G8582 Geochemistry of Aquatic Systems

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Pavel Pracný, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Veronika Kršková (assistant)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Pavel Pracný, Ph.D.
Department of Geological Sciences – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: Ing. Jana Pechmannová
Supplier department: Department of Geological Sciences – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 38 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the geochemical interactions between water and various substances in the natural environment throughout the hydrological cycle. Students will understand the forms of occurrence of substances in water, the main geochemical systems linked to the aquatic environment (acid-base systems, redox systems, isotope systems, weathering, organic carbon...) and methods for studying and describing the environment. Last but not least, attention is also paid to human impact and the principles of sustainable use of water resources.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students should be able to understand and explain advanced knowledge in the field of aqueous geochemistry, especially:
- distribution of dissolved components in natural waters
- acid-base systems
- carbonate systems
- oxidation/reduction systems
- origin and composition of lithogenic waters
- thermodynamic and kinetic models of rock-water system
- hydrologic cycles
- individual parts of hydrosphere (atmospheric water, surface water, groundwater, seawater).
Syllabus
  • The course is thematically related to the basic geochemistry course and expands especially the area of interactions of the water environment with minerals and the atmosphere. One of the important topics is also practical work with data and their visualization and evaluation so that students can directly use the acquired knowledge in their work.
  • 1. Introductory lecture (introduction to the content, expectations, conditions for completion)
  • 2. Water and substances dissolved in water (ions, complexes, colloids, ionic potential, solubility, major processes, dominant components)
  • 3. Aquatic environment (hydrological cycle, precipitation, ocean, surface water, groundwater)
  • 4. Equilibria and activities (terms, equilibrium constants, ionic strength, activity)
  • 5. Acid-base processes and the carbonate system (acids, bases, pH, carbonate speciation, alkalinity, acidity, manifestations)
  • 6. Redox processes in natural waters (water properties, pH, redox reactions, pe, Eh, Eh-pH diagrams)
  • 7. Use of isotopes in hydrogeochemistry (isotopes, fractionation, δ18O, δD, δ13C, δ15N systems, applications)
  • 8. Sampling and analytical methods (field measurements, laboratory determinations, sampling, instrumentation, isotope sampling)
  • 9. Working with hydrogeochemical diagrams (data evaluation, diagram construction and evaluation)
  • 10. Environmental influences on natural waters (groundwater formation, climatic and anthropogenic influences, influence of organisms, legal framework)
  • 11. Contaminants in water (types of contaminants, sorption processes, behaviour and distribution, remediation)
  • 12. Organics and the aquatic environment (structure, humic and fulvic substances, DOC, organic contaminants)
  • 13. Final projects evaluation and reflection (project evaluation, feedback, recommendations, error correction)
Literature
    recommended literature
  • APPELO, C.A.J. and D. POSTMA. Geochemistry, Groundwater and Polution. 1st ed. Rotterdam/Brookfield: A.A.Balkema, 1994, 519 pp. ISBN 905410 106 7. info
  • CLARK, Ian D. Groundwater geochemistry and isotopes. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015, xvii, 438. ISBN 9781466591738. info
  • STUMM, Werner and James J. MORGAN. Aquatic chemistry : chemical equilibria and rates in natural waters. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1995, xvi, 1022. ISBN 0-471-51184-6-. info
    not specified
  • DREVER, James I. The Geochemistry of Natural Waters. Prentice Hall, 1997, 450 pp. ISBN 0-13-272790-0. info
  • KRESIC, Neven. Hydrogeology 101. Warrenton (VA): Blue Ridge Press, 2023. ISBN 979-8-218-06984-1.
  • WHITE, William M. Geochemistry. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2013, vii, 660. ISBN 9780470656686. info
  • MANAHAN, Stanley E. Environmental chemistry. 8th ed. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press, 2005, 783 s. ISBN 1566706335. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, class excercises, laboratory excercises, reading
Assessment methods
Final test, practical projects
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on the per-term frequency of the course: Bude otevřeno v jarním semestru 2023/2024.
The course is taught every week.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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