Environmental Engineering and Water Chemistry

Begin this unit by conducting the environmental engineering sub-unit: Introduction to Environmental Engineering lesson, which begins with a PowerPoint presentation, and move to its associated activity, Thinking Green!, as a prelude to the next sub-unit.

Next, conduct the water chemistry sub-unit: Introduction to Water Chemistry lesson, followed by its associated activities, Chromatography Lab, Red Cabbage Chemistry and Water Remediation Lab, which can be taught in any order. Then conduct a two-part lab, presented as Density Column Lab – Part 1 and Density Column Lab - Part 2 activities, and conclude by presenting the Density & Miscibility lesson.

Environmental engineers are specialists in a wide variety of topics concerning our natural world, energy and the sustainability of our planet. Currently, areas of peak interest include global climate change, reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide, alternative fuel sources, and groundwater quality. Engineers have introduced geologic carbon sequestration as an option for capturing anthropogenic carbon dioxide released from industrial plants and on-road and off-road vehicles. Other engineers have investigated ethanol, hydrogen and algae as creative fuel alternatives to gasoline. Because of the importance of worldwide clean drinking water, some engineers have developed remediation technologies for contaminated groundwater. Skills important to engineers include problem solving and design, preparing presentations and lectures, communication and creativity, as well as a good working knowledge of the physical and chemical properties and behavioral characteristics of water and contaminants.