A Narrative Review on Environmental Chemistry

Abstract

The branch of chemistry that is called environmental chemistry integrates various sciences and is a crucial element in solving urgent environmental problems. This abstract covers the main issues in environmental chemistry, including understanding why environmental chemistry is important, chemical principles, major environmental pollutants, available analytical techniques, environmental regulations and policies, cases of environmental incidents, and emerging trends that can be expected in the future. Knowing the the principles of environmental chemistry is a must for the authorities who would like to decrease the amounts of pollution, preserve the ecosystems, and ensure human health security. Principles of chemistry including chemical reactions, equilibrium and thermodynamics are the basis for environment processes like pollution, bioaccumulation and nutrient cycling. Pollutants of different types, including heavy metals, organic pollutants and greenhouse gases, are known to bring about a numerous of risks for environment and human health. Analytical techniques, like spectroscopy, chromatography, and mass spectrometry, play a major role in the identification and grading of environmental contaminants. Each method has unique features and constraints. The set of criterion and regulations at the local, national, and international levels significantly contribute to the preservation and improvement of the environment. Nevertheless, there are still loopholes and gaps in the rules and the regulations which are used yet it is very hard to enforce them. The case studies of an environmental disaster, like an oil spill or a chemical disaster, are very instructive, giving us a good picture of the environmental chemistry process and any lessons learned. Environmental chemistry tours the research frontiers these days in terms of nanotechnology, green chemistry, and environmental monitoring, which provide new sources of ideas in the fight against emerging pollutants and promote the greening of the environment. Finally, with the development of environmental chemistry knowledge and solution of main problems we can help to provide conditions, which are necessary for a cleaner and healthier world not only for our present but also for future generations.