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ENVS 462/562 -- Environmental Soil and Water Chemistry (3 units)
Description: Introduction to the principal chemical constituents and processes occurring in soils and sediments. The objective of the course is to provide students with a conceptual framework for understanding chemical reactions in heterogeneous natural systems. Applications to biogeochemistry and environmental quality will be presented, but fundamental principles will be emphasized. A general chemistry text is a useful additional reference, and it should be consulted for questions regarding concepts that may not be fully reviewed in lecture or the required text. Graduate-level requirements include a term paper that involves indepdendent literature research in a course-related subject of the student's choice. Grading: Regular grades are awarded for this course: A B C D E. May be convened with: ENVS 462. Usually offered: Spring, each year.
ENVS 563 -- Advanced Soil and Water Chemistry (3 units) Description: Natural soils and waters are heterogeneous systems with many important reactions occurring at the interface between solid, liquid and gas phases. The fate of chemicals that impact on terrestrial and aquatic systems is controlled largely by their behavior at these interfaces, particularly as that behavior influences chemical speciation and the relative affinity for solid and aqueous phases. Our objective is to understand how molecular-scale solution-phase and surface reactions influence macroscopic chemical processes such as sorption-desorption, precipitation-dissolution, oxidation-reduction and particle interactions. The course will cover fundamentals of aqueous surface and colloid chemistry through lecture and assigned readings. Current research in the field will be explored through independent literature research and the preparation of a term paper.
Grading: Regular grades are awarded for this course: A B C D E. Prerequisite(s): ENVS 462, CHEM 103B, CHEM 480A. Usually offered: Spring, odd years.
ENVS 568 -- Molecular Biogeochemistry (2 units) Description: The course is a seminar devoted to reading and discussion of papers in the emerging field of environmental molecular biogeochemistry. Through reading and discussion, we will explore experiments and models designed to understand coupled biotic-abiotic (e.g., biomineralization, oxidation-reduction) processes in environmental systems. Emphasis is placed on how molecular-scale techniques (e.g., spectroscopy) may be used to probe interactions between chemicals and natural media such as minerals, organic matter and biomass.
Grading: Regular or alternative grades can be awarded for this course: A B C D E or S P C D E.
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 103B, ENVS 462/562.
Usually offered: Fall. |
