Nanomaterials 118 changes on the structural and functional properties of the biodiversity and the environment. Membrane nanostructured materials and functionalized composites have pronounced limiting effects over the dispersion effects of secondary degradation pollutants by their retention, encapsulation and separation. As a consequence of the major social and economic implications (environmental protection, natural resource conservation, medicine, nanomedicine), organic depollution has imposed itself as a priority research field, as a source which generates solutions and implementable technologies. This chapter presents the experimental results acquired as a result of the obtaining and testing of new biodegradable functionalized composite materials, intended for the removal of a wide range of organic pollutants. The composites we obtained were tested on four categories of polluted water, coming from milk processing industry, medicine industry, the obtaining and processing of polymers and from the sewage waters in the city of Bucharest. 2. Functionality relations between environmental elements and pollutants The environment can be defined as the manifestation of dependence and functionality relations established between physicochemical and biological structures characteristics of soil, water and air, as its fundamental structural macroentities (Tolgyessy, 1993). Overall, the environment represents a complex and dynamic structure, on the evolutionary process, due to the way and type of interaction established between its structural elements, and material and energy mediation vectors (Fig. 1). Ecosystems represent manifestations of the local distribution manner of basic structural entities of the environment. Ecosystems represent organized systems, well defined in relation to their physical, chemical and biological structure of their structural elements, among which are established structural and functional relations of their own (Socolow et al., 1994). Each set of functions is characteristic for a particular ecosystem, reflecting its biochemical structure, mediation and transport vectors, the dynamics of internal evolution, as well as the rate, role and functions of each structural component. Any changes to global environmental factors or local macrostructural distribution of an ecosystem may irreversibly affect the structural and functional evolution. From this perspective, ecosystems can be defined as stable phases of local equilibrium, established between the biochemical structure, compositional structure and functional structure of their macro-and microcomponents. Transport and mediation vectors (TMV) influence local and global dynamics of transformation and transport, established between the local structural components of the environment and its ecosystems. The main TMV, which form the evolution and transformation of the environment and of its ecosystems are air, water and climatic factors. The distribution and local physical and chemical characteristics of TMV model the distribution and evolution of biodiver...

Full paper/M emoireThe Cu-and Zn-complex-catalyzed methanolysis of the chemical warfare nerve agents soman, sarin, and VXLes complexes de Cu et Zn catalysent la m ethanolyse des agents neurotoxiques de guerre chimique soman, sarin et VX

As a result of the global climatic changes generated by the alteration of the environment through polution, the ecosystems' natural ressources are incontrollably distributed, generating unforseeable effects at the level of the subsequent evolution of the natural balance factors. One of the greatest challenges of the science concerned with environment protection, is that of real time monitoring of the biochemical constitution. The real time monitoring of a great number of biochemical constituents represents an inherent requirement in this field, being dictated by the structural complexity of the natural ecosystems. In this sense, we designed a new monitoring technology of the environment's biochemical constituents, based on a new technique. The technology which integrates the method proposed consists of the unitary joint of three modules of small dimensions, having the following functions: (e) the sampling of the biochemical structures in real time, continuously and on a wide spectrum (f) specific magnetic discrimination of the fixed biochemical structures (g) the processing and the control of the process experimental data, received from the subordonate modules. The system we propose can monitor biochemically the air, the water and the soil, either separately, or at the same time, according to the requirements of the user. Also, the present paper will present several experimental data relevant to our purpose, obtained as a result of npa-BC testing on B.Cereus, St.Aureus, E.Coli, Ps.Aeruginosa, saprophyte bactertia and ricin.

Activities specific to the military field, regarding the instruction process or the missions in the operating theatres, require military personnel to be exposed to a series of toxic chemical compounds, with effects ranging from short to long term. European legislation regarding environmental protection and employee health has become stricter and it directly influences the choice of materials that will be turned into ammunition. Most energetic materials from ammunition contain compounds whose synthesis and decomposition involves the release of high toxicity products into the environment. Shootings with classical weapons systems have an effect on the environment, in the shooting area and also in the place of impact with the objective, having both direct (the shock wave that results from the ammunition exploding, shrapnel, sound waves, high temperatures) and indirect (unexploded ammunition, contamination of the environment) effects. This paper presents the results of experimental research conducted in military shooting ranges during the testing of diverse smoke ammunition, in order to detect and identify the released chemical compounds, thus studying their impact on the fighters� health and security and evaluating the risks they pose on the environment.