Course content

The course treats chemical reactions in natural waters at an advanced level. It provides a comprehensive treatment of homogeneous and heterogeneous chemical equilibria in natural aquatic systems (acid/base reactions, precipitation/dissolution reactions, complex formation, redox reactions, solid-solution interface reactions and atmosphere-water equilibria). This provides a solid foundation for understanding and evaluating how human activities can influence natural water systems.The course is primarily aimed at students in environmental chemistry and geochemistry working on problems related to water, soil and sediments, but also other students, e.g. in limnology, should find the course useful.

Learning outcome

Knowledge: The student should have an in-depth knowledge about the different types of reactions that are important in natural water systems (freshwater and seawater) and in water treatment:

• acid/base reactions, especially the carbonate system.
• precipitation/dissolution reactions.
• complex formation.
• redox reactions.
• solid-solution interface reactions.

The student should have knowledge about how matter is exchanged between water and the atmosphere, and the chemical reactions that take place in the water phase of the atmosphere.

The student should have knowledge about the biogeochemical cycles in nature, especially for carbon, nitrogen and sulphur.

Skills: The student should be able to:

• explain the processes that govern the chemical composition of natural waters: freshwater, seawater and water in the atmosphere.
• interpret the main types of diagrams that are used in this scientific field to describe the equilibrium composition of water, especially in natural waters but also in water treatment processes.
• understand and evaluate how human activities can influence natural water systems.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures.

Schedule will be published at semester start.

The teaching is shared with the master course KJ3072. In addition to the syllabus in KJ3072, the KJ8072 candidates can choose between a number of extra pages in the same textbook (Stumm & Morgan), or a semester project, the content of which is agreed with the individual student.

Recommended previous knowledge

The course builds on knowledge corresponding to parts of KJ2070 Environmental Chemistry or KJ2071 Environmental Chemistry, Introduction Course.

Course materials

W. Stumm & J.J. Morgan: Aquatic Chemistry, 3. edition. New York: John Wiley, 1996.

Credit reductions