Karapanagioti Hrissi K. - Hazardous Chemicals Associated with Plastics in the Marine Environment

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Aims and Scope

Since 1980, The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry has provided sound and solid knowledge about environmental topics from a chemical perspective. Presenting a wide spectrum of viewpoints and approaches, the series now covers topics such as local and global changes of natural environment and climate; anthropogenic impact on the environment; water, air and soil pollution; remediation and waste characterization; environmental contaminants; biogeochemistry; geoecology; chemical reactions and processes; chemical and biological transformations as well as physical transport of chemicals in the environment; or environmental modeling. A particular focus of the series lies on methodological advances in environmental analytical chemistry.

With remarkable vision, Prof. Otto Hutzinger initiated The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry in 1980 and became the founding Editor-in-Chief. At that time, environmental chemistry was an emerging field, aiming at a complete description of the Earths environment, encompassing the physical, chemical, biological, and geological transformations of chemical substances occurring on a local as well as a global scale. Environmental chemistry was intended to provide an account of the impact of man's activities on the natural environment by describing observed changes.

While a considerable amount of knowledge has been accumulated over the last three decades, as reflected in the more than 70 volumes of The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry , there are still many scientific and policy challenges ahead due to the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of the field. The series will therefore continue to provide compilations of current knowledge. Contributions are written by leading experts with practical experience in their fields. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry grows with the increases in our scientific understanding, and provides a valuable source not only for scientists but also for environmental managers and decision-makers. Today, the series covers a broad range of environmental topics from a chemical perspective, including methodological advances in environmental analytical chemistry.

In recent years, there has been a growing tendency to include subject matter of societal relevance in the broad view of environmental chemistry. Topics include life cycle analysis, environmental management, sustainable development, and socio-economic, legal and even political problems, among others. While these topics are of great importance for the development and acceptance of The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry , the publisher and Editors-in-Chief have decided to keep the handbook essentially a source of information on hard sciences with a particular emphasis on chemistry, but also covering biology, geology, hydrology and engineering as applied to environmental sciences.

The volumes of the series are written at an advanced level, addressing the needs of both researchers and graduate students, as well as of people outside the field of pure chemistry, including those in industry, business, government, research establishments, and public interest groups. It would be very satisfying to see these volumes used as a basis for graduate courses in environmental chemistry. With its high standards of scientific quality and clarity,