Ecological Chemistry Through Popular Scientific Articles

Popularization of ecological chemistry is the aim of scientific-popular articles, which are published in the online journal for teachers. The articles of this type ecological chemistry are linked with literature and history. Due to this linkage, this module turns into an easily comprehensible one and it becomes fun. In all articles, there is also included very useful and interesting information pertaining to ecological chemistry. The titles of such articles must be underlined because they should not only show the common meaning of article, but they should also attract readers. The utmost interest is generated by the historical papers where chemical issues are connected with history. The period of alchemy is more popular and that's why the alchemical stories are described in the articles. The outcome of the pedagogical experiment has made it clear that such a method of teaching of ecological chemistry with scientific popular articles affects positively school student motivation and changes their attitude towards environmental pollution.

Ecological Chemistry Aspects of Food Safety

The presented results reflect the researches carried out over the last decade, having as their object the soil, water, vegetal raw materials, and wines from the Republic of Moldova. The analysis of the possible anthropogenic contamination (NAA method) demonstrated the absence of systematic soil pollution. A total of 30 elements were determined in soil samples and the soil-leaves-fruit transfer factors were calculated. Approximately 3000 samples of local wines have been analysed to determine the residual quantities of pesticides. POPs were not found in any of the wine samples. In most of the examined cases (> 60% of samples), the lack of organic pesticide residues was observed. The migration of phthalates into different solutions from polymeric materials (PVC, rubber) and the influence of the temperature on the extraction rate were investigated. It has been shown that the contamination with phthalate residues occurs predominantly at the stage of grape processing, technological treatment, and storage.

Silver Nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), as a material with attractive properties, has received interest worldwide by the implementation of synthesis particles at nano-size. AgNPs has triggered intense research on the production of nanoparticles using different synthesis methods due actual and future application. The increasing attention of AgNPs resulted in the growth and development of nanoparticles synthesis methods. Recently, various approaches, including chemical and biological, have been used for them preparation. In order to obtain information about size, shape, or optical properties of nanoparticles, a broad range of analytical methods—microscopy, spectroscopy, and spectrometry techniques—have been used. AgNPs exhibit attractive antimicrobial properties against bacteria (Gram-positive and Gram-negative), fungi, and show also selective toxicity toward normal and cancerous cells. This chapter reviewed the methods of AgNPs synthesis, their characteristics, antimicrobial activity, and cytotoxicity against normal and tumor cells.

Role of Oxidation-Reduction Processes in Formation of Toxic Properties of Natural Aqueous Environment

Redox processes involving hydrogen peroxide, as oxidizing agent, and compounds of sulfur as carrier of reducing equivalents form the quality of natural waters. The inflow of reductants interacting with H2O2 can lead to a toxic quasi-reductive state. Dynamic change of redox in a natural aqueous medium is pernicious for organisms with intensive water-exchange, such as larvae of fishes, despite the concentration of dissolved oxygen being normal. Favorable conditions for “flowering” of emerging toxins blue-green alga are formed. In reductive state, copper ions become biologically unavailable. Sewage after biological cleaning are the main anthropogenic source of the reductants, mainly hydrosulphide. The natural sources of reductants are blue-green alga and the bottom sediments. The ions of Cu(I) and Fe(II) form high-strength 1:1 complexes with reduced sulfur compounds that are stable to O2 but efficiently react with H2O2. The increased content of manganese can form mixed-valence manganese species Mn(III,IV) giving super-oxidizing state of the aquatic environment, which is also toxic.

Current Environmental Health Challenges

This is part two of two overview chapters of the most important contemporary environmental health challenges. This second chapter discusses environmental health as a socio-political and ethical issue. It argues that effectively moving towards healthier and sustainable societies requires not only sound scientific knowledge but also policies, medical practices, healthcare systems, and health-related attitudes and behaviors that are informed by a deep socio-political understanding and that reflect a new integrated approach to environment and health. The need for contemporary technological societies to develop mechanisms like education, environmental and health governance, and public accountability for environmental health equity and justice is highlighted. The chapter concludes by proposing a multidimensional framework, based on both natural and social sciences, for the transition to healthy and sustainable societies and for improving the welfare of all people, as well as future research directions for environmental health sciences.

