Course detail

Environmental Chemistry I

FCH-BC_ECHTAcad. year: 2019/2020

The aim of the subject is to inform students about to the state of the environment in the Czech Republic and the level of contamination of its individual components. Evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the environment and comparing the detected level of contamination with the Czech and EU legislation. In this context, students will be acquainted with the basic terms and relationships describing the behavior and fate of chemicals in the environment and with significant groups of environmental pollutants. It will be also described the basic characteristics of the individual abiotic and biotic components of the environment.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

3

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Learning outcomes of the course unit

After completing the course students:
1. will know the characteristics of environmental compartments
2. will be able to assess the level of their contamination
3. will be acquainted with the basic characteristics of important inorganic and organic pollutants
4. will be familiar with the way of their distribution in the individual environmental compartments
5. will be able to assess the state of the environment in the Czech Republic in a European context

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of general chemistry, anoganic and organic chemistry and ecology.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course uses teaching methods in form of Lecture - 2 teaching hours per week. The e-learning system (LMS Moodle) is available to teachers and students.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Written test and oral exam of the curriculum.

Course curriculum

1 - Introduction to subject, subject characteristics, continuity with other scientific disciplines, global problems of mankind resulting from anthropogenic activity.
2 - Natural resources, environmental components, environmental burden. The most serious factors of environmental burden.
3 - Definitions of terms used in the terminology of environmental chemistry. Legislation associated with chemicals. Explanation of Risk Assessment principles (ecotoxicological approach, toxicological approach), the importance of studying the life cycle of the product.
4 - Main groups of organic pollutants - their characteristics. POPs - definition of persistent organic pollutants, definition of their main attributes - persistence, bioconcentration, bioaccumulation, toxicity, long-distance transport.
5 - Main groups of inorganic contaminants - their characteristics.
6 - State of the environment in the Czech Republic, key indicators of the state of the environment.
7 - Atmosphere - History of formation, composition of atmosphere, classification of atmospheric layers. Pollution of the atmosphere from the point of view of the Czech Environmental Report - emissions of acidifying substances, greenhouse gas emissions - status, environmental consequences.
8 - Atmosphere - Stratospheric ozone (formation, decrease, consequences), tropospheric ozone formation, precursors of tropospheric ozone, the consequences of its action, self-cleaning capacity of the atmosphere.
9 - Primary Particles - Definition, Origin, Source of Primary Particles, Immission Situation from the View of Ecosystem Protection and Human Health.
10 - Pedosphere - definition, soil formation, special soil-forming processes. Soil degradation.
11 - Soil pollution, soil self-cleaning, soil colloids, pesticides in the soil eco-system.
12 - Hydrosphere, definition, water classification, water eutrophication, water self-cleaning ability.
13 - Monitoring of the state of the environment, definitions, principles, bioindicators and their classification.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

Students familiarize themselves with the basic characteristics of the environment (the abiotic and biotic components). They will learn about the main types of inorganic and organic pollutants and their distribution in the different environmental compartments. The basis of the subject is also the information on the state of the individual environmental compartments from the point of view of the Environmental Report of the Czech Republic.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Attendance at lectures is recommended but not checked.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

E-learning: https://www.vutbr.cz/elearning/course/view.php?id=71740;2011;;1;elektronická;;cs (CS)
Doušková, B. Bůzek, F: Chemie životního prostředí. VŠCHT v Praze, 2016, (CS)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

eLearning

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPCP_CHCHT Bachelor's

    branch BPCO_CHTOZP , 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme BKCP_CHCHT Bachelor's

    branch BKCO_CHTOZP , 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme BPCP_CHTOZP Bachelor's, 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory
  • Programme BKCP_CHTOŽP Bachelor's, 2. year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

eLearning