Unit 2403: Marine Chemistry and Environmental Processes

1. Introduction to Marine Chemistry

• Composition of seawater
  • Major ions: Na+, Cl-, Mg2+, SO4 2-, Ca2+, K+
  • Trace elements and dissolved gases
• Physical and chemical properties of seawater
  • Salinity, temperature, density
  • pH and buffering capacity
• Unique characteristics of the marine environment
  • Ionic ratios
  • Residence times of elements

2. Biogeochemical Cycling in the Ocean

• Overview of biogeochemical cycles
• Carbon cycle in marine systems
  • Carbon reservoirs and fluxes
  • Role of phytoplankton and marine organisms
  • Ocean as a carbon sink
• Nitrogen cycle
  • Nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification
  • Role of microbes
• Sulfur cycle
  • Sulfate reduction and oxidation
  • Importance for marine sediments and organisms

3. Ocean Acidification

• Causes of ocean acidification
  • Increased CO2 absorption from atmosphere
• Chemical processes involved
  • Carbonic acid formation
  • Changes in carbonate ion concentration
• Consequences for marine life
  • Effects on calcifying organisms (corals, mollusks)
  • Impact on marine ecosystems and biodiversity
• Potential solutions and mitigation
  • Reducing CO2 emissions
  • Geoengineering approaches

4. Nutrient Dynamics in Marine Ecosystems

• Essential nutrients for marine life
  • Nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon, iron
• Sources of nutrients
  • Upwelling, river input, atmospheric deposition
• Nutrient cycling processes
  • Regeneration, uptake, limitation
• Importance for primary productivity and ecosystem health

5. Contaminants in the Marine Environment

• Types of contaminants
  • Heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs), microplastics
• Sources and pathways
  • Industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, atmospheric deposition
• Effects on marine organisms
  • Bioaccumulation and biomagnification
  • Toxicological impacts
• Human health implications

6. Marine Pollution and Remediation

• Types of marine pollution
  • Plastic pollution
  • Oil spills
  • Eutrophication
• Environmental and ecological consequences
• Strategies for remediation
  • Physical removal
  • Bioremediation
• Prevention measures
  • Policy, education, sustainable practices

7. Climate Change and the Ocean

• Impacts of climate change on the marine environment
  • Sea level rise
  • Ocean warming
  • Changes in marine biodiversity and distribution
• Effects on ecosystem services
• Adaptation strategies
  • Marine protected areas
  • Restoration ecology
• Mitigation strategies
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Sustainable fisheries management

8. Marine Sediments and Geochemistry

• Composition and classification of marine sediments
• Sediment deposition processes
  • Terrigenous, biogenic, authigenic
• Diagenesis and chemical transformations
• Role of sediments in the global carbon cycle
  • Carbon burial and storage

9. Analytical Techniques in Marine Chemistry

• Spectroscopy methods
  • UV-Vis, Atomic Absorption, Fluorescence spectroscopy
• Chromatography
  • Gas Chromatography (GC), Liquid Chromatography (LC)
• Mass spectrometry
  • Isotope ratio mass spectrometry, Inductively Coupled Plasma MS
• Applications in marine chemistry research
  • Trace element analysis
  • Isotopic studies
  • Pollutant detection