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| QUAL0439-1 | Chemical quality assurance of the environment
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| Duration : | 15h Th, 15h Pr |
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| Number of credits : |
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| Lecturer : | Gauthier Eppe |
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Language(s) of instruction :
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| French language |
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Organisation and examination :
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| Teaching in the first semester, examination in June |
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Course contents :
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| This course deals mainly with the major families of chemical substances that can be found in the environment, their properties, transport and fate in air, water and soils.
Natural and anthropogenic sources of pollution as well as the principal classes of environmental pollutants will be studied.
We will discuss sampling and analysis methods and emphasize how we can provide reliable data for decision making. An introduction to quality assurance and quality control will be presented.
The main regulatory and legal aspects (EU directives and regulations and the Belgian legislation) associated with each environmental compartment will be taught, focused essentially on limits of emission. Practical examples will de discussed. Particular attention will be given to the interpretation of the results in this context. |
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Learning outcomes of the course :
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| The overall objective of the course is to provide to students an overview of the influence of the chemistry on our environment. Emphasis will be placed on the properties, reactions, sources and sinks as well as the danger of existing chemical substances, generated naturally and by human activity for each of the areas considered: air, water, soil. |
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Prerequisites and co-requisites/ Recommended optional programme components :
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| General chemistry |
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Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
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| Problem-based learning will be promoted with concrete examples of environmental problems encountered. Familiarization with the use of databases (eur-lex, U.S. EPA, Belgian monitor-Walloon environment, ...) will also be discussed. |
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Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
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| face to face. Copies of lecture slides will be available |
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Recommended or required readings :
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| Additional information can be found in the following books :
CHIMIE DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT (en français), BLIEFERT et PERRAUD, De Boeck Université
An Introduction to Environmental Chemistry (en anglais), ANDREWS, BRIMBLECOMBE, JICKELLS and LISS, Blackwell Science Ltd. |
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Assessment methods and criteria :
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| In groups of two, students have to investigate a recent environmental event related to quality assurance that has been reported in the scientific literature or in the printed or electronic media. it can also be a harmful substance from its industrial or agricultural use that has been released in the environment. Then, the following aspects of the problem are to be examined:
Define the problem, clarify the concepts.
Analyse the problem.
Brainstorming about possible solutions, remediations.
The long-term solution to prevent this sort of problem in the future.
Deliverables:
The research project culminates in a written report (10 pages, including illustrations and bibliography)
Oral presentation and discussion |
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Work placement(s) :
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| A visit of the Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator (MSWI) Uvélia (Intradel) in Herstal is foreseen. The visit is focused on the incineration process and the quality aspects of waste treatment including stack emission.
Visit of an accredited laboratory ISO 17025 (CART) involved in the analysis of persitent organic pollutants |
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Organizational remarks :
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Contacts :
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| Pr. Gauthier Eppe
Institut de Chimie, Bat B6c, Local 1/9A
Tel. +32-4-366.3422
e-mail. g.eppe@ulg.ac.be |
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