| Topic |
Sub-topic |
| 1. Introduction to environment |
Cycles of the elements in the environment |
| 2. Pollution of marine environment |
Generalities. Major sources of pollution |
| 3. Metal speciation |
Aerobic and anaerobic enviroments. Pourbaix diagrams |
| 4. Metals and metallic species |
General characteristics. Effects of metal complexation with natural ligands |
| 5. Pollution by heavy metals |
Biogeochemical cycles. Methylation processes. Mechanisms of toxicity associated. Applicable defense and detoxication procedures. |
| 6. Reactivity of pollutants non-metallic chemical species |
Introduction: carbonates, nitrates, phosphates,sulfates, perchlorates |
| 7. Radioactive pollution in marine environment |
Study, behavior and control of radioactive pollutants |
| 8. Organic pollutants in the marine water |
Classification. Functional and structural description. Origin of marine pollution |
| 9. Chemical transformations of organic compounds |
Solubility of organic compounds. Reactions of organic pollutants with nucleophilic species. Redox processes. Photochemical and biological transformations |
| 10. Types of natural products |
Terpenes, steroids and carotenoids. Oxigen compounds: Phenols, lignans, coumarins, macrolides and polyethers. Nitrogenous compounds: alkaloids, peptides |
| 11. Marine natural products and their biologic function |
Metabolite transfer in marine ecosystems. Biogenesis. Incorporation of halogens: Haloperoxidases |
| 12. Marine chemical ecology |
Chemical interactions between organisms. Organic compouds of marine origin and their ecological function |
| 13. Marine natural products in drug discovery |
Organic compounds of marine origin: isolation, characterization and biological activity |