Remote Detection of Environmentally Vulnerable Terrain in Terms of Chemical Pollution of Soil and Groundwater

Remote sensing is an efficient way to detect environmentally vulnerable terrain, where waste chemicals and excess fertilizers must result to considerable pollution of soil and groundwater. The indicators of such vulnerable formations were analyzed and applied for investigation of ground microdepressions. First indicator was the humidity level that was well recognized from the satellite images by calculation of normalized water index (NWI). Another active indicator used for the detection was the relief. The method of relief plastics joint with morphodynamic analysis was suggested for the data processing. The scheme of water basins and the map of environmentally fragile areas were created by combination of the indicators of soil humidity and topography. On the basis of the created maps, the restrictions for used chemicals can be developed in order to preserve considerable environmental impact of the pollution.

Nano-Catalysis Process for Treatment of Industrial Wastewater

The rapid increase in population and urbanization leads to the scarcity of water resources in the present era. Therefore, effective wastewater treatment is a prerequisite for a growing economy. Development and implementing the advanced treatment technologies of wastewater with high efficiency and low capital is difficult. In the recent advancements among various treatment processes, nanomaterial science has been attracting the attention of researchers. However, limited collective knowledge is available in this context. The chapter reviews the potential of nano catalysis's process, mechanism, and current drawbacks in treatment technologies. It explains the different nano catalysts that are widely utilized for the treatment and removal of organic and inorganic pollutants in water and wastewater and discusses the nano-based photocatalytic, nano-based electrocatalysis, nano-based Fenton catalysis and their efficiency in various removal of pollutants from wastewater.

Kinetics and Mechanism of Ecochemical Processes

Significant efforts of mankind and huge funds were spent to study the mechanisms of environmental processes. Recent decades have been marked by exponential growth of computer power and the accompanying decrease in the cost of computing. With regard to the mathematical modeling of physical and chemical processes that determine the quality of natural waters, atmosphere, and soil, this has led to the development of an extensive approach based on an increase in the number of components and reactions between them taken into consideration. In this chapter, the authors describe features of ecochemical systems and discuss the moments that complicates their prediction. Using the method of numerical experiment, they investigate the behavior of periodic systems with multiple stationary states. One conclusion is that the actual manifestation cannot be used to determine at what stage the impact occurred and to what stage of the food chain it relates. Another conclusion is that systems involving multiple stationary states are prone to bifurcations and chaotic jumps from one limit cycle to another.

Statistical Methods in Ecological Processes

The ecological processes have complicated structure. The equations, describing their behavior, also have a complicated structure; hence, to solve them faces with some difficulties. One of the effective ways is to collect data and make statistical data analysis of these data and afterward to make corresponding decisions. As ecological processes depend on a lot of parameters, and moreover, the number of these parameters can increase in time. In the chapter, the conception of regression models with increasing number of unknown parameters is introduced. In the frame of regression models with increasing number of unknown parameters, the approach for estimating of the main parameters of the ecological processes is suggested. Using estimates of unknown parameters, the approach allows to construct a confidence band for unknown functions in these models. Numerical examples demonstrating these results are given.

Current Environmental Health Challenges

This is the first of two overview chapters of important contemporary environmental health challenges. The exciting developments in the environmental health fields are approached in an interdisciplinary manner covering cutting-edge scientific developments and research. In the first chapter, environmental exposures to a variety of toxins, diseases, and stressors that challenge the individual and affect public health are examined. The handling, storage, big data management related to medical and health-informatics are discussed. Issues such as single gene polymorphisms, gene expression, transcriptomics, epigenetics, metabolomics, exposure to carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, heavy metals, physical hazards, airborne particulates, quality of food and water, toxin metabolism, bioinformatics, and exposome analysis are considered. Important recommendations and solutions are provided emphasizing the collaboration between researchers/scientists and the community.