CVB313 Environmental Analytical Chemistry

Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

Environmental Analytical Chemistry provides the tools and techniques necessary to make quantitative measurements of the extent of environmental alteration by natural or man-made activities. Principal areas of study include the chemical evaluation of air quality; water quality; soil and sediment contamination; and pesticide residue contamination in agriculture. Students will gain an understanding of the relevant methods of analyses through the lectures and a complementary laboratory practical program. This will allow students to develop technical skills such as: sample collection and treatment; use of modern instruments, including receptor modelling, atomic spectrometric and IC instruments for inorganic elemental analysis, GC, GC-MS and HPLC instruments for organic components. Experience gained in the unit will be important for students seeking positions in environmental protection agencies, environmental laboratories and environmental consultancy.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an accurate understanding of a range of analytical measurements that are required for environmental sampling and be able to carry-out accurate analytical sampling for contaminants in air, waters and land usage.
2. Demonstrate an accurate understanding of how to prepare samples in the laboratory by using digestion, extraction, clean-up, pre-concentration procedures, as required.
3. Present treated samples for analysis by a range of wet-chemical and a range of modern instrumental methods, as appropriate, and obtain reliable analytical results.
4. Interpret data generated in the laboratory, including through application of modelling and chemometric techniques.
5. Evaluate and communicate your theoretical understanding and laboratory results in a scientifically critical manner.

Content

Learning Approaches

Class contact in this unit will involve a combination of lectorials, problem-based learning modules, informal interactive workshops, as well as series of laboratory experiments using advanced instrumentation.

Lectorials / Problem based learning
Interactive lectures using relevant practical examples to demonstrate the principles and applications of environment al analytical chemistry, supplemented with case studies and authentic learning activities, performed in small groups with feedback and discussion with the larger class to provide a diverse range of learning experiences.

Practical work
The practical program is designed to reinforce the principles and applications learnt in lectures as well as develop practical laboratory skills in the treatment and manipulations of samples, and analysis using a variety of instrumental techniques in spectrometry and chromatography. The development of good laboratory practice (GLP) and the safe handling of chemical substances are emphasised.

Workshops
The interactive workshop sessions will allow practical exploration of the applications of chemomerics and modelling to interpretation of environmental data. The workshops feature the critical evaluation and reflection on practical class results. The use of appropriate chemometric and modelling techniques are developed, with particular emphasis on problem solving.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

There will be extensive opportunity to assess your progress in the unit. You will obtain feedback on your laboratory reports, which will be annotated and returned to you. The informal atmosphere in the laboratory means that you will have the opportunity for one-to-one feedback from your demonstrator. This will be supplemented by the cooperative learning project, which will by its nature provide feedback from peers and your instructors. The results that you obtain in the practice examinations will provide ongoing feedback, in particular about your preparation for the final theory exam.

Assessment items, except the final examination or Timed Online Assessment, will be returned to you; model answers will be provided on Canvas. Many practice examples and worked solutions, will be available to guide your learning and self-test your progress. All staff in the unit will be contactable for individual or small group consultation.

Assessment

Overview

The assessment in this unit comprises both formative and summative elements. Formative assessment will take the form of provision of model answers for summative tasks, practice problems with worked solutions, return of your marked and annotated practical reports, and interactive discussions with your laboratory demonstrators. Summative assessment is a combination of problem-solving tasks, the written reports and supervised theory examination.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Portfolio

Practical / Workshop
You will be required to undertake 7 x 3-hour sessions of supervised practical and 3 x 2 hours of workshop activities and for which you will prepare written reports, comprising both pre-laboratory and post-experiment components.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Literature Review

You will investigate current research in the environmental analysis scientific literature.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Assessment: Examination (written) or Timed Online Assessment

The end of semester theory exam will cover content from all theory components of the unit.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Douglas A. Skoog, Donald M. West, F. James Holler, Stanley R.; " "Fundamentals Analytical Chemistry", Belmont, CA. : Brooks/Cole, 2014.

Risk Assessment Statement

The professional practice of Chemistry requires the safe handling of Hazardous Substances. A practical laboratory program is an important part of this unit, so you will be required to handle such substances. The chemicals and procedures used in this unit are deemed to be appropriate for students at this level of the course. You will undertake compulsory formal pre-laboratory assessment in Health and Safety matters relevant to the laboratory and QUT buildings in general. Health and Safety information and precautions relevant to the particular experiments are clearly explained in the Practical Manual. Having been provided with this advice, it is your responsibility to comply with all instructions, for the safety of yourself, your fellow students and staff.