive research, data, and news resources. The site is frequently updated and draws on research and publications of several government agencies. New data sets include the U.S. Department of Energy’s Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center publication, Geographical Distribution of Biomass Carbon in Tropical Southeast Asian Forests: A Database (NDP-068). The database consists of estimates of geographically referenced carbon densities of forest vegetation in tropical Southeast Asia for 1980. Another new data set is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Climatic Data Center’s Climate Atlas of the Contiguous United States on CDROM. It replaces a popular paper atlas last published in 1968. The new CD atlas contains 737 color maps of climatic elements such as temperature, precipitation, snow, wind, and pressure, chosen to portray the climate of the contiguous United States.
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