Geochemistry

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 553.

Chemical engineering

Chemical engineers research and develop new materials or processes that involve chemical reactions. Chemical engineering combines a background in chemistry with engineering and economics concepts to solve technological problems. Chemical engineering jobs fall into two main groups: industrial applications and development of new products.

Industries require chemical engineers to devise new ways to make the manufacturing of their products easier and more cost effective. Chemical engineers are involved in designing and operating processing plants, develop safety procedures for handling dangerous materials, and supervise the manufacture of nearly every product we use. Chemical engineers work to develop new products and processes in every field from pharmaceuticals to fuels and computer components.

Geochemists combine chemistry and geology to study the makeup and interaction between substances found in the Earth. Geochemists may spend more time in field studies than other types of chemists. They may travel to remote abandoned mines to collect samples and perform rough field evaluations, and then follow a stream through its watershed to evaluate how contaminants are moving through the system. Petroleum geochemists are employed by oil and gas companies to help find new energy reserves. They may also work on pipelines and oil rigs to prevent chemical reactions that could cause explosions or spills.