4. Environmental Chemistry - The Chemistry of the Environment

The Environmental Chemistry is an Environmental Science.

Environmental Science: Study of systems: land, water, air, living things and the effects of human activities on these systems.

Elements of the study of Environmental Science: Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Geosphere, Biosphere and Technology.

Environmental Chemistry: Study the origins, transformations, transport, effects and the fate (for a time!) of chemicals in water, soil, air and the influence of technology on these processes.

But the first professionals to worry about these issues were not the chemists, but biologists and engineers.

Biologists were the first to observe the environmental impacts of pesticides. (Silent Spring, Rachel Carson, 1962)

And engineers the first to face the problem of foam formed by detergents in the aerators of sewage treatment systems.

The Environmental Chemistry is not just the traditional Chemistry with a new packaging and a new label.

Because dealing with natural systems, the problems pervade other areas of knowledge so many students have difficulties in defining environmental problems in a global approach.

The chemical processes are no longer enclosed in a balloon or in a reactor, but in a context without definite boundaries.

The understanding of environmental processes requires the use of other tools beyond those offered by traditional chemistry such as Microbiology, Statistics, Computer Science, Ecotoxicology, Geology, Meteorology, Oceanography etc.

The more the Chemists, involved in water projects, are open-minded to see other areas of knowledge, the more they will be able to offer more sustainable solutions.

We are not suggesting that everyone should be experts in everything, but have the willingness to learn the basics of other areas of knowledge and respect with other professionals to help colaboration in workgroup.

And a teamwork is a fundamental requirement for an Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary approach of environmental issues.