The scope of ES:P&I covers an extensive set of subject areas; theoretical, fundamental and applied papers are welcome on the areas detailed below:

Source, Transport and Fate
This section considers the identification of and mechanisms for source, movement and distribution of environmentally important compounds and contaminants in environmental matrices. Biological and non-biological particles, gases, vapours, elemental and compound chemicals are present in the environment to differing extents. Their extent and relevance to human and natural environments should be the focus of papers dealing with these issues. Emerging contaminants, their sources and the processes distributing these compounds into the environment should also be scrutinised.

A few of the relevant questions that should be answered in papers are: do any of these compounds occur together? What are the rates of decomposition or transformation of compounds? How stable are these compounds? Can the contribution of each contaminant be apportioned to particular sources? Has the contaminant caused damage at the affected site (cause-effect relationship)? As contaminants degrade at different rates, the chemical signature will change over time, what is the effect of this `aging` and how does this allow better understanding? What is the ultimate fate of environmental contaminants? Where are they most stable and why? What is the potential for further transportation? How do compounds partition into environmental media and can this process be modified? Ultimately, answering these questions will have implications for exposure and consequently measures that need to be taken to minimise exposure through source identification and apportionment.

Topics in this section include: emerging contaminants; source characterisation; biotransformation; chemical/physical transformation; presence and activity of metabolites; soil and aquatic science; metal speciation; atmospheric science; and climate change.

Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts