• 051745 - POLLUTION MEASUREMENT [1ST MOD]

Goals

In the field of Environmental Engineering, this specific course aims at providing the fundamental knowledge to

1) interpret analyses of environmental pollution, by understading the meaning of the analytes and their importance related to pollution;

2) understand the main pollution phenomena affecting water resources, atmosphere and soil;

3) outline what is needed to characterize the contamination of a polluted area, a water body, and air, both at local or global scale.

Dd1: Knowledge and comprehension

The student must prove to know

1. indicators and indices, according to the OECD scheme (pressure, state and response) or EEA (driving forces, pressure, state, impact, response).
2. the main phenomena of pollution of freshwater bodies (lakes and rivers), atmospheric pollution at different scales, soil contamination, and waste characterization

Dd2: ability to apply knowledge and comprehension

After passing the exam, the student knows

1. how to interpret certificates of analysis of samples of water, gaseous mixtures and soil

2. how to apply material balances, with particular reference to the examples described throughout the course and in the numerical classwork sessions.

3. how to explain the meaning of factual knowledge (terminology, classification and methods) in the field of environmental pollution

Introduction: concepts of environment, pollution, development and sustainable development. Indicators and Indices: sustainability indicators (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD: PSR; European Agency for the Environment (EEA: DPSIR); short hints on sanitary risk assessment. Microbiology: pathogenic and other microorganisms (heterotrophic, autotrophic, aerobic, anaerobic) and their importance in the phenomena of pollution and pollution management. Water pollution: outline of the most common analytes (specific and aspecific) and analytical methods. River water pollution phenomena (oxygen balance, Streeter and Phelps model, introduction to water quality criteria). Lake pollution: eutrophication, acidification, notes on recovery interventions). Air pollution: structure of the atmosphere, air pollutants, emissions from stationary and mobile sources; emission factors. Scale of pollution phenomena. Waste characterization: production and composition, chemical-physical analyses. Hints on integrated waste management systems. Soil pollution: Contaminated Sites (extent and causes of the problem), soil and its physical, chemical and biological characteristics, soil-contaminant interaction.

Handouts of the Course will be available on the beep website: https://beep.metid.polimi.it

Students are required to know the fundamentals of mathematics, chemistry and physics

The exam can be passed through a WRITTEN test based on BOTH computational exercises and open text questions.

During the examination the student should prove to be able to

- understand the implications on pollution phenomena in terms of its main characterizing analytes 

- understand the main phenomena occurring in polluted environments and 

- understand which indicators/indices are required to define determinants (or driving factors), pressure, status, impact and possible response.