Environmental Technologies

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Objectives

The course is focused on teaching several topics, through formal classes and the development of several
capacities as critical-thinking, integration and analysis of scientific knowledge and communication. Three didactic
objectives were defined:
1) Understand the regulatory framework applied to pollution processes and consequences, select preventive,
mitigation and adaptation approaches and associate them to the overall improvement of the environmental quality.
2) Understand the terminology, the basic assumptions, processes and procedures associated to the treatment of
supply water (human and industrial uses), wastewaters, contaminated soils and air pollution.
3) Develop analyzes of the chemical composition of water and atmospheric air through sampling and several field
and laboratory methods.

Program

1. Water quality; water pollution; conceptual framework and historical evaluation; regulatory framework.
2. Basic concepts of water chemistry; chemical equilibrium and activity; saturation state; gaseous phases dissolution; processes; types of hydrochemical plots ; water typical composition.
3. Water treatment for human consumption and industrial use; methods selection and objectives; pre-treatment; standard treatment (sedimentation, coagulation/flocculation, filtration, disinfection); advanced methods.
4. Wastewater: composition; preliminary, primary, secondary and tertiary treatments; guidelines.
5. Air pollution; primary and secondary pollutants; effects of air pollution; guidelines; dispersion models; decontamination technologies for particulate matter and gaseous pollutants;
6. Soil pollution and decontamination: in situ and ex situ methods.
7. Sampling techniques and laboratory work.

Teaching Methodologies

Teaching is made through a combination of in-room activities, complemented by the on-line learning platform (Moodle) of the University of the Azores. Theoretical and practical teaching of the Environmental Technologies course is based in a succession of classes of both types: Theoretical classes: base in MS Power Point presentations, with the development of selected case studies when necessary. Practical classes: through the resolution of problems and development of water analysis (atomic absorption spectrometry; ionic chromatography; specific electrodes). A field class will take place in order to collect water samples and develop several analytical methods. Evaluation method: through a final exam with both theoretical and practical sections

Bibliography

AWAA (2002) – Calidad y tratamento del agua. Manual de suministros de agua comunitaria. McGraw-Hill, Madrid,
1231 pp.
Brito, A.G., Oliveira, J.M. Peixoto, J.M. (2010) – Tratamento de água para consumo humano e uso industrial:
elementos teórico-práticos. Publindústria, Porto, 243 pp.
Kiely, G. (1999) - Ingeniería ambiental: fundamentos, entornos, tecnologias y sistemas de gestión. McGraw-Hill,
Madrid, 1331 pp.
Mendes, B. Oliveira J.S. (2004) – Qualidade da água para consumo humano. Lidel, Lisboa, 626 pp.
Sullivan, P.J., Agardy, F.J. Clark, J.J. (2005) – The environmental science of drinking water. Elsevier ButterworthHeinemann, Burlington, 368

Code

0200844

ECTS Credits

5

Classes

  • Teóricas - 35 hours

Evaluation Methodology

  • Frequency: 100%