This course introduces chemical and microbiological controls on groundwater chemistry. Topics include thermodynamic and microbiological controls on water-rock reactions; kinetics; and microbiological, chemical and isotopic tools for interpreting water chemistry with respect to chemical weathering and shallow diagenesis. Origins of water chemistry, changes along groundwater flow paths, and an introduction to contaminant biogeochemistry will be discussed through the processes of speciation, solubility, sorption, ion exchange, oxidation-reduction, elemental and isotopic partitioning, microbial metabolic processes and microbial ecology. An overview of the basics of environmental microbiology, including cell structure and function, microbial metabolism and respiration, microbial genetics and kinetics of microbial growth will be covered. (Same as CE 752) Prerequisite: One year of chemistry, one year of calculus, one year of biology, an introductory course in hydrogeology, or consent of the instructors. 

The course is taught via the internet and is available to students enrolled in both on-campus and off-campus programs at KU. 

Please log in to Canvas on the first day of classes to find instructions for viewing the first lecture and completing the first assignment.

• Prerequisite

       GEOL 552 Introduction to Hydrogeology or consent of instructor.

• Textbook

James Drever, The Geochemistry of Natural Waters: Surface and Groundwater Environments 3rd Ed. Prentice Hall, NJ, 419p. A free electronic version of the book may be downloaded from: https://gw-project.org/books/the-geochemistry-of-natural-waters/