Syllabus
- general introduction (definitions and sources of heavy metals - natural, anthropogenic, environmental pollution)
- heavy metals behavior in the environment (chemical forms, bioaccumulation, toxicity etc.)
- determination of concentration and chemical forms of heavy metals and their compounds (sampling, sample treatment, chemical analyses)
- heavy metals in the atmosphere (general properties, emissions and transport, level of pollution in the Czech Republic, atmospheric deposition)
- heavy metals in water ecosystems (sources, chemical forms, modeling of geochemical processes)
- heavy metals in soils (inputs, chemical forms, mobility, sorption, CEC etc.)
- studies of biogeochemical cycles of metals in small watersheds (the holistic approach)
* Literature:
Adriano D.C., 2001. Trace Elements in Terrestrial Environments. Biogeochemistry, Bioavailability and Risks of Metals. Springer, 867 pp.
Siegel F.R., 2002. Environmental Geochemistry of Potentially Toxic Metals. Springer, 218 pp.
Stumm W. & Morgan J.J., 1981. Aquatic Chemistry. An Introduction Emphasizing Chemical Equilibria in Natural Waters. John Wiley & sons, 780 pp.
Annotation
The lecture is especially pertinent for students of geochemistry and geology with focus on environmental issues. It covers the introduction to the distribution and transport toxic heavy metals in the environment.
Important themes in framework of the subject are the geochemical cycles of heavy metals in ecosystems, analytical methods of heavy metal concentrations and speciation, sampling methods etc. Major emphasis is paid to heavy metal studies in the Czech Republic and outside.
Students work with published scientific papers in English and present gathered information to the colleagues.