Study program:

Academic level and semester:

Master, 1^st semester

ECTS credits/workload per semester:

2 / 50

Contact hours per week/contact hours per semester:

2 / 25

Type/Teaching method:

Frequency:

Lecturer:

Prof. Dr. – Ing. D. Almeida-Streitwieser, 

Content:

Students gain a solid understanding of the fundamental principles, methods, and interrelations of environmental chemistry. They learn to explain key chemical processes and cycles in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, analyze the spread and transformation of natural and anthropogenic substances, and evaluate their environmental impacts on humans, animals, and plants. Students understand material cycles and energy flows in natural ecosystems and can relate these to human-made systems. This course is one of three submodules.

Environmental Chemistry

1. Introduction to Environmental Chemistry
• Terms and definitions
• Historical development
• Pollution from anthropogenic activities
• Environmental awareness
• Demography

2. Chemistry of the Hydrosphere
• Properties and chemistry of water (pH, pKa, pKw, etc.)
• Water cycle, consumption, and balance
• Groundwater, drinking water, wastewater
• Current topics: pollutants in water (sources and effects), water scarcity

3. Chemistry of the Atmosphere
• Structure and composition of atmospheric layers
• Global circulation systems
• Greenhouse gases and air pollutants
• Energy balance and radiation budget
• Ozone layer
• Current topics: air quality, air pollution, greenhouse effect, and climate change

4. Chemistry of the Lithosphere
• Chemical composition of the Earth and mineral structures
• Geochemical cycles: weathering and sedimentation
• Soil chemistry, pollutant inputs, and acidification

Textbooks:

Bliefert, C. (2010). Umweltchemie. Weinheim: Wiley – VCH.Hites, R. A. & Raff, J. (2017). Umweltchemie - Eine Einführung mit Aufgaben und Lösungen. Weinheim: Wiley – VCH.Fent, K. (2013). Ökotoxikologie. Stuttgart: Thieme.Koß, V. (2012). Umweltchemie. Berlin: Springer.Rump, H. (1998). Laborhandbuch für die Untersuchung von Wasser, Abwasser und Boden. Weinheim: Wiley – VCH.Schwedt, G. (1995). Fachliteratur: Umweltbundesamt: www.umweltbundesamt.dewww.env-it.dewww.umwelt-online.de/Aktuelle Sammlung der Gesetzestexte

Restrictions:

Assessment: