Risk Assessment

Code:

CAMB2006

Acronym:

CAMB2006

Level:

200

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Environmental Sciences

Instance: 2024/2025 - 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	27	Plano estudos a partir do ano letivo 2016/17	2	-	6	48	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

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.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of this course the student will have acquired knowledge, skills and powers to:

understand: - Understand the purpose of the environmental risk assessment - Understand the need to conduct studies of geological risk assessment and human health

skills: - Decide the need to implement risk assessment studies - Managing a project for environmental risk assessment - Decide the technologies best suited to a particular problem - Apply the techniques of risk assessment for the protection of human health and environmental - Communicate orally and in writing the procedures for quality control of a given problem, including all aspects presented in Knowledge.

knowledge: - The selection of the best techniques of chemical and geologic risk assessment - Complement the results of risk assessment with environmental legislation

Working method

Presencial

Program

Geological Risk

Environmental Transportation

1. 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

2. 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

3. Environmental Transportation - Food Chain
Introduction
Concentration in soil
Conceptual model
Atmospheric Deposition
Deposition of irrigation
Atmospheric resuspension
Concentration in vegetation
Concentration in animals
 
Human health risk 

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

4. 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

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

6. 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

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

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

9. 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
R.A. Fjeld, N.A. Eisenberg, K.L. Compton; Quantitative Environmental Risk Analysis for Human Health, Wiley, 2007
R.A. Howd, A.M. Fan (Ed.); Risk Assessment for Chemicals in Drinking Water, Wiley, 2008

Complementary Bibliography

Mausner e Kramer; Introdução à epidemiologia, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 2007
M.G. Robson, W.A. Toscano (Eds.); Risk Assessment for Environmental Health, Wiley, 2007

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

designation	Weight (%)
Prova oral	50,00
Trabalho escrito	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Trabalho escrito	2,00
Total:	2,00

Eligibility for exams

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

Calculation formula of final grade

This curricular unit has continuous evaluation without a final exam.

Geologic Risk Module
The geological risk module will be evaluated by submitting 3 written reports, each weighing 10% of the final grade.

Environmental Transportation Module
This module will be evaluated through a group oral presentation, weighing 30% of the final grade.

Human Health Risk Module
The human health risk module will be evaluated through:
- Group oral presentation, weighting of 20% of the final mark;
- Group written report, weighting of 20% of the final grade;

Classification improvement

Grade improvement can be achieved by new submission of improved versions of the written reports.