Following this module students should be able to understand the sources and effects of a range of pollutants. They should be able to discuss the benefits and problems associated with different environmental remediation strategies. Furthermore, they should understand the mechanism of pollutant action and be able to present methods by which different levels of pollutants can be monitored.

They should also be familiar with the problems associated with current methods of power generation and have the ability to discuss the benefits and issues associated with a range of sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel combustion. They should also have an outline of the tenets of Green Chemistry and be able to analyse the environmental and sustainable impact of different types of chemical reactions.

Students will learn about chemical toxicity and the hazards associated with chemicals and potential damage to the environment. Moreover, an in-depth coverage of different methods for treating chemical waste including those in the research phase. Students will learn how to evaluate and perform analyses on several topics including chemical/energy waste generation in a chemical manufacturing process, perform a product life cycle analysis, and conduct a self-audit on their personal carbon footprint. Students will learn about designing safer chemicals and how to incorporate biodegradability and sustainably source the compound. A group presentation on the topic of material recycling is a designated as an out of class research project. Moreover, students study how current organic-based solvents are toxic and how they are replaced with green ones and more efficient reaction technologies. Finally, a discussion on aspects of the hydrogen economy which includes details on current efforts conducted by researchers at the UCD school of chemistry.

The following topics will be covered;
• Sources and effects of air and water pollution with a case study of pollutants generated by different internal combustion engines
• Pollution cycles (smog, O3 depletion, greenhouse gas) and remediation
• Sustainable / green chemistry
• Sustainable energy generated from biomass feedstocks and solar thermal sources.
• The basis and tenets of green chemistry
• Hazard and risk assessment, introducing the concept of toxicity and life cycle analysis.
• Identifying hazardous chemicals and designer safer ones with biodegradability.
• Different methods of chemical waste treatment and the treatment of drinking water.
• Green solvents including water, ionic liquids, super-critical liquids, solvent-less reactions.
• New methods to induce chemical reactivity including microwave heating, photo- and sono-chemistry.
• Fuel cells, energy storage in batteries, hydrogen generation and storage.
There will be 2 lectures per week, workshops in weeks 6 and 12 and student group presentations in weeks 3 and 9.
The laboratory sessions (of which there are 6) will consist of experiments with following themes:
• Colourimetric analysis of nitrate concentration in different sources of water.
• Synthesis of biodiesel from different commercial oil sources.
• A green chemistry approach to the bromination of stilbene.
• Conducting a chemical reaction only in the solid-state.
• Application of a homogeneous organo-catalyst.
• Understanding the physical properties of biphasic aqueous solutions.

CHEM 10050
CHEM 20080 (or equivalent)
CHEM 20100 (or equivalent)

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

Feedback on presentations is given to the entire class. Feedback on the lab and workshop sessions is given during these sessions - and summative feedback is given 2 weeks following the final submissions (before the examinations). Lab write up feedback is given during the following lab session. Late submissions will not be accepted after feedback has been given.