GEOL 641 Environmental Geochemistry Notes

EGC Notes and Readings

Introduction

Class notes: Introduction (new, 9/1/06)
Class notes: US Environmental Regulations
Class notes: Units
Reading: Bioavailability
Reading: Chemical Risk Primer
Reading: Risk-based Remediation Decisions
Reading: Case study of Risk-based Remediation Decisions
Reading: Human Domination of Ecosystems

Contaminant Chemistry

Class notes: Metal Chemistry
Class notes: Organic Chemistry
Class Notes: Metal Properties Tables
Class Notes: HSAB Tables
Class Notes: Priority Pollutant List
Class Notes: Organic Structures Figures
Class Notes: Organic functional group cheat sheet (new!)
Reading: Metal Toxicity & Evolution (02MetalsEvolution.pdf)
Reading: PAH Signature of Urban Sprawl (PAHUrbanSprawl.pdf)

Near-Surface Terrestrial Systems

Class notes: Components of Geologic Systems
Class notes: Geologic systems
Reading: Chapters 7, 8 & 9, Langmuir
Reading: Environmental Mineralogy
Reading: Intragranular diffusion and solute retardation
Reading: EPA Site Characterization Guidelines
Reading: EPA Bibliography on Site Characterization

Thermodynamics and Kinetics

Class notes: Geochemical Modeling (new! 2/25/05)
Class notes: Expanded Thermo Notes
Class notes: Speciation modeling review
Reading: Chapters 1 & 2, Langmuir
Reading: Validation of Models
Reading: Molecular Geochemistry Review

Solution-phase Reactions

Class notes: Solution/Complexation Notes (new 10/16/06)
Class Notes: Organic Solubility (new 3/6/05!)
Class Notes: Geochemical Modeling with PHREEQC (new 3/6/05!)
Reading: Chapters 3 & 4, Langmuir
Review Chapters 5 & 6 in Langmuir if needed
Reading: Organic Contaminant Bioavailability
Reading: Metals Contaminant Bioavailability

Phase Change Reactions

Class notes: Phase Change Notes: Inorganics (new!)
Class notes: Phase Change Notes: Organics (new!)
Class notes: Organic Octanol-water and water-vapor figures
Reading: Chapters 6, 7, and parst of 12, Langmuir

Redox Reactions

Class notes: Redox Notes
Class notes: Redox Figures
Class notes: Redox capacity
Class Notes: Arsenic in South Texas
Reading: Chapters 11 & parts of 12, Langmuir

Surface Chemistry and Sorption Processes

Class notes: Mineral surface chemistry (new 4/28/05)
Class notes: Sorption (new 5/02/05)
Class notes: Adsorption Isotherms (new 5/02/05)
Class notes: Sorption Notes (old)
Class notes: Sorption Figures (old)
Reading: Chapters 9 & 10, Langmuir

Case Study: NAWQA Program

In more than 50 major river basins and aquifers covering nearly all 50 states, USGS scientists collect and interpret data about water chemistry, hydrology, land use, stream habitat, and aquatic life in the National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program.

Problem Sets

First Problem Set (due 9/25)
Second Problem Set (due 10/25)
Practice Midterm, Midterm is October 6, in class
Third Problem Set (due 11/13)
Fourth Problem Set (due 12/4)

Additional Online Resources

Introduction

Contaminant Chemistry

WebElements (online periodic chart)
Periodic Chart (Printable)
Earth Science Periodic Chart (Printable Chart)
General Chemistry Topic Review
EPA Target Compound and Target Analyte Lists
CDC Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards

Geologic Systems

Last updated 10/16/06
Copyright B. Herbert 2002-2003
http://geoweb.tamu.edu/courses/geol41/