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Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology pp 1–21Cite as

Hazardous Materials Characterization and Assessment

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Definition of the Subject

Some materials can be safely produced with minimal environmental and human health concerns during its use or disposal. Other materials are hazardous to manufacture or use and, when disposed, can contaminate and persist in the environment. These toxicity issues can depend on the chemical traits of the substances, such as polymers, metals, and other compounds, in question. Characterization and assessment methods are needed to correctly identify substances of concern and to evaluate in a systematic way the degree of hazard they pose to ecosystems and human health. Building upon toxicological studies, hazardous materials management requires assessment tools that integrate toxicity data to support decision making for the proper handling, treatment, and/or elimination of toxic substances from industrial processes and manufactured products.

Historically, through regulatory or industry efforts, environmental protection has addressed hazardous materials management...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Technology Unit, Chevron Energy Technology Company, San Ramon, CA, USA

    Carl W. Lam

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA

    Haoyang He & Julie M. Schoenung

Authors
  1. Carl W. Lam
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  2. Haoyang He
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  3. Julie M. Schoenung
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Correspondence to Carl W. Lam .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ramtech Ltd., Larkspur, California, USA

    Robert A. Meyers

Section Editor information

  1. Spill Science, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Mervin Fingas

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Lam, C.W., He, H., Schoenung, J.M. (2018). Hazardous Materials Characterization and Assessment. In: Meyers, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2493-6_91-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2493-6_91-3

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