Fundamental Behaviour of Biosystems in Connection to Surveillance of Environmental Pollution and Resources

Abstract

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss surveillance of environmental pollution and resources by electromagnetic waves, and it seems that some sort of definition of environmental pollution and some agreement on what is ment by resources are needed as a fundament for the discussions to come. Electromagnetic waves are well defined. We do not want a captious discussion of what we mean by pollution. In our context we shall by pollution mean increased levels of materials or energy introduced by man into the environment. We are concerned mainly with inorganic compounds, some of which are plant nutrients (NO₃^-, PO₄^2-, NH₃, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, SO₂, etc.); non-toxic organic matter (organic wastes, sewage); toxic compounds (special chemicals, pesticides, insecticides, PCB, DDT, PAH); heavy metals, especially those that are only toxic (Pb, Cd, Hg), and pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, vira). Also heat and suspended particles should be included.