Role of Interfaces in Environmental Protection

The NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Role of Interfaces in Environmental Protection" has been held on May 27-30, 2002 in Miskolc, Hungary, under leadership of co-directors Prof Sandor Barany from the University ofMiskolc, Hungary, and Prof Nataliya Klymenko, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The objective of the ARW was to highlight colloidal and biocolloidal aspects of environmental pollution and technologies to monitor, remediate, abate and prevent pollution. It is known that the solution of majority of environmental problems is closely connected with phenomena at the interfaces. The behaviour, transport of dispersed particles in the environment, the main phase separation methods in water treatment, purification of liquids, aerosols removal, many soil remediation processes as well as the methods of protection of human organisms from hazardous matters, are based on concepts of colloid chemistry, i.e. properties of interfaces and their behaviour in different media. Examples of these methods are: filtration, ultrafiltration, flotation, coagulation, hetero-coagulation and flocculation, adsorption, adhesion of micro-organisms to surfaces, membrane separation methods, etc. A very important and special aspect of the topic is the human protection using colloid-chemical approaches, i.e. the adsorption, aggregation and adagulation properties of differe~t materials. Examples are: adsorption of hazardous organic materials, drugs, heavy· metals and radionuclides on activated carbon, silica, cellulose derivatives, etc.

Fundamentals: 1. New Horizons in Purification of Liquids: Novel Colloidal and Interfacial Strategies to Remove Hazardous Molecules, Viruses and Other Microorganisms from Water and Blood; D. Shah. 2. Chemistry and Collisions in Natural and Technological Aquatic Environments; C. O'Melia. 3. Polymer-supported Subcolloidal Particles: Characterisation and Environmental Application; L. Cumbal, et al. 4. The Lyophilic Structure-mechanical Barrier as a Factor of Dispersion Strong Stabilisation; E.D. Shchukin, et al. 5. Role of Capillary Forces in the Reduction of Dust Pollution during Transport and Handling; Y. Rabinovich, et al. Monitoring: 6. Determination of Isomeric-specific Composition of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Natural and Drinking Waters of Dnieper R. Basin in Kiev Region Using Gas Chromatography and Mass-spectrometry; M.V. Milyukin. 7. X-Ray Luminophors for Radiation Monitoring; M. Ignatovych, et al. 8. Long-term Effects of Cyanide Pollution of the River Tisza; N.M. Nagy, J. Kónya. 9. Artificial Radionuclides Speciation in River Water of the R. Dnieper Basin; V. Dolin, et al. Environmental Problems in Air: 10. Principal Features of Chernobyl Hot Particles: Phase, Chemical and Radionuclide Compositions; B.E. Burakov. 11. Description of Air/Surface Partitioning for Volatile Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Environment; M.S. Bazlevska, V.I. Bogillo. 12. Past and Future for Ozone-depleting Halocarbons in Antarctic Environment; V.I. Bogillo, et al. Polymeric Materials in Environmental Protection: 13. Microgels for Controlled Uptake and Release; H.M. Crowther, et al. 14.Dynamic Polymer Layers on Membranes as Antifoulants in Membrane Filtration; T.V. Knyazkova, O.Z. Zhuralev. 15. Porous Polymer Structures for Trapping Solvent Molecules; J.M. Guenet, et al. 16. A Simple Interaction Model of Particles Covered with Polyelectrolyte Brush Layers in Strong Charging and Strong Screening Regime with Implications to Microbial Aggregation and Adhesion; J. Skvarla. Water Protection and Treatment, Adsorption Technologies: 17. Novel Environmental Sorbents and Methods of their Characterisation; A. Dabrowski, et al. 18. Biosorption Processes at the Activated Carbon/Nonionic Surfactant Aqueous Solution Interface; N. Klymenko, et al. 19. Selective Adsorbents for Improved Removal of Malodorous Compounds; P.H. Thiesen, et al. 20. Carbonaceous Haemosorbents on the Basis of Synthetic Active Carbons; N.T. Kartel, V.V. Strelko. 21. Biosorption of Copper, Zinc and Nickel by Grape-stalks and Cork Biomasses; N. Chubar, et al. 22. Adsorption Equilibrium in the System 'Cr(III)-Activated Carbon'; S.B.R. Melo, et al. 23. Conversion of Polyacrylonitrile to Nanoporous Carbon for Environmental Application; K. László. 24. Effect of Environmentally Relevant Organic Complexants on the Surface Charge and the Interaction of Clay Mineral and Metal Oxide Particles; E. Tombácz, et al. 25. Preparation and Photocatalytic Application of Different TiO2 and Zn(OH)2/ZnO Nanoparticles and Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Layered Silicates; K. Mogyorósi, et al. 26. Connection between Structural and Adsorptive Characteristics of Fumed Oxides and their Efficiency in Environmental and Human Protection Applications; V.M.