The Northwest Environmental Training Center
Presents:
Fundamental
Contaminant Chemistry -
A Review of Chemistry Principles Essential for
Understanding Contaminant Behavior in the Environment
Course No. CHEM-403A
March
14, 2006, 8:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. (1 Day)
Mission
Valley Resort
875 Hotel Circle South, San Diego,
California
Instructor: Erick McWayne, Northwest Environmental Training Center
Description:
This course provides participants with an overview of key chemistry concepts associated
with environmental contamination and provides a foundation for understanding contaminant
transport and fate. This material is intended for environmental professionals
who are not chemists, but who require a fundamental understanding of chemistry
principles for their work. This course is recommended for all environmental professionals
working with contaminated soil and water with minimal formal training in the subject.
The course material will greatly enhance on-the-job training. It is also recommended
for project managers seeking a review of the subject.
About
the Instructor:
Mr. McWayne has extensive experience with soil,
groundwater, and geophysical investigations for the characterization of contaminant
transport and fate. As an environmental consultant, Mr. McWayne served as a project
manager for remedial investigation and feasibility studies at numerous Department
of Defense and other client sites, conducted environmental compliance audits,
and performed pollution prevention audits and siting studies for electrical power
plants. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Northwest Environmental
Training Center and teaches workshops in transport and fate, environmental chemistry,
and hydrogeology in Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
Course Topics:
| Overview of Physical
and Chemical Properties of Chemicals | Chemical Equilibrium, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics |
| Electronegativity and Electron Affinity | Empirical, Chemical, and Structural Formulas |
| Chemical
Bonding | Mass-Based and Mole-Based
Concentrations |
| Mono and Polyatomic Ions | Properties of Carbon and Organic Molecules |
| Solubility and Precipitation (Polarity and Bonding of Solvents and Solutes) | Functional
Groups - Alcohols, Aldehydes, Amines, Aromatics, Ethers, Ketones, and Organometallics |
| Chemical Reactions |
Organic IUPAC Nomenclature |
| Stoichiometry (balancing reactions) | BTEX - Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene |
| Oxidation States and Oxidation-Reduction Reactions | Organic
Reactions |
This course is part of a series, and is immediately followed by the Contaminant Chemistry and Transport in Soil and Groundwater Workshop, March 15 - 16, 2006. Attendees may register for either course individually or both courses. A discount applies when registering for both courses. Courses will begin each day at 8:30 A.M. and end at 5 P.M. Attendees will be given the opportunity to apply the course material during hands on exercises offered throughout the course.
| After completing this course, participants will be able to: -
Apply chemistry principles to environmental issues - Describe ionic and covalent chemical bonding - Understand chemical solubility in polar and nonpolar solvents - Identify common physical and chemical properties that affect chemical fate and transport in soil and water - Express contaminant concentrations in terms of mass and moles - Understand the concepts of chemical equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics - Describe the structure of common organic chemical contaminants using diagramming methods such as the condensed structural formula - Identify and name simple organic chemicals using the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry nomenclature system |
Prerequisites: Some college level chemistry
is helpful, but not required.
Education Level:
Introductory/Review
Continuing Education Units: 0.7
