CHM 150 Pollution and Public Health

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental factors governing air, water and soil pollution, and to briefly

discuss the impacts of pollution on public health, both in the US and in the developing world. We will examine various physical,

chemical and biological sources of pollution such as heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, pesticides, radionuclides,

ionizing and nonionizing radiation, thermal and noise pollution, bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These different agents

contribute to the pollution of soil, the atmosphere, and water bodies such as lakes, rivers and oceans, and pose a significant

public health problem across the globe.

This course is expected to be of wide interest to non-science majors as well as to science majors. No prior background in the

natural sciences will be required of the students. The course will fulfill the First-year Seminar requirement.