The latter part of the 20th century saw the realization arise that all chemicals can acts as environmental pollutants and, in addition, there came the realization that emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to the atmosphere had either a direct or indirect impacts on the climate as well as on depletion of the ozone layer. As a result, unprecedented efforts were then made to reduce all global emissions in order to maintain a green perspective. Furthermore, operations have been designed to reduce the direct emissions of organic chemical products and organic chemical by-products into the air (the atmosphere), water (the aquasphere), and soil (the terrestrial biosphere), and to recycle and reuse these chemicals and chemical wastes as much as possible.

Advanced technologies for the rapid, economical, and effective elimination of industrial and domestic chemical wastes have been developed and employed on a large scale and, in fact, advanced technologies for the control and monitoring of chemical pollutants at regional and global levels continue to be developed and implemented. Satellite-based instruments are able to detect, to quantify, and to monitor a wide range of chemical pollutants. In addition, an understanding of the fate and consequences of chemicals in the environment (Chapters 6 and 7) has increased dramatically and there are now available the means of predicting many of the environmental, ecological, and biochemical consequences of the inadvertent introduction of organic chemicals into the environment with much greater precision.

Organic chemistry is the chemistry of carbon, an element that forms strong chemical bonds to other carbon atoms as well as to many other elements such as hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, the halogens (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine), as well as a variety of different metals, such as nickel, vanadium iron, and copper that occur as organo-metallic derivatives in many crude oils.

Thus from this definition, environmental organic chemistry is not just the organic chemistry of the environment that is represented by simple equations but it also includes, in the context of this book, the influence of organic chemicals on the environment which in turn includes: (1) the study of the structure of organic compounds, (2) the physical properties of organic compounds, (3) the chemical properties of organic compounds, and (4) the reactivity or organic compounds with the goal of understanding the behavior of organic compounds not only in the pure form (when possible), but also in aqueous and nonaqueous solutions as well as the chemistry of complex mixtures.

Organic chemistry is a subject that becomes easier as the researcher works with it. The topics covered in this book are the basis topics that serve to introduce the reader not only to organic chemistry but to the effect of organic chemicals on various ecosystems. Basic rules of nomenclature are presented. Understanding the mechanism of how a reaction takes place is particularly crucial in this and of necessity, the book brings a logic and simplicity to the reactions of the different functional groups. This in turn transforms a list of apparently unrelated facts into a sensible theme. Thus, this chapter will serve as an introduction to the physico-chemical properties of organic chemicals and their effect on the floral and faunal environments.

Thus, the intent of this book is to focus on the various organic chemical issues that are the focus of any environmental chemistry program. Thus, this book will serve as an information source to the engineers in presenting details of the various aspects of organic chemicals as they pertain to pollution of the environment. To accomplish this goal, the book focuses on the various aspects of environmental science and engineering. The initial section (Chapters 1–5) presents an introduction to, and a description of the nomenclature of organic compounds and the properties of these materials. The remaining part of the book (Chapters 6–9) presents information relevant to the behavior of organic chemicals and cleanup of the environment.

Dr. James G. Speight, Laramie, Wyoming

July, 2016