Book and Media Review pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Review of Water Chemistry: Green Science and Technology of Nature’s Most Renewable Resource Robert E. Buntrock*,† and Cary E. James‡ †
Buntrock Associates, Orono, Maine 04473, United States Bangor High School, Bangor, Maine 04401, United States
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The first chapter is an introduction to the various aspects of water and its essential relationship to the five previously mentioned spheres of the environment. An exemplary quote states: “Properly used, water is nature’s most sustainable and renewable resource.” Chapter 2 describes the properties of water and the hydrosphere, including the “fantastic” (as in remarkable) properties of water, the hydrologic cycle, aquatic life, and the interaction of water with global warming. The third chapter describes aquatic chemistry, including acidity and alkalinity, dissolved gases (especially carbon dioxide), metals, complexation and chelation, and chelating agents as pollutants. Chapter 4 covers aquatic oxidation and reduction, electron activity and pE, the Nernst equation, pE and pH diagrams, involvement of humic acids, photochemical redox, and corrosion. The fifth chapter discusses phase interactions, solubilities, colloids, surface sorption by solids, and phase interaction involved in the fate and transport of chemicals. Chapter 6 describes organic microbial biochemistry, including algae, fungi, protozoa, bacterial, microbial growth, and biodegradation of various classes of compounds. Chapter 7 covers the broad subject of water pollution, including these pertinent topics: elements and heavy metals; organometallics; inorganics; algal nutrients and eutrophication; pH and salinity; redox agents; radionuclides; and organic pollutants. Additional discussion of categories of organic pollutants specifically addresses: sewage; soaps and detergents; halogenated compounds; microbial toxins; pesticides; and pharmaceuticals. The eighth chapter delves into several municipal and industrial water treatment topics, including treatment of sewage and wastewater; removal of solids, metals, dissolved organics, and inorganics; sludge; disinfection; purification; and natural purification processes. Chapter 9 covers chemical analysis of water and wastewater, from classic methods up to those using spectroscopy, electrochemistry, chromatography, mass spectrometry, and automated analyses. The tenth chapter covers sustainable energy and the involvement of water in energy production, including sources of energy from combustion, nuclear, geothermal, green technology, as well as alternative sources which include hydro, wind, ethanol, biodiesel, and biomass. Both authors concur that the book is a comprehensive, firstrate reference work on water chemistry. One of us (C.E.J., Science Department Head, STEM Academy Head, and AP and honors chemistry teacher at Bangor High School) evaluated the concluding chemistry chapters from a teacher’s perspective. After reading Water Chemistry, C.E.J. determined that although the earlier chapters are aimed at all audiences, including the
Water Chemistry: Green Science and Technology of Nature’s Most Renewable Resource, by Stanley E. Manahan. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group: Boca Raton, FL, 2011. xvii + 398 pp. ISBN 978-14398-30680 (paper). $99.95.
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n keeping with this statement in the preface of Water Chemistry: Green Science and Technology of Nature’s Most Renewable Resource, “Designed to provide a comprehensive overview of water in the environment within the broad framework of sustainability”, the author, Stanley E. Manahan, succeeds in his mission. Sustainability science combines environmental and green chemistry, industrial ecology, and green science and technology. The earth is conceived as five interacting spheres, including the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, biosphere, and “anthrosphere”. The latter is that sphere built and operated by humans.
Cover image provided by CRC Press and reproduced with permission.
Manahan has designed this book to be used as a textbook. Each chapter concludes with cited literature, supplementary references, and questions and problems. Acknowledging that those interested in this broad topic may come from a wide variety of backgrounds, two concluding chapters cover basics and fundamentals of chemistry. The first covers general chemistry, including elements, bonding, chemical reactions, and solutions. The last covers organic chemistry and provides background for the study of organic pollutants, organic watertreating agents, and organic polymers for water treatment, desalination, and analysis. The coverage is quite elementary and is probably of only minor interest to the Journal audience, at least for the general chemistry chapter. © XXXX American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.
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dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed4002943 | J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
Journal of Chemical Education
Book and Media Review
general public, the chemistry gets rather advanced and a prior course in chemistry is required to adequately understand the book’s contents. The chapters on chemistry, although sound in presentation, are only refreshers and not a substitute for a chemistry course. R.E.B. points out that because not much organic chemistry is taught in general chemistry courses, the organic chemistry chapter may need to be supplemented. One of us (C.E.J.) thinks the first 10 chapters are first-rate, with excellent questions if used as a text, as well as a useful resource for research. Further, as C.E.J. is an expert on water usage and chemistry (including mentoring award-winning research by his students), he plans to present a course on water chemistry in the Bangor High School STEM Academy using this book as a reference text. Water Chemistry: Green Science and Technology of Nature’s Most Renewable Resource is recommended as a textbook for students and teachers of science, engineering, and the environment at the secondary or postsecondary levels, as well as a comprehensive, well organized resource for others interested in the vast field of water chemistry and related science and technology. However, the book’s relatively high cost may preclude its adoption as a course textbook, especially in high school.
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
*E-mail:
[email protected]. Notes
The authors declare no competing financial interest.
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dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed4002943 | J. Chem. Educ. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX
