TIMEPERIOD:
Quarter IV
LANGUAGE:English/Swedish
EXAMINER
Anders Widerlund Univ lekt
PREREQUISITES
SBL001 Geology, or equivalent. SBL013 Geochemistry.
COURSE AIM
The aim of the course is to give basic knowledge of the geochemistry of fresh-waters and the geochemical processes regulating water quality.
CONTENTS
Introduction: Definition of the term environmental geochemistry. History of environmental geochemistry.
The global water cycle: The properties of water. Origin of water on the Earth. Distribution and fluxes of water between reservoirs.
Alkalinity-the carbonate system-pH and redox-processes in natural waters: pH buffering in natural waters. Acidity and alkalinity. The carbonate system. Organic processes affecting pH. Redoxbuffers in freshwaters. Redoxelements in natural waters.
Geochemistry of rainwater: Chemical composition of rainwater. Origin of the elements found in rainwater. Variations of the concentration of elements with time, wash-out and rain-out. Formation of aerosols. Acid rain, natural geochemical processes and athropogenic effects. Oxidation of reduced gases in the atmosphere.
Weathering and the chemical composition of groundwater and riverwater: Chemical weathering. Weathering of till. Formation of clay minerals. Chemical composition of soil water. Geochemical modelling of groundwater composition. Chemical composition of the dissolved and suspended phase in world rivers. The geochemical classification of riverwater.
Geochemical processes in lakes: Physical and biological processes in lakes and their impact on water quality. The geochemical composition of the dissolved and suspended phases in lakes. Porewater geochemistry and the exchange of elements between sediment and water. Acidified lakes and cycling of heavy metals in lakes.
TEACHING
Lectures.
EXAMINATION
Written examination at the end of the course.
COURSE GRADE SCALE: U, 3, 4, 5
ITEMS/CREDITS
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