37358 - Chemical Analysis of Environmental Quality

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students have a knowledge of the chemical determinations adopted in the evaluation of environmental quality. They should be able to understand and apply methodologies in chemical environmental monitoring of pollutants in different compartments, criteria to assess the reliability of chemical data and tools for their interpretation in relation to the composition of environmental matrices (air, water, soil/sediment), to the sources of contamination and their effect on the environment.

Course contents

Evaluation of environmental quality. Environmental quality standards. Contamination and pollution. Chemical substances, molecular identity, natural and artificial, additives, byproducts. Elements and speciation. Priority and emergenging pollutants, principal pollutant classes (VOCs, VHOCs, PAHs, POPs, PPCPs, etc.). Greenhouses gas. Stratospheric ozone depleting substances. Chemical monitoring. Evaluation of  analytical results, method validation, figures of merit.Chemical characteristics of contaminants and matrices, Vapour pressure, water solubility, distribution coefficients. ackground levels. Source analysis, molecular markers, fingerprinting, compound ratios, isotopic ratios.  Chemical transformations, photodegradation. TEQ.  Laboratory exercise. Information literacy in chemical monitoring.

Readings/Bibliography

Powerpoint presentation accessible in IOL.

Textbooks accessible on-line and/or at the "Biblioteca di SCienze Ambientali":

C.Baird, M.Cann. Chimica Ambientale, III edizione Italiana sulla V edizione americana. Zanichelli, 2012. Ozono stratosferico (Cap.1-2). Smog fotochimico (Cap.3). Metalli pesanti, speciazione Hg, As(Cap.12). DDT, PCB, PCDD/F, PBDE, PFAS, IPA (Cap. 13, 14, 15). Matrici (Cap. 10, 16).

B.B.Kebbekus, S.Mitra, Environmental Chemical Analysis, Blackie Acad.s, 1998. Cap.1 (misure ambientali), Cap.2 (campionamento ambientale), Cap.6(preparazione del campione), Cap.7 (analisi dell’aria).

Altri: Key concept in Environmental Chemistry G. Hanrahan. Ed. Academic Press;

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780123749932 ; Chimica ambientale Environmental Chemistry, Stanley Manahan, Stanley E. Manahan

http [http://www.crcnetbase.com/isbn/978-1-56670-492-2]:// [http://www.crcnetbase.com/isbn/978-1-56670-492-2]www.crcnetbase.com/isbn/978-1-56670-492-2

Teaching methods

Lecturing, videoprojection, tutorials, utilisation of data base for searching analytical methods (database, ecc), presentation and discussion of case studies from scientific literature or institutional reports )e.g. Minamata case).

Assessment methods

Oral examination. Students will be required to discuss a journal article dealing with a case study of chemical monitoring. The following aspects will be examined: bibliography, objectives and conclusion on environmental quality, method validation, presentation of results, pollutant and matrix characteristics. The report of the laboratory exercise will be also evaluated.

Teaching tools

Videoprojector. PC. Data base.

Links to further information

http://www.unibo.it/docenti/dani.fabbri

Office hours

See the website of Daniele Fabbri

See the website of Cristian Torri