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Instructor Class Description

Time Schedule:

Daniel A Jaffe
BES 311
Bothell Campus

Environmental Chemistry

Uses fundamental chemical principles to examine fate, reactivity and transport of environmental pollutants. Emphasis given to atmospheric pollution, chemistry of natural and polluted waters, soil chemistry, chemistry of organic and inorganic toxins. Required background: CHEM 142, CHEM 152, or equivalent.

Class description

The primary course objective is for students to understand how to use chemical principles to understand reactivity, fate, mobility, properties and hazards associated with compounds in the environment. DURING SPRING 2009 WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON MEASURING AND UNDERSTANDING AIR POLLUTION. Chem 142 and 152 (BCUSP 142/152), BES 301 and a stats class (BIS 315 or higher) are all prerequisites for this class.

Student learning goals

Understanding the role that fate and reactivity play in environmental chemistry.

How to design an environmental chemistry experiment. How to make high quality environmental chemical measurements. How to interpret and analyze environmental chemistry data. How to report on their results in both written and oral forms. How to conduct statistical evaluation of environmental data.

General method of instruction

Lectures, problem sets, readings, library research, laboratory analysis.

Recommended preparation

Chem 142 and 152 (BCUSP 142/152), BES 301 and a stats class (BIS 315 or higher) are all required prerequisites for this class.

Class assignments and grading

Lectures, problem sets, readings, library research, field measurements, written and oral reports and one exam.

Problem sets, exams, group projects, papers. Exact percentage of each varies each quarter.


The information above is intended to be helpful in choosing courses. Because the instructor may further develop his/her plans for this course, its characteristics are subject to change without notice. In most cases, the official course syllabus will be distributed on the first day of class.
Additional Information
Last Update by Daniel A Jaffe
Date: 01/03/2009