The constant development of computer systems and infrastructure
has allowed computational chemistry to become an important component
of environmental chemistry research. In the past decade, the application
of quantum and classical mechanical calculations to model and understand
environmental systems has increased exponentially. In this review,
we highlight various applications of computational chemistry techniques
in areas of environmental chemistry research (e.g., wastewater/air
treatment, sensing, biodegradation). We briefly describe each computational
approach, starting with quantum chemistry principle methods followed
by molecular mechanics (MM), molecular dynamics (MD), and hybrid QM/MM
methods. The recent introduction of artificial intelligence and machine
learning techniques and their potential to disrupt the field are also
discussed. Challenges and current and future directions to address
them are presented.