This text covers the fundamentals of chemical and microbial process that control the quality of surface water. Topics discussed include the nature and environmental role of surface, complexation and redox reactions; fluxes in the water column and at sediment-water interface; bioavailability; intra- and extra-cellular processes; interactions of microbes with their environment; and microbial ecology. Basic principles are clearly explained and important examples are described in each case. For each environmental process, the respective roles of chemistry and biology are explained.
General Chemistry of Aquatic Systems (J. Buffle and W. Stumm). The Role of Coordination at the Surface of Aquatic Particles (W. Stumm, L. Sigg, and B. Sulzberger). Transformations of Iron at Redox Boundaries (R.R. De Vitre, B. Sulzberger, and J. Buffle). Processes Occurring at the Sediment-Water Interface: Emphasis on Trace Elements (A. Tessier, R. Carignan, and N. Belzile). Regulation of Trace Elements in Lakes: The Role of Sedimentation (L. Sigg). Uptake of Trace Metals by Aquatic Organisms (A. Tessier, J. Buffle, P.G.C. Campbell). Cell Structure and Metabolism, and Its Relation with the Environment (R. Bachofen). Microbial Activities and Their Eco-Chemical Influence (K. Hanselmann). Microorganisms in Their Natural Environment (K. Hanselmann).
Jacques Buffle, Richard R. DeVitre