2020 Faculty Courses School of Materials and Chemical Technology Department of Chemical Science and Engineering Graduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
Introduction to the Frontiers of Environmental Chemistry II
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Yoshio Takahashi
- Class Format
- Lecture (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Intensive
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- CAP.I482
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
[Summary of the course] In this lecture, I would like to explain basic thermodynamics and analytical techniques to clarify the chemical states of various elements in environmental and geochemical samples. The information from atomic level obtained by the methods contributes to the better understanding of cycles of various materials, behaviors of toxic substances, and evolution of the earth. The research area can be called as "Molecular geochemistry", which can be assumed as the new direction of development of geochemical and environmental sciences.
[Aim of the course] I hope that the students who take this course will be able to predict the behaviors and cycles of inorganic materials at earth's surface based on the physico-chemical information at atomic level.
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will have following knowledge and capabilities.
(1) To understand the lows of distribution of elements and to know their abundances at earth’s surfaces
(2) To understand the concept of chemical state which governs the distribution of elements
(3) To learn various methods to know the abundances and chemical states of elements in environmental samples
(4) To understand the recent topics of environmental geochemistry such as radionuclides migration emitted from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, aerosols including PM2.5, and resource sciences for rare earth elements
Keywords
Molecular geochemistry, chemical speciation, isotope, elemental cycle
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lectures will be conducted by writing on blackboards, using power point slides, and hands out. Short discussion will be also introduced.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | 1. Why do you have to know chemistry to understand earth and environment 2. Basic thermodynamics 3. Compelxation reaction and classification of elements 4. Redox reaction, Eh-pH diagram 5. Solubility of elements and its controlling factors 6. Geochemistry at solid-water interfaces 7. Environmental chemistry of toxic elements 8. Rare earth element geochemistry 9. Aerosol chemistry |
1) Explain why you have to know the chemistry to understand various environmental problems. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
Textbook(s)
None required.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
None required.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Attendance is taken in every class. Full attendance are compulsory. Report on relation between own study theme and chemical substances cycles and/or cutting-edge technologies introduced is assessed.
Related courses
- CAP.I405 ： Environmental Chemistry
- CAP.I419 ： Analytical Techniques for Environmental Chemistry
- CAP.I536 ： Advanced Material Cycle Analysis
- CAP.I435 ： Advanced Geochemistry
- CAP.I481 ： Introduction to the Frontiers of Environmental Chemistry I
Prerequisites
No prerequisites