Environmental Quantitative Risk Analysis

Code:

EA0075

Acronym:

AQRA

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Environmental Sciences

Instance: 2012/2013 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	http://moodle.fe.up.pt/1011/course/view.php?id=1045
Responsible unit:	Mining Engineering Department
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Environmental Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIEA	34	Syllabus since 2006/07	4	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

English

Objectives

To understand the mechanisms of transport and fate of contaminants in multi-compartment environments; Apply the concepts to quantitative analyses of environmental risk.

 

Learning outcomes and competences

Application: To select in paradigmatic situations the main mechanisms of contaminant release, transport, multi-compartment transfer, exposure scenarios of populations and estimate of correspondent environmental risk (Toxicology) associated. Development of solutions using Matlab tools.  Analysis: Develop quantitative risk Analyses; Summary: Establish an appropriate methodology for transitional and permanent contamination situations in various environmental compartments analyzing the mechanisms of liberation, transport, fate, transfer, exposure and risk.

 

 

Understanding: Identify, recognize and characterize quantitatively environmental risk situations resulting from releases or emanations of contaminants.

 

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Environmental chemistry; Multi-phase equilibrium; environmental toxicology.

Program

DEFINITION of the GEOMETRIC PARAMETERS of the ENVIRONMENTAL COMPARTMENTS: atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Soil, Biota and plants. STEADY-STATE APPROACH USING FUGACITY: Concepts relating to multiphase equilibrium; Concept of equilibrium; The laws of thermodynamics and the chemical potential; Fugacity concept; Relationships between concentration and Fugacity: Z values; Methods for estimating Z (air, water, Sorbed Phases, biotic phases, aerosols, pure solutes; Types multi-compartment models ENVIRONMENTAL FATE – TRANSPORT AND DEGRADATION: Models without accumulation with advective transport; The values D; Degradation reactions and kinetics; Reactions using system models with partition coefficients; Systems with reactions using fugacity and D values; System with simultaneous advection and reaction; Construction of a general case; The advection as a pseudo-reaction; INTER-COMPARTMENTAL TRANSPORT MECHANISMS: Diffusive Processes; Formulation sing fugacity and values of D for diffusion; Eddy diffusion within a phase; Diffusion in transient state in a porous medium and between phases; Combination of values of D in series and in parallel. ATMOSPHERIC TRANSPORT MODELS: Box Type Model; Models Using fugacity; Discontinuities in the Atmospheric