CVEN9987 – Term 2 2021 – Course Profile
Page 1

CVEN9887 ENVIRONMENTAL 
CHEMICAL PROCESSES  
 
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering 
Term 2, 2021 
COURSE DETAILS
Units of Credit 6
Contact hours 5 hours per week
Class Tuesday (weeks 1-5, 7-10) 11:00 – 13:00 Online delivery

Workshop Friday (weeks 1-5, 7-10) 10:00 – 12:00

Face to Face CE701
and online delivery

Computer Labs Friday (weeks 1-5, 7-10) 12:00 – 13:00
13:00 – 14:00

Face to Face CE611
Online delivery
Course
Coordinator
& Lecturer
A/Prof Martin Andersen
m.andersen@unsw.edu.au

Lecturer Dr Helen Rutlidge
h.rutlidge@unsw.edu.au

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE
Prerequisites: Students are expected to have a basic understanding of chemistry.
Part 1: Introduction to principles of the chemistry of natural waters and polluted systems covering
basic processes of acidity and alkalinity, mineral precipitation, complexation,
oxidation/reduction and surface and colloid chemistry. Tools developed include both
equilibrium thermodynamic and kinetic approaches enabling solution of realistic water
chemistry problems including introduction to the use of chemical speciation computer code
PHREEQC.
HANDBOOK DESCRIPTION
See link to virtual handbook:
https://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/postgraduate/courses/2021/CVEN9887

CVEN9887 – Term 2 2021 – Course Profile
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OBJECTIVES
To familiarise the student with the fundamentals of water chemistry as they may be encountered in
both natural and engineered systems by Public Health, Waste Management and Environmental
Engineers and hence enable a knowledgeable assessment of reports and data presented to them
by specialists in these areas.
List of programme attributes:
 An in-depth engagement with the relevant disciplinary knowledge in its inter-disciplinary
context
 Capacity for analytical and critical thinking and for creative problem solving
 Ability to engage independent and reflective learning
 Information literacy
 Skills for collaborative and multi-disciplinary work
 A respect for ethical practice and social responsibility
 Skills for effective communication
TEACHING STRATEGIES
Private Study  Read suggested sections in the textbook and review lecture material
 Do set problems and assignments
 Reflect on class problems and workshops when doing assignments
and preparing for the exam
 Download materials from Moodle
 Keep up with notices via Moodle and Teams
 Keep up with notices via university email
Lectures  Online Lectures will be available via Moodle and delivered using
Blackboard Ultra
 Come prepared (read course material beforehand)
 Identify beforehand where you may have problems with parts of the
course material
 See methods that are not in the textbook
 Follow worked examples
 Hear announcements on course changes
Workshops  Be guided by demonstrators
 Get involved in workshops
 Practice solving set problems
 Don’t be afraid to ask questions – this is how you learn !
 Note: workshops for Microbial Processes will take place on Microsoft
Teams
Assessments  Demonstrate your knowledge and skills
 Demonstrate higher understanding and problem solving
 Note: assessments for Microbial Processes will be on Microsoft
Teams
Laboratory
Work
 Hands-on work, to set studies in context
For each hour of contact it is expected that a student will put in at least 1.5 hours of private study.

CVEN9887 – Term 2 2021 – Course Profile
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EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
To enable the student, by in-depth process understanding, in critically and independently
assessing data related to aquatic chemistry. Furthermore, to provide the student with practical
tools for solving environmental problems.
This course is designed to address the learning outcomes below and the corresponding
Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers as shown.
The full list of Stage 1 Competency Standards may be found in Appendix A.

COURSE PROGRAM

TERM 2 2021
Week Date
Lecture
note unit
Topic Lecturer
Assessments
Due
1 1st of June 1+2 Fundamentals of aquatic equilibrium chemistry + computer lab exercise: Uranium in seawater M. Andersen
2 8th of June 3
Acid-base reactions, alkalinity and the carbonate
system
+ computer lab exercise: Carbonate Chemistry
M. Andersen
3 15
th of
June 4
Gas exchange
+ computer lab exercise: Photosynthesis M. Andersen Assignment 1
4 22
nd of
June 1+2
Fundamentals of kinetics
+ Computer lab exercise: Oxidation of iron M. Andersen
5 29
th of
June 5
Reduction-Oxidation (Redox) chemistry
+ computer lab exercise: Mixing and redox M. Andersen

