Air pollution and climate change

About this book

Air pollution is an issue of enormous importance throughout the world. In recent years there have been changes in our perception of problems associated with air pollution, with new threats being identified and remaining problems becoming worse. Air Pollution and Climate Change, second edition, adopts a unique approach to the problem of air pollution, concentrating on the mechanisms of action of air pollutants and acid rain on biological tissues. This new edition retains relevant and revised information from the first edition and includes much fresh material on important aspects of climate change. The chapters are arranged in three parts, beginning with an outline of the physical events that create and modify pollutants, followed by a detailed consideration of the impact of pollution on plant and animal life forms. Key new topics in this edition include global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, reduced air pollutants such as ammonia and volatile sulphides, and atmospheric lead and radon. The text focuses on the effects of pollutants on flora and fauna directly and on a global scale, as many problems now affect the global system upon which the biosphere depends. Fully illustrated, this is a key text for undergraduate and postgraduate students of biology, toxicology, environmental sciences and physical geography. It will also prove an excellent resource for administrators, consultants and legislators handling environmentally sensitive topics who need to know more about the biological consequences of atmospheric pollution.