Biophysical Chemistry of Fractal Structures and Processes in Environmental Systems

Biophysical Chemistry of Fractal Structures and Processes in Environmental Systems.

Disorder appears to predominate in natural and environmental systems, e.g. star constellations, clouds, coastlines, trees and snowflakes. In the natural environment, there is a great need to quantitatively describe complex physicochemical systems and processes. By their very nature, environmental systems are prefect candidates for quantitative description using fractal dimensions. Indeed, fractal geometry is a powerful approach of the quantitative description of complex, highly irregular and random systems, the processes that lead to the formation of such disordered systems and the physical behaviour that results from such apparent disorder.

Biophysical Chemistry of Fractal Structures and Processes in Environmental Systems aims to provide the scientific community with a novel and valuable approach based on fractal geometry concepts. A number of important properties and processes are examined in diverse environmental systems. For example, this volume examines how the fractal approach has been applied to better understand the structure and reactivity of flocs, sediments, soils, microorganism, and humic substances. the book will be of great use to scientists and engineers looking for the fundamental knowledge necessary to solve practical environmental problems.

Topics covered include:

• An introduction to the study of environmental fractals
• Fractal geometry, fragmentation processes and multifractal measures
• Methods and techniques for the fractal analysis of environmental systems
• Fractal structures and mechanisms in coagulation/flocculation processes in environmental systems
• Fractal approaches to adsorption/desorption processes on environmental surfaces
• The application of fractals in the study of humic materials
• Fractal geometry and microorganisms in the environment
• Fractal geometry of aerosol particles

This comprehensive volume is aimed at graduate students, scientists, researchers and professionals involved in fundamental and applied studies in environmental sciences, with emphasis on environmental analytical chemistry, biochemistry and physical chemistry.

The IUPAC Series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems provides the scientific community with a critical evaluation of important physicochemical structures and reactions in environmental systems, as well as the analytical techniques required to study them. The series is aimed at promoting rigorous analysis and understanding of the physicochemical functioning of environmental systems.

Nicola Senesi is Professor of Soil Chemistry and Head of the Department of Agroforestal and Environmental Biology and Chemistry of the University of Bari, Italy, where he has been actively involved in research and teaching since 1969. He has taught courses in Soil Chemistry, Soil Science, Agricultural Chemistry, Wood Chemistry and technology, Organic Chemistry, Wood Chemistry and Technology, Organic Chemistry, and General and Inorganic Chemistry. He has been a visiting professor and/or scientist for various periods at universities in Canada, USA, Somalia, Indonesia, Switzerland, Argentina, Brasil, Venezuela and Colombia. Dr. Senesi is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) since 1995 and the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) since 1996, and received the Gold Medal of the Polish Soil Science Society in 1994. He was conferred with a Doctorate Honoris Causa by the Institute National Polytechnique de Toulouse (INPT), France, in 2000. Dr. Senesi is currently President of Division VI: Chemistry and the Environment and Chair of the Subcommittee on Biophysics-Chemical Processes in Environmental Systems of IUPAC, President of MESAEP, and Vice-President of the Italian Soil Science Society (SISS), and was President of the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) and Chairman of Division II-Soil Properties and Processes of the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS). He is currently an Associate Editor of Geoderma, Soil Science, Pedosphere, Pure and Applied Chemistry and CLEAN-Soil, Air, Water.

Kevin J. Wilkinson received a PhD in Environmental chemistry from the National Water Research Institute of the University of Quebec (INRS-Eau) in 1993. Following his PhD, he joined the research group of Professor Jacques Baffle at the University of Geneva where he began to examine some of the important biophysical properties of environmental biopolymers and colloids. Following the establishment of his own research group in 1994, he focused his research onto relating the structure of environmental colloids and aggregates to their function in addition to initiating a research programme designed to develop a fundamental understanding of the chemical mechanisms of contaminant bioavailability. In 2005, he was appointed Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Montreal.