What major of Chemistry is dealing with toxic?

[php111]

Hi,

There are plenty of different types of majors being a Chemist. To work for the Feds and be a Chemist and work on the fields cleaning up hazardous and toxic wastes, gas leaks and etc, what Chemistry major do I need to major in? Would it be Chemical Engineering? BioChem?

[KickAssClown]

in medicine there are toxicologists, I imagine they need to know a fair ammount of biochemistry expertise to do what they do, so I figure they would qualify as a sort of chemist.

[php111]

Originally Posted by KickAssClown

in medicine there are toxicologists, I imagine they need to know a fair ammount of biochemistry expertise to do what they do, so I figure they would qualify as a sort of chemist.

Thank you much. So let me get this right, if I want to work with toxics I would need to major in biochemistry?

[KickAssClown]

I am unfortunately nonexpert on this matter. I would suggest researching the job you want. I would bet that to do what you want, you would most likely need Hazmat Certification.

[php111]

Originally Posted by KickAssClown

I am unfortunately nonexpert on this matter. I would suggest researching the job you want. I would bet that to do what you want, you would most likely need Hazmat Certification.

For example here is a link. I won't have a degree by the end of the date but I assume all Chemist at EPA has the same degree. It gives some info but it sayn't say what major of degree they have. How can I find that out?


USAJOBS

[KickAssClown]

From what I've read on that link, the qualifications required at listed here, USAJOBS: Qualifications and Evaluations.

1. Mastery of concepts, principles, and practices of chemistry
and physical science to enable the employee to be a technical
authority in the area of quality assurance for water, soil, tissues
and air sampling; analysis and monitoring; alternative technology;
containment; clean-up; stability; fire/explosive risk; break-down
products from hazardous materials during fires; and disposal options
at Superfund sites and environmental emergencies.

2) Knowledge to develop and evaluate quality assurance plans, data
quality and useability criteria, and sampling and analysis plans for
multi-media and complex samples containing highly toxic chemicals
found at Superfund sites and environmental emergencies.


A. A degree in physical science, life science, or engineering that
includes 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work
in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at
least 6 semester hours of physics.

OR

B. A combination of education and experience which includes course
work equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least
30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by mathematics through
differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of
physics, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Really any program that meets those requirements would qualify. I think Biochemistry would meet those requirements nicely, but on the same token, I believe a Chemical Engineering degree might be an option, also.

[php111]

Originally Posted by KickAssClown

From what I've read on that link, the qualifications required at listed here, USAJOBS: Qualifications and Evaluations.


Really any program that meets those requirements would qualify. I think Biochemistry would meet those requirements nicely, but on the same token, I believe a Chemical Engineering degree might be an option, also.

Oh it says Physical/Analytic. Would that be an option that they are looking for? Damn I am hitting every letter/number key on my keyboard exepect what I need.

I think I am up to late. quarter of 5am and not gone to bed.

[KickAssClown]

Applied biochemistry, perhaps?

[HydrogenBond]

The Chemical engineer is in the field since his job is field assessment, sampling, pilot studies and then scale-up to production. The chemists offer support along the way, doing the needed chemistry as different stages come to fruition. The engineer may do a soil sample. The chemist analyzes that for all the unknowns. Based on those results and the EPA standards, the engineer then tries to come up with ways to treat it. Most of the processes are off the shelf, but sometimes new standards requires improvisation. The chemist then offers support as samples come from the test or pilot facility. If it works, then the engineer begin to process the toxin. The chemist now has to make sure the results are statistically valid.

If the chemist is at a university, National Lab or R&D center, he may be involved with future EPA standards, looking for new techniques to meet the requirements 10 years into the future. This research are the things that the engineer will research during his preliminary investigations.

I use to do this type of engineering many years ago. The engineers are more hands on and tend to be the ones in the field. The chemists were usually doing pioneer research for new techniques, or offering analytical support. Often the engineers generate complex samples requiring analytical ingenuity to process the samples. The engineer also uses the published chemistry of the research chemists and figures out how to scale this up into a continuous type process. This requires background in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, chemical reactor kinetics, mass transfer, heat transfer, etc., while also worrying about cost, by-products and laws.