Environmental Fate and Transport Analysis with Compartment Modeling, Little

Artificial Neural Networks in Biological and Environmental Analysis provides an in-depth and timely perspective on the fundamental, technological, and applied aspects of computational neural networks. Presenting the basic principles of neural networks together with applications in the field, the book stimulates communication and partnership among scientists in fields as diverse as biology, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, and environmental science. This interdisciplinary discourse is essential not only for the success of independent and collaborative research and teaching programs, but also for the continued interest in the use of neural network tools in scientific inquiry.

The book covers:

• A brief history of computational neural network models in relation to brain function
• Neural network operations, including neuron connectivity and layer arrangement
• Basic building blocks of model design, selection, and application from a statistical perspective
• Neurofuzzy systems, neuro-genetic systems, and neuro-fuzzy-genetic systems
• Function of neural networks in the study of complex natural processes

Scientists deal with very complicated systems, much of the inner workings of which are frequently unknown to researchers. Using only simple, linear mathematical methods, information that is needed to truly understand natural systems may be lost. The development of new algorithms to model such processes is needed, and ANNs can play a major role. Balancing basic principles and diverse applications, this text introduces newcomers to the field and reviews recent developments of interest to active neural network practitioners.

The increased concern about environmental issues such as water pollution, air pollution, accumulation of pollutants in food, global climate change, and effective remediation processes necessitate the precise determination of various types of chemicals in environmental samples. In general, all stages of environmental work start with the evaluation of organic and inorganic environmental samples. This important book furnishes the fundamentals of instrumental chemical analysis methods to various environmental applications and also covers recent developments in instrumental chemical methods.

Covering a wide variety of topics in the field, the book:

- Presents an introduction to environmental chemistry

- Presents the fundamentals of instrumental chemical analysis methods that are used mostly in the environmental work.

- Examines instrumental methods of analysis including UV/Vis, FTIR, atomic absorption, induced coupled plasma emission, electrochemical methods like potentiometry, voltametry, coulometry, and chromatographic methods such as GC and HPLC

- Presents newly introduced chromatographic methodologies such as ion electrophoresis, and combinations of chromatography with pyrolysis methods are given

- Discusses selected methods for the determinations of various pollutants in water, air, and land

Readers will gain a general review of modern instrumental method of chemical analysis that is useful in environmental work and will learn how to select methods for analyzing certain samples. Analytical instrumentation and its underlying principles are presented, along with the types of sample for which each instrument is best suited. Some noninstrumental techniques, such as colorimetric detection tubes for gases and immnosassays, are also discussed.