Bioavailability processes are essential for assessing environmental risk, environmental health, and decision-making in environmental management. This practical guide on environmental bioavailability explains its importance and includes specific methods for testing the bioavailability of pollutants in water (freshwater and seawater), soils, and sediments. Detailed methods and techniques are given to measure and assess bioavailability using biotic methods, abiotic methods, and modeling. Case studies help environmental researchers and practitioners understand the applications of bioavailability in field and laboratory.
This book contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of environmental bioavailability in contemporary environmental science in the following ways:
- Provides information on the importance of environmental bioavailability of pollutants.
- Explains, in a "how-to" manner, the use of environmental bioavailability in the context of Environmental Risk Assessment and environmental management decision-making.
- Includes areas of applicability, optimum conditions, and pros and cons for bioavailability methods provided.
- Summarizes state-of-the-art in modeling environmental bioavailability and discusses current best practices.
- Includes case studies illustrating the assessment of bioavailability using different approaches.
This handbook is intended for professionals, researchers, academics, environmental practitioners, and policymakers working in the areas of Environmental Risk Assessment, environmental health, environmental management, sustainability, and related fields. It is also an excellent resource for students studying in any of these fields and looking for a foundational text on environmental bioavailability.
Xiaokai Zhang completed his PhD at the University of Liverpool, focusing on topics involving bioavailability in environmental risk and impact assessment, the use of environmental biotechnology to measure bioavailability, and risk-based environmental management interventions. Currently, he is an associate professor at Jiangnan University in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, where he continues to work on topics in bioavailability-based risk and environmental management, as well as the environmental behavior of biochar and remediation of contaminated soils using biochar. His research in his areas of expertise has been published in several book chapters and in notable environmental science journals including Environmental Science & Technology, Water Research, and Environmental Pollution, with some works rated as highly cited papers.
Mona Wells is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist specializing in Environmental Impact Assessment, Environmental Risk Assessment, and environmental management. Her roles have included posts in different locales internationally as an academic and as an environmental practitioner, on projects spanning a broad portfolio including technical project work, research, commercialization, program development, policy advisement, science communication, public consultation, pedagogical development, and continuous improvement.
