2026 (Current Year) 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

Academic unit or major: Graduate major in Chemical Science and Engineering
Instructor(s): Junya Hoshi / Manabu Kanno
Class Format: Lecture
Media-enhanced courses: -
Day of week/Period (Classrooms): Intensive
Class: -
Course Code: CAP.I481
Number of credits: 100
Course offered: 2026
Offered quarter: 1-2Q
Syllabus updated: Mar 23, 2026
Language: Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

[Summary of the course]
1. This course covers the basics of air pollution, the characteristics of the urban atmospheric environment, and focuses on volatile organic compounds (VOCs), explaining their sources, behavior in the atmosphere, and measurement techniques. It also introduces environmental policies aimed at reducing air pollutants.
2. Microorganisms are invisible players deeply involved in material cycles and ecological functions on Earth. This lecture will provide an overview of microbial diversity and functions, and then introduce the roles microorganisms play in environmental chemical processes, using examples such as interactions with plants and the cycling of atmospheric components. Drawing on the latest research examples, we will explore the relationship between microorganisms and the environment from a scientific perspective.

[Aim of the course]
1. This course aims to help students understand the characteristics of urban air pollution caused by anthropogenic emissions of pollutants by analyzing actual observational data.
2. Students will learn that microorganisms play a crucial role in understanding material cycles in the environment and plant functions, and will develop the ability to analyze these functions from environmental chemical and biogeochemical perspectives. The course aims to cultivate the ability of applied chemistry students to comprehensively analyze global environmental issues from different levels—including molecular, biological reactions, and material cycles.

Course description and aims

At the end of this course, students will have following knowledge and capabilities.
1-1) Be able to explain the characteristics of urban air and the mechanisms of urban air pollution.
1-2) Understand measurement methods for VOCs and other pollutants, as well as an overview of their environmental behavior, and be able to interpret basic data.
2-1) Understand the plant community from a biogeochemical perspective.
2-2) Understand the interactions between microorganisms and environmental elements such as plants and the atmosphere.
2-3) Understand the significance of the latest microbial research related to environmental issues.

Keywords

Urban air pollution, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), photochemical oxidants
Microorganisms, material cycles, greenhouse gases, biogeochemistry, plant-microbe interactions

Competencies

Specialist skills
Intercultural skills
Communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Lectures will be conducted using power point slides or blackboards.

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	1-1) Fundamentals of Air Pollution and the Urban Atmospheric Environment 1-2) Behavior of Air Pollutants: Monitoring Methods and Atmospheric Concentrations 1-3) Behavior of Air Pollutants: Analysis of Monitoring Data 1-4) Air Pollutant Reduction Policies *This lecture will be held over 2–3 days.	1-a) Be able to explain the basic concepts of air pollution and the characteristics of major air pollutants. 1-b) Understand the overview of monitoring methods for VOCs and other pollutants, as well as the distribution and fluctuations of their concentrations. 1-c) Understand methods for analyzing the current state of air pollution based on monitoring data. 1-d) Understand the countermeasures implemented by government agencies.
Class 2	2-1) Fundamentals of Environmental Microbiology: Diversity, Functions, and Research Techniques 2-2) Microorganisms in the Plant Kingdom: Ecological Understanding and Applied Utilization 2-3) The Cutting Edge of Microbial Research: Microorganisms That Consume Atmospheric Hydrogen 2-4) Microorganisms and Material Cycles: Invisible Reactions in the Earth’s Atmosphere *This lecture will be held over 2–3 days.	2-a) Be able to explain the role microorganisms play in the healthy growth of plants. 2-b) Be able to explain the role microorganisms play in the cycling of atmospheric components. 2-c) Understand the potential applications to environmental chemistry research through examples of environmental microbiology research.

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 is compulsory. Report on relation between global warming problem and cycles of chemical substances 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

Prerequisites

No prerequisites