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TERM:2021-22 Winter
COURSE NUMBER: CHEM 440
COURSE TITLE: Environmental Chemistry (Atmosphere/Environmental Organic)
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Peter Mahaffy
CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION: credits 3(hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 0 - hrs lab 3)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is an introduction to the chemistry of the environment and chemical toxicology. A study of chemical processes occurring in the atmosphere, natural and wastewaters, and soils. Mechanisms for the introduction of pollutants to the environment and methods for the removal of pollutants are studied. The focus is on anthropogenic sources of pollutants and their speciation, transport, and interaction with natural processes.

Prerequisites: CHEM 201, 351 (pre- or corequisite)
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
  • Baird, Colin and Cann, Michael; Environmental Chemistry, 5th Ed. New York: W.H. Freeman, 2012. (Required)
  • Laboratory experiment handouts will be available on Moodle. You will need access for these and other course materials at: http://moodle.kingsu.ca
MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT:
Laboratory18%
Midterm Exam20%
Project 1 - Chemistry and climate change special topics12%
Project 2 - Endocrine Disruptors12%
Final Exam25%
Quizzes, Problems, Participation13%
100%
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
  • To place our work on environmental and green chemistry in the context of global initiatives to understand our planetary boundaries.
  • To develop understanding of chemical processes in the atmosphere and anthropogenic inputs.
  • To develop understanding of organic compounds in the environment, with an emphasis on halogenated organics.
  • To introduce toxicology and risk assessment of chemical substances in the environment.
  • To become familiar with the value and limitations of modeling as a tool to understand atmospheric environmental processes and the transport, speciation, and fate of organic compounds in the environment.
  • To become familiar with basic principles of green chemistry and the application of green chemistry metrics to chemical reactions and industrial processes.
  • To develop basic competence and confidence in the use of laboratory techniques important in environmental chemistry.
  • To gain field experience of resource industries important in Western Canada, and address environmental chemistry dimensions of those industries in the context of environmental impact assessment.
  • To be aware of the professional responsibility of chemists for the materials they make, and to make conscious ethical choices about their potential uses and abuses.
  • To encourage positive, constructive interaction and collaboration amongst students, between students in environmental chemistry and environmental impact assessment courses, and between students and instructors.
COURSE OUTLINE:
  • Planetary Boundaries sustainability framework; Structure of the atmosphere; Interaction of EMR with molecules
  • Climate Change, Fossil Fuel Energy, CO2 Emissions
  • Dr. Phil De Luna Distinguished Guest Lectures (Note: Evenings)
  • Climate change and chemistry special topics
  • Stratospheric chemistry and ozone depletion
  • Chemistry of ground-level air pollution
  • Toxicology, including halogenated organic compounds
  • 2 day Field Trip: Environmental chemistry of resource industries
  • Toxicology and endocrine disrupting substances


Required texts, assignments, and grade distributions may vary from one offering of this course to the next. Please consult the course instructor for up to date details.

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