Academics: Programs of Study: Undergraduate Degree Programs
Environmental Chemistry
- Department: Crop and Soil Sciences
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences - BSES
- UGA Bulletin: Major Requirements
- Campus: Athens
- UGA Career Center: Career Choices
Environmental chemists study the effects of chemicals on the environment.
The fate and effects of chemicals on the environment are matters of increasing concern to those specializing in the management of our environment. "Fate" involves studying where chemicals show up in streams, rivers, and air. The environmental pollution contains certain molecules that have not been removed in water treatment plants, caught by the filters in industrial smoke stacks, disposed of properly, or have leaked out of their containers. Whatever the cause, environmental chemists study how the chemicals travel into the environment and their effects.
Requirements
Because environmental chemistry is so interdisciplinary, it requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills along with the ability to express ideas efficiently to a nonscientific audience. The importance of the latter becomes apparent when chemists deal with regulations or with a company's sales and marketing staff. As the field of environmental management expands globally, chemists who speak other languages may experience additional success.
Employers also look for candidates who demonstrate the ability to broaden their skills and think in an interdisciplinary manner. Along with required chemistry courses, subjects such as biology, geology, hydrology, or toxicology enable graduates to find answers to environmental concerns.
Practical Experiences
What happens to the chemicals in an industrial cleaner after you pour it into the sink? What about shampoo and conditioner once you rinse it out of your hair? When you see black smoke pouring out of the chimney at an industrial complex, what impact is it having on the atmosphere? These are the types of questions studied routinely by environmental chemists.
"Environmental chemist" is a general term. In fact, most chemists in the field would probably describe themselves more specifically by the work they do. This work may focus on collecting and analyzing samples, developing remediation programs, changing production processes to yield a more environmentally friendly product, providing expert advice on safety and emergency response, or dealing with government regulations and compliance issues.
Career Opportunities
This is professional work in chemistry related to environmental protection and the regulation of industries and facilities. Duties include responding to environmental emergencies; reviewing permit applications; monitoring stream contamination; assessing pollution potential; providing technical advice regarding hazardous waste disposal and treatment methods; and evaluating risk potential of wastes, considering their chemical constituents, acute and chronic toxicities, bio-accumulation potential, and treatability.
The chemical industry employs a huge number of environmental chemists to ensure that a given company is in compliance with government regulations. Government agencies such as the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Defense and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hire chemists for environmental work. In addition, waste management companies and consulting firms employ such chemists to do consulting or remediation work. Colleges and universities are hiring more environmental chemists as they establish programs in environmental chemistry.
Because of increased government regulations and greater emphasis on compliance and environmental processes, job opportunities for environmental chemists continue to grow. Opportunities exist for chemists to move into various areas of expertise outside a traditional job in the lab. For those also studying law, business, or public policy, opportunities can be found in the regulatory area as well as in health and safety.
Work is often done in an indoor lab environment. However, when studying chemicals in the environment, a riverbed or stream may become the lab. Some companies have sophisticated indoor ecosystems in which they test their products. Others collect data outdoors and miles away from their own production sites.