Course detail

Chemistry of the environment

FAST-BCA004Acad. year: 2025/2026

The course is focused on the explenation of basic chemical terms and on the chemical issues of the building materials such as binders, glass, metals, wood, and plastics and thier degradation. Patr of the course is devoted to the chemistry of water with respect to the wastewater treatment and toxicological aspects of selected chemical substances which can be released to the internal environment of buildings.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. RNDr. Pavel Rovnaník, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Chemistry (CHE)

Entry knowledge

basic structure of atoms, periodic table of the elements, basic chemical laws, basic inorganic and organic nomenclature, simple stoichiometric calculations, basics from organic chemistry.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The subject exam is oral. During the exam, the student must demonstrate an understanding of the given subject. The evaluation corresponds to the ECTS system.


Extent and forms are specified by guarantor’s regulation updated for every academic year.

Aims

Not applicable.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Pitter P. Hydrochemie, Vydavatelství VŠCHT, Praha, 2015. (CS)
Rovnaník P., Rovnaníková P. Stavební chemie – Modul 1, Obecná, fyzikální a anorganická chemie a chemie anorganických stavebních materiálů, Akademické nakladatelství CERM, Brno, 2014. (CS)
Rovnaníková P., Rovnaník P., Malá J. Stavební chemie – Modul 2, Degradace stavebních materiálů a chemie kovů, Akademické nakladatelství CERM, Brno, 2014. (CS)

Recommended reading

Hewlett P. C. Lea’s Chemistry of Cement and Concrete, Butterworth Heinemann, 4th edition, Oxford, 1998. (EN)
Zumdahl S. S. Chemistry, D. C. Heath and Company, USA, 1986. (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPC-EVB Bachelor's 3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. RNDr. Pavel Rovnaník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • 1. Inroduction, composition of nuclei, isotopes, radioactivity, atomic stucture.
  • 2. Atomic weight, molecular mass, molecules, chemical equations, stoichiometry, chemical bonds.
  • 3. States of the matter,gases,liquids, solids, behaviour on the interface.
  • 4. Chemical kinetics, reaction rate, catalysis, thermochemistry, chemical equilibrium.
  • 5. Dispersions - gels, suspensions, aerosols, emulsions, coloids, real solutes, surfactants.
  • 6. Silicon and its compounds, chemistry and degradation of glass.
  • 7. Chemical composition and properties of lime, gypsum and hydraulic binders, degradation processes and protection against corrosion.
  • 8. Electrochemical properties of metals, electrolysis, corrosion of metals.
  • 9. Composition and general properties of carbon-based polymers and thier chemical stability.
  • 10.Polymer materials used in civil engineering - structure, properties, utilization.
  • 11. Characteristics of water composition, chemical equilibria in water, pH, calcium-carbonate equilibrium.
  • 12. Water hardness and its elimination, ion exchangers.
  • 13. Basic toxicological terms, essential polutants in the environment.

Exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. RNDr. Pavel Rovnaník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • 1. Information regardeing laboratory session.
  • 2. Basic stoichiometric calculations. Nomenclature of inorganic compounds.
  • 3. Acids and bases.
  • 4. Neutralization and hydrolysis of salts.
  • 5. Oxidation and reduction.
  • 6. Lime, plaster of Paris.
  • 7. Cements and other building materials.
  • 8. Preparation and dilution of sulutes. Calculations from chemical equations.
  • 9. Metals.
  • 10. Composition of water.
  • 11. Water hardness and its removal.
  • 12. Ecotoxicological bioassays their evaluation.
  • 13. Final test.