Biophysical Viscosity: Thermodynamic Principles of Per Capita Chemical Potentials in Human Populations

Author(s)

Oates, R. P. ; Anderson, Todd A. ; Morse, Audra N. ; Montagner, Cassiana C. ; Klein, David M.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ACS OMEGA; v. 2, n. 6, p. 2878-2882, JUN 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Dynamic viscosity has been used to describe molecular resistance to flow under an applied force. This study introduces the theory of biophysical viscosity, the resistance of a region to molecular flow under environmental force to define the rates of per capita anthropogenic chemical efflux into the environment. Biophysical viscosity is an important intermediate quantity, in that it can be used to calculate the chemical potentials of single molecules for individuals in a population. Nonhypothetical emission data was combined with chemical potentials of anthropogenic tracers, to demonstrate that thermodynamic quantities can be used as parameters to directly compare energies associated with individual chemical emissions across geographic regions. These results indicate that population density is not the only factor in the determination of population-level chemical efflux and that biophysical viscosity is a useful tool in determining the per capita chemical potentials of anthropogenic chemicals for environmental risk assessment. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/50458-9 - Determination of emerging contaminants and the comparison of efficiency of removal by wastewater treatment in São Paulo State Brazil and Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
• Grantee: Wilson de Figueiredo Jardim
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants