Environmental Chemistry (CHEM-431)

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Environmental chemistry is the study of the sources, reactions, transport, effects, and fates of chemical species in water, soil, air, and living environments, and the effects of technology thereon. Environmental chemistry is not a new discipline. Excellent work has been done in this field for the greater part of a century. Until about 1970, most of this work was done in academic departments or industrial groups other than those primarily concerned with chemistry. Much of it was performed by people whose basic education was not in chemistry. Thus, when pesticides were synthesized, biologists observed firsthand some of the less desirable consequences of their use. When detergents were formulated, sanitary engineers were startled to see sewage treatment plant aeration tanks vanish under meter-thick blankets of foam, while limnologists wondered why previously normal lakes suddenly became choked with stinking cyanobacteria. Despite these long standing environmental effects, and even more recent and serious problems, such as those from hazardous wastes, relatively few chemists have been exposed to material dealing with environmental chemistry as part of their education.

LEARNING OUTCOMES & OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to learn:

Composition of Atmosphere
Pollutants of atmosphere and their analysis
Greenhouse effect and acid rain
Composition of soil and its pollutants
Chemistry of natural waters
Treatment of waste water
Impact of Human activities on environment

Recommended Books

Kumar, A. Environmental Chemistry, Wiley Eastern, New Delhi (2005).
Moore, J.W. & Moore, E.M. Environmental Chemistry, Academic Press, New York (2004).
Banerji, S. K. Environmental Chemistry, Tata Publisher, Delhi (2006).
Manahan, S. E. Environmental Chemistry, Brooks, California (2005).
Neil, P.O. Environmental Chemistry, Chapmann, London (2004).
Baird, C. Environmental Chemistry, Freeman, New York (2003).

CONTENTS

The Human Environment, The litho, bio and hydrosphere, The nature and composition of natural waters, Water pollution, Chemistry of soil, Composition of the atmosphere, Oxides of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen in air pollution, Atmospheric Monitoring, Instrumental methods of environmental chemistry. Ozone demolition, Acid rain, Green House Effect

COURSE SCHEDULE

Sr.#	Topics	Weeks
1.	Introduction to environmental chemistry and segments of environment	Week 1
2.	Composition of atmosphere	Week 2
3.	Pollutants in atmosphere	Week 3
4.	Methods of Analysis of gaseous pollutants	Week 4
5.	Composition of soil and its contents	Week 5
6.	Pollutants of soil and their analysis	Week 6
7.	Hydrosphere and types of natural waters	Week 7
8.	Pollutants of water and their estimations	Week 8
9.	Waste water treatment	Week 9
10.	Disinfection of water	Week 10
11.	Sampling of different samples	Week 11
12.	Acid rain and photochemical smog	Week 12
13.	Greenhouse effect and global warming	Week 13
14.	Ozone depletion and oxides of carbon and nitrogen	Week 14
15.	Impact of human activities on environment	Week 15
16	Final term	Week 16