Ecotoxicology of Explosives

Managing sites contaminated with munitions constituents is an international challenge. Although the choice of approach and the use of Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) tools may vary from country to country, the assurance of quality and the direction of ecotoxicological research are universally recognized as shared concerns. Drawing on a multidisciplinary team of contributors, Ecotoxicology of Explosives provides comprehenisve and critical reviews available to date on fate, transport, and effects of explosives.

The book delineates the state of the science of the ecotoxicology of explosives, past, present, and recently developed. It reviews the accessible fate and ecotoxicological data for energetic materials (EMs) and the methods for their development. The chapters characterize the fate of explosives in the environment, then provide information on their ecological effects in key environmental media, including aquatic, sedimentary, and terrestrial habitats. The book also discusses approaches for assembling these lines of evidence for risk assessment purposes. The chapter authors have critically examined the peer-reviewed literature to identify and prioritize the knowledge gaps and to recommend future areas of research.

The editors include a review of the genotoxic effects of the EMs and the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicity of these chemicals. They also discuss the transport, transformation, and degradation pathways of these chemicals in the environment that underlie the potential hazardous impact and bioaccumulation of EMs in different terrestrial and aquatic ecologiocal receptors. This information translates into practical applications for the environmental risk assessment of EM-contaminated sites and into recommendations for the sustainable use of defense installations.

A multidisciplinary team of contributors provides critical reviews and ecotoxicological data on the fate, transport, and effects of energetic materials (EMs), information which can be used in managing sites contaminated with munitions. The book characterizes the fate of explosives in the environment, then provides information on their ecological effects in aquatic, sedimentary, and terrestrial habitats. It examines the genotoxic effects of EMs and the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying their toxicity, and details the transformation and degradation pathways of these chemicals in the environment. It also gives practical recommendations on environmental risk assessment of EM-contaminated sites. Focus is mainly on peer-reviewed publications in the open literature, although technical reports are also reviewed. Each chapter has been evaluated by at least two external peer reviewers. The book is intended for readers at the graduate and undergraduate level, as well as for a wide range of environmental professionals, including scientists, engineers, consultants, site managers, regulators, and decision makers at contaminated installations. Sunahara is a senior research scientist and the group leader of Applied Ecotoxicology at the Biotechnology Research Institute, Canada. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Written by leading experts in the field, this book details the current state-of-the-science of the ecotoxicology of explosives and unexploded ordinance, and its future research. The book provides a detailed discussion of safety concerns and environmental impacts, including coverage of ecotoxicological effects measurement in different species, environmental risk assessment procedures for sites contaminated with explosives, modeling, and case studies. The book also covers how ecotoxicological data can be used towards the development of recommendations for sustaining range activities while ensuring environmental stewardship and regulatory compliance.