Universidad de Jaén

Section 1: Origin, applications and environmental impact of inorganic compounds.

Unit 1: Introduction to Environmental Chemistry.

1.1. Introduction 1.2. Definition 1.3. Pollution. Air pollution. Water pollution. Soil pollution.

Unit 2: Origin of chemical elements. Formation and structure of the Earth.

2.1. Origin of chemical elements 2.1.1. Introduction 2.1.2. Nucleus structure 2.1.3. Universe Origin 2.1.4. Nuclear Synthesis 2.2. Formation and structure of the Earth.

Unit 3: Hydrogen.

3.1. Properties and general characteristics 3.2. Hydrides 3.3. Hydrogen economy 3.4. Fuel cells.

Unit 4: Nitrogen

4.1. Introduction. Compounds: Dinitrogen. Ammonia and others hydrides. Oxides of nitrogen: structure and properties. Nitric Acid and nitrates. 4.2. Biological chemistry of nitrogen 4.3. Nitrogen cycle 4.4. Nitrogen in agriculture. Fertilisers. Side effects of fertilisers. Environmental impact of fertilisers. 4.5. Atmospheric chemistry of nitrogen 3.6.  Control of NOx emissions.

Unit 5: Oxygen

5.1. Introduction. Compounds: dioxygen and ozone 5.2. Oxygen cycle 5.3. Atmospheric chemistry of oxygen and ozone layer.

Unit 6: Carbon

6.1. Introduction 6.2. Carbon oxides: CO y CO ₂ 6.3. Carbon cycle 6.4. Atmospheric chemistry of  carbon 6.5. Global warming 6.6. Control of emissions: CO and hydrocarbons.

Unit 7: Sulfur.

7.1. Introduction. Compounds: sulfur oxides and oxoacids 7.2. Biological chemistry of sulfur 7.3. Sulfur cycle 7.4. Atmospheric chemistry of sulfur 7.5. Control of SOx emissions.

Unit 8: Toxic Inorganic Compounds.

8.1. Toxic elements 8.2. Heavy metals 8.3. Toxic inorganic compounds. 

Section 2: Origin, applications and environmental impact of
organic compounds

UNIT 1: STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS.

1.1. Introduction. 1.2. Molecular bond in organic
chemistry.1.3. stereochemistry and reactivity 1.4. Intermolecular
forces. 1.5. Properties of organic
compounds. 1.6. Acidity and basicity of organic compounds. 

UNIT 2: INTRODUCTION TO THE CHEMICAL REACTIONS IN ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS.

2.1. Introduction. 2.2. Classification of organic reactions. 2.3.
Study of some interesting organic reactions in the
environment.

UNIT 3: ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

3.1. Introduction. 3.2. Activity and effects. 3.3. Fuels 3.4. Study
of some organic pollutants.

UNIT 4: ALTERNATIVE USE FOR PLAGUICIDES: SEMIOCHEMICAL AND
PHEROMONES.

4.1. General considerations. 4.2 definition and environmental
interest. 4.3. Types of semiochemicals. 4.4 Structure and interest
of pheromones. 4.5. Processes mediated by semiochemicals. 4.6.
Environmental impact.


UNIT 5: SYNTHETIC METHODOLOGIES SUSTAINABLE WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT.

5.1. Introduction. 5.2. Basic principles of Sustainable Chemistry.
5.3. Extension and use of green chemistry.



UNIT 6: BIOMONITORS AND BIOMARKERS AS INDICATORS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE.

6.1. Introduction. 6.2. Biomonitoring and technologies.
Biomarkers and isotopes and earth history.



LAB EXPERIMENTS.

Determination of NaOH in cleaning products

Effect of nitric and sulfuric acids in marble and metallic iron

Adsorbent effect of activate carbon in water pollutants

Determination of active chlorine in bleach.

Theoretical classes (3,2 ECTS): Presentation of the units
with the use of TIC. Teaching material is available on the virtual
platform at the university, library and internet.

Practical classes (1,0 ECTS): Students, will make several labs
experiments related to the
theoretical class. The results obtained will be
analyzed and discussed among all the participants and finally, the
conclusions will be writed in the lab notebook.

Academically directed activities (1,6 ECTS):

A) Study and discussion of daily news related with
the theoretical program.

B) Presentation of report and deba on the content of
documentaries related to the subject and projected during the
development of the theoretical classes.

C) Resolution of exercises in classroom and laboratory.

D) Analysis of scientific bibliography.

Tutorials (0.2 ECTS): Specialized tutorials will be carried out to
supervise the activities proposed in class.

Students with special educational needs should contact the Student Attention Service (Servicio de Atención y Ayudas al Estudiante) in order to receive the appropriate academic support

The following assessment criteria have been taken into
account to reach the final mark (100%) :

Attendance and participation: 10 %

Exam: 60%

Exercise resolution: 20%

Laboratory notebook: 10%