CY-10010: Environmental Chemistry Theory

Part 1: Know our environment (earth-life supporting systems, chemistry of

lithosphere, energy balance, sustainability, and recycle), know about global
warming (infrared absorption, molecular vibration, atmospheric window,
residence time of greenhouse gases, evidences and effects of global
warming). Future challenges (CO2 sequestering and nuclear energy).

Part 2: Organic chemicals in the environment, insecticides, pesticides,

herbicides and insect control, soaps, synthetic surfactants, polymers, and
haloorganics. Fate of organic/inorganic chemicals in natural and engineered
systems (fate of polymers after use, detergents, synthetic surfactants
insecticides, pesticides etc. after use).

Part 3: Deeper analysis of atmospheric pollution (chemistry of CO, NOx,

VOCs, SO2, industrial smog, photochemical smog), ozone depletion
(production, catalytic destruction)

Part 4: Aspects of transformations in atmosphere (microbial degradation of Dr. Narendra Kurra

organics-environmental degradation of polymers, atmospheric lifetime, Assistant Professor
toxicity). Green chemistry and industrial Ecology. Department of Chemistry
Reference: Principles of Environmental Chemistry By
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James E. Girard, Third Edition * Courtesy Google images
 Human Evolution
Humans evolved on earth, with its atmosphere, land and water systems and types of climate for survival

Human activities are leading to the change of environment

into the one that we cannot live in

Challenging problem: How to continue our technologically based civilization without at the same time irreversibly damaging
the environment in which we evolved

Department of Chemistry

World Population Clock: 8.1 Billion People (LIVE, 2023) - Worldometer.

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What is the motivation to study Environmental Chemistry?
Many environmental problems and processes are chemical, and to understand them, basic chemistry involved is
necessary

Environment : Atmosphere-water-earth surroundings that make life possible

Biological process of photosynthesis created the oxygen
atmosphere in which we live in

Department of Chemistry

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 Scenario of Global Carbon Emissions
Population growth Heavy dependence on fossil
Industrialization fuels

Global warming
Ozone layer depletion

Our modern technological society, coupled with largely uncontrolled population growth, places extreme stress on the environment
Department of Chemistry

Richard Eisenberg, Harry B. Gray, and George W. Crabtree, PNAS June 9,

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2020 117 (23) 12543-12549
Climate Change mitigation

2015

Goal: The Paris Agreement's long-term temperature goal is to keep the rise in mean global
temperature to well below 2 °C (3.6 °F) above pre-industrial levels, and preferably limit the
increase to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F

Department of Chemistry
Paris Agreement". United Nations Treaty Collection. Archived from the 5
original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
Part-2: Organic chemicals in the Environment
Plastic pollution

Pesticides Depletion of ozone layer

Department of Chemistry
It is estimated that 1.1 to 8.8 million tonnes of plastic waste 6
enters the ocean from coastal communities each year
 Organic Chemicals in the Environment
Organic compounds: Compounds that mainly contain carbon and hydrogen atoms
Glucose: C6H12O

Ex. DNA
Amino acids

n-butane Proteins
Medicines
Plastics
Ethanol
Pesticides
Carbon exhibits catenation property

Carbon is the basic building block for

all forms of life on Earth

Cholesterol

Department of Chemistry

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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment
➢ Thousands of different organic chemicals are synthesized each year for use as
cosmetics, insecticides, detergents, and plastics
➢ Some of them are not adequately tested for toxicity before being put on the market

➢ Many of these chemicals persist in the environment for long periods of time
Organic compounds that are resistant to degradation
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) through chemical, biological and photolytic
processes.

Department of Chemistry

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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

➢ POPs can enter into water and food chains and can cause serious health and
environmental problems

➢ POPs can go from one place to other via wind and water

➢ POPs generated in one country can affect the people and wildlife in other
countries even though they are very far from each other

➢ Some POPs evaporate from water or land surfaces into the air, then return to
Earth in snow, rain, or mist

Department of Chemistry

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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment

Insecticides: Substances used to kill insects

Pesticides: Substances used to kill pests including weeds

Herbicides: Pesticide used to kill unwanted plants

Fungicides: Substances used to kill fungus

Approximately 80,000 synthetic chemicals are on the market today and most of them have never been tested
for toxicity

Department of Chemistry

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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment

➢ POPs contamination is also found in arctic regions, which are thousands of miles
from anywhere the POPs are manufactured or used

Stockholm Convention
In 2001 “dirty dozen” POPs

➢ Out of 12 chemicals, 10 were intentionally produced by industry

➢ 9 were produced as insecticides or fungicides

➢ Two are are unintentionally produced in combustion processes

Department of Chemistry

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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment

DDT

Department of Chemistry

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Organic Chemicals in the Environment

DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)
Aldrin Dieldrin Chlordane

Endrin Heptachlor HCB Mirex

PCB1 PCB2 Dioxins

Toxaphene

Polychlorinated compounds Furans

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2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo[b,d]furan
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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment

Stockholm Convention
Added 8 more substances to the agreement in 2009 and one more in 2011

Department of Chemistry
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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment

Stockholm Convention

Added 8 more substances to the agreement in 2009 and one more in 2011

➢ Five of the new POPs are also poly chlorinated compounds which are used as
insecticides

➢ Polychlorinated hydrocarbons are insoluble in water but soluble in fats

➢ Polychlorinated hydrocarbons concentrated in the fatty tissues of fish and

of birds, and of humans who eat them
➢ For the first time, polybrominated compounds that were used in the 1970s as
flame-retardant agents were added to the list

➢ Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, the key ingredient in Scotchgard fabric

protector, was added to the list of new POPs

Department of Chemistry
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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Pollutants Program

➢ Launched by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in 1998

➢ Wider scope than the Stockholm Convention and has the same goals of reducing
the use and release of PBT pollutants while making sure that these chemicals are
disposed of properly

➢ PBT program is also focusing a list of 12 priority pollutants and most of

them are already listed in dirty dozen

➢ PBT list includes inorganic elements, such as mercury or organometallic

compounds that contain an inorganic atom

Department of Chemistry

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 Organic Chemicals in the Environment
Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) Pollutants Program

Department of Chemistry

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