Sustainable Practices in Geoenvironmental Engineering

In the seven years since the publication of the first edition of Sustainable Practices in Geoenvironmental Engineering, the combination of population growth and increased exploitation of renewable and non-renewable natural resources has added increased stresses on the quality and health of the geoenvironment. This is especially true when viewed in the context of the growing demand for food and shelter, energy and mineral resources, and their resultant effects on the natural capital of the geoenvironment. Completely revised and updated, this second edition of a bestseller introduces and discusses the concept of "stressors" and their impacts on the geoenvironment. See What’s New in the Second Edition: Clear definition of the geoenvironment New tools and remediation technologies, new management methods for geohazards, and enhanced coverage of social and economic sustainability Innovative approaches and techniques for reaching geoenvironmental sustainability More detail on treatment technologies, both in situ and ex situ Discussion on the mitigation of geodisasters Additional sections to discuss sustainability assessment protocols Updated information on models for prediction of contaminant behavior The authors explore the technologies that take into account targets, exposure routes (if applicable), future land use, acceptable risks, legislation, and resultant emissions/discharges in establishing the criteria and tools for evaluating technologies and protocols for environmental management of the impacted land. They then discuss how to choose the correct ones to use in different situations to protect the quality and health of natural resource and capital of the geoenvironment and ensure that these geoenvironmental natural resources and capital remain available for future generations and to develop innovative and sustainable techniques to make land more stable and safer.

Geoenvironment Management and SustainabilityIntroductionImpacts on the GeoenvironmentGeoenvironment Impacts from Natural Events and DisastersAnthropogenic Forces and Impacts on GeoenvironmentGeoenvironment, Ecosystems, and ResourcesEcozones and EcosystemsNatural Resources and Biodiversity in the GeoenvironmentGeoenvironment SustainabilityGeoenvironment as a Natural Resource BaseImpacts on the GeoenvironmentImpacts due to Population GrowthImpacts from Natural Resource Exploitation Stressors and Sources Natural Stressor Sources and Stressors Anthropogenic Stressor Sources and Stressors Geoenvironment Impacts on Soil and Water Resources Impacts on Land Mass and Soil Soil Functionality and Indicators Impacts on Water and Water ResourcesSustainability Renewable and Nonrenewable Geoenvironment Natural ResourcesRs and BeyondConcluding RemarksReferencesStressors and Soil Contamination Introduction Stressors and Impacts Stressor Impacts on Soils Hydraulic MechanicalThermalChemicalGeochemicalBiologically MediatedSoil Contamination from Chemical StressorsContamination and Geoenvironmental Impacts Reference FrameCharacterization of Geoenvironmental ImpactsIdentifying and Assessing for Impact on the Geoenvironment Stressor Sources Nature of Impacts Man-Made and Natural CombinationsWastes, Contaminants, and ThreatsInorganic ContaminantsArsenic (As)Cadmium (Cd)Chromium (Cr)Copper (Cu)Lead (Pb)Nickel (Ni)Zinc (Zn)Organic Chemical ContaminantsPersistent Organic Chemical Pollutants Surface and Subsurface Soils Soil as a Resource Material Nature of SoilsSoil CompositionPrimary MineralsSecondary MineralsSoil Organic MatterOxides and Hydrous OxidesCarbonates and Sulfates Soil Properties Pertinent to Contaminant Transport and Fate Specific Surface Area and Cation Exchange CapacitySurface PropertiesContaminant Transport and Land Contamination Mechanisms of Interaction of Heavy Metal Contaminants in Soil Chemically Reactive Groups of Organic Chemical ContaminantsPartitioning of Contaminants and Partition CoefficientsPredicting Contaminant Transport Geoenvironmental Land Management Concluding RemarksReferences Sustainable Water ManagementIntroductionGeoenvironment Sustainable Water ManagementWater Availability and Quality Uses of Water and Its