6
6th of July NON-TEACHING WEEK (Field course week)
7 13th of July 6 Complexes in aqueous solutions + computer lab exercise: Metal complexation M. Andersen Assignment 2
8 20th of July 7 Solid precipitation and dissolution +computer Lab: Pyrite oxidation M. Andersen
9 27th of July 8
Surface chemistry
+ computer lab exercise: Trace element
adsorption on iron-oxide surfaces
M. Andersen
10 3rd of
August 9
Organic carbon chemistry
+ computer lab exercise: Organic carbon
interaction with metals
Guest lecture Assignment 3

Learning Outcome
EA Stage 1
Competencies
1. Carry out independent critical assessment of aquatic chemistry data PE1.1, PE1.2, PE1.3
2. Carry out quantification of environmental chemical processes PE1.1, PE1.2, PE1.3
3. By the conclusion of this course the student will be able to solve environmental problems using the practical tools delivered.
PE2.1, PE2.2, PE3.2,
PE3.4
CVEN9887 – Term 2 2021 – Course Profile
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ASSESSMENT
The assessment of this course will be the 3 assignments and a final exam. Students who perform poorly in the assignments are recommended to discuss
progress with the lecturer during the session. A mark of 30% or higher must be achieved in the final exam for the assignments to be counted toward the final
mark for the course. The formal exam scripts will not be returned to students. Note: The Course Coordinator reserves the right to adjust the final scores by
scaling if agreed by the Head of School.
ASSIGNMENTS
Assessment
item Weight
Issue
date
Due
date/time
Deadline
for
absolute
fail
Marks
returned Assessment criteria
Learning outcomes
assessed
Assignment
1 10%
Tuesday
8/06
Tuesday
15/06
11:00
Thursday
17/06 17:00
Before
27/06
Assignment 1 will assess the student’s ability to solve an
aqueous equilibrium chemistry problem using the tableau
method. Some sub-questions will test the student’s
conceptual understanding of equilibrium chemistry.
PE1.1, PE1.2,
PE3.2, PE3.4
Assignment
2 20%
Tuesday
15/06
Tuesday
13/07
11:00
Thursday
15/07 17:00
Tuesday
27/07
This assignment will further assess the student’s ability to
solve aqueous equilibrium chemistry problems and use
the computer code PHREEQC. Some sub-questions will
further test the student’s conceptual understanding of
equilibrium chemistry.
PE1.1, PE1.2,
PE2.1, PE2.2,
PE3.2, PE3.4
Assignment
3 20%
Tuesday
13/07
Friday
6/08 17:00
Monday
9/08 17:00
Monday
16/08
This assignment will assess the student’s ability to
construct Eh-pH diagrams, construct balanced redox-
reactions and evaluate ongoing redox-processes based
on computer model simulations in PHREEQC.
PE1.1, PE1.2,
PE1.3, PE2.1,
PE2.2, PE3.2, PE3.4
Final Exam 50% Online exam TBD
The exam will assess the student’s knowledge of, and
ability to solve, aqueous equilibrium and kinetic chemistry
problems. The exam will cover all material introduced in
the course unless otherwise stated.
PE1.1, PE1.2,
PE2.1, PE2.2,
PE3.2, PE3.4
NOTES:
1) Feedback will be given for Assignment 1 before census date 27th of June.
2) The final examination for this course is a 2-hour online exam.
3) Supplementary Examinations for Term 2 2021 will be held on Monday 6th September – Friday 10th September (inclusive) should you be required to sit
one. You are required to be available during these dates. Please do not to make any personal or travel arrangements during this period.


CVEN9887 – T2 2021 – Course Profile
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PENALTIES
Late work will be penalised at the rate of 10% per day after the due time and date have expired.

RELEVANT RESOURCES

Mandatory reading
CVEN9887 Aquatic chemistry course notes (formerly the CVEN9884 Lecture Notes). Following
pages are mandatory reading:

 Week 1: Unit 1: Sections 1 to 4.1 (pages 1-18) and Unit 2: section 1 (pages 1-16); section
3.1 (page 29) and sections 4 - 6 (in-unit exercises 1-6 and workshop exercises 1-5, so
excluding kinetic exercises).
 Week 2: Unit 3: Sections 1 - 8 (pages 1-25).
 Week 3: Unit 4: Sections 1 - 6 (pages 1-18).
 Week 4: Unit 1: Sections 4.1- onwards (pages 17-28) and Unit 2: Sections 3.2-3.3 (page
29-30) and sections 4-6 (in-unit exercises 7-9 and workshop exercises 7-8).
 1- 6 (pages 1-18).
 Week 5: Unit 5: Sections 1 - 8 (pages 1-27).
 Week 7: Unit 6: Sections 1 - 5 (pages 1-33).
 Week 8: Unit 8: Sections 1 - 5 (pages 1-17).
 Week 9: Unit 7: Sections 1 - 6 (pages 1-18).

