791-202 Chemistry III

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Chemistry II.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The objective of this subject is to enable the students to:

• expand their appreciation of the role of chemistry in agricultural production and resource management; and

• develop an understanding of the physicochemical processes involved in agricultural and biological systems.

The content includes:

• nutrient cycles and their role in agricultural production;

• the chemistry of biologically significant compounds and important biochemical pathways, including Krebs cycle photophosphorylation, fatty acid synthesis and nitrogen metabolism;

• an introduction to chemical toxicology;

• the chemistry of fertilisers, their manufacture, composition and interaction with plants and soils;

• introduction to chemical analysis of soil and plants, including heavy metals;

• pesticide and herbicide chemistry, chemical structure, modes of action, residues and metabolites, herbicide resistance and persistence;

• and the chemistry of soil degradation, including acid soils and declining soil fertility.

Assessment

Three hour final examination (50%), practical work (30%), revision assignments (10%) and tutorial presentations (10%).