Risk Assessment

Code:

AMB364

Acronym:

AMB364

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Environment

Instance: 2011/2012 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Plannings
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Environmental Sciences and Technology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L:CTA	48	Plano de estudos de 2008 até 2015/16	2	-	5	-
			3

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Acquisition of fundamental knowledge on the analysis of several geological hazards and risks to human health from environmental contaminants. Evaluation of environmental transport of contaminants in groundwater and surface water systems and the food chain. Calculation of geological risks and calculations of exposure to contaminants, dose-response and associated risks to human health.

Program

Chemistry Module

1. Risk Assessment
Introduction
Contaminants in the environment
Examples of Risks
Definition of Risk
Risk Analysis
Applications of risk analysis
The process of risk analysis

2. Introduction to the relative risk
Relative risks
Odds-ratios
Attributable risk
Study of real cases

3. Environmental Transportation - underground aqueous systems
Introduction
Subsurface Characterization
Saturated flow in porous media
Darcy's Law
Porosity and hydraulic conductivity
Dispersion
Adsorption in groundwater systems
Transport modeling
Transport of colloids
Transformations of contaminants
Spread of contaminants in the subsurface
Non-aqueous phase liquids

4. Environmental Transportation - surface aqueous systems
Introduction
Types of surface water systems
Rivers
Lakes
Reservoirs in rivers
Estuaries
Oceans
Adsorption
Distribution coefficient
Adsorption isotherms
Adsorbed fraction
Inclusion of adsorption in transport models
Transport modeling in groundwater
Lakes
Rivers

5. Environmental transportation - Food Chain
Introduction
Concentration in soil
Conceptual model
Atmospheric Deposition
Deposition of irrigation
Atmospheric resuspension
Concentration in vegetation
Concentration in animals

6. Exposure Assessment
Introduction
Chemical dose
Assimilation of contaminant
Inhalation
Ingestion
Dermal absorption
Calculations of chemical dose
Examples

7. Dose-Response
Introduction
Biologically based dose-response modeling
Elements of quantitative analysis of dose-response
Factors affecting the toxicity, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
Intake, excretion, dose and effective dose
Pharmacokinetic models
Dependence of the toxicity of dose-rate of assimilation
Routes of exposure
Quantification of responses
Sources of information for dose-response
Epidemiological studies
Prospective studies
Retrospective studies
Analysis of results
Animal studies
Modelling dose-response
Extrapolation animal to man
Extrapolation of low and high doses
Examples

8. Risk Characterization
Safety margin
Fractional response
Implementation of legislation
Deterministic endpoints (no cancer)
Stochastic endpoints

9. Risk Assessment - Arsenic
Conceptual model
Dose-response
Arsenic in soil
Arsenic in water
Arsenic in rice
Arsenic in rice milk
Children's exposure to arsenic
Exposure of babies to arsenic
Recommendations

10. Obesity Risk Assessment
Measuring Obesity
Obesity and Mortality
Value cancer obesity

11. Tobacco Risk Assessment
Relative risks
Methodology of risk assessment
Dose-response
Case studies.

12. Radiological Risk Assessment
Transformations of atomic nuclei
The problem of radon emitted by soils
Radiation Dose
Calculation of radiation dose: external and internal dose
Human exposure
Risk characterization

Mandatory literature

F. G. Bell;; Geological Hazards: Their Assessment, Avoidance and Mitigation, Spon & Press, 1999

Teaching methods and learning activities

The lectures are taught through the projection of notes in Powerpoint format which is then available to the student. There is sometimes need for explanations in conventional framework.
The classes are governed, classroom-based, using practical exercises and also through reading, analysis and discussion of articles or case studies, which are provided in paper or digital format when possible.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	56,00
	Total:	-	0,00

Eligibility for exams

The student must attend classes P / TP according to the frequency required by the regulations.

Calculation formula of final grade

Module Geology
The evaluation module of Geology will be in the final exam.

Chemistry Module
The chemistry module evaluation will be carried out continuously and consists of three work groups and an individual oral presentation. All three works are:
- two ministudies with oral presentation (20% of the total each)
- a written report with individual oral presentation (values or devalues +/- 3 values of the written report) (60% of total grade each)

Observations

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Module Geology
F. G. Bell;Geological Hazards: Their Assessment, Avoidance and Mitigation, Spon & Press, 1999

Chemistry Module R.A. Fjeld, N.A. Eisenberg, K.L. Compton, Quantitative Environmental Risk Analysis for Human Health, Wiley, 2007.
M.G. Robson, W.A. Toscano (Eds.), Risk Assessment for Environmental Health, Wiley, 2007.
R.A. Howd, A.M. Fan (Ed.), Risk Assessment for Chemicals in Drinking Water, Wiley, 2008.
Mausner e Kramer, Introdução à epidemiologia, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 4 edição, Lisbo, 2007.
Gary M. Pierzynski, J. Thomas Sims e George F. Vance, Soils and Environmental Quality, 3th Edition, Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, 2005.
D.L. Sparks, Environmental Soil Chemistry, Academic Press, San Diego, 1995.