Study program:

Academic level and semester:

Master, 1^st semester

ECTS credits/workload per semester:

6 / 150

Contact hours per week/contact hours per semester:

5 / 60

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. They become familiar with theoretical and practical methods of environmental analytics and their integration into environmental law. Students can assess the effects of pollutants in air, water, and soil and evaluate their global consequences. Knowledge is reinforced through interactive lectures, exercises, and experimental laboratory work in small groups.

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

Environmental Analytics

1. Legal framework of environmental analytics
2. Importance and challenges of sampling and sample preservation
3. Sample preparation and measurement using selected analytical methods across environmental compartments:
   • Water: drinking water and wastewater
   • Soil: soil and food samples
   • Air: outdoor and indoor air
   • Human samples: biomonitoring and forensic analysis
4. Calibration of analytical instruments and data evaluation
5. Quality assurance in the analytical laboratory

Laboratory Work in Environmental Analytics

Determination and evaluation of analytical parameters
• Analytical assessment of a standing water body, including integration of data into citizen-science water quality projects. Measurements include COD, BOD, nitrogen, and phosphorus using photometric methods.
• Determination of environmental contaminants in soil samples — e.g., PAHs or metal concentrations via extraction/elution and subsequent analysis using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) or atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).
• Analysis of air pollutants (SO₂, NOₓ) and diffuse greenhouse gases using gas detector tubes, sampling bags, or passive sampling (Surface Active Monitoring), followed by extraction and instrumental analysis (ion chromatography, FTIR, GC-FID).

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). Mobile Umweltanalytik. Würzburg: Vogel.Schwedt, G. (2004). Analytische Chemie. Weinheim: Wiley – VCH.Schwedt, G. (2007). Taschenatlas der Analytik. Stuttgart: Thieme. Fachliteratur: Umweltbundesamt: www.umweltbundesamt.dewww.env-it.dewww.umwelt-online.de/Aktuelle Sammlung der Gesetzestexte

Restrictions:

Assessment: