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Environmental Chemistry

Course developer

Replaced course

Ķīmi5003 [GKIM5003] Water Chemistry

Course abstract

The aim is to become familiar with the main qualities of chemical elements and their compounds, their transformations in the environment, main groups of environmentally contaminant chemicals, their sources and influence on human health; main methods of environmental composition and environmental pollution analysis - chemical and physical/chemical, calculation of results and identification of deviation/error sources.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students are able to demonstrate the knowledge about various types of concentrations of solutions and pH of solutions. Must independently make calculations - Home work.
Students are able to independently access, select and analyse information about problems of environmental chemistry. Able to make a presentation on the topic of your report and discuss with specialists of environmental chemistry - Report..
Students are able to demonstrate knowledge about circulation of various chemical elements in the environment and influence of substances on a environment. Able to make the decision on a methods on liquidation of environmental pollution - Test.
Students are able to independently carry out experiments using the gained knowledge and make conclusions on received results – laboratory reports.

Course Content(Calendar)

1.Introduction to environmental chemistry./ Safety rules in the chemistry laboratory. (2h)
2.Methods of chemical analysis./ Calculations for preparation of solutions for the analysis. (2h)
3.Physical chemical analysis: Methods for optical analysis. /Determination of hardness of water. (2h)
4.Physical chemical analysis: Methods for electrochemical analysis. Chromatography. /Determination of chloride ions by sedimetric method. (2h)
5.Earth systems: atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere./Gravimetric determination of sulfate. (2h)
6.Atmospheric composition and atmospheric processes. /Determination of water clarity by turbidimetry (2h)
7.Atmospheric pollutants and their sources./ Spectrophotometric determination of iron in water. (2h)
8.Sulfur compounds in the atmosphere. /Determination of calcium and phosphate ions by spectrophotometry. (2h)
9.Nitrogen compounds in the atmosphere. /Determination of amonium, nitrite and nitrate ions by spectrophotometry (2h)
10.Carbon compounds in the atmosphere./Determination of chemical oxygen demand in water. (2h)
11.Organic compounds in atmosphere./Determination of oxygen in water by oximetry. (2h)
12.Aerosols and dust in the atmospher. Smog formation./Determination of pH in water solutions. (2h)
13.Ozone and Climate Change./ Determination of conductivity in water samples. (2h)
14.Natural waters./Test. Atmospheric composition and atmospheric processes. Atmospheric pollutants and their sources. (2h)
15.Major pollutants of water and their sources./ Introduction to modern analytical methods in the "Natural Materials Laboratory" of department of Chemistry. (2h)
16.Soil pollution and their pollutants/ Calculation of final grade. (2h)

Requirements for awarding credit points

Students must perform all laboratory works and submit laboratory reports, answer to theoretical questions which are based on the background of the experiment. Home work and report are submitted.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Homework - 5 tasks. 3 tasks for calculation of solution concentrations and 2 tasks for calculating the pH of the solution. Submit a printed form. Report– The paper about a subject of the master's thesis, close to work, and environmental chemistry. Presentation about the paper. Submit in the electronic and printed form.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

All laboratory work protocol must be checked. Must be writed successfully test, home work and paper (not less than 4 points). If the average mark of successful written test, home work and paper is not lower than 7 points and all laboratory works are checked, then the exam does not have to pass, i.e., an average valuation is displayed.

Compulsory reading

1. Cunningham, William P. Environmental Science. New York : McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2010. 616 lpp.
2. Vides zinātne. M. Kļaviņa redakcijā. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2008. 599 lpp.
3. Kļaviņš M., Cimdiņš P. Ūdeņu kvalitāte un tās aizsardzība. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2004. 204 lpp.
4. Kļaviņš M. u.c. Klimata mainība un globālā sasilšana. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2008. 173 lpp.
5. Manahan S.E. Environmental chemistry. 7th edition. Boca Raton etc.: Lewis Publishers, 2000. 898 p.

Further reading

1. Bliefert C. Umweltchemie, zweite, erweiterte Auflage. – Weinheim etc.: Wiley – VCH, 1997. - 510 S.
2. Connell D.W. Basic concepts of environmental chemistry. – Boca Raton etc.: Lewis Publishers, 1997. - 506 p.
3. Klimata pārmaiņas: izaicinājumi Latvijai starptautiskajā vidē (zinātniskā redaktore G. Reire). – Rīga: Zinātne, 2008. - 222 lpp.
4. Kļaviņš M. Atmosfēras ķīmija un gaisa piesārņojums. – Rīga: Elpa 2, 2000. -
166 lpp.
5. Kļaviņš M., Zaļoksnis J. Ekotoksikoloģija. – Rīga: LU, 2005. - 357 lpp.
6. Pastare S., Gigele R., Vīksna A. Dzeramais ūdens. – Rīga: LU, 2007. - 199 lpp.
7. Tyagi A. Climate change and global warming. – New Delhi: Rajat Publications, 2006. - 273 p.
8. Vides veselība Sastādījusi M. Eglīte. – Rīga: RSU, 2008. - 696 lpp.
9. Vircavs M. Vide, ietekmes un novērtējums: principi un analīze. – Rīga: Biznesa augstskola Turība, 2005. - 248 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Vides Vēstis: Vides aizsardzības kluba žurnāls. Rīga : Vides aizsardzības klubs. ISSN 1407-2939.
2. Ilustrētā Zinātne. Rīga : Mediju grupa TOPS. ISSN 1691-256X
3. Zinātnisko rakstu meklētājs „Google Scholar Beta” http://scholar.google.lv