Keele Badge

ESC-10095 - Module Specification
School of Geography, Geology and the Environment
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 17 May 2024

ESC-10095 - Environmental Chemistry
Coordinator: Michael Montenari Room: WSF10A Tel: +44 1782 7 33162
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 4
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733615

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

This module will provide you with the fundamental knowledge of the core concepts of chemical processes that act within and upon our environment. Employing an engaging teaching approach of interactive lectures combined with indoor and outdoor practicals as well as tutorial sessions, it will examine in detail the chemistry and chemical processes of our atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and soil zone. It will provide you with a detailed insight and understanding of the major naturally occurring chemical cycles that not only surround us, but drive and maintain the global ecosystem (e.g. phosphorus-, nitrogen-, carbon- and water cycles) and introduce you to a wide array of state-of-the-art analytical methods such as Fourier-Transform IR spectroscopy, secondary electron and backscatter electron analysis, energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy.

Aims
This module will provide you with the fundamental knowledge of the core concepts of chemical processes that act within and upon our environment. Employing an engaging teaching approach of interactive lectures combined with indoor and outdoor practicals as well as tutorial sessions, it will examine in detail the chemistry and chemical processes of our atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and soil zone. It will provide you with a detailed insight and understanding of the major natural chemical cycles (e.g. phosphorus-, nitrogen-, carbon- and water cycle) that not only surround us, but drive and maintain the global ecosystem.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Describe and discuss the major chemical processes acting within and upon Earth's [1] atmosphere, [2] hydrosphere, [3] lithosphere, and [4] soil zone: 2
Analyse, interpret and present data obtained via various analytical methods (e.g. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), Fourier-Transform-IR spectroscopy (FTIR), secondary- and backscatter electron analysis (SE-BSE), energy-dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX)): 1
Report the purpose, methodology, data, results and interpretations of environmental chemical analyses by using the appropriate chemical vocabulary/terminology, chemical symbols and chemical information: 1

Study hours

Active Learning Hours: 12 x 1h lectures; 12 x 3h practicals and tutorial sessions
Independent Study Hours: 102h (recommended are 12h on background reading/online teaching materials and 90h for the preparation, drafting and writing of the laboratory reports).

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Laboratory Report weighted 75%
Laboratory report on three different analytical methods used during the practicals
1500 word laboratory report describing and comparing the purpose and methodology of three different analytical methods (methodology but also the advantages and the limitations of the analytical methods) used during the practicals as well as analysing, interpreting and presenting data and results that were generated during the corresponding practicals using these analytical methods.

2: Report weighted 25%
Report on one of Earth's environmental spheres
A 500 word report (word count excluding illustrations, figure captions and references) on one of Earth's fundamental environmental spheres (either [1] atmosphere or [2] hydrosphere or [3] lithosphere or [4] the soil zone) that describes and discusses the major chemical processes (including positive and negative feedback processes) that are acting within and upon them.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 17 May 2024