The aim of the course is to provide fundamental knowledge regarding the chemical-physical characteristics of the various environmental compartments (air, water, soil, both natural and anthropogenic). The course aims to equip students with the necessary skills to understand the chemical, physico-chemical, and biochemical processes underlying the transformation of matter, both in living organisms and in environmental matrices, thus providing the essential basis for analyzing and evaluating environmental functioning.
In addition, students will acquire the necessary competencies to understand the dynamics (input, transport, transformation, and final fate) of chemical substances present in the environment, introducing the principles of environmental modeling and numerical simulations for the description of environmental and climatic systems and for forecasting purposes.

1 Atmosphere and atmospheric chemistry
1.1 Energy and mass transfers
1.2 Chemical composition and physico-chemical processes in the atmosphere
1.3 Formation and removal of particulate matter
1.4 Photochemical reactions
1.5 Photochemical smog formation
1.6 Ozone in the lower and upper atmosphere
1.7 Greenhouse effect.

2 Aquatic environment
2.1 Properties of water
2.2 Physical and chemical composition of natural waters
2.3 Chemical eactions on natural watar: acid-base, redox, complexation, and chelation reactions
2.4 Alkalinity and hardness, nutrients and eutrophication.

3 Geosphere and soil chemistry
3.1 Chemical composition and physico-chemical processes in soil
3.2 Acid-base and ion exchange reactions
3.3 Macro- and micronutrients, absorption processes, and biodegradation of organic matter.

4 Fundamentals of biochemistry for interpreting the environmental behavior and effects of chemical substances on living organisms (toxicity, bioaccumulation, biotransformation).

5 Environmental chemistry of ecosystems
5.1  Earth's natural as a whole ecosystem
5.2 Energy balance and natural energy cycles
5.3 Matter and elements natural cycles (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, metals)
5.4 Anthropogenic influences on natual cycles.

6 Principles of environmental sustainability, energy supply, green chemistry.

7 Introduction to climate modeling and numerical simulation techniques applied to the atmospheric chemistry.

Expexted but not manadtory: General Chemistry, Mathematics 1, Physics 1

Knowledge and Understanding

At the end of the course, the student will have a basic understanding of environmental processes (air, water, and soil, both natural and anthropogenic). The student will also acquire foundational knowledge of the main sources of pollution, as well as an understanding of pollutant mobility and their chemical reactions.

Applying Knowledge and Understanding

The student will gain the ability to apply knowledge and understanding of the main sources of pollution, transformation processes, and the mobility of matter within the different environmental compartments (air, water, and soil) and in living organisms, along with the fundamental chemical and physical principles necessary to assess their environmental impact.

Autonomy of Judgment

The student will be able to independently identify and evaluate the most relevant chemical, physico-chemical, and biochemical processes involved in environmental functioning.

Communication Skills

The student will acquire the ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, using appropriate terminology, the fundamental aspects of the chemical, physico-chemical, and biochemical processes underlying the transformation of matter in living organisms and environmental matrices.

Learning Skills

The student will develop the ability to use the scientific method as a working tool to independently investigate environmental issues, translate them into chemical terms, and relate them to other disciplines.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

additional seminars for specific topics will be offered by external experts

Teaching

Frontal lessons

Innovative teaching methods

During the course we will experiment the use flipped-learning techniques for specifi case-studies that students will delve autonomously and relate to the class

Attendance

Attending the course is not a requirement, but it is strongly recommended.

Course books

Stanley E. Manahan, Chimica Ambientale, PICCIN 2025

OR
Colin Baird & Michael Cann, Chimica ambientale, Zanichelli, 2013.

Additional material -selected chapters from:
M. Z. Jacobson, "Fundamentals of Atmospheric Modeling", Cambridge University Press, 2012.
J. Wainwright, M. Mulligan "Environmental Modelling - Finding Simplicity in Complexity", Wiley, 2013.
H. F. Hemmond, E. J. Fechner-Levy. Chemical Fate and Transport in the Environment. Academic Press, 2023

Assessment

Oral discussion on the program covered, aimed at ascertaining the knowledge acquired on the fundations of the environemntal chemistry and the student's ability to analyze environmentally relevant issues by applying the concepts and methods covered in the course.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

The students not attending the course have access to the course slides on the Moodle platform, and to the same additional supporting materials available to the attending students.

  

Course books

the same

Assessment

the same

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.