Importance Hydrological CycleHuman Interference on Infiltration and Runoff Harvesting of GroundwaterExcessive Groundwater Abstraction and Land SubsidenceUses of WaterWater Quality Characterization and ManagementClasses of Contaminants Characterizing Chemical StressorsMonitoring of Water QualityRemote SensingBiomonitoringSustainable Water Treatment and ManagementTechniques for Soil and Groundwater TreatmentIsolation and ContainmentExtraction Treatment Techniques Electrokinetic ApplicationsNatural AttenuationBiostimulationBioaugmentationEnhanced Natural AttenuationIn Situ Reactive Regions—Treatment ZonesPermeable Reactive BarriersEx Situ ProcessesGroundwater and Water Management Evaluation of the Sustainability of Remediation Alternatives Concluding Remarks References Industrial Ecology and the Geoenvironment Introduction Concept of Industrial Ecology Geoenvironmental Life Cycle Assessment Geoenvironment Impacts and Sustainability Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream Industries Mineral Mining and Processing Downstream Industries Metallurgical Industries Metal Fabrication and Processing Nonmetal Mineral Resources Processing Land Environment Impacts and Sustainability Indicators Agroprocessing IndustriesLeather Tanning Industry Pulp and Paper IndustryPalm Oil Industries Land Environment Impact and Sustainability Indicators Petrochemical and Chemical Industries Petrochemical Industries Chemical Industries Stressors and Impacts on Geoenvironment Land Environment Impacts and Sustainability Indicators Service Industries Hospital Wastes and the Geoenvironment Energy Production and the Geoenvironment Fossil Fuel Energy Production Geoenvironment Stressors Nuclear Energy Alternative Energy Sources and the Geoenvironment Contaminating Discharges and Wastes Physicochemical Properties and Processes Solubility Partition Coefficients Vapor Pressure Concluding Remarks References Natural Resources Extraction: Stressors and Impact Management Introduction Stressors and Impacts Mining-Related Activities Biohydrometallurgical Processes Underground In Situ Hydrocarbon Extraction Sulfide Minerals and Acidic Leachates Acid Mine Drainage Arsenic Release Sustainability and Resource Exploitation Resource Extraction and Stressor Impacts Mining-Related Industries Pit Mining Discharges from Beneficiation and Processing: Stressor Sources Solid Waste Materials and Stressors Liquid Waste Streams, Discharge, and Stressors Underground In Situ Hydrocarbon Extraction Fluid Usage and Stressors Tailings Discharges Containment of Tailings Nature of Contained Slurry Tailings Geoenvironment Impacts and Management Geoenvironmental Inventory and Land Use Acid Mine Drainage Impact Mitigation Acid Mine Drainage Management Wetlands Biosorption Slurry Tailings Ponds Impact Management Concluding Remarks Mining Activities Contaminated Water Management Tailings Discharge and Mine Closure References Agricultural-Based Food Production Geoenvironment Stressors Introduction Food Production Geoenvironment Engineering: Sustainable Issues Land Use for Food Production Stressor Impacts on Water and Soil Water Utilization Soil and Water Quality Stressors Chemical Soil Nutrients Pesticides Food Production Stressor Impacts Impact on Health Impact on Biodiversity Managing Geoenvironment Stressor Impacts Examples of Practices to Reduce Stressor Impacts Soil Degradation Soil Erosion Integrated Crop Management Water Quality Source Control Impact of Soil Additives Mitigating Manure Treatment Stressors’ Impacts Aerobic Composting Anaerobic Digestion Wetlands Integrated Manure Treatment Tools for Evaluation of Geoenviroment Impacts from Farming Stressor Sources Agricultural Sustainability Development of Analytical ToolsIndicators of Agroecosystem Sustainability Concluding Remarks References Urbanization and the Geoenvironment Introduction Land Uses by UrbanizationImpact of Urbanization on WEHAB Impact on Water Effect of Traffic and Energy UseImplications on HealthImpact of Land UseImpact of Urban Waste DisposalGreenhouse Gases Impact on Ecosystem Biodiversity Impact Avoidance and Risk MinimizationWaste ManagementContamination Management and PreventionWaste ReductionRecycling Water