Environmental Chemistry

Code:

Q310

Acronym:

Q310

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Chemistry

Instance: 2012/2013 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	http://moodle.up.pt/course/view.php?id=2046
Responsible unit:	Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Physics

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:AST	0	Plano de Estudos a partir de 2008	3	-	5	-
L:B	1	Plano de estudos a partir de 2008	3	-	5	-
L:BQ	2	Plano de Estudos a partir de 2007	3	-	5	-
L:CC	0	Plano de estudos de 2008 até 2013/14	3	-	5	-
L:F	0	Plano de estudos a partir de 2008	3	-	5	-
L:G	0	P.E - estudantes com 1ª matricula anterior a 09/10	3	-	5	-
		P.E - estudantes com 1ª matricula em 09/10	3	-	5	-
L:M	0	Plano de estudos a partir de 2009	3	-	5	-
L:Q	18	Plano de estudos Oficial	3	-	5	-
M:CTA	1	PE Mestrado Ciências e Tecnologia do Ambiente	1	-	5	-

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Improving scientific training in Environmental Chemistry: 1 – To apply the chemical principles to the understanding of environmental phenomena, without forgetting the role of living organisms in these phenomena. 2 - Combining the application of chemical principles to the greatest challenge to humanity - the restoration, maintenance and improvement of environmental quality. Other objectives Improving literacy: - Ability to understand and interpret texts - Ability to find information, synthesize (reduced to essentials) and forward.

Learning outcomes and competences

 

Working method

Presencial

Program

1-GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1- Environment Science and Technology 1.2-The concept of sustainable development and current procedures to get it. 2-CHEMISTRY OF THE AQUATIC MEDIUM 2.1- The Chemical Water Cycle. Basic aspects of the Chemistry of the aquatic medium: Introduction. Gases in the water. Acidity of the water and carbon dioxide in water. Alkalinity. Calcium and other metals in water. Complexation and quelate formation. Bindings and structures of metal complexes. Concentration species calculations. Polyphosphates in water. Complexation by humic substances.Complexation and redox processes. 2.2-Redox phenomena. Meaning of oxidation-reduction phenomena. The electron and the redox reactions. Activity of electron and pE. The Nernst equation. The Nernst equation and chemical balance. Relations between pE and free energy. The limits of pE in water. Values of pE in natural waters systems. Diagrams pE-pH. Corrosion. 2.3-Interaction of phases. Chemical interactions involving solids, gases and water. Formation and relevance of sediments. Solubility. Nature of colloidal particles. Colloidal properties of the clays. Aggregation of particles. Adsorption and absorption at the solids surface. Ion exchange in the surface of sediments. 2.4-Introduction to Aquatic Microbial Biochemistry. Microbial changes of carbon, nitrogen, phosphor, sulphur, halogens, organo-halogenated, metals and semimetals speciation. 3-WATER POLLUTION 3.1-Nature and types of pollutants of the Aquatic Environment. Metals and semi-metals as pollutants. Organometallic species. Inorganic species. Organic species. Algae nutrients and eutrofization. Acidity, alkalinity and salinity. Oxygen, oxidizing and reducing agents. Organic Pollutants. Pesticides. Polychlorinatedbiphenyls in aquatic environment. 3.2- Water treatment. Treatment and use of water. Treatment of municipal water. Treatment of water for industrial use. Wastewater treatment. Industrial wastewater treatment. Removal of solids. Removal of dissolved organic species, calcium, other metallic cations, and other dissolved inorganic species. Sludge. Disinfection of water. Procedures for purification of natural waters. Recycling and reuse of water. 4-THE ATMOSPHERE AND CHEMISTRY OF ATMOSPHERE 4.1-Relevance and characteristics of the earth atmosphere. Physical characteristics. Transfer of energy. The stratospheric ozone layer and the ozone layer destruction. Transfer of mass, weather and climate. Temperature inversion and air pollution. Global climate and microclimates. Greenhouse effect. Chemical and photochemical reactions. Acid-base reactions. 4.2- Particles in the atmosphere. Physical behavior of the particles. Physical and chemical processes for particle formation. The composition of inorganic particles. Toxic metals. Radioactive particles. Composition of organic particles. Effects of particles. Control of particle emissions. 4.3-Inorganic pollutants in the atmosphere. 4.4-Organic compounds in the atmosphere. PRACTICAL 1 - PROBLEM SOLVING 1.1. Chemical equilibrium problems solving on aquatic media typical species, including atmosphere-water column and water column-sediment interfaces. 1.2. Oxidation-reduction phenomena in aquatic medium. 2 – LABORATORY WORKS

Mandatory literature

000091990. ISBN: 1-56670-633-5

Complementary Bibliography

000071891. ISBN: 0-19-856440-6
000060017. ISBN: 0-7167-3153-3
Baird, Colin e Cann, Michael; Environmental Chemistry, W. H. Freeman and Company, 2005. ISBN: 0-7167-4877-0

Teaching methods and learning activities

In addition to formal classes: Written works on an environmental subject. Small evaluation tests throughout the course on theoretic topics and practical application problems: -to promote the study all over the course -acquiring progressively knowledge, the student also acquires interest for the environmental topics, improving training and final mark. Execution of experimental work of environmental interest at laboratory.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	56,00
Tests	Teste	3,00	20,00	2013-06-05
Practical Evaluation/Reports	Trabalho laboratorial	4,00	10,00	2013-06-05
Synthetic text	Trabalho escrito	8,00	5,00	2013-06-05
Exam	Exame	2,00	65,00
	Total:	-	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
Study	Estudo autónomo	62	2013-06-05
	Total:	62,00

Eligibility for exams

Presence in 75% of the total number of practical sessions.

Calculation formula of final grade

A- Final exam classification: 65% B- Tests: 20% C- Synthetic text: 5% D- Practical evaluation: 10 % Failure to perform a test or the synthetic text imply the assignment of zero values to these elements of evaluation. Final classification: A x 0,65 + B x 0,20 + C x 0,05 + D x 0,10 Minimum acceptable classification in the final exam: 8.0 values in 20.0 values These criteria applies to both in the first exam season and in the appeal.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Special cases Written work on a subject in the ambit of the curricular unit and final exam. The final score is calculated as follows: 15 % for the written work and 85 % for the final exam. Minimum acceptable classification in the final exam: 8.0 values in 20.0

Classification improvement

Final score improvement: Written exam. The final score is calculated according to the evaluation criterion of the academic year in which the student was approved.