Planet Earth: Evolution of the Earth through the geological time-scales: the age of rocks, shifting of continents, consequences for life on the planet. Energy resources and requirements: fossil fuels, renewable energy, effects on the environment. Atmosphere: composition of air through geologic history and the corresponding evidence, isotopic composition and isotope fractionation, steady states, lifetimes and quantities in reservoirs, conditions affecting the steady states and comparison with dynamic equilibria, global effects of man on the environment: greenhouse gases and stratospheric ozone. feedback mechanisms, hypothesis of Gaia as a living superorganism, regional effects: e.g. acid rain, forest decline, eutrofication of waters, local effects: cities, tunnels, garages. Water pollution and treatment: water resources, waste water treatment. Special problems: toxic substances, hazardous waste. Strategies of sustainable development: industrial ecology and green chemistry.
Anticipate the interrelated parameters influencing the state of Earth
Describe the energy flows and supplies.
Describe the evolution and chemical compose of Earth atmosphere.
Describe the contribution of different contaminants to air, water and soil pollutions.
Describe the main water resources ant methods of water treatments.
Describe of soil contents and main pollutants.
Describe the presence, origin and chemical reactivity of thirty selected elements.
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- J. Lovelock: Taj živi planet Geja, Izvori, Zagreb 1999.
- R. P. Wayne: The Chemistry of Atmospheres, OUP, Oxford 2000.
- S. E. Manahan: Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry, 2. izd., Lewis Publishers, New York 2001.