1st Edition

Chemistry, Thermodynamics, and Reaction Kinetics for Environmental Engineers

By Jeff Kuo Copyright 2025
    264 Pages 58 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    This book aims to be the preeminent university chemistry textbook for environmental engineers. It provides undergraduate and graduate environmental engineering students with basic concepts and practical knowledge about chemistry that they would need throughout their professional careers. It focuses on the fundamental concepts of chemistry and its practical applications (e.g., understanding fate and transport of chemicals/pollutants in the environmental as well as the chemical/physicochemical processes applied in environmental engineering and related industries). The book also serves as a valuable resource for entry-level professionals to solidify their fundamental knowledge in environmental engineering chemistry.

    • Presents the fundamentals of chemistry with focus on the needs of environmental engineers.
    • Explains how an understanding of chemistry allows readers a better understanding of the fate and transport of chemicals in the environment as well as various treatment processes.
    • Examines the fundamentals of chemical reaction equilibrium through learning the basics of thermodynamics.
    • Presents the basic types and designs of reactors as well as reaction kinetics.

    FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERS. Basic Concepts related to General Chemistry. Basic Concepts related to Organic Chemistry. Basic Concepts related to Inorganic Chemistry. THERMODYNAMICS. The First Law of Thermodynamics (including Thermochemistry). The Second and Third Laws of Thermodynamics (including Free Energy and Equilibrium). Chemical-Reaction Equilibria. SOLUTION CHEMISTRY. Solutes and Solutions. Ionic and Ionic Equations (including Precipitation). Acid-Base Equilibria (including Buffer Solutions). Oxidation-Reduction Equilibria (including Electrochemistry). REACTION KINETICS. Fundamentals of Reaction Kinetics (including Order and Rate of Reactions, Effects of Temperature and Pressure. Introduction to Types and Design of Reactors. CHEMISTRY IN ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIA. Water Quality Parameters and Analyses. Soil-Water Chemistry (including Colloidal Chemistry). Chemistry in the Atmosphere. BIOCHEMISTRY. NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY.

    Biography

    Dr. Jeff (Jih-Fen) Kuo worked in environmental engineering industries for over ten years before joining the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at California State University, Fullerton in 1995. Areas of research in environmental engineering include dechlorination of halogenated aromatics by ultrasound, fines/bacteria migration through porous media, biodegradability of heavy hydrocarbons, surface properties of composite mineral oxides, kinetics of activated carbon adsorption, wastewater filtration, THM formation potential of ion exchange resins, UV disinfection, sequential chlorination, nitrification/denitrification, removal of target compounds using nanoparticles, persulfate oxidation of persistent chemicals, microwave oxidation for wastewater treatment, landfill gas recovery and utilization, greenhouse gases control technologies, fugitive methane emissions from gas industry, and storm water runoff treatment. He received a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from National Taiwan University, an M.S. in chemical engineering from University of Wyoming, an M.S. in petroleum engineering, and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from University of Southern California. He is a professional civil, mechanical, and chemical engineer registered in California.