Environmental Chemistry

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Describe the structure of the Earth’s atmosphere and name its various regions.
2. Describe the general chemical composition and the trends in temperature of the various regions of the atmosphere.
3. Outline the composition and chemistry of the stratospheric ozone layer.
4. Outline the various non-catalytic and catalytic mechanisms for ozone destruction in the stratosphere.
5. Describe the physical chemistry that leads to “holes” in the stratospheric ozone layer.
6. Discuss the role of CFCs in ozone destruction and current issues/potential solutions surrounding this topic.
7. State the common units used to describe the concentration of atmospheric components and convert gas concentrations between these units.
8. Use appropriate terminology to qualitatively describe the origin, occurrence and environmental effects of photochemical smog and some common techniques to reduce ground-level photochemical smog.
9. With the aid of appropriate chemical equations, qualitatively describe the origin, occurrence and environmental effects of acid deposition. 
10. Qualitatively describe the origin, occurrence and environmental effects of ground-level, atmospheric particulate matter.
11. Use appropriate chemical equations and principles to describe the free radical chemistry which naturally takes place in the troposphere. 
12. Use appropriate chemical equations and principles to describe the specific tropospheric chemistry associated with photochemical smog.
13. Use appropriate chemical equations and principles to describe the specific tropospheric chemistry associated with acidic deposition.
14. Qualitatively describe the various technologies currently being used or developed as solutions to ground-level air pollution.
15. Qualitatively describe the origin, occurrence and environmental effects of the major pollutants associated with indoor air pollution. 
16. Qualitatively explain how the components of sunlight effect the rotation and vibration of molecules and how this leads to the “natural” greenhouse effect. 
17. Give general discussion of evidence supporting the operation of an “enhanced” greenhouse effect. 
18. Describe the mechanism(s) by which the major greenhouse gases (CO₂ and H₂O) are believed to contribute to the “enhanced” greenhouse effect.
19. Describe the mechanism(s) by which the minor greenhouse gases are believed to contribute to the “enhanced” greenhouse effect.
20.  Give a general discussion of the evidence for and the various predictions about global warming.
21. State the major individual chemical species and groups of chemical compounds which are typically found in the natural waters of Canada and indicate the major sources of these.          
22. Discuss the process of aerobic decomposition of organic matter in natural waters.
23. Discuss the process of anaerobic decomposition of organic matter in natural waters.
24. Describe the theory which underlies the measurement of biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) and qualitatively describe how these measurements are made. 
25. Discuss the acid-base chemistry of natural waters due to the CO₂/carbonate system and include appropriate chemical equilibrium equations. 
26. Discuss the impact of various sources of acidic disposition on the acid-base chemistry of natural waters and various strategies for mitigating this impact. 
27. Qualitatively describe the process of acid mine drainage (use appropriate chemical equations) and discuss its impact on natural waters.
28. State the major chemical/biological constituents in Canadian drinking water whose maximum concentrations are controlled.
29. Describe the major source(s) of the drinking water contaminants described above.
30. Describe the various strategies used for purification of Canadian drinking water; include the chemicals involved and the contaminants which they treat.
31. Discuss the environmental impact of these purification processes.
32. Identify the major sources of wastewater in the industrialized world and name the major pollutants in each.
33. Sketch a block diagram of a municipal sewage treatment plant and briefly describe the purification/separation process that occurs in each step.
34. Sketch a block diagram of a tertiary effluent treatment plant for a pulp and paper mill and describe the purification/separation process which occurs in each step.
35. Define the terms pesticide, insecticide and herbicide.
36. Draw the chemical structures and the corresponding names of some common organochlorine insecticides (and related compounds) such as DDT, DDE, HCB, chlorinated cyclopentadienes, etc.
37. Draw the chemical structures and the corresponding names of some other common insecticides (e.g. organophosphates, carbamates, etc). 
38. Discuss the concepts of bioconcentration, biomagnification and persistence as related to the environmental impact of insecticides.
39. Draw the chemical structures and the corresponding names of some common herbicides (e.g. triazines, metolachlor, phenoxy derivatives, etc).
40. Draw the parent structure of the polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxin group of compounds (i.e. “dioxins”). 
41. Use chemical equations to illustrate how dioxins are formed during the syntheses of phenoxy herbicides and wood preservatives such as PCP.
42. Discuss other sources of dioxins in the environment.
43. Draw the parent structure of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and discuss their chemical properties and uses. 
44. Draw the parent structure of the polychlorinated dibenzofuran group of compounds (i.e. “difurans”) and describe how these compounds are produced during the synthesis of PCBs.
45. Give a general discussion of the toxicology and human health effects of PCBs, dioxins and difurans and the strategies for disposal of these chemicals. 
46. Describe the common characteristics of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); draw the structures/names for the simple PAHs (e.g. naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene).
47. Discuss the formation, sources, properties and human health effects of PAHs.
48. Give the definition and general properties of “heavy metals” in the environment.
49. Discuss the toxicity/bioaccumulation of four common heavy metals: Hg, Pb, Cd, As.
50. For each of the heavy metals listed above, discuss the specific environmental chemistry, common sources and relevant Canadian case studies.
51. Describe the general chemical characteristics of soils and outline the mechanism(s) by which the four heavy metals above find their way into soils, sewage and sediments.
52. Outline the general methods for analysis of heavy metals in solid samples and discuss some methods for decontaminating these samples.