CHEM 2530 - Environmental & Analytical Chemistry II

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2018

This course aims to establish a sound understanding of the chemistry of the biosphere and the impact of natural and human induced events on local and global environments. The atmospheric, terrestrial, riverine and oceanic chemical compositions and their interactions to produce climate and other environmental variations are also examined. Students are trained in the application of techniques used by professional chemists to determine chemical composition and analyse for trace compounds, which is central to the aforementioned discussions. These techniques include chromatography, electrochemical and optical spectroscopes, statistical analysis of data and use of advanced instrumentation and data logging devices. The environmental impact of human activities, such as farming, mining and other industries is examined in general terms and by use of case studies, as are the issues surrounding the ethical practice of chemistry and science in general.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code CHEM 2530
    Course Environmental & Analytical Chemistry II
    Coordinating Unit School of Physical Sciences
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 7.5 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites CHEM 1100 & CHEM 1200 or CHEM 1101, CHEM 1201 & CHEM 1312. Other students may apply to Head of Chemistry for exemption
    Assessment Exam, practical work, assignment & presentation
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Tak Kee

    A/Prof Tak W. Kee (tak.kee@adelaide.edu.au) for lectures and MyUni
    Prof Christian Doonan (christian.doonan@adelaide.edu.au) for practicals
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    On completion of this course, students should be able to:
    1 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a variety of chemical concepts, including the principles of quantitative analysis
    2 demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the underlying principles of the sustainable use of chemicals as they relate to a variety of quantitative chemical contexts
    3 develop interdisciplinary solutions to a variety of chemical problems identified from an analytical context
    4 critically analyse and evaluate quantitative & qualitative chemical information
    5 obtain and evaluate information from a variety of sources
    6 communicate effectively in a variety of forms
    7 use terminology appropriate to the field of study correctly and contextually
    8 undertake laboratory investigations using appropriate apparatus; make observations and draw appropriate conclusions
    9 design, conduct, analyse and interpret results of an experiment, and effectively communicate these in written reports



    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1-4,7,8
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    4,9
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    6,9
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1,2,5,6,8,9
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    8,9
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    6,8,9
  • Learning Resources
    Recommended Resources
    Environmental Chemistry (Baird and Cann, 5th Ed., W.H. Freeman.
    Can be purchased from UniBooks. (Previous editions are also suitable and some copies may be available second-hand.) The Semester 1 examination will assume familiarity with indicated sections of the textbook.

    Quantitative Chemical Analysis (Harris, 8th Edition, WH Freeman)
    Can be purchased from UniBooks.
    Online Learning

    MyUni: Teaching materials and course documentation will be posted on the MyUni website (http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/).

    Maths Resources 
    The Maths Learning Centre (MLC) helps all students learn and use the maths they need at uni. The MLC offers seminars, workshops, online, and print resources.  It also run a drop-in room in Hub Central from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday during teaching weeks.

    For more information, visit http://www.adelaide.edu.au/mathslearning/ 

    For chemistry-specific maths help, visit http://www.adelaide.edu.au/mathslearning/resources/chem
     

  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    • Lectures 36 x 50-minute sessions with three sessions per week
    • Tutorials 12 x 50-minute sessions with one session per week
    • Practicals 9 x 5-hour sessions (including the lab familiarisation session
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).

    Learning Activities Summary

    The course content includes the following:

    • Lectures 1-9: Water chemistry The chemical environmental impact of human activities such as farming, mining, and other industries, and of fossil and nuclear fuel usage, are considered in both general terms and through case studies.
    • Lectures 10-18: Methods in Analytical Chemistry This section introduces students to a wide variety of instrumental methods in analytical chemistry including electrochemical, spectroscopic, and x-ray methods, and instrumentation.
    • Lectures 19-27: Atmosphere, Soil/Terrestrial The atmospheric, terrestrial, riverine and oceanic chemical compositions, and their interactions to produce climate and other environmental variations are studied. The natural chemical cycles of major environmental importance, such as those of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen-ozone, phosphorus and sulphur, are examined.
    • Lectures 28-36: Statistics, Chromatography, Separation Methods Students will be introduced to the underlying principles of quantitative chemical analysis. Specifically, the following topics will be covered: Experimental design of chromatography and separation methods, experimental error and statistics, calibration, chem.-metrics, ethics.

    Practicals There will be 8 sessions from Weeks 2 – 11. The 3-hour session in Week 1 is devoted to analytical techniques, data acquisition and data handling with a variety of software. The remaining sessions will be divided equally between environmental chemistry and analytical chemistry.

    Some students repeating the course may be exempted from practical classes. Please note that exemptions will only be granted to students who attempted and achieved an overall practical mark of at least 50% in the course in the previous year. Applications for exemption should be lodged with the School of Physical Sciences office.

    Specific Course Requirements
    Attendance is compulsory at all scheduled chemistry practical sessions.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment task Type of assessment Percentage of total assessment for grading purposes # Hurdle Yes or No # Outcomes being assessed/achieved
    Presentation Formative & Summative 10% No 1 – 8
    Extended Practical Report Summative 5% No 1 – 9
    Practical Reports Formative & Summative 25% No 9
    Exam Summative 60% Yes (45%) 1 – 8
    Assessment Related Requirements
    Practical work is compulsory  – This includes attendance, conduct of required experimental work, attendance at demonstrator interviews (as required) and submission of laboratory reports. The learning outcomes for this course are substantially dependent on laboratory experience and practice.  Therefore, missing any practical class in a semester will result in a grade of FAIL being recorded for the course. Students with medical or compassionate reasons for non-attendance will be given an opportunity to make up missed practical sessions.

    To pass this course, students must attain a minimum of 45% for the examination and attend all practicals. Students who attain a final course grade of at least 45% but do not attain a minimum of 45% for the exam may be offered an Additional Academic Exam during the Replacement/Additional Assessment period, in line with the Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy.
    Assessment Detail

    Presentation 10% - This assessment activity covers a topic beyond the lecture course content and is designed to assess students' ability to apply general knowledge to real world situations. It will also develop team work, time management and verbal presentation skills within the context of environmental and analytical chemistry. This presentation is 10 minutes long and is given by a pair of students (average presentation time for each student is 5 minutes).

    Extended Practical Report 5% - This assessment activity addresses the scientific communication aspects in the chemical laboratories. Students will write the extended practical report based on the contents in one of the short practical reports.

    Practical Reports 25% - This assessment activity comprehensively addresses the practical aspects of chemistry and competent training in the techniques employed in chemical laboratories (8 short, hand-written practical reports submitted in class).

    Final exam 60% - This assessment activity comprehensively addresses the learning outcomes.

    Submission

    Submission of Assigned Work Coversheets must be completed and attached to all submitted work. Coversheets can be obtained from the School Office (room G33 Physics) or from MyUNI. Work should be submitted via the assignment drop box at the School Office.

    Extensions for Assessment Tasks Extensions of deadlines for assessment tasks may be allowed for reasonable causes. Such situations would include compassionate and medical grounds of the severity that would justify the awarding of a supplementary examination. Evidence for the grounds must be provided when an extension is requested. Students are required to apply for an extension to the Course Coordinator before the assessment task is due. Extensions will not be provided on the grounds of poor prioritising of time. The assessment extension application form can be obtained from: http://www.sciences.adelaide.edu.au/current/

    Late submission of assessments If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days or more late without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the mark.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.