2024 APCH211W2 Environmental Chemistry


Aim:

To introduce students to the physical-chemical processes of the natural and built environment.

This module intends to provide transformative learning that will equip students with the ability to conduct environmental monitoring and analysis, environmental health and safety evaluation, air quality auditing, water quality analysis, and environmental research in preparation for a variety of graduate professions, such as

·         Careers related to Environmental Chemistry/Sciences

·         Carriers related to Air Quality Management, Water and Wastewater Quality Management, etc.

·         Forensic: development of antidotes for poison

·         Food production: quality controller

 

The Environment (atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere)

 Hydrosphere

· Natural waters: Dissolved gases in natural waters, dissolved solids in natural waters.

· Toxicity of materials: Toxic inorganic and organic chemicals; toxic effects of heavy metals

· Water treatment for domestic consumption: Chlorination processes and alternative treatments, water quality standards

· Sewage treatment: Primary, secondary, and tertiary processes, activated sludge, biological filtration systems, sludge disposal

· Industrial effluent management: Solution chemistry (pH factors, reaction rates, equilibrium, speciation) concerning acidity, alkalinity, nitrogen and phosphate loads, heavy metals and organometallics, cyanides, biocides, phenols, detergents, solvents, etc.

 

Atmospheric chemistry:

· Composition of the atmosphere, the ozone layer, tropospheric chemistry, photochemical smog, acid rain, particulates, the greenhouse effect, global warming, indoor air pollution

 

Lithosphere:

· Structure and composition of the earth, mineral chemistry, rock chemistry, weathering, soil formation, soil properties, formation of ores, formation of fossil fuel, extraction of metals, natural cycles of essential elements. 

Solid waste management: Incineration, pyrolysis, landfill, and recycling options; Biodegradability of materials.

 

Knowledge:

Upon successful completion of this module, the student should be able to:

  • Apply modern analytical instrumentation, including spectroscopy (NMR, Mass, Light), Microscopy in environmental analysis
  • Design and application of experiments
  • Analysis of contaminants and pollutants
  • Investigate aspects of chemicals and processes as they occur in the environment
  • Assess environmental risk from pollutants and other disturbances
  • Qualitative and quantitative approaches for environmental impact assessments & audits
  • Practical methods of resource exploration and assessment
  • Communication skills – writing technical reports and project proposals
  • Presentation skills – visualization of data and communication of research findings/topics

Skills:

Ø  appreciate the importance of environmental chemistry as the pool of the source of chemical knowledge.

Ø  have acquired the skills and competency in the field of environmental chemistry.

Ø  have developed a logical approach towards problem-solving and demonstrated the ability to identify relevant areas of the theory and to apply the laws and principles learned in the module to answer specific questions.

Ø  have demonstrated the ability to work independently on tutorial and test problems.

Ø  The practical component of the module will equip students with skills on how to sample, detect and quantify pollutants in specific parts of the environment; how to keep a lab notebook; how to analyse your data, and how to write a lab report.

 

At the end of the module, you should be able to:

• Describe and discuss basic physical-chemical processes associated with natural water in diverse environments.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the complex physical-chemical processes associated with various types of water pollution.

• Demonstrate understanding of the toxic effects of various inorganic and organic compounds and heavy metals.

• Understand the stratification of the atmosphere and its composition.

• Demonstrate understanding of the critical physical-chemical processes contributing to modern atmospheric pollution and their consequences.

• Discuss physical, chemical and biological processes that one can use to manage industrial pollution

• Demonstrate an understanding of and discuss the natural cycles of important elements

• Demonstrate an understanding of and discuss the fundamental physical-chemical processes in the terrestrial environment including structure and composition of the earth, mineral chemistry, rock chemistry, weathering processes, soil formation and properties

• Demonstrate an understanding of and discuss the formation of natural resources like ores and fossil fuels and the basic metal extraction processes

• Demonstrate an understanding of and discuss the treatment of solid wastes and their effect on the environment

• Record and interpret observations and report experimental results in a clear, logical, and concise manner.