environmental chemistry

Question 1

what are siderophiles and where can you find them

Answer 1

iron loving, FE NI CO In the core

Question 2

lithophile elements

Answer 2

Elements which predominantly
bond with oxygen and are
concentrated in the mantle and the
crust

Question 3

chalcophile
elements

Answer 3

Elements which prefer to bond with
sulfur are called

Question 4

Bioremediation

Answer 4

Micro-organisms or microbial processes to remove/degrade contaminants from an
area. Remediation greatly helps to cleanse the water of its contaminants before it
reaches the groundwater

Question 5

nitrates

Answer 5

Nitrite → Methemoglobinemia

Question 6

eutrophication

Answer 6

Enrichment of water by nitrogen compounds, causing an accelerated
growth of algae and higher forms of plant life to produce an undesirable
disturbance to the balance of organisms present in the water and to the
quality of the water concerned

Question 7

Dissolution

Answer 7

Many minerals in the Earth’s crust are soluble, Halite (NaCl), Gypsum
(CaSO4
∙2H2O), etc.
These can dissolve directly in water
Others react with naturally acidic rain water:
2 NaAlSi3O8(s) + 9 H2O(l) + 2H2CO3(aq)Al2Si2O5(OH)4(s) + 2 Na+(aq) + 2 HCO3-(aq) + 4 H4SiO4(aq)

Question 8

Oxidation

Answer 8

Iron(II), manganese(II), and sulphur can undergo oxidative weathering
under normal atmospheric conditions
Sulphide minerals such as pyrite, FeS2
, are particularly
susceptible

Question 9

Hydrolysis

Answer 9

Water acts as both solvent and reagent Mg2SiO4(s) + 4 H2O(l) 2 = Mg(OH)2(aq) + H4SiO4(aq

Question 10

Acid hydrolysis
Acid acts as the hydrolysing agent

Answer 10

Mg2SiO4(s) + 4 H2CO3(aq) 2 Mg2+(aq) + 4 HCO3-(aq) + H4SiO4(aq)