Environmental Remediation

Contamination of soil and water may result from a variety of human activities, for example urban, industrial, mining and agriculture. The potential and actual impacts of contamination from these activities on natural ecosystems, and the resultant need for remediation are in many cases well documented. This course will introduce the subject of soil and water pollution from a wide range of sources and examine the mobility of contaminant constituents in soil and water ecosystems. Different remediation technologies and strategies to overcome the resultant environmental problems will be examined in relation to degraded urban, agricultural and industrial landscapes.

1. Understand mass balance and pollution calculations;

2. Understand many of the basic concepts of pollution, the effects of environmental contamination and the various remediation technologies which may be employed;

3. be aware of contamination and degradation caused by various types of urban, industrial and agricultural development;

4. be able to evaluate the scientific and engineering approaches to landscape degradation and rehabilitation and demonstrate knowledge of various remediation technologies.

Soil and groundwater pollution from different types of development and their behaviour and transport pathways in the environment will be examined. The remediation and treatment of contaminated land forms a major part of this course along with the issues associated with the treatment, reuse and land application of liquid and solid wastes. Pollution control methodologies will be examined and various treatment and remediation technologies covered. Material presented will also deal with the measurement and interpretation of a range of biological, chemical and microbiological pollutants.

Mining in different environments will be examined and issues such as siting of mine infrastructure, disposal and storage of overburden and topsoil, tailings disposal and site rehabilitation will be discussed. Advanced geomorphic techniques will be used to develop mine site rehabilitation plans. The chemical, petroleum and minerals processing industries and the effects that they have on soil and water contamination will be examined as well as methods of rehabilitating and remediating former industrial and mining sites.

Report: Written Field Trip Report

Written Assignment: Written Assignment

Tutorial / Laboratory Exercises: Practical Work - Laboratory Exercises *

Formal Examination: Final Examination *

* This assessment has a compulsory requirement.