Soil and Water Chemistry

Introduction:

In this course, you will learn how soils develop and how soil chemistry and fertility affect crop growth. You will also be taught how soil pollutants affect health and the environment

Targeted Groups:

• Petrochemical Engineers
• Chemical Engineers
• Plant Engineers
• Process Control Engineers

Course Objectives:

At the end of this course the participants will be able to:

• Learn about chemical reactions in soil
• Learn about different soil testing methods and soil classification
• Understand ways of improving soil fertility for crop production
• Understand the hydrological cycle and its effect on human health and agriculture

Targeted Competencies:

• Understanding of basic chemistry including atoms and their components, elements, compounds, and chemical reactions.
• Ways to remediate soils
• Differentiate between different soil fractions concerning their nature, size and chemical activity
• Components of the earth’s water cycle

Course Content:

Unit 1: Soil Chemistry:

• Chemistry Revision (inc. Chemical Terms, Elements, Compounds, Bonds)
• Soil Redox Reactions
• Biogeochemistry and Soil Structure Review
• Biogeochemical Cycles
• Mineralization
• Immobilization
• Ammonium Fixation
• The Urea Cycle
• Soil Adsorption/Desorption

Unit 2: Soil Chemical Processes:

• Factors of Soil Formation in More Detail
• Weathering Processes of Soil Formation
• Soil Profile Description
• Soil Classification and Description
• Classification of British Soils
• Soil Types and Plant Growth
• Properties of Soils
• Physical and Chemical Properties of Soil
• Soil Characteristics and their Relationship to Plant Growth

Unit 3: Soil-Chemical Testing:

• Common Soil Tests
• Other Soil Cations
• The CEC in Soils

Unit 4: Soil Chemistry – Applications in Agriculture:

• The Components of Soil Fertility
• Explore components of soil fertility
• Soil chemistry/fertility factors affecting crop growth in different farming environments
• Ways of improving soil fertility for crop production

Unit 5: Soil Chemistry – Applications in Environmental Management:

• Soil Pollutants
• Soil Remediation
• Describe inorganic and organic soil pollutants
• The effects on health and the environment

Unit 6: Water Chemistry:

• Water: Chemical and Physical Properties
• Hydrological Cycle
• Water Resources
• Water Footprint
• Drought and Impact

Unit 7: Chemistry of Water Sources and Drinking Water:

• Water Sources And Their Chemical Composition
• Chemistry of Seawater
• Chemistry of Groundwater
• Chemistry of Surface Water
• Chemistry of Potable Drinking Water

Unit 8: Water – Chemical Testing:

• Water PH
• Electrical Conductivity
• Total Alkalinity
• Total Hardness