Química Ambiental

INTRODUCTION TO
ENVIRONMENTAL
CHEMISTRY
Chemical processes Química Ambiental

Processes of interest in Environmental Chemistry

•  Transport of chemical species

•  Associative interactions with solids and water
•  Degradation processes

Chemical basis of Environmental Chemistry

•  Chemical thermodynamics
•  Molecular interactions
•  Reaction mechanisms and chemical kinetics
Related fields Química Ambiental

Other (important) aspects of Environmental Chemistry

& Science, that we will not consider in this course

•  Environmental Analysis
•  Environmental Toxicology
•  Environmental Control
•  Environmental Engineering
•  Green Chemistry
•  Environmental Science

It is impossible to cover all topics related with Environmental

Chemistry in a 25 hour course!
Systems and surroundings Química Ambiental

Some Terminology
From Thermodynamics:

System
portion of the universe under
direct investigation Surroundings
Surroundings
everything beyond the system System

Universe
System + Surroundings

The subject of Environmental Chemistry are chemical processes

in the surroundings of a given system
System and surroundings Química Ambiental

System: System:
Chemical Engineering Biochemistry
Surroundings: Surroundings:
Environmental Chemistry Environmental Chemistry

System

System

TCDD
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

TCDD is the most potent compound of its series (polichlorinated dibenzodioxins, PCDD), and
became well–known as Agent Orange, a contaminant herbicide used in Vietnam War (1956–
1975). It was also emitted in the Seveso disaster, in 1976. It is a persistent environmental
contaminant, usually present within a complex mixture of PCDDs, and it is a carcinogen.
Earth Química Ambiental

Some important data on present-day Earth

Mass / kg 5.97219·1024
Radius / m 6.371·106 mean (6.3781·106 Equatorial — 6.358·106 Polar)
Density / kg·m–3 5515 (2200 crust — 13100 inner core)
Distance from Sun / km 1.5·108
Surface Temperature / K 288 (184 — 330)
Major Components / % Fe (32.1), O (30.1), Si (15.1), Mg (13.9), S (2.9), Ni (1.8), Ca (1.5), Al (1.4)

Atmosphere Oceans Land

Mass / kg 5.27·1018 1.37·1021

Surface Area / m2 3.61·1014 1.48·1014

Density / kg·m–3 1.3 (surface, 0ºC) 1030 2700 (Surface

rocks)

Major N2 (78.08), O2 H2O, Na+, Cl–, O (47), Si, Al,

Components / % (20.95), H2O SO42–, Mg2+ Fe, Ca
(1.0), Ar(0.93)

Adapted from G.W. vanLoon & S.J. Duffy

Environmental Chemistry 3rd Ed.
Oxford U. Press, 2011.
Environmental compartments Química Ambiental

The five environmental spheres and their main interactions

Precipitation, water vapor, hydrologic cycle,
energy, CO2, H2O
Atmosphere Hydrosphere
AIR WATER

H2O, CO2, O2
Mineral, H2S,

Anthroposphere
Particulate

CO2, H2O

Nutrients,
Biomass,
TECHNOLOGY

Geosphere Biosphere
EARTH LIFE
Nutrients, organic matter

Adapted from S.H. Manahan, Environmental Chemistry, 8th Ed. CRC Press, 2004.
Environmental cycles Química Ambiental

Quantitative data on environmental sphere interactions:

The global water cycle
Atmosphere
Water mass within a
1.3·1016
sphere / kg

Water fluxes among Precipitation Biosphere Precipitation

environmental 3.86·1017 1.1·1017
6·1014
spheres / kg·y–1

Transpiration & Evaporation

7.3·1016
Evaporation
4.23·1017 Uptake & Photosynthesis

1.2·1016

3.5·1016 9.5·1018
Pore & Groundwater
1.27·1017
1.37·1021 2.9·1019
Lakes and Rivers Ice
Oceans Continents
Adapted from G.W. vanLoon & S.J. Duffy Environmental Chemistry 3rd Ed. Oxford U. Press, 2011.
Sources and sinks Química Ambiental

Sources and Sinks

When discussing the environmental fate of a chemical species in the
environment it is crucial to identify its sources and sinks.

Example:

Fresh Water balance

in Catalonia

Sources (input)
•  Rainfall
•  Desalination plants

Sinks (output)
•  Surface water
•  Ground water
•  Soil moisture
•  Evotranspiration
Residence time Química Ambiental

Fluxes
In the steady state, the parts of a cycle are balanced:
inward flux = outward flux
and concentrations remain constant, enabling us the calculation
of residence times for the chemical species

Residence time:
steady state amount in compartment
τ=
flux (in or out)

Example: residence time of water in the atmosphere

1.3×1016 kg
τ H 2O = = 9.6 days
( 4.23×10 + 7.29 ×10 ) kg y
17 16 −1

inward flux: evaporation

from oceans and land
Climate Química Ambiental

Climate System
•  Land, ocean, and ice on the Earth’s surface
•  Atmosphere overlying it
•  Radiation from the Sun providing energy

Interactions of these elements to produce the conditions on and around the

surface of our planet called climate

Climate
Mean state of the system averaged over space and time

Important parameters affecting life on earth

•  Surface temperature (global and seasonal variations)
•  Mean atmospheric pressure
•  Oxygen abundance
•  Insolation
Climate System Química Ambiental

Principal Components of the Climate System