Course code:
512S1		 Course name:
Geochemistry and Soil Pollutants

Academic year:

2019/2020.

Attendance requirements:

102S1 + 200A1 + 200E1

ECTS:

8

Study level:

basic academic studies

Study program:

Environmental Chemistry: 3. year, winter semester, compulsory course

Teacher:

Ksenija A. Stojanoviæ, Ph.D.
full professor, Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, Beograd

Assistants:

—

Hours of instruction:

Weekly: three hours of lectures + four hours of labwork (3+0+4)

Goals:

The main goal of the course Geochemistry and Soil Pollutants is to introduce students to the geosphere, particularly its structure and composition. Students learn about the transformation of organic substances in the geosphere and about the natural carbon cycle. Additionally, students learn about the soil as a natural resource which is very important and which is subjected to various types of pollution.

Outcome:

The knowledge gained in this course greatly helps students’ further education in the field of environmental chemistry because the geosphere (including soil) is one of the most important segments of the environment.

Teaching methods:

Lectures, experimental work, progress tests.

Extracurricular activities:

—

Coursebooks:

Main coursebooks:

  1. º. Stojanović: Internal material, 2008. (available in Serbian only)
  2. B. Jovančićević: Practice in Organic Geochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, 1999. (50 pages, available in Serbian only)

Supplementary coursebooks:

  1. D. Vitorović, B. Jovančićević: Organic Geochemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, 2005. (249 pages, available in Serbian only)
  2. R. Džamić, D. Stevanović: Agrochemistry, Parthenon, Belgrade, 2007. (440 áâà) ISBN 978-86-7157-353-5 (selected chapters, available in Serbian only)
  3. D. Veselinović, I. Gržetić, Š. Đarmati, D. Marković: States and Processes in the Environment - book I, Faculty of Physical Chemistry, 1995. (496 áâà) ISBN 86-8213-11-1 (selected chapters, available in Serbian only)

Additional material:

—

  Course activities and grading method

Lectures:

5 points (3 hours a week)

Syllabus:

  1. The origin and evolution of chemical elements and the formation of the Earth.
  2. The structure of the Earth.
  3. The differentiation of elements on the Earth and their geochemical classification.
  4. The types of rocks in the lithosphere.
  5. Minerals of sedimentary rocks.
  6. Soil formation.
  7. Degradation of rock material and the factors influencing it.
  8. The origin and transformations of the organic matter from the geosphere (diagenesis, catagenesis, metagenesis) and the natural carbon cycle.
  9. The most important types of organic matter in the geosphere (non-specific organic matter, humic substances, kerogen, bitumen, oil, gas).
  10. The analysis and characterization of organic substances from the geosphere.
  11. Soil as a natural resource, soil formation, properties and composition of the soil.
  12. Adsorption processes in soil, soil pH, buffering capacity and redox potential of soil.
  13. Soil pollutants, definition, classification and the factors which determine their fate in the environment.
  14. Inorganic pollutants in soil (nitrates, phosphates, acid rain, heavy metals).
  15. Radionuclides.
  16. Organic pollutants in soil (petroleum-type pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides).

Labwork:

10 points (4 hours a week)

Syllabus:

  1. Soil sampling and sample preparation for analysis.
  2. Determining the moisture content and the content of organic and inorganic matter in soil.
  3. Determination of soil pH.
  4. Determination of available phosphorus in soil.
  5. Determination of the total heavy metal content in soil.
  6. Isolating a dissolved organic substance (bitumen) from soil and sediments.
  7. Determination of the group composition of bitumen/petroleum.
  8. Determination of API gravity of petroleum.
  9. The analysis of the alkane fraction of bitumen/petroleum by gas chromatography.
  10. The analysis of the alkane fraction of bitumen/petroleum by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry.
  11. Determination of moisture and ash content in a coal sample.
  12. Determination of volatile matter and fixed carbon in a coal sample.
  13. Determination of sulfur content in a coal sample.

Colloquia:

20 points

Remarks:

  • The first test - 6. week (max. 6 points).
  • The second test - 11. week (max. 10 points).
  • The third test - 15. week (max. 4 points).

Oral exam:

65 points