Learning objectives
understanding of the fundamental chemical phenomena responsible of the environmental pollution.
Prerequisites
Chemistry 1 or a 9 CFU-equivalent chemistry course
Course unit content
Environmental Chemistry (water, soil, nuclear chemistry).
Full programme
Water. Generality and classification. Analysis of water. Hardness of water. Methods for water treatements. Sedimentation. Coaugulation. Filtration. Outgassing. Sweetening. Caustic fragility. Demineralization. Ion exchange resins. Distillation. Electrodialysis. Drinkable waters.
Water pollution. Nature and classification of water pollutants. Elements as pollutants. Heavy metals. Non-metals. Metal and non-metals bonded to organic species. Eutrophic agents. Acidity, alkalinity and salinity. Oxygen, oxidant and reducing agents. Organic pollutants. Waste water. Soaps. Cleasings. Emulsifyings. Pesticides as pollutants. By-products of the industrial production of pesticides.
Nuclear chemistry. Nuclear decay processes. Half-life time. Nuclear activity. Dating methods with radiocarbon. Radioisotopes in water. Nuclear plants and environmental pollution.
Soil Chemistry. Minerals in soil. Classification and features of rocks. The three-dimensional structure of silicates. Organic components in soil. Carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides, proteins, humic substances. Physical processes of soil transformation. Chemical processes of soil transformation. Processes of transformation of the organic substances. Physical and mechanical properties of soil. The colloids and their role in soil. Texture in soil. The porousness in soil. Water and air in soil. Water-solids interactions in soil. Physical absorption. Chemical absorption. Physicochemical absorption. The cation exchange in soil. Soil remediation. Chemical flushing. Soil washing. Chemical dehalogenation. In situ chemical oxidation. In situ chemical reduction. Permeable reactive barriers. Soil vapor extraction. In situ electrokinetic extraction. Thermal desorption. Incineration. In situ vetrification. Bioremediation. Biodenitrificatio.Heap pile ex situ. Phytoremediation.
Bibliography
1) S. E. Manahan, Chimica dell’ Ambiente, ed. Piccin;
2) L. Radaelli, L. Calamai, Chimica del Terreno, ed. Piccin.
Teaching methods
Oral lesson - power point slides
Assessment methods and criteria
Written test on open questions
Other information
On demand, the slides used during the course are available to the students
