KJM220 Water Chemistry

The course provides an introduction to chemical reactions and transformations in water to understand the chemical composition of water and the effect of water treatment. This includes optical properties, acids and bases reactions, gas-water interaction, precipitation and dissolution, complex formation, redox reactions and surface transformations. A central part of the course is the calculation and identification of chemical equilibrium in water. The course will be useful for candidates who, for example, work with environmental chemical reactions in water, pollution, water treatment, aquatic organisms and aquaculture.

Exercises include calculation of chemical equilibrium in water (solubility of gases and metals, surface interactions), use of graphical tables to understand the distribution of different species and use of Visual MINTEQ software to calculate chemical equilibrium of inorganic compounds in water. Laboratory demonstrations to link theory to practice.

Knowledge: The students will acquire basic knowledge about water chemistry, optical properties and the different reactions that are important in natural water systems (fresh water and seawater) and water treatment. Chemical reactions in water include acid / base reactions, especially the carbonate system, solubility of gases, precipitation, dissolution reactions, complex reactions for metals, reduction and oxidation reactions and surface interaction and colloid/particle transformations.

Skills: Based on theoretical and training with exercises, the candidates should be able to explain the processes that determine the chemical composition of fresh water and salt water, sketch and interpret the most important types of diagrams used in the field to describe the chemical equilibrium composition of water. Use software to calculate equilibria of substances in water and apply the knowledge to assess solubility, chemical reactions and transformation in water initiated by mixing or adding substances to the water.