575.744.81 - Environmental Chemistry

Course Structure

The course content is divided into modules. Clicking Course Modules on the left navigation menu can access course modules. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. Students are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Most modules run for a period of seven (7) days, exceptions are noted on the Course Outline page under Syllabus and Couse Information. Students should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

Course Topics

• Rationale and make up of organic compounds
• Molecular Interactions, Thermodynamics and Organic Acids & Bases
• Vapor Pressure
• Solubility in Water
• Air-water partitioning
• Organic liquid-water partitioning
• Sorption – solid/liquid exchange
• Transformation Processes –Overview
• Air-water exchange
• Modeling Tools: Fugacity Model
• Modeling Tools: Box Models

Course Goals

To understand the basic principles of the behavior of organic compounds in the environment using their chemical structure and to apply that knowledge to quantitatively asses the dynamics of anthropogenic chemicals in natural environments using the necessary conceptual tools and information.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Predict physical properties and reactivity of organic compounds using their structure.
• Develop expertise to assess the distribution and risk of organic compounds released into natural and engineered environments in space and time using quantification of phase transfer, transformation, and transport processes.
• Assess the environmental behavior of organic compounds using fate models.
• Assess the developments of "designer" chemicals.

Textbooks

Schwarzenbach, R. P., Gschwend, P. M., & Imboden, D. M. (2017). Environmental Organic Chemistry (3rd ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons.

ISBN-13: 978-1-118-76723-8

Textbook information for this course is available online through the appropriate bookstore website: For online courses, search the BNC website.

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each module will take approximately 4–7 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned sections of the texts (approximately 2–3 hours per week) as well as some outside reading, reading the content documents (approximately 1–2 hours per week), and assignments (approximately 1–2 hours per week).

This course will consist of the following basic student requirements:

Preparation and Participation – Weekly Module Discussion Topics (11% of Final Grade Calculation)

You are responsible for carefully reading all assigned material and being prepared for discussion. The majority of readings are from the assigned and researched material on the weekly topic. Additional reading may be assigned to supplement text readings.

Post your initial response to the discussion questions by the evening of day 4 for that module week. Posting a response to the discussion question is part one of your grade for module discussions (i.e., Timeliness).

Part two of your grade for module discussion is your interaction (i.e., responding to classmate postings with thoughtful responses) with at least two classmates (i.e., Critical Thinking). Just posting your response to a discussion question is not sufficient; we want you to interact with your classmates. Be detailed in your postings and in your responses to your classmates' postings. Feel free to agree or disagree with your classmates. Please ensure that your postings are civil and constructive.

I will monitor module discussions and will respond to some of the discussions as discussions are posted. In some instances, I will summarize the overall discussions and post the summary for the module.

Evaluation of preparation and participation is based on contribution to discussions.

In Module 12 each student is expected to submit a Discussion Portfolio of his or her best discussion responses throughout the course. This will consist of the following:

• Cover sheet with name.
• 3 Responses to discussion questions from Dr. Jayasundera.
• 3 responses to other students’ postings of Dr. Jayasundera’s discussion questions.

Please specify which question you are including in your discussion post portfolio.

Post your initial response to the discussion questions by the evening of Day 4 for that module week. For example, if the module week starts on a Tuesday, the discussion posting will be due by 12:00am (midnight) on Friday. Post your follow-up response to other students’ postings by midnight of Day 7 of that module week (e.g. Monday at 12:00am). Posting a response to the discussion question is part one of your grade for module discussions (i.e., Timeliness).

Preparation and participation is evaluated by the following grading elements:

1. Timeliness (50%)
2. Critical Thinking (50%)

Preparation and participation is graded as follows:

• 100–90 = A—Timeliness [regularly participates; all required postings; early in discussion; throughout the discussion]; Critical Thinking [rich in content; full of thoughts, insight, and analysis].
• 89–80 = B—Timeliness [frequently participates; all required postings; some not in time for others to read and respond]; Critical Thinking [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].
• 79–70 = C—Timeliness [infrequently participates; all required postings; most at the last minute without allowing for response time]; Critical Thinking [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].
• <70 = F—Timeliness [rarely participates; some, or all required postings missing]; Critical Thinking [rudimentary and superficial; no analysis or insight is displayed].

Assignments – Weekly Case Study Assignments (24% of Final Grade Calculation)

Assignments include a mix of qualitative and quantitative module weekly assignments related to the “pet” chemical selected by the student in Module 1 for their Final Course Project (case study). The students will be developing estimates of compound properties and environmental fate using the capabilities learned in each module in support of the final Case Study Paper – use the list of compounds provided by the instructor or a student selected chemical - confirm with the Instructor (e.g. calculations, estimations, literature reviews, and model summaries).

All assignments are due according to the dates in the Calendar.

Assignments will be graded on a weekly basis and each submission should include the following:

• Cover sheet with name and assignment identifier.
• Name & page number indicator (i.e., Frank Smith, page x of y) on each page.
• All Figures and Tables captioned and labeled appropriately.
• Problem statement.
• Assumptions.
• Computations.
• Conclusions/discussion delineated.

