Module: Environmental Organic Chemistry

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Environmental Organic Chemistry
Module Code	ENS1001 (ITS: CS423)
Faculty	Chemical Sciences	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module will explore the chemistry of persistent organic pollutants, focusing on industrial processes, pollution issues and green chemistry

Learning Outcomes

1. explain the impact of industrial processes on the generation of persistent organic chemicals
2. assess the potential environmental impact of industrial process case studies
3. evaluate the reduction of persistent organic pollutants as a result of green chemistry technologies

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	No Description
Independent Study	100	No Description
Total Workload: 124

Section Breakdown
CRN	10270	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Susan Kelleher	Module Teacher	Brian Kelleher, Kieran Nolan

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Formal Examination	n/a	100%	End-of-Semester

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Industrial Process
1) Fossil fuels - Petrochemical – fuel production – chemical feedstock production – volume per annum. 2) Chemical – Plastics (plasticisers), dyes/pigments, surfactants, solvents – discuss processes in their production including per annum quantities etc. 3) Specialty chemical – toward pesticide and pharmaceutical production – discuss process

Pollution issues
Pollution from above – look at specific case studies – issues with: (i) plastics – non degradable and strategies to overcome this (ii) Dyestuffs in the environment – impact and solutions (iii) surfactants – lack of biodegradation and carboxylate surfactants - solutions (iv) PCBs – performance chemical for thermal applications – environmental cases and impact (birds, reptiles, humans – Luv canal Buffalo, US) – dioxin – storage disposal issues how this led to disaster in Montreal. (v) Pesticides – DDT, agent orange (kinetic vs thermodynamic control in production), designer pesticides that decompose (discuss the three generations of pesticides) – dioxin, chlorination (vi) Pharmaceuticals – how they get into the environment – impact (eg. diclofenac)

Green chemistry
(i) sustainable chemicals, (ii) sustainable processes – low carbon foot print, (iii) technologies to remove pollutants from the environment. (iv) Green energy technologies

Indicative Reading List

Books:
None

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None