1st Edition

Chemistry for Environmental and Earth Sciences

    244 Pages 134 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    244 Pages
    by CRC Press

    Tackling environmental issues such as global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain, water pollution, and soil contamination requires an understanding of the underlying science and chemistry of these processes in real-world systems and situations. Chemistry for Environmental and Earth Sciences provides a student-friendly introduction to the basic chemistry used for the mitigation, remediation, and elimination of pollutants.

    Written and organized in a style that is accessible to science as well as non-science majors, this textbook divides its content into four intuitive chapters: Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. The first chapter explains classical concepts in chemistry that occur in nature such as atomic and molecular structures, chemical bonding and reactions, states of matter, phase transitions, and radioactivity. Subsequent chapters focus on the chemistry relating to the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere—including the chemical aspects of soil, water, and air pollution, respectively.

    Chemistry for Environmental and Earth Sciences uses worked examples and case studies drawn from current applications along with clear diagrams and concise explanations to illustrate the relevance of chemistry to geosciences. In-text and end-of-chapter questions with complete solutions also help students gain confidence in applying concepts from this book towards solving current, real-world problems.

    * Self-Assessment Questions accompany nearly every section within the chapters; Answers are provided in the Final Chapter.
    FIRE
    Atoms and Elements
    The Structure of Atoms
    The Origin of the Elements
    The Periodic Table
    Electrons and Electron Orbitals
    Radioactivity
    Radiometric Dating Methods
    States of Matter
    Plasma
    Gases
    Liquids
    Solids
    Phase Transitions and Phase Diagrams
    Pure Substances, Compounds, and Mixtures
    Units of Measurement
    SI and Non-SI Units
    Scientific Notation and SI Prefixes
    Concentrations and Solutions
    Chemical Bonding
    Covalent Bonding
    Cations, Anions, and Ionic Bonding
    Metallic Bonding
    Electronegativity, Polar Bonds, and Hydrogen Bonding
    Chemical Structures
    Structures of Organic Compounds
    Three-Dimensional Structures, Chirality, and Optical Isomers
    Structures of Molecular Inorganic Compounds
    Structures of Extended Networks
    Chemical Reactions and Equilibria
    Chemical Reactions
    The Energy of Chemical Reactions
    Chemical Equilibria and Le Chatelier’s Principle
    Summary
    EARTH
    Formation of the Earth
    The Structure of the Earth
    The Structures of Silicate Minerals
    Silicates Formed from Isolated Tetrahedra — Orthosilicates
    Single-Chain Silicates — Pyroxenes
    Double-Chain Silicates — Amphiboles
    Sheet Silicates — Micas, Clays, and Talc
    Framework or Tectosilicates — Silica, Feldspars, and Zeolites
    Igneous Rocks
    The Composition of Igneous Rocks
    Crystallisation of Igneous Rocks
    Phase Diagrams
    Trace Elements in Igneous Rocks
    Mineral Stability
    Sedimentary Rocks
    Siliciclastic Rocks
    Carbonates
    Evaporites
    The Mineral Composition of Sedimentary Rocks
    The Chemical Composition of Sedimentary Rocks
    Metamorphic Rocks
    Metamorphism by Recrystallization
    Metamorphism and Chemical Reactions
    Biological Reactions
    Weathering
    Physical Weathering
    Chemical Weathering
    Biological Weathering
    The Chemistry of the Soil
    Soil Organic Matter
    Ion Exchange and Soil pH
    Soil Pollution
    Summary
    WATER
    The Properties of Water
    The Phase Diagram of Water
    Water and Hydrogen Bonding
    Water and Heat
    Water as a Solvent
    The Water Cycle
    Acids, Bases, and the pH Scale
    Acids and Bases
    The Relative Strength of Acids and Bases
    Strong Acids and Bases
    Weak Acids and Bases
    The Self-Ionisation of Water
    The pH Scale
    Acid–Base Titrations
    Buffer Solutions
    Ions in Solution
    The Solvation of Ions
    Sparingly Soluble Salts and Solubility Products
    The Carbonate System
    Hardness of Water
    The Chemistry of Seawater
    Redox Chemistry
    Oxidation, Reduction, and Oxidation States
    Redox Potentials and Stability Field Diagrams
    Speciation
    The Redox Chemistry of Nitrogen
    Colloids and Suspended Particles
    Water Pollution
    Heavy Metals
    Nutrients and Eutrophication
    Organic Pollutants
    Marine Oil Pollution
    Summary
    AIR
    The Structure of the Atmosphere
    Evolution and Composition of the Atmosphere
    Biogeochemical cycles
    The Carbon Cycle
    The Nitrogen Cycle
    The Sulfur Cycle
    Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect
    The Ozone Layer
    Ozone Formation and UV Protection
    Ozone Depletion
    Air Pollution
    The Key Pollutants
    Urban Smog
    Dispersal of Pollutants
    Indoor Air Quality
    Summary
    ANSWERS TO SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

    Biography

    Catherine Vanessa Anne Duke, Craig Denver Williams

    "The book has been written with a refreshing degree of elan and didactic skill, and on the whole it succeeds well in its aim . . ."

    – Dieter Lenoir, Institut für Ökologische Chemie, in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2008, Vol. 47, No. 31

    ". . . the work is valuable for its informational content and readable style for undergraduate coursework in chemistry, environmental, and earth sciences . . . Summing Up: Recommended."

    – D. H. Stedman, University of Denver, in Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, May 2008, Vol. 45, No. 9

    "Chemistry for Environmental and Earth Sciences is an original chemistry text book in the sense that it provides a friendly introduction to the basic chemistry concepts from the perspective of those environmental problems . . . The book is easy to read and fills a gap for undergraduate students of environmental and earth sciences, physical geography and geology."

    – J. Albaigés, CID-CSIC, in International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, April 2008, Vol. 88, No. 5

    "The book helps the environmental geochemists and engineers in their study of environmental science or earth science.  It provides a student-friendly introduction to the basic chemistry used for the mitigation, remediation, and elimination of pollutants."

    - Fakhry A. Assaad, Environ Geol (2008) Vol. 54, p.1803