Resources Management Reduction in Energy Usage, Ozone Depletion, and Greenhouse Gases Minimizing Impact on Biodiversity Altering Transportation Brownfield Redevelopment Sustainability Indicators for UrbanizationMitigation and Remediation of Impacts Mitigation of Impact of Wastes Fresh Kills Urban Dump, New York City, New York, USA Vertical Barriers and Containment Excavation Landfill Bioreactor Natural Attenuation Remediation of Urban SitesCase Study of a Sustainable Urban AreaConcluding RemarksReferencesCoastal Marine Environment SustainabilityIntroductionCoastal Marine Environment and ImpactsGeosphere and Hydrosphere Coastal Marine EnvironmentSedimentationEutrophicationFood Chain and Biological Concentration Contamination of SedimentsSome Case Studies of Sediment Contamination Sediment Quality Criteria London Convention and Protocol Quality of Marine SedimentsStandards and Guidelines Guidelines Chemicals Background and Bioconcentration Background Concentration Sulfide and Its Effects on Marine Life Toxic Sulfide Guidelines for Sulfide for Surface Water and Sediments Connecting Problems of Geoenvironment and Bioenvironment Heavy Metals Profile of Heavy Metal Concentration Minamata DiseaseOrganic Chemical ContaminantsOrganotinsChlorinated Organic MicrocontaminantsRehabilitation of Coastal Marine Environment Removal of Contaminated Suspended Solids Confined Sea Areas Large Bodies of Water Continuous Removal of Suspended Solids Sand Capping Removal of Contaminated Sediments by Dredging Dredging Treatment of Dredged Sediments Remov

Dr. Raymond N. Yong is the William Scott Professor Emeritus at McGill University, Canada, and Emeritus Professor at the University of Wales Cardiff (Cardiff University), UK. He has authored and co-authored eleven other textbooks, over five hundred refereed papers in the various journals in the disciplines of Geoenvironmental Engineering and Earth Science, and holds 52 patents. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society (Canada), and a Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Québec. He and his students were amongst the early researchers in Geoenvironmental Engineering engaged in research on the physico-chemical properties and behaviour of soils, their use in buffer/barriers for HLW (high-level radioactive waste) and HSW (hazardous solid waste) containment and isolation, and restoration/remediation of contaminated sites. He and his colleagues are currently engaged in research on Geoenvironmental sustainability. Dr. Catherine N. Mulligan holds a Concordia Research Chair in Geoenvironmental Sustainability (Tier I) and is Full Professor and Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science of Concordia University, Canada. She has authored more than 80 refereed papers in various journals, authored, co-edited or co-authored five other books, holds three patents and has supervised to completion more than 40 graduate students. She is the Director of the new Concordia Institute of Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems. The new Institute trains students in sustainable development practices and performs research into new systems, technologies and solutions for environmental sustainability. Dr. Masaharu Fukue is a Full Professor at Tokai University, Japan. He has studied and taught geoenvironmental engineering and geotechnical engineering for 36 years, since 1978, in Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University. He has co-authored two other textbooks, over one hundred refereed papers in various journals, and holds 6 patents. He has recently established the Japanese Geotechnical Association for Housing Disaster Prevention to apply the theory and practice of innovative microbial cementing process (one of his patented process). In addition, another of his Japanese patents (re-suspension technique for sediment rehabilitation) is currently being applied in Fukushima, Japan, in the aftermath of the March, 2011 East-Japan great earthquake and accompanying tsunami. Both projects demonstrate the interdependencies between geoenvironmental engineering and geotechnical engineering, and the need to apply sustainability principles in the practice of both disciplines.