Environmental Chemistry

0. What's new?

Oct 27. Crystallographic pictures of silicate rocks have been uploaded.

1. Aim

Majority of environmental problems are caused by excessive consumption of fuels and chemical transformation of natural resources accompanying emission of chemical substances to environment.  To solve the problems, quantitative understanding of environment and underlying chemistry is essential.  This course provides a comprehensive introduction to environmental chemistry, covering all the key areas of environment.

 

2. General content

This course consists of four main topics; structure and composition of the earth, the vital resources, natural cycles of elements, and aquatic environmental chemistry.  In each topic, basic chemical theory will be first introduced such as chemical bonding and structure, reaction thermodynamics, and chemical equilibria in aqueous solutions.  Afterwards, concept of the topic will be described on the basis of chemical theory.

 

3. Goal

- Deep understanding of environmental phenomena and problems by application of chemical theory.

- Development of a more positive attitude toward environmental problems.

 

4. Course Schedule

Topic

Text Chap.

1. Introduction

1-3

2. The Structure and Composition of the Earth - Structure

4.1-2

3. The Structure and Composition of the Earth - Chemical Structure

4.3-9

4. The Structure and Composition of the Earth - Soil

4.10-13

5. Earth's Vital Resources - Extraction of Metals from Metallic Resources

5.1-4

6. Earth's Vital Resources - Extraction of Selected Metals and Collosion

5.5-6

7. Earth's Vital Resources - Fossil Fuels

5.7

8. Natural Cycles - Iron and Carbon

6.1-3

9. Natural Cycles - Nitrogen and Oxygen

6.4-5

10. Natural Cycles - Phosphorus and Sulfur

6.6-7

11. Water - The Role in Environment

7.1-4

12. Water - The Properties as a Media for Chemical Reactions

7.5-10

13. Water - Pollution and Quality

7.11-12

14. Special Topics

 

15. Final Exam

 

 

Grading Components                Attendance, quiz, and homework: 30%, Final exam: 70%

 

Required Text Book       Ian Williams, Environmental Chemistry, A Modular Approach, John Willey & Sons. Ltd., 2001.