610-280 Environmental Chemistry

One of chemistry 610-141, 610-161 or 610-051 AND one of 610-142, 610-162 or 610-052

On completion of 610-280 students should comprehend the relationship between chemistry and the environment; the sources, reactions, transport, effects and fates of chemical species in the water, soil and atmospheric environments; the consequences of changes in the chemical composition of the environment for humankind and other species; the consequences of energy utilisation; and the integration of a chemically-centred study of the environment with other approaches to the treatment of environmental data.

Students should have developed skills in recognising chemical-based environmental problems; an awareness of the possible effects of chemicals on the environment; and a capacity to interpret environmental data and to apply diverse chemical principles in the explanation of environmental phenomena. Students should appreciate the need for high quality environmental analysis; and the links between the misuse of chemicals and pollution events.

The subject covers the topics emissions to troposphere; behaviour of pollutants in troposphere and stratosphere; ozone and SMOG chemistry; air pollution potential (chemistry and meteorology); airborne particulates; acid rain, the greenhouse effect; the ozone layer; the struture and chemistry of freshwater bodies; the chemistry of nutrients; dissolved oxygen, Henry's Law, oxygen demand; the environmental impact of selected examples of metals, organic priority pollutants, pesticides, herbicides; water quality and health; the chemistry of soils (formation, constituents and properties); sources and characteristics of soil contaminants; absorption and persistence of contaminants in soils; soil degradation, salinity, acid-sulphate soils; chemical assessment of contaminated soils; introduction to soil and water remediation; and energy utilisation and conservation.

One 3-hour written examination at the end of semester. Assignments and tests may constitute up to 10% of the final assessment.