Postgraduate Course: Environmental Geochemistry (PGGE11172)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course consists of 14 one-hour lectures and 6 one-hour examples class/case study/presentation sessions. The lectures cover the main characteristics and geochemical processes of soils, a fundamental treatment of acid-base equilibria in aquatic systems, and an integrated approach to redox and complexation equilibria in soil waters. The other sessions are devoted to discussion of case studies which provide ¿real-world¿ application of the theory covered in the lectures and to student presentations and problem-solving workshops. |
| Course description |
Lecture 1 Characterisation of soils and sediments
Lecture 2 Soil properties, erosion and forensic science
Lecture 3 Mineral surface properties and cation exchange capacity
Lecture 4 Instrumental methods for mineral characterisation in environmental samples
Lecture 5 Characterisation of natural organic matter in soils and sediments
Lecture 6 Transformations of organic matter: formation of fossil fuels
Lecture 7 Composition of soil porewaters
Lecture 8 Interaction of porewater organic contaminants with solid phase soils and sediments
Lecture 9 Acid-base equilibria in natural waters 1
Lecture 10 Acid-base equilibria in natural waters 2
Lecture 11 Redox equilibria in natural waters 1
Lecture 12 Redox equilibria in natural waters 2
Lecture 13 Complexation equilibria in natural waters 1
Lecture 14 Complexation equilibria in natural waters 2
Case Study 1 Remediation of contaminated urban environments: importance of redox equilbria (Cr)
Case Study 2 Remediation of contaminated environments: importance of complexation equilbria (Pb)
Examples 1 Soils and sediments
Examples 2 Speciation and health implications
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | There are no pre-requisites but some chemical knowledge is recommended. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 50 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
76 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written assignment of 2000 words (75% of total assessment)
Oral presentation (25% of total assessment) |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- understand the composition of soils and the main geochemical processes leading to soil formation.
- appreciate the differences in composition encountered in contaminated soils.
- understand the chemical equilibrium approach to determine speciation in aquatic systems.
- interpret pe-pH predominance and speciation diagrams.
- interpret geochemical research findings and present geochemical information verbally and in written essay format.
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Reading List
Principles of Environmental Chemistry, R.M. Harrison (Ed), Royal Society of Chemistry, 2007. Chapter 3.
Environmental and Low Temperature Geochemistry, P. Ryan, Wiley Blackwell, 2014.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Environmental geochemistry |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Margaret Graham
Tel: (0131 6)50 4767
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr Edwin Cruden
Tel: (0131 6)50 2543
Email: |
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