CH1301 – Impact of of Chemistry
Lecturers:
Professor R. A. Aitken, Professor S. E. M. Ashbrook, Dr P. A. Connor, Professor J. T. S. Irvine and Dr R. J. Pearson.
Module Convenor: Dr D. G. Pinto
Aim:
This module explores the impact that chemistry has on all our lives and all aspects of society. The module will cover a diverse range of topics and the pivotal role chemistry plays in modern life, including the great challenge of global warming, fuel and energy, forensic chemistry, chemistry and the environment, and chemistry in food production. Students will also have the opportunity to work in groups to prepare and deliver a presentation on an assigned topic in an area covered by the course.
Chemistry in Food Production – Professor R. A. Aitken
Duration:
9 hours
Aims:
To describe the ways in which chemistry currently contributes to feeding the world population. To give students a balanced account of the development, benefits and environmental impact of the most important herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, animal health products and food preservatives.
Objectives:
1. Appreciate the growth in human population and the consequent demand on food supply. Realise that the population growth has only been possible in part because of the impact of agrochemicals and that if the growth is to be maintained there is no viable alternative to the use of chemicals.
2. Understand the use, mechanism of action, benefits and possible drawbacks of selective and non-selective herbicides and plant growth regulators and be able to provide simple examples of each.
3. Understand the use, mechanism of action, benefits and possible drawbacks of the main types of insecticides and insect pheromones and be able to provide examples of each. Know what is meant by the development of resistance to insecticides and what can be done about it. Appreciate the uses and importance of fungicides.
4. Understand the importance of protection of farm animals against attack from bacterial and fungal infections, endoparasites and ectoparasites and provide examples of suitable treatments. Describe the applications of growth promoters and mineral supplements for farm animals.
5. Be able to describe in general terms the importance and mechanism of action of food preservatives including anti-oxidants, radical inhibitors and food irradiation.
Chemistry Against Crime – Professor S. E. M. Ashbrook
Duration:
7 hours
Aims:
To introduce fundamental chemical aspects of forensic chemistry, to relate these to other areas and give a basic understanding of key analytical methods.
Objectives:
1. To understand the key techniques used in analytical chemistry and the significance and assessment of data.
2. To outline chemical and biological aspects of blood alcohol and to examine analytical methods for breath and blood alcohol analysis.
3. To examine the chemical structures and characteristics of illegal drugs, methods for their detection, and the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport.
4. To review the structures and characteristics of the main types of explosives, propellants and fire accelerants in common use.
5. To consider the origin of colour and the materials used for inks, paints and dyes, and the implications for forgery.
Chemistry and the Environment – Professor J. T. S. Irvine
Duration:
8 hours
Aims:
To examine the impact that chemistry has on the environment.
Objectives:
1. Principles. Know what environmental chemistry covers, what an environmental chemist does and to know about related fields, and the history of environmental science. Understand the concepts of reservoir, source and sink for an environmental cycle, including being able to calculate the Residence Time for a chemical substance in the environment. Understand that persistence determines whether local vs. global pollution and to know of the types of pollutant and how they are controlled.
2. Analytical Chemistry. To be familiar with the broad principles of the analytical methodologies for measuring contaminant concentrations. To understand the different ways of defining concentration in different phases.
3. Hydrological cycle and acid rain. Know about the Hydrological cycle. Calculate the low residence time for water vapour in atmosphere and hence show that acid rain effects are regional not global. Calculate pH of rainwater for CO2 saturated water in contact with air. Know of the effects of acid rain in poorly-buffered lakes, e.g. causes release of Al3+ (affects fish gills) and also heavy metals. Suggest ways in which NOx and SO2 can be removed from car exhausts and/or power station chimneys.
4. Shale oil and gas. Past, present and future.
5. Recycling. To know about how we deal with waste, landfill and incineration, recycling of metal, glass, paper, plastics, designing a recyclable product. Biomass Energy.
6. Indoor pollution. Know the origins and dangers of: formaldehyde, NO2, CO (and how to monitor it), passive tobacco smoking, in particular PAHs. Know the structure of asbestos and its hazards, where radon comes from and why it is hazardous to health.
7. Our influence on the atmosphere. Ozone holes, global warming and smog. Global perspectives
Everyday Chemicals – Dr R. J. Pearson
Duration:
9 hours
Aims:
The aim of this part of the module is to investigate the chemistry of compounds associated with everyday living in terms of risks, benefits, and exposure levels.
Objectives:
1. Discuss examples of chemical carcinogens and ethnic differences when studying toxicity.
2. Appreciate the potential risks and benefits, and the balance between the two, for a given chemical.
3. Describe chemicals and compound classes associated with everyday living, including those linked with non-stick coatings, drinking water, food production and storage, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, pharmaceutical drugs, herbal products, fire retardants and sunscreen lotions.
4. Appreciate the molecular structures and understand the physicochemical properties associated with everyday chemicals.
5. Understand what is meant by ecotoxicology, legacy chemicals, chronic and acute toxicity, pharmacokinetics, bioaccumulation, surrogate chemicals, and transgenerational hazards.
6. Recall case studies where exposure to hazardous chemicals has taken place and describe the reported consequences and any additional safety measures that were introduced as a result of such cases.
7. Understand the significance of chemical hazard and exposure data and how these are used to calculate risk while appreciating uncertainty and variability.
8. Describe the three-brain model and the battle between the gut and brain when assessing chemical risk.
9. Explain the toxic triad and the difference between specific and non- specific toxicity.
10. Understand the difference between prospective and retrospective risk assessments when evaluating chemical harm.
11. Appreciate how toxicity differs when assessing an individual chemical in contrast to chemical mixtures and recall the four possible interactions between chemicals.
Fuels of the Future – Dr P. A. Connor
Duration:
7 hours
Aims:
To introduce different types of energy and fuel resources that are available and to give an appreciation of the advantages and disadvantages of each type. To encourage an awareness of how the energy needs of the future can be met in a sustainable way.
Objectives:
1. Define and differentiate the concepts of energy and fuel. Cover the various energy sources available, distinguishing renewable and non- renewable types. Look at energy demands now and in the future, and whether they can be sustainably maintained. Discuss the different applications for energy use and the best fuels available.
2. Fossil Fuels: be able to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various fossil fuels, including cleanliness and available lifetimes of various forms. Estimate enthalpy of combustion from bond energies. Know how different forms can be converted, e.g. natural gas to gasoline, coal gasification.
3. Electricity. Is electricity a fuel? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various forms of generation, eg Coal, Gas, Fission, Fusion, Wind, Wave, PV. Which ones are most sustainable? How can we store electricity, and do we need to?
4. Alternative fuels: to be able to discuss the various ‘new’ fuels available, H2, bio-ethanol, bio-diesel. To know about the advantages and disadvantages of the fuels and their various production techniques, such as: electrolysis, reforming, biomass, photo- chemical production.