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: |
|
Laboratory | 18% |
Midterm Exam | 20% | Project 1 - Chemistry and climate change special topics | 12% | Project 2 - Endocrine Disruptors | 12% |
Final Exam | 25% |
Quizzes, Problems, Participation | 13% |
| |
| 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.
|
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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
|