Chemistry with Environmental Science BSc(Hons)

This module teaches you to recognise a range of functional groups and to name systematically compounds that contain them. Structure and bonding in organic compounds are discussed, as are the concepts of the octet rule, orbital hybridisation, formal charge, bond polarisation and resonance. The importance of molecular geometry is introduced and the basic principles of molecular conformation and of stereochemistry are covered. In preparation for the chemistry to follow, an integrated treatment of the 'language of chemical change' is presented. The ideas of mechanism and reaction intermediates are met, together with the curly arrow symbolism which chemists use to represent the electron movement inherent in chemical reactions. In the second half of the module, the chemistry of the principal functional groups is considered, using the ideas developed earlier. The lecture programme is reinforced by regular tutorials in which problems are worked. Running parallel to the lecture programme is a continuously assessed practical course that introduces you to the basic techniques of preparative organic chemistry.

This module covers four areas of physical chemistry: properties of ideal and non-ideal introductory thermodynamics, solution chemistry of acids, bases and salts and reaction kinetics, including catalysis.

This module aims to introduce students from diverse backgrounds to the range of skills required in modern analytical science and illustrate how analytical methodology underpins scientific investigation across the conventional discipline boundaries. The module will build on and develop your prior knowledge of analysis whilst not assuming any particular area of expertise and will also endeavour to improve your numerical, IT and communication skills by illustrating analytical methodology in the context of these key skill areas. This module also aims to develop your ability to obtain and interpret a wide range of spectroscopic data in a systematic and logical fashion. In this way you'll be taught to apply your knowledge to a wide range of new problems and in so doing develop your general problem solving skills. The module will be taught primarily by lectures and tutorials with illustrative practical work to highlight salient points from the lecture material.

This introductory module in biogeography defines and explains the major geographic patterns of life on Earth and explores how different terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems are shaped by natural processes and human activity. Some of the planetary processes and nutrient cycles introduced in the Global Earth Cycles module are re-considered in this module from the perspectives of contemporary and prospective global patterns of animal, plant, and microbial diversity. Introductory consideration of the interaction between organisms with their environments provides a foundation for the intermediate level module Ecological Adaptation and Conservation Management. The course is primarily lecture-based but a number of tutorials are included to reflect on and provide supplementary information for the lecture course. A short oceanography-themed laboratory series also features on the module. This module can be taken independently of other foundation-level geography modules, but the oceanography-themed laboratory classes provide a complement to the analytical work performed for the module Global Earth Cycles.

This module introduces you to the natural global processes that have shaped the world we live in. It will explore how the past and current environment has been influenced and the interaction between the biosphere and the geosphere. It will begin with the emergence of life on earth and how the generation of oxygen via photosynthesis transformed the terrestrial environment. The module will then progress to examine the classical nutrient cycles (C, N, S, P, Fe, I) and how human intervention has modified and accelerated them. The role of basic soil processes (CEC, hydraulic conductivity, alkalinity etc) in the retention and release of elements and how these impact plant, animal and human nutrition will also be explored. The module will particularly focus on the impacts of agriculture, industry and global climate change. The module has a strong practical component with a focus on fieldwork, data collection, analysis and reporting. The fieldwork element of this module will be delivered during scheduled class time.

This module provides coverage of the more important methods of forming carbon-carbon single and double bonds. Following on from year 1 carbonyl chemistry, some more advanced aspects of carbonyl chemistry will be discussed. Main-group elements and their role in synthesis will also be considered. Retrosynthetic analysis will be introduced in the context of carbonyl chemistry and will be developed to enable you to plan some complex multistep syntheses. The synthesis and reactions of the main classes of simple heterocyclic compounds will be covered. The chemistry of other biologically-important compounds such as carbohydrates amino acids will also be detailed. More advanced aspects of stereochemistry are covered, and the relationship between conformation and reactivity is explored. The module has a practical component which focuses on the use of more advanced techniques for the preparation, isolation and analysis (IR and NMR) of target molecules. A part of the practical session is devoted to the isolation of stereochemically pure products.

This module covers six topics: equilibrium and dynamic electrochemistry, phase equilibria, colloids and colloidal suspensions, colligative properties, kinetics of composite reactions and quantum theory – basic principles and simple applications. With the exception of quantum theory, material in the other areas builds on that presented in year 1.

