Vanadium in the Environment

Vanadium, the 21st most abundant element in the earth’s crust, is a shiny silvery soft metal mainly known for its corrosion resistance. The metal is used as an alloying agent for hard, temperature- and wear-resistant steels and other alloys, in glass production; in the manufacture of paint, pigments, and inks; in electronics, ceramics, magnetic tapes, superconductors, and as a catalyst in the pharmaceutical industry. This two-part volume in the Advances in Environmental Science and Technolog series features contributions from an international panel of experts who address the effects of vanadium exposure to aquatic and terrestrial environments, and examine the effects of vanadium on humans and wildlife. Part I is self-contained and explores the chemistry of vanadium, the effects of vanadium on the environment, the detection of vanadium, and its effects on lower life forms.