Intermolecular Forces as a Key to Understanding the Environmental Fate of Organic Xenobiotics

Abstract

Environmental education for undergraduate nonscience majors and high school students is key in fostering an increased understanding of environmental issues among the general public. We have developed an environmental chemistry module that can be used in high schools or undergraduate nonscience courses to relate chemical structures and properties to the macroscopic behavior of environmentally relevant organic chemicals like pesticides, PCBs, and solvents. The module introduces the concepts of intermolecular forces, polarity, and partitioning to explain complex phenomena such as environmental transport and biomagnification of xenobiotics (human-made chemicals). The level 1 version 2.11 model, developed by Trent University, is used in a laboratory segment that allows students to explore the relationship between chemical properties and environmental distribution. The initial material on polarity and intermolecular forces can lead to additional applications, including: bioaccumulation and biomagnification of organic chemicals; toxicology or pharmacology (ability of molecules to cross membranes); and groundwater contamination. This module can enhance chemistry courses by presenting detailed applications and allowing students to make powerful, verifiable predictions.