In this module you'll have the opportunity to consolidate the interpretative skills learnt in the module Analytical Science 1 and extend these to the analysis of spectra from more complex organic molecules. The majority of samples encountered in analytical science are mixtures, you'll be introduced to the basics of the most widely used forms of chromatography and a number of application areas of each will be described including the application of combined separation and spectroscopic techniques. Additionally you'll be introduced to a selection of instrumental analyses including atomic spectroscopy, thermal methods and electrochemical techniques, and statistical methodology which provide solutions to many of the analytical problems which are encountered in modern society. This module aims to develop your abilities in these directions to enable you to design an analytical process whilst further developing your IT, communication and numerical skills.

This course expands on ecological concepts introduced in the Dynamic Living Systems module and includes discussion of some of the different evolutionary adaptations that underpin plant and animal community structures in grassland, wetland, forest, and arid environments. Adaptation is considered from a combination of community ecology and behavioural ecology viewpoints. For Biological Sciences students, illustration of the molecular basis for some adaptations will be provided. Many environments are under threat as consequences of farming, urbanization, or climate change. The module concludes with an introduction to conservation and sustainable management strategies used to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem stability in a variety of habitats within the UK and more globally. Aspects of legislation that speak to national and international conservation policy and regulation will be introduced.

This module introduces you to the concept of the anthropocene – the epoch of human influence. It will focus on the global impacts of human population on earth systems including atmosphere, soil and water systems. A case study approach will be taken focusing on major issues such as climate change, energy generation, ozone depletion, air quality, mining and ore processing, xenobiotics, water resource and land management.

In this module the basic description of separation science provided earlier in the course will be expanded and extended. Recent developments in the subject will be discussed in terms of basic chromatographic theory. The application of separation methods to the identification and quantification of drugs and their metabolites in toxicological samples will be discussed. The metabolism of drugs, in so far as this process impinges upon the analytical methodology employed in toxicological analysis, together with the effects of sample type and their storage will be highlighted.

A chemically-based independent research programme. Supervisors will outline the aims of the project and direct you to the most recent literature. Before undertaking experimentation, you'll be expected to undertake a comprehensive review of the literature related to your project. You'll have the opportunity to plan your project in light of the current state of the field of research. You'll be given advice from your supervisor on research methods. Your projects will involve advanced laboratory and instrumental techniques. It will be open ended and you'll be expected to review progress regularly and modify research plans accordingly. You'll then be required to present your results in a thesis and in a talk at the end of your project

Description and measurement of organisms in the living terrestrial environment, whether natural or man-made, spontaneous or cultivated is of great importance in the fields of planning, development and conservation. This practical focused module is designed for those with an interest in field and experimental work, intending to extend your studies with a view to work involving the rural physical environment. Considerable emphasis is placed on surveying simple plant communities, particularly grasslands and moorlands. Data analysis will include multivariate techniques, and the opportunity to use standard data analysis packages.

This module focuses on understanding soil properties and how human activity has affected them. We look at how nutrients and contaminants are held in or transmitted through the soil and the potential threat of soil surface pollution to groundwater. We look at historic soil contamination and how that can impact on humans. The module is designed to ensure you have a thorough understanding of soil processes but also an appreciation of the impact humans have on those vital processes. The module covers soil contaminants, their environmental behaviour and what risk they pose. You'll have the opportunity to learn a variety of analytical techniques which can be used to determine concentrations of heavy metals and organics within the soil matrix. You'll then be able to apply this knowledge when undertaking an assessment of contaminated samples. You'll also be introduced to the process of site risk assessment (Phase 1 and Phase 2 site investigation) and be able to determine what remediation methods would be most appropriate. It is expected that you'll be able to analyse soil properties and determine contamination levels within them.

This module covers various aspects of advanced physical chemistry. The properties of surfaces and the interaction of gas molecules with surfaces will be discussed. Different theories of adsorption will be compared. The kinetics of surface reactions will be related to the mechanism of the reaction. The application of surface science type measurements in developing an understanding of how atoms and molecules adsorb on surfaces will be covered. Central to chemistry is being able to relate observation made in the laboratory to behaviour at the atomistic level and equally to use the interaction of atoms and molecules to derive quantities that can be measured at the macro-level. Thus statistical thermodynamics will be introduced and used to derive fundamental properties. Atomistic modelling also provides a view into the molecular world and after reviewing the fundamentals of quantum mechanics the methods for approximating multi electron systems will be introduced and the applications in computational chemistry explored. One important application of quantum mechanics which is used routinely throughout chemistry is spectroscopy. We will therefore show how the quantum definitions of the allowed vibrational and rotational energy levels of a simple harmonic oscillator and a rigid-rotor can be used to derive the observed IR and microwave spectra of diatomic molecules and introduce other related aspects of the theory relating to atomic and molecular spectroscopy.