In 2004 an amount of 187 tons of palladium has been sold in world market. The main demands were automotive catalyst (58%), electronics (14%), jewellery (14%) and dental practises (13%). Especially, the increasing use of palladium in catalytic converters is a reason for substantial research in this field. Emission, environmental distribution and possible health effects of pla- num have been summarized detailed in two recent books Emissionen von Platinmetallen: Analytik, Umwelt- und Gesundheitsrelevanz and Anth- pogenic Platinum Group Emissions Their Impact on Man and Envir- ment published by Springer in 1999 and 2000 (Zereini & Alt (Eds)). But there is a clear lack of information concerning palladium. It is very imp- tant to condense the present state of research findings from emission to potential health risks for the environment and humans. Very important is the chapter about analytical determination of pal- dium, which shows clearly the problems of several analytical techniques. Some data published during the last decade have to be re-evaluated because of insufficient analytical techniques. Also the finding that palladium c- pounds are relatively soluble and mobile in environmental settings is a great issue for further investigations. I think it is the right time for such a comprehensive book about palladium research and I am sure that readers with different scientific background like chemists, biologists, geologists medical doctors e.g. will benefit very much from reading this book.

Presents the latest research results related to all aspects of emissions of palladium in the environment and their environmental assessment and health effect

Inhalt
Automotive Catalysts.- Release of Particulate and Acid Soluble Palladium from Catalytic Converters into the Environment.- Use and Demand of Palladium for the Industry.- Regional Distribution of Pd, Pt and Au-Emissions from the Nickel Industry on the Kola Peninsula, NW-Russia, as Seen in Moss and Humus Samples.- Analysis of Palladium by High Resolution ICP-MS.- Determination of Palladium in Environmental Samples by ICP-MS after Preconcentration / Separation.- Sources of Error and their Elimination for Spectrometric Determination of Palladium in Environmental Samples.- Collision Cell ICP-MS as Tool for the Determination of Palladium.- Solid Sampling GFAAS and ICPMS for the Determination of Trace Amounts of Palladium.- Preconcentration and Separation Methods for the Determination of Trace Palladium in Environmental Samples.- Analytical Problems and Validation of Methods for Determination of Palladium in Environmental Materials.- ICP-MS and Te Co-Precipitation after Nickel Sulphide Fire-Assay Collection for Pd Determination in Roadside Soils.- Determination of Ultra-Trace Levels of Palladium in Environmental Samples by Graphite Furnace Atomic Spectrometry Techniques.- Determination of palladium in road dust and sewage sludge ashes.- Speciation of Palladium in Plants: Method Development for Investigating Metabolic Changes.- Analytical Procedure for the Quantification of in vitro Induced Pt- and Pd-DNA Adducts in Human Lung Cells.- HPLC, Extraction and Solubilities of Pd (II) - und Rh (III)-Dialkyldithiocarbamates and Other Chelate Chemistry.- Analytical Methods to Determine Palladium in Environmental Matrices: A Review.- Regional and Global Transport of Platinum Group Elements from Automobile Catalysts.- Palladium in Waste Waters and Surface Waters of North Rhine-Westfalia.-Anthropogenic Emission of Pd and Traffic-Related PGEs Results Based on Monitoring with Sewage Sludge.- The Importance of Assessing Variability in the Distribution of Anthropogenic Palladium, Platinum and Rhodium in Fluvial Sediments.- Man-Induced Changes of Palladium in Polar and Alpine Snow and Ice Archives.- Palladium in a Mountain Ecosystem (Aspe Valley, Pyrenees, France).- Short-Term Variation of Palladium in Airborne Particulate Matter.- Palladium in Airborne Particulate Matter: Total Concentrations and Particle Size Distribution.- Source Characterization of Platinum Group Elements Using the Isotopic Composition of Osmium.- Temporal and Spatial Variation of Palladium in the Roadside Environment.- Spatial and Temporal Variation of Anthropogenic Palladium in the Environment.- Palladium in Environmental Matrices: A Review.- Biological Effects of Palladium.- Uptake of Palladium by the Fauna.- Biomonitoring of Palladium in the Environment Using Different Accumulation Indicators.- Biomonitoring of Pt and Pd with Mosses.- Distribution of Palladium, Platinum and Rhodium in Birds of Prey.- Contact Dermatitis to Palladium.- Palladium Occupational Exposure.- Palladium from Catalytic Converters: Exposure Levels and Human Risk.- Palladium Toxicity in Animals and in in vitro Test Systems An Overview.