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701-0201-00L 3 Credits BSC D-USYS
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Introduction to Environmental Organic Chemistry

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Michael Sander, Prof. Dr. Kristopher McNeill
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:28:55

Abstract

Important organic environmental pollutants are presented. The physical and chemical basics required for understanding the environmental behavior of such pollutants are taught and deepened in exercises.

Objective

The students are able to - name and recognize the most important classes of environmentally relevant anthropogenic chemicals and identify chemical moieties governing their fate processes. - explain, on the basis of physical-chemical foundations, the most important processes (i.e., partitioning and substitution and elimination reactions) which determine the environmental behavior of organic pollutants. - identify, on the basis of chemical structure, the processes relevant for the environmental behavior of a compound. - critically evaluate published work and data.

Content

- Overview of the most important classes of environmental organic pollutants - Molecular interactions that determine the partitioning behavior (adsorption and absorption processes) of organic compounds between different environmental compartments (gas, liquid, solid) - Physical-chemical properties (vapor pressure, aqueous solubility, air-water partition constant, organic solvent-water partition constants, etc) and partitioning behavior of organic compounds between environmentally relevant phases (air, aerosols, soil, water, biota) - Chemical transformation reactions of organic pollutants in aquatic and in terrestrial environments (hydrolysis, elimination, addition)

Resources

Lecture Notes

Script will be distributed

Literature

Schwarzenbach, R.P., P.M. Gschwend, and D.M. Imboden. Environmental Organic Chemistry. 2nd Ed. Wiley, New York, 1313 p.(2003) Goss, K.U. and Schwarzenbach, R.P. (2003). "Rules of thumb for assessing equilibrium partitioning of organic compounds-success and pitfalls", Journal of Chemical Education, 80, 4, 450-455.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
BSC
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
session examination
Mode
written 60 minutes, oral 30 minutes
Aids
none
The exam questions will be in both German and English.Die Prüfungsfragen werden in Deutsch und Englisch gestellt.

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture with exercise Introduction to Environmental Organic Chemistry
  • Tue 10:15-12:00 (CHN F 46)
2 h weekly

Offered In