610-280 Environmental Chemistry

Note:

Credit Points:

Coordinator:

Prerequisite/s:

Timetable:

Contact:

Objectives:

On completion of 610-280 the student should:

Comprehend:

• the relationship between chemistry and the environment;

• the sources, reactions, transport, effects and fates of chemical species in the water, soil and air environments;

• the consequences of change in the chemical composition of the environment for humankind;

• the integration of a chemically-centred study of the environment with other approaches to the treatment of environmental data.

Have developed:

• skills in recognising chemical-based environmental problems:

• an awareness of the possible effects and processes of chemicals on the environment;

• techniques to manipulate and interpret environmental data.

Appreciate:

• the need for high quality environmental analysis;

• the links between the misuse of chemicals and pollution events.

Content:

Air pollution: Emissions to troposphere; behaviour of pollutants in troposphere; SMOG chemistry; air pollution potential (chemistry and meteorology); one of Greenhouse effect, Ozone Layer, Acid Rain.

Freshwater Chemistry: Structure and composition of water bodies; chemistry of nutrients; dissolved oxygen; Henry's Law, oxygen demand; selected examples of metal and organic priority pollutants; water quality and health.

Soil chemistry/ contaminated sites: Chemistry of soil (formation, constituents, properties); sources and characteristics of land contaminants; adsorption of contaminants in soils; chemical assessment of contaminated land; reclamation of contaminated land.

Assessment: