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Environmental geochemistry

Type of study Follow-up Master
Language of instruction English
Code 541-0148/02
Abbreviation ENGCH
Course title Environmental geochemistry
Credits 5
Coordinating department Department of Geological Engineering
Course coordinator prof. Ing. Helena Raclavská, CSc.

Subject syllabus

1.The basic geochemical principles of element migration in environment – endogennous and indogennous factors. Geochemical background and its relevance for contamination evaluation.
2.The occurence of natural anomalies in environment. Clarks. Maps of geochemical reactivity of rocks.
3.Trace elements in environment.
4.Organic pollutants – behaviour, main properties, difference between migration ability
5.Geochemistry of soils (physico-chemical properties, sorption parameters, the content of inorganic and organic compounds in soils.
6.The principles of binding metals in soils. Sequential extraction methods – Tessier, BCR.
7.The principles of bonding of organic pollutants. Evaluation of migration ability and decomposition (biodegradation). Partitioning coefficients. Migration in the system soil – soil water – underground water.
8.Occurence of organic pollutants in soils their biodegradability and index accumulation. The migration in system: underground water – soils – surface water.
9.Geochemistry of sludge (heavy metals and organic pollutants).
10.Particulate matter in surface and waste waters. The form of occurence of risk elements and organic micropollutants.
11.Geochemistry and mineral phase composition of sediments in water streams, rivers and lakes. The determination of geochemical backgrounds.
12.The contamination of environment in areas influenced by mining activity (Acid mine drainage, behaviour of heavy metals).
13.Geochemistry of wastes produced during energetic activity.
14.Geochemistry and mineralogy of fly ash – PM10 and total solid particles (TSP).

Literature

Baskaran M. Handbook of Environmental Isotope Geochemistry. 2012. Springer. 1-951.
Gill R. Chemical Fundamentals of Geology and Environmental Geoscience. 2015. Wiley Blackwell. Hoboken,USA. 1-297. ISBN: 9780470656655 
Killops S., Killops V. An Introduction to Organic Geochemistry. 2004. Blackwell Science Ltd., 1-408. 2. edition, ISBN-10: 0632065044
Marshall P., Fairbridge R.W. Encyclopedia of Geochemistry. 1999. Kluwer Academic Publishers. 1-798. ISBN: 0-412-75500-9
Nelson E. Principles of Environmental Geochemistry. 2003. Brooks Cole, 1-528. ISBN-10: 01222290615.
Reemtsma T, Jekel M.Organic Pollutants in the Water Cycle. 2006. Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, 1-374. ISBN 3-527-31297-8
White V.M. Geochemistry. 2013. Willey-Blackwell. Chichester, USA.1-660. ISBN: 9780470656686 

Advised literature

Siegel F.R. Environmental geochemistry of potentially toxic metals. 2002. Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH, 1-200. ISBN-10: 3540420304