CH465

ENVIRONMENTAL
CHEMISTRY
TEXT:
Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry
2nd Edition, by Stanley E. Manahan
ISBN: 1-56670-491-X
The State of
Our
Environment
 What is Environmental
Chemistry

The study of the sources, reactions, transport, effects,

and fates of chemical species in water, soil, air, and living
Environments and the effects of technology on thereon
Chemistry. Environmental Chemistry, 7th Edition,
Stanley E. Manahan. Environmental Science, Technology, and Chemistry.
Lewis Publishers: Boca Raton FL, USA, 2000, pg 3.
Environmental Compartments
The environment, human surrounding
consists of 5 spheres (compartments)

Environment Common Name

Atmosphere Air
Hydrosphere Water
Geosphere/Lithosphere Soil
Biosphere Plants/Animals
Anthrosphere Human/Industrial
activity

We pollute them all through our activities !!!

 Interactions of Environmental
Compartments
The various spheres are:
Reservoirs of environmental
constituents

Linked through physical,

chemical and biological
processes
Chemicals can move from
one reservoir to another

The transport of chemicals

from one reservoir to
another is described in terms
of BIOGEOCHEMICAL
CYCLE
 Interactions of Environmental
Compartments
Most common biogeochemical cycles are those of
macro-nutrients such as – S,N & P.

Biogeochemical cycle could be drawn for any

element/compound
Biogeochemical cycle are typically illustrated as
a series of compartments (reservoirs) and pathway
between them
 Interactions of Environmental
Compartments

Input Reservoir Output

(Sources) (Sink)

When the input (of a substance) into a reservoir equals the

output, the system is said to be in steady state

When rate of input exceeds rate of output we have a build up of

material in the reservoir (e.g. when pollutants are added at a
faster rate than the natural processes can remove them)

When the rate of output exceeds that of input, there is a

depletion of natural resources in the reservoir
 Interactions of Environmental
Compartments
The residence time, τ, of a substance in a reservoir is
defined as:
Amount of substance in the reservoir (mass)
τ=
Flux (mass/time )

Both natural and anthropogenic processes can affect the

steady state established in any reservoir

The disturbance of the steady state of a reservoir by natural

processes evolves much more slowly than that caused by
anthropogenic processes.
 Effects Human Activities on Major
Biogeochemical Cycles

Ref.: Miroslav Radojevic and Vladimir N. Bashkin. “Practical Environmental Analysis”

The Royal Society of Chemistry, 1998
 Extent of Human Impacts on
Biogeochemical Cycles

Ref.: Miroslav Radojevic and Vladimir N. Bashkin. “Practical Environmental Analysis”

The Royal Society of Chemistry, 1998
 Extent of Human Impacts on
Biogeochemical Cycles
Relative contribution from anthropogenic and natural
sources for some toxic substances:

Substance Anthropogenic Emission

Natural Emission
Arsenic 3
Cadmium 5
Mercury 10
Lead 28

Ref.: Miroslav Radojevic and Vladimir N. Bashkin. “Practical Environmental Analysis”

The Royal Society of Chemistry, 1998
 Environmental Pollution
Pollution is the process by which substances (Pollutants) that
can cause injury to human health or damage to natural
ecosystems are released into the environment.

Some pollutants are naturally occurring and do not become

classified as pollutants until their concentration reaches toxic
Levels.

However there are other pollutants which are purely synthetic

And eneters the environment only through human activities
(e.g. Chlorofluorocarbons, CFC)
 Environmental Pollution
Categories of pollution include:
- Chemical
- Physical (Sound, Heat, radiation)
- Radioactive
- Biological
- Aesthetic (Beauty)
Pollution could also be classified as :
Local (e.g. Photochemical smog) - affects a single field,
small stream, a city)
Regional (Arsenic in Bangladesh)-may affect a section
of a country, a whole country, or an entire continent
Global (e.g. global warming due to the greenhouse effect
of CO2) – affects the whole world
 Environmental Pollution
The lines between, local, regional, and global pollution
Are sometimes not clearly defined

For example Acid rain which was initially observed in Europe

has now been sighted in several locations throughout the world
 Environmental Pollution – The
Future
Due to increasing needs (energy, clothing, industrial product)
That is accompanying the increase in global population,
Sources of pollution is also on the increase

Examples of efforts aimed at decreasing pollution:

- catalytic converters,
- banning of lead, DDT, organotin compounds, organophosphorus
detergents,
- Development of clean technologies
- Development of alternative energy source (Solar, wind…)
- Strict control of transport and disposal of wastes
Offers a glimpse of hope for the future !!! ☺
 Characteristics and Significance of The
Environmental Compartments

The Atmosphere
- Reservoir of gases
- Moderates Earth’s Temperature
- Absorbs energy and damaging UV radiation from the
sun.
- Transports energy away from equatorial regions
- Serves as pathway for vapor-phase movement of water
in the hydrological cycle
- Provides us with the air we breathe
Characteristics and Significance of The
Environmental Compartments
The Hydrosphere
Contains or is covered by water including:
- Wetlands
- Oceans (97%)
- Rivers, Streams
- Lakes 0.02%
- Ponds
- Groundwater (& Soil water = 0.5%)
- Ice [snow packs, glaciers, polar ice caps] (2%)
- Atmosphere (0.0001%)
- Provides us with the water we drink
Characteristics and Significance of The
Environmental Compartments

The Geosphere
- Consists of the solid earth including the earth which
supports most plants life
- Lithosphere is the part of geosphere that is in contact
with atmosphere, the hydrosphere and living things

- The top part of the lithosphere which is in contact with

other spheres is the top-layer part called the crust

- The crust is composed of silicate-based material

Characteristics and Significance of The
Environmental Compartments

Biosphere

Biotic Abiotic
 Hydrologic Cycle

Ref.: http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/modules/hydrosphere/hydrologic_cycle.html