Each Assignment is worth 2.4% of the overall grade. There are 12 Assignments throughout the course of which the top 10 graded assignments will be selected towards 24% of the course grade.

The course also includes Questions and Problems that are quantitative problem sets that are questions derived at the end of each assigned chapter in the textbook. The Questions and Problems will not be submitted and therefore will not be graded however completion of these problem sets will greatly improve the quality of the Assignments.

Note: All Assignments will be attached as work products to the final student submission of the Case Study Paper.

If, after submitting a written assignment you are not satisfied with the grade received, you are encouraged to redo the assignment and resubmit it. If the resubmission results in a better grade, that grade will be substituted for the previous grade.

Course Project - Case Study (35% of Final Grade Calculation)

Students will start working on the assigned course project from Module 2. The last week will be devoted to the course project.

The Final Course Project will consist of two items:

An individual Case Study topic will be assigned to each student during Module 2. The topic will be determined based on Module 1 Assignment. The chosen topic will be used for developing estimates of compound properties and environmental fate throughout the duration of the course and the final Case Study Paper.

Dr. Jayasundera will correspond and decide a day and time for the entire class to present in Module 14. Once a date and time has been selected you will present your Case Study Paper to your group and Dr.

Jayasundera. The presentation will be 15 minutes (8 -10 minutes for presentation of material and 5 minutes for questions and answers).

The Final Course Project is evaluated by the following grading elements:

Case Study Paper (as related to the student’s technical understanding of concepts learned in the Course, substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis; weekly work products in attachments, preparation and presentation of material, clarity of presented material as described in Course Project Description) (20%)

Student Presentation (as related to the student’s technical understanding, preparation and presentation of material, clarity of presented material, responses to questions asked during the presentation by other students and instructor as described in the Final Course Project Description) (15%)

Course Project is graded as follows:

• 100–90 = A— Student Preparation and Participation [completion of case study paper well written for a scientific audience in a journal publication; well prepared and available during presentation; student well versed in use of Zoom]; Student Understanding [rich in content related to concepts learned in the course; full of thought, insight, and analysis].
• 89–80 = B— Student Preparation and Participation [case study paper written for a scientific audience in a journal publication, prepared and available during presentation; student generally versed in use of Zoom] Student Understanding [information presented on concepts learned in the course is well defined and understood; substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].
• 79–70 = C—Student Preparation and Participation [paper not necessarily written for a scientifically literate audience in a journal publication; generally prepared and available during presentation; individual generally versed in use of Zoom]; Student Understanding [generally competent on concepts learned in the course; information is thin and commonplace].
• <70 = F—Student Preparation and Participation [ paper not written for a scientifically literate audience in a journal publication, material included in paper is not well understood; individual has difficulty with use of Zoom]; Student Understanding [rudimentary and superficial understanding of concepts learned in the course; no analysis or insight displayed].

Exams (30% of Final Grade Calculation, combined from 10% for Midterm and 20% for Final)

The midterm exam will be available in Module 5 and the final exam will be available in Module 12. You will have one week to complete the exams and they will be due by 5PM exactly one week from their release. You may use the course text and Module Content to complete the exams.

Students must submit examinations as Word documents or as scanned PDF documents. Both must include all calculations (using Excel spreadsheets, where necessary), assumptions, and answers.

The exams are evaluated by the following grading elements:

1. Each part of question is answered (20%)
2. Writing quality and technical accuracy (30%) (Writing is expected to meet or exceed accepted graduate- level English and scholarship standards. That is, all assignments will be graded on grammar and style as well as content.)
3. Rationale for answer is provided (20%)
4. Examples are included to illustrate rationale (15%) (If a student does not have direct experience related to a particular question, then the student is to provide analogies versus examples.)
5. Outside references are included (15%) Exams are graded as follows:

• 100–90 = A—All parts of question are addressed; Writing Quality/ Rationale/ Examples/ Outside References [rich in content; full of thought, insight, and analysis].
• 89–80 = B—All parts of the question are addressed; Writing Quality/ Rationale/ Examples/ Outside References [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].
• 79–70 = C—Majority of parts of the question are addressed; Writing Quality/ Rationale/ Examples/ Outside References [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].
• <70 = F—Some parts of the question are addressed; Writing Quality/ Rationale/ Examples/ Outside References [rudimentary and superficial; no analysis or insight displayed].

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in your Blackboard course site. You may also check these due dates in the Course Outline or the Assignments in the corresponding modules. I will post grades one week after assignment due dates.

A grade of A indicates achievement of consistent excellence and distinction throughout the course—that is, conspicuous excellence in all aspects of assignments and discussion in every week.

A grade of B indicates work that meets all course requirements on a level appropriate for graduate academic work. These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course.

EP uses a +/- grading system (see “Grading System”, Graduate Programs catalog, p. 10).

100-98 = A+

97-94 = A

93-90 = A−

89-87 = B+

86-83 = B

82-80 = B−

79-77 = C+

76-73 = C

72-70 = C−

69-67 = D+

66-63 = D

<63 = F

Final grades will be determined by the following weighting:

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.