Additional materials such as lecture slides and lecture recordings are provided on Moodle.

Recommended reading
Morel, F.M.M. and Hering, J.G., Principles and Applications of Aquatic Chemistry, Wiley
Interscience, New York, 1993. ISBN 0-471-54896-0.

Reading guide to the textbook by Morel & Hering (M&H):
o Chapter 1: Sections 1 to 5 (p. 1-31).
o Chapter 2: All of the chapter up to section 5.7 (p. 40-87) and ignore sidebar 2.2
o Chapter 3: Sections 1 and 2 (p. 98-138) read cursorily !!!.
o Chapter 4: Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (p. 157-195), 7 (203-210) and 9 (to section 9.5) (p.
218-227).
o Chapter 5: All of Chapter 5 apart from Example 5 (p. 236-314).
o Chapter 6: Sections 2, 3, 4 (to section 4.3) (p. 345-375) and 5 (p. 395-404).
o Chapter 7: Sections 1, 2, 3, 4 (p. 421-477) and 6 (p. 491-502).
o Chapter 8: Sections 2 (p. 513-519), 3 (p. 519-521) and 6 (p. 563-567).

NOTE that Dispersed throughout the Aquatic chemistry lecture notes there are guides to when
various sections in M&H may be useful reading.



CVEN9887 – Term 2 2021 – Course Profile
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Useful textbooks (Recommended only – not mandatory)
 Appelo, C.A.J., Postma, D., 2005. Geochemistry, Groundwater, and Pollution. 2nd ed. A.A.
Balkema, Rotterdam. 649 pp. ISBN: 04 1536 428 0. It can be ordered via website
www.crcpress.com
 Stumm, W. and Morgan, J.J., Aquatic Chemistry, 2nd Edition, Wiley, New York, 1981.

DATES TO NOTE
Refer to MyUNSW for Important Dates available at:
https://student.unsw.edu.au/dates

PLAGIARISM
Beware! An assignment that includes plagiarised material will receive a 0% Fail, and students who
plagiarise may fail the course. Students who plagiarise are also liable to disciplinary action,
including exclusion from enrolment.
Plagiarism is the use of another person’s work or ideas as if they were your own. When it is
necessary or desirable to use other people’s material you should adequately acknowledge whose
words or ideas they are and where you found them (giving the complete reference details,
including page number(s)). The Learning Centre provides further information on what constitutes
Plagiarism at: https://student.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism


ACADEMIC ADVICE
For information about:
 Notes on assessments and plagiarism;
 Special Considerations: student.unsw.edu.au/special-consideration;
 General and Program-specific questions: The Nucleus: Student Hub
 Year Managers and Grievance Officer of Teaching and Learning Committee, and
 CEVSOC/SURVSOC/CEPCA

Refer to Key Contacts on the Faculty website available at:
https://www.unsw.edu.au/engineering/student-life/student-resources/key-contacts



CVEN9887 – Term 2 2021 – Course Profile
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Appendix A: Engineers Australia (EA) Competencies
Stage 1 Competencies for Professional Engineers



Program Intended Learning Outcomes
PE
1:
K
no
w
le
dg
e
an
d
Sk
ill
B
as
e
PE1.1 Comprehensive, theory-based understanding of underpinning fundamentals
PE1.2 Conceptual understanding of underpinning maths, analysis, statistics, computing
PE1.3 In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge
PE1.4 Discernment of knowledge development and research directions
PE1.5 Knowledge of engineering design practice
PE1.6 Understanding of scope, principles, norms, accountabilities of sustainable engineering
practice
PE
2:
E
ng
in
ee
rin
g
A
pp
lic
at
io
n
A
bi
lit
y
PE2.1 Application of established engineering methods to complex problem solving
PE2.2 Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources
PE2.3 Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes
PE2.4 Application of systematic approaches to the conduct and management of engineering
projects
PE
3:
P
ro
fe
ss
io
na
l
an
d
Pe
rs
on
al
A
ttr
ib
ut
es

PE3.1 Ethical conduct and professional accountability
PE3.2 Effective oral and written communication (professional and lay domains)
PE3.3 Creative, innovative and pro-active demeanour
PE3.4 Professional use and management of information
PE3.5 Orderly management of self, and professional conduct
PE3.6 Effective team membership and team leadership
















































































































































































































































































































































































































































学霸联盟