Offerings
View how CH2041 is offered in 2004
(Also shows pre-requisites and inadmissible combinations if applicable)

CH2041:03

Environmental Chemistry

Cairns

HECS Band 2

32 hours lectures, 8 hours tutorials, 36 hours practicals. Semester 1.

Available to students within BSc or BAppSc programs with earth science, environmental or ecology specialisation.

Staff:

Dr M Liddell.

Chemistry of the natural environment. Atmospheric chemistry (ozone chemistry, aerosols), aquatic chemistry (marine, freshwater, groundwater), terrestrial (soils, clay minerals, humic matter), microbial redox chemistry (pE/pH diagrams) and inferfacial chemistry (Kf,Kdist). Biogeochemical cycles (N, P, S).

Analytical chemistry. Techniques that are used in environmental monitoring of air, water and soils. Classical methods (gravimetry, titrimetry), chromatography (GC, HPLC, IC), spectroscopy (ND-IR, fluorescence, colorimetry, AA). Electroanalytical techniques. Sampling methods and quality control.

Pollution chemistry. Nuclear and alternative energies, toxicology, greenhouse gases, smog, indoor air quality, water pollution, acid sulphate soils, persistent organics (DDT, PCB, dioxin), insecticides, herbicides, heavy metals (Pb, Hg), wastes and waste treatment technology, green chemistry.

Learning Objectives:

to provide a general framework on the aspects of chemistry that are inherent in environmental and earth sciences;

stress the role of molecular processes in global element cycles;

address current understanding of the causes, effects and responses to pollution;

survey of instrumental and analytical techniques appropriate to monitoring, with practical experience in the use of these methods.

Assessment by laboratory/field trips (25%); tutorials (5%); tests (33%); two-hour examination (37%).