Environmental Colloids and Particles : Behaviour, Separation and Characterisation

This text presents the current knowledge of environmental colloids and includes reviews of the current understanding of structure, role and behaviour of environmental colloids and particles, whilst focussing directly on aquatic systems and soils. In addition, there is substantial critical assessment of the techniques employed for the sampling, size fractionation and characterisation of colloids and particles. Chemical, physical and biological processes and interactions involving colloids are described, and particular attention is paid to quantitative approaches that take account of particle heterogeneity and polydispersity.

• Presents critical reviews of the state-of-the-art knowledge of environmental colloids
• Critical assessment of techniques employed for the sampling, size fractionation and characterisation of colloids and particles are given
• Theoretical and experimental aspects of the methods as well as the required developments and possible recommendations are discussed
• Each chapter gives a brief introduction general enough for the non-specialist
• Written by a internationally recognized group of contributors

Professor Kevin J. Wilkinson, CABE, Dept. of Analytical, Inorganic and Applied Chemistry, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Research Interests include Aggregate formation mechanisms, Bioavailability studies, Determination of biopolymer conformations, concentrations and roles, and Field studies.

Dr Jamie Lead, Lecturer, Division of Environmental Health and Risk Management, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
Dr Lead obtained a BSc. in Environmental Science in the School of Chemical and Molecular Sciences at the University of Sussex in 1990. After a year out of academia, he moved to Lancaster University where he completed a PhD on the role of humic substances in the chemistry of lanthanides and actinides in freshwaters and soils in 1994.