Instructor: Professor B. Dutrow,
    Room 203 Howe-Russell Building  (Old Geology)
Office hours: 3:30-4:30 T Th  or by appointment
E-mail: dutrow@geol.lsu.edu
Phone: 578-2525 

Text:     Health Effects of Mineral Dusts, Reviews in Mineralogy (RiM), vol. 28, Mineralogical Society of America
              Geology, Mineralogy, and Human Welfare, National Academy of Sciences  Colloquium, v. 96 1999 (PNAS)
                                (can be downloaded from the linked site - full text and abstract)
           
 Text (Recommended): 
            But is it True? A Citizens Guide to Environmental Issues, A. Widavsky, 1995. Harvard Univ. Press 
            Silent Spring, Rachael Carson, 1962, Houghton Mifflin Co. Boston
                   (A classic, widely credited with bringing to light the consequences of chemicals in the environment- ecology)

            (Others):  
             Environmental Mineralogy, 2000, Eds. David J. Vaughn and Roy A. Wogelius.
                             EMU Notes in Mineralogy 2.  Eotvos University Press, Budapest. 
             The Health Effects of Chrysotile Asbestos. The Canadian Mineralogist Special Publication 5.
                            Mineralogical Association of Canada        

 Selected readings from the literature. Readings will be available for copy outside of my office;
              some are available on-line
             
              Reading assignments should be completed prior to class

Evaluation: Class evaluation is based on two tests (midterm and final exam), a research
           report, quizzes, class presentations, and class participation. 
            Class absences should be reported PRIOR to class.

January

16	Introduction  - Earth Materials review (mostly solids)	NAS Colloquium on Geology, Mineralogy and human welfare J.V. Smith paper
18	Rocks, Minerals and a Dusty world World Trade Center dust report	RiM, Chpt 2  Literature Reading: -To See the World in a Speck of Dust -Mineral Particles in the Lungs of Subjects  - Airborne minerals and particles: Effects on climate and the environment
23	Reporting Environmental Science Have topic chosen for Term Paper. Give to Dr. Dutrow	Literature reading
25	The Asbestos Issue Fibers to Asbestiform Silicates: history of regulations;	RiM, Chpt. 3, Readings CM:79-88;  89-104
30	Structure, Chemistry of asbestiform silicates: 1:1 layer silicates, amphiboles       Anthophyllite asbestos: Wikipedia image	RiM, Chpt. 3

February

1	Asbestiform Silicates: Surface aspects, defects, reactivity in biological materials	RiM 28: Chpt. 7 (Readings)
6-8	Dr. Dutrow absent - work on term papers and upcoming presentations Attend talk on "Forensic Environmental Science" Friday,  9 Feb.	Prepare presentations Ten references for term paper
13	Experimental work, Medical Data;  Student presentations on medical aspects of asbestos-related disease	RiM: Chpt 10,11,13,14,17   CM: part 1, 119-125; 145-154;  227-238; as assigned
15	Student presentations continued: medical aspects of asbestos-related disease, studies, environmental occurrences	as assigned
20	Happy Mardi Gras - no class
22	Conclude asbestos:  Libby problem; - Asbestiform Silicates; Implications for public policy (Mossman)	Read "No hits, no runs..." The "Safer" cigarette Chpt. 6,7, Science Editorials/Articles Readings read a paper on asbestos- risk
27	Silica: Hazards, Chemistry, Structure	RiM  28: Chpt. 5 (pg. 185-206)  (Reference List, Readings) read about those folks who declared quartz carcinogenic to humans International Agency for Research on Cancer

March

1	Silica Health Effects: - Do Rodent studies predict cancer in humans?    Recall Critical Thinking Skills	RiM 28: Chpt.12; (pg. 361-381), Chpt. 18, p. 523-542 But is it True?
6	Risk Assessment:  What is it?  Reporting Environmental Sciences
8	Mid Term Exam	do a practice exam
13	Nuclear Energy - Hazardous Waste and the carbon cycle - the problem Introduction to  High Level Hazardous Waste	Readings:  Nuclear Energy - Elements Magazine Download Dec. 06 issue
15	Nuclear Energy - Hazardous Waste and the carbon cycle - the problem Introduction to  High Level Hazardous WasteStorage/Disposal/Management options:
20	Materials for encasement: storage/adsorption: Clay minerals, glass, zircon,  what is betafite?	Readings - Ewing (1999) Nuclear waste forms for actinides.  Proc. Ntl Academy of Sciences, 96(7) 3432-3439. ... "Radioactivity and the 20th Century" in  Mineral.Soc. Am. Reviews in Mineralogy, vol. 38, P.. Burns and R. Finch (Eds) 1-22. Wang, et al. (1999) Radiation stability of gadolinium zirconate:  A waste form for plutonium disposition.  J. Materials Research, 14,4470-4473.
22	Geologic Respositories;  US solution-  U.S.Yucca Mtn., NV  "One step at a time": The staged development of repositories for high level nuclear waste. NRC Report 2003 (Dutrow was one of the authors)           (see overheads)	Nuclear Waste Legislation - Mar.2000 USGS Report on Yucca Mtn. DOE's - Yucca Mtn project
27	Analytical Methods	RiM 28: Ch 7, 251-270
29	Quiz, 3 mile island

April

3-5	SPRING BREAK	Take a virtual break, ride the cyber luge
10 -	Global Warming:  Geologic carbon sequestration (NAS workshop reports: Carbon management ;CO2 dilemna	DOE website for sequestration LBL - GEOSEQ program ways for you to reduce your CO2 input!
12
17- 19	Student Presentations and Discussion	Instructions for written paper
24	Aspects of Mining: Toxic Metals and surfaces, the 1862 mining law, gold Fluid-rock interactions: Properties of rocks and fluids Acid mine drainageModeling: critical evaluation	Reading from the literature Elements
26	Mineral Surfaces;  Reactivity, Biological Interactions (view the overheads) Geomicrobiology	Readings: RiM 28: Chpt 8 more details: RiM  23: Chpt 3 RiM 35 (Geomicrobiology), chpt. 4, 123-155

May

1-3	Zeolites: Material Properties, Crystal Chemistry, Structure  Synthetic zeolites and microporous materials Zeolites II; Structures (con't), occurrence, Uses as Commercial Commodities;  Quiz	Readings from the Literature;  Zeolite Structures more zeolite references  Assigned Reading
8 3;00-5:00pm	FINAL EXAM (view an old test)	COMPREHENSIVE

Other links:  Learn more about the periodic table, minerals and gems

Learn more about planetary exploration, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune or Pluto.

updated 04/22/04