Teacher

prof. Marilena TOLAZZI

Credits

6 CFU

Objectives:

The proposal of the course is to evidence concepts and fundamental applications of Chemistry, considered as an essential tool to improve the quality of environment. Therefore the knowledge of the environment-technology-chemistry interactions is pursued, learning the student  to  foresee the sources, features and fates of the principal constituents and pollutants in water, air and soil.

Acquired skills:

Contents:

Organic Chemistry: Alkanes, alkenes, alkynes. Nomenclature and characteristics.  Isomers. Alkyl halides, amines, alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids, acid halides, anhydrides, esters, amides, ethers. Examples of preparation and of chemical reactivity.  Polymerization reactions. Benzene and its derivatives. (20 hours)
Ecosphere and antrosphere: Atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, geosphere: Energy and matter cycles. Biogeochemical cycles of C,N,O,P. Antropogenic changes in the atmosphere. CFC, ozone layer destruction and photochemical reactions. Role of CO2, SOx and NOx in rain acidity . Green house antropogenic gases. (6 hours)
Acquatic Chemistry: The Properties of Water, a Unique Substance. Sources and Uses of Water: the Hydrologic Cycle. The Solution Process and Solubility.
Aquatic Chemistry: Metal Ions in Water and their Bronsted acidity. Standard Solutions and Titrations. Physical Properties of aqueous (and non-aqueous) solutions. Colloidal suspensions. Oxidation-Reduction. Complexation and Chelation. Examples (and calculations) of complexation of protonated and non-protonated ligands, solubilization of Pb(II) from solids by NTA, poliphosphates hydrolysis, Cu(II) with EDTA and NTA. Influence of pH on solubility of pollutants. Practical environmental applications (heavy metals or radionuclides, organic substances removal) (16 hours)
Chemistry of hazardous metals: Heavy metals: Pb, Cd, Hg, Cr and As. Industrial origins, transport , toxicity and treatment of their compounds. (6 hours)
Soil chemistry: Acid-base, redox and ion exchange reactions in soil. Fertilizers, pesticides. (2 hours)
Energy resources and nuclear chemistry: World Energy Resources. Petroleum and Natural Gas. Coal. Nuclear energy. Radioactivity and nuclide stability. Natural series of radioactivity. Half-life time and applications in medicine and science. Fission and fusion.How to measure radioactivity, its effects and protection. Waste treatment. Radon and its effects. (6 hours)
UV-Vis, IR and MS spectrometry: Theory and applications of MS, UV-Vis and IR spectrometry (4 hours)

References:

- S.E. Manahan, Environmental Chemistry, Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, 2005
- D.J. Jacob, Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, 1999
- C. Baird, Chimica Ambientale, Zanichelli, Bologna , 2009
- Appunti di lezione e dispense

Type of exam:

Oral