About the Book
Fate and Transport of Contaminants in the Environment
was developed to provide non-specialists with an understanding
of how chemicals behave in the environment. The text grew out
of class notes used to teach students from a wide variety of
scientific backgrounds majoring in environmental engineering,
biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science. The
focus is on understanding the most important processes controlling
the spread of chemicals, their movement through the environment,
and where they end up.
Openness to diversity of student background requires inclusion
of introductory material on how air and water behave in the
environment as well as the concepts and equations for contaminant
transport, partitioning, and reaction. Simplified mathematical
predictors for assessing environmental transport and human or
ecological exposure are also presented. The equations are designed
to help students form an understanding of the assumptions and
limitations present in the constantly changing abundance of
computer codes found in environmental literature and to give
them a basis for assessment.
This book aims to provide students with instinctive as well
as conceptual grasps of the major forces at play in chemical
contamination. Each chapter includes real examples encountered
by the author in his life, along with example and homework problems
intended to illustrate key concepts covered in the text.
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About
the Author
John Walton is a professor of Civil Engineering
and Environmental Science and Engineering at the University of
Texas at El Paso. He has degrees in Biology (BS), Environmental
Science (MS), and Chemical Engineering (MS; PhD). He is a registered
Professional Engineer and the author of over 150 publications.
Prior to becoming a professor, Dr. Walton worked in air quality
assessment, industrial accident risk assessment, and exposure
assessment from nuclear and hazardous waste disposal.
Dr. Walton is active in conservation activities and enjoys nature
photography, sea kayaking, and backpacking. His current research
interests include multivariate analysis of groundwater chemistry,
controls on release of contaminants from waste disposal sites,
and application of solar energy to desalination.
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Table of Contents
1 Fate and Transport Basic Concepts
Introduction
Examples of Fate and Transport Problems
Energy and Mass
Review Materials
Problem Approach
2 Transport by Random Motion—Diffusion and Dispersion
Diffusion and Dispersion—Fick’s Laws
More Complex Diffusion Equation Solutions
Case History—Rocky Flats Plant Fire, Golden, Colorado
3 Interphase Mass Transfer and Partitioning
Interphase Partitioning
Properties Affecting Partitioning and Distribution
Rates of Interphase Mass Transfer
4 Mass Balance Models
Introduction
Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTR)
Modeling Environmental Systems as a Series of Stirred Tank Reactors
(Box Models)
Plug Flow Reactors—The Advection/Dispersion Equation
Case History—Crystal Lake, Michigan Average Residence Time
5 Water Chemistry
Introduction
pH, Alkalinity, and the Carbonate Buffer System
Oxidation/Reduction Chemistry
Ocean Chemistry
6 Groundwater
Groundwater Fundamentals
Groundwater Flow
Analytical Solutions for Groundwater Flow
Transport in Groundwater
Dispersion Versus Distance Examples
7 Surface Water
Lakes, Ponds, Reservoirs, Ocean
Streams and Rivers
8 Atmosphere
Air Pollution Fundamentals
Air Pollution Meteorology—Stability
Air Pollution Meteorology—Complex Terrain
Mathematical Modeling of Air Emissions
Index |
