Environmental Chemistry

1. Explain chemical interactions within environmental compartments.
2. Identify sources, types, and effects of environmental pollution.
3. Apply waste management strategies to mitigate environmental impact.
4. Perform water chemistry analysis and interpret results.
5. Operate chemical and physical instruments for environmental monitoring.
6. Propose solutions to environmental problems using chemical principles.

13 weeks, about 26 hours in total. Yours will differ.

1. Week 1Module 1: Natural Cycles and Atmospheric Chemistry

   • Unit 1: Concepts of Elementary Cycles · 2 hours

     Define biogeochemical cycles and provide specific examples.. Explain the transformations within the carbon cycle, including respiration, decay, and combustion.. Describe the roles of photosynthesis and formation of carbonic acid in carbon dioxide removal..

2. Week 2Module 1: Natural Cycles and Atmospheric Chemistry

   • Unit 2: Characteristics of the Atmosphere · 2 hours

     Identify the layers of the atmosphere and their characteristics.. Discuss the chemical transformations in the troposphere, including hydroxyl radical formation and ozone production.. Explain the formation of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), sulfuric acid, and nitric acid..

3. Week 3Module 2: Sources, Types and Effects of Environmental Pollution

   • Unit 1: Water Pollution · 2 hours

     Differentiate between contaminants and pollutants in aquatic ecosystems.. Identify the effects of water pollution, such as aesthetic nuisance, oxygen depletion, and toxicity.. Classify sources of water pollution into point source and non-point source discharges..

4. Week 4Module 2: Sources, Types and Effects of Environmental Pollution

   • Unit 2: Air Pollution · 2 hours

     Identify major air pollutants and their sources, including particulates, VOCs, and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen.. Describe the health effects of air pollutants, such as respiratory irritation and carcinogenic effects.. Explain the formation of ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in the troposphere..

5. Week 5Module 2: Sources, Types and Effects of Environmental Pollution

   • Unit 3: Soil Pollution · 2 hours

     Identify soil pollutants and their sources, including heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and toxic organic micropollutants.. Explain the transport mechanisms conveying pollutants to soils, such as atmospheric deposition and fluvial transport.. Discuss the consequences of soil pollution, including soil-plant transfer of pollutants and ecotoxicological implications..

6. Week 6Module 3: Waste Management

   • Unit 1: Waste water Treatment · 2 hours

     State the characteristics of wastewater, including suspended solids, biodegradable organics, and pathogens.. Explain the stages involved in conventional wastewater treatment: preliminary, primary, secondary, and tertiary.. Discuss the challenges encountered in hot climates, such as odour control and insect nuisance..

7. Week 7Module 3: Waste Management

   • Unit 2: Composition of Solid Wastes · 2 hours

     Identify the types and sources of solid wastes, including municipal, industrial, and agricultural wastes.. Discuss the physical and chemical composition of solid wastes.. Explain the different waste disposal and treatment methods, such as open dumping, sanitary landfill, and recycling..

8. Week 8Module 4: Water Chemistry and Analysis

   • Unit 1: Physical Parameters Relevant to Water Analysis · 2 hours

     List the physical parameters relevant to water analysis, including turbidity, color, taste, and odor.. Explain how turbidity is measured using nephelometry and its significance in public water supplies.. Discuss the causes of color in water and the methods for its determination..

9. Week 9Module 4: Water Chemistry and Analysis

   • Unit 2: Important Chemical Parameters in Water Chemistry and Analysis · 2 hours

     Define pH, acidity, alkalinity, and water hardness.. Explain how to determine acidity, alkalinity, water hardness, and residual chlorine of a water sample.. Discuss the sources and significance of acidity and alkalinity in water..

10. Week 10Module 4: Water Chemistry and Analysis

    • Unit 3: Biochemical Parameters in Water Chemistry and Analysis · 2 hours

      Define dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and chemical oxygen demand (COD).. Discuss the procedures for measuring DO, BOD, and COD.. State the environmental significance of DO, BOD, and COD data..

11. Week 11Module 4: Water Chemistry and Analysis

    • Unit 4: Anions and Other Constituents of Concern in Water Chemistry and Analysis · 2 hours

      List common anions found in water bodies, such as chloride, fluoride, sulfate, and phosphate.. State the health and environmental implications of these anions in water supplies.. Discuss the methods used to determine the presence of these anions in wastewater samples..

12. Week 12Module 5: Chemical and Physical Instrumentation in Environmental Sciences

    • Unit 1: Chemical Instrumentation in Environmental Sciences · 2 hours

      List applications of titrimetric and gravimetric analysis involving wet chemistry.. Explain how to carry out the analysis of species such as Cl-, F-, SO42-, and PO43- in an environmental sample.. State the precautionary measures needed to achieve accuracy and precision in titrimetric and gravimetric analyses..

13. Week 13Module 5: Chemical and Physical Instrumentation in Environmental Sciences

    • Unit 2: Physical Instrumentation in Environmental Sciences · 2 hours

      List instrumental techniques for the analysis of heavy metals and organic compounds.. State the principle of operation of each instrumental technique studied.. Compare the advantages of one technique over another..