Environmental Chemistry: An Analytical Approach

Covers the essentials of environmental chemistry and focuses on measurements that can be made in a typical undergraduate laboratory

Environmental chemistry is often the first course which digs below the surface of an environmental issue to determine the root chemical causes. Those who wish to go beyond the headline topics of global warming, the ozone hole, and air/water pollution take an environmental chemistry course to understand what makes a gas a greenhouse gas, why such a gas traps heat in the lower atmosphere, and how long–term temperature trends can be measured from ice cores. All of these answers require the application of an understanding of matter that is first introduced in general chemistry courses.

Environmental Chemistry: An Analytical Approach provides the answers to these questions. Designed for a quantitative course in environmental chemistry, the book covers the chemical principles of the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere while describing analytical methods and instruments that can be used in a typical undergraduate laboratory.

Environmental Chemistry: An Analytical Approach features:

A review of chemical principles in the context of the Big Bang and the formation of the Earth An entire chapter devoted to measurement statistics and methods of analysis in order to equip students to make quantitative measurements in lab Many example problems worked out in inset textboxes and appendices support the text and develop a rigorous understanding of the topics A focus on quantitative measurements and instrumentation provides important material missing from other textbooks

Environmental Chemistry: An Analytical Approach serves students and instructors who want a rigorous, chemical understanding of environmental issues and an analytical approach to making quantitative measurements.

Kenneth S. Overway, PhD, has been teaching chemistry courses at the college level since 1999. His expertise in analytical chemistry and instrumental analysis have been applied to environmental chemistry in the development of an environmental science major at Bridgewater College. His research interests involve instrument design, spectroscopy and soil chemistry.