Contaminants of the Great Lakes

This book reviews the Great Lakes, a vital freshwater resource, threatened by contaminants that affect water quality and ecology. It explores sources, impacts, and management strategies, highlighting the need for continued recovery efforts and advances in detection and management.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 265 pages
Publication date: 19 September 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The Great Lakes, a vital and globally significant freshwater resource, face a pressing threat from contaminants that compromise water quality and undermine their ecological and economic well-being. This comprehensive book, divided into four insightful sections, delves into the historical, current, and emerging sources of contamination, encompassing heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and microplastics. It explores the profound ecological impacts of these pollutants and highlights the challenges posed by rapidly changing land use practices, climate change, and our evolving understanding of their intricate interactions.

The effectiveness of management strategies employed to address these contaminants has demonstrated significant variability, reflecting the multifaceted nature of the problem. Factors such as rapidly evolving land use practices, climate change, and our growing awareness of their profound effects on biological, chemical, and physical interactions have contributed to this variability. Consequently, there is an urgent need for continuous enhancements in the rate of lake recovery to sustain the health and vitality of the Great Lakes.

In addition to examining the challenges and complexities of contamination management, this book also explores recent advancements in contaminant detection techniques. It sheds light on our current knowledge gaps and provides a roadmap for future lake management approaches that aim to achieve sustainable solutions. By offering valuable insights to scientists, managers, and the broader public, this book serves as a crucial asset in our collective efforts to protect and preserve these invaluable water resources.

Weight: 433g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030578763
Edition number: 1st ed. 2020