CVEN 4424/5424 Environmental Organic Chemistry
Spring 2008

Instructor

Joe Ryan
office: Engineering Center OT 517
phone: 303 492 0772; fax: 303 492 7317 (with a cover page)
email: joseph.ryan@colorado.edu
web page: http://www.colorado.edu/ceae/environmental/ryan/

Time and Location

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 1:00 to 1:50 pm
Engineering Center CR 105

Description

This course focuses on prediction of the fate and transport of anthropogenic organic chemicals in aquatic environments. The course is divided into two major subjects: (1) physical transformations and (2) chemical transformations.  The physical transformations include sorption, volatilization, and uptake, the processes that control the distribution of organic chemicals between the phases of interest: water, soil, air, biota.  The chemical transformations include hydrolysis, redox, photolysis, and biologically-mediated reactions that control the breakdown of organic chemicals.  Throughout both subjects, we will develop predictive relationships for the parameters that control the fate and transport of organic chemicals by developing a thorough understanding of the chemical structure of the organic chemicals.

Objectives

• Understand the basics of organic compound structure and its role in contaminant transformations;
• Apply these basics to predict the fate and transport of these compounds;
• Solve problems of environmental importance

Prerequisites

First-year chemistry (e.g., CHEM 1211 General Chemistry for Engineers) is needed to take this course.  A course in aquatic chemistry (CVEN 3454, CVEN 5404, GEOL 5280, or their equivalent) will be beneficial to your success in the course.  An undergraduate course in organic chemistry (e.g., CHEM 3311) will help you with nomenclature and basic understanding, but it is not necessary for this course.

Required Text

Schwarzenbach R.P., Gschwend P.M., and Imboden D.M. (2002) Environmental Organic Chemistry, 2nd Edition. Wiley-Interscience, New York.

Clickers

Clickers will be used in class to gauge understanding of the lecture material.  The University's Information Technology Services provides the following resources for students using clickers.  Clicker responses will not be included in the grades; they'll be used solely for feedback.

Undergraduate/Graduate Requirements

This course is co-listed CVEN 4424 and CVEN 5424.  CVEN 4424 is the undergraduate version.  It is a required course in the Environmental Engineering (EVEN) B.S. curriculum.  CVEN 5424 is a graduate course.  Differences between the course requirements for undergraduates and graduates are outlined in the Assignments and Grading sections below.

Assignments

• Problem Sets (35%). Eleven problem sets will be given to develop your problem-solving ability. Each problem set will contain two basic problems and one research-oriented problem.  Undergraduates are required to solve the two basic problems; graduates are required to solve all three problems.  Solutions will be made available on the course web page on the due date for each problem set. No credit will be given for late problem sets because solution sets are posted on the web page on the due date.  Collaboration is encouraged; however, be sure that you fully understand the concepts and problem-solving approaches to succeed on the exams.
• Exam I (20%). A 48-hour open-book, closed-colleague exam will be given during the sixth week of the semester. The exam will contain two problems for undergraduates and three problems for graduates.  The exam will focus on physical transformations of organic chemicals.
• Exam II (20%). A 48-hour open-book, closed-colleague exam will be given during the eleventh week of the semester. The exam will contain two problems for undergraduates and three for graduates. More physical transformations of organic chemicals will be covered.
• Exam III (25%). A 48-hour open-book, closed-colleague exam will be given during the final exam period.  The exam will contain three problems for undergraduates and four problems for graduates.  The exam will focus on chemical transformations, but any material covered in class may appear on this exam.

Grading

• Problem sets (1 points per problem) will be graded primarily for the correct answer.  It is your responsibility to compare your problem sets to the solution sets available on the web page to check for mistakes.
• Exams will be graded in detail for both the correct problem-solving techniques and the correct answers.  Solution sets will be available to check your techniques and answers.
• Letter grades will be assigned on the basis of this scale:
     A: thorough understanding of the course material, completion of all assignments, 
         and consistent participation in class
     B: sufficient understanding of the course material, completion of all assignments,
         and consistent participation in class
     C: insufficient understanding of the course material, one or two incomplete assignments,
         or lack of participation in class.
     D: poor understanding of the course material, three or four incomplete assignments,
         or lack of participation in class.
     F: no understanding of the course material, five or more incomplete assignments,
         or frequent (unexcused) absence from class.
• Undergraduates and graduates will be evaluated on separate grade scales.

Communication

Important course information, like updates on homework assignments, will be transmitted by the course web page and the course email lists generated by CUConnect.  I expect that you will check the web page and your University of Colorado e-mail regularly, particularly before assignments are due.

Recommended Texts

Environmental Organic Chemistry Books

• Baum E.J. (1998) Chemical Property Estimation: Theory and Application.  Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL.
• Boethling R.S. and Mackay D. (2000) Handbook of Property Estimation Methods for Chemicals: Environmental and Health Sciences.  Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL.
• Chiou C.T. (2002) Adsorption and Partition of Organic Contaminants in Environmental Systems. Wiley, New York.
• Larson R.A. and Weber E.J. (1994) Reaction Mechanisms in Environmental Organic Chemistry. Lewis Publishers, Boca Raton, FL.
• Lyman W.J., Reehl W.F., and Rosenblatt D.H. (1982) Handbook of Chemical Property Estimation Methods: Environmental Behavior of Organic Compounds. McGraw-Hill, New York (out of print).
• MacKay D. (1992 to 1997) Illustrated Handbook of Physical-Chemical Properties and Environmental Fate for Organic Chemicals, Lewis Publishers, five volumes for different classes of organic chemicals.
• MacKay D. (2000) Handbook of Property Estimation Methods for Environmental and Health Science. CRC Press.
• Montgomery J.H. (1996) Groundwater Chemicals Desk Reference. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
• Schwarzenbach R.P., Gschwend P.M., and Imboden D.M. (1995) Environmental Organic Chemistry: Illustrative Examples, Problems, and Case Studies. Wiley-Interscience, New York.

Reference Books

• Budavari S. et al. (1996) The Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals, 12th Ed. Chapman & Hall.
• Lide D.R. (1999) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 1999-2000, 80th Ed. Chemical Rubber Company Press.

Organic Chemistry Books

• Brown W.H. (1999) Introduction to Organic Chemistry, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
• Brown W.H., Foote C.S., and Iverson B.L. (1998) Organic Chemistry, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
• Carey F.A. (1999) Organic Chemistry, WCB/McGraw-Hill.
• March J. (1992) Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions Mechanisms Structure,Wiley, New York.
• Morrison R.T. and Boyd R.N. (1999) Organic Chemistry, Prentice-Hall.

University Policies on Disabilities, Religious Observances, Classroom Behavior, Academic Honesty, Discrimination, and Sexual Harassment

Students with disabilities will be accommodated in class following University policy.

Students with conflicts between religious observance dates and course examinations or assignments may request a change in the course schedule following University policy.

Inappropriate and disruptive class room behavior will be dealt with following University policy.

Breaches of academic integrity will be dealt with following University policy.

Discrimination or sexual harassment will be addressed following University policy.

Last updated on January 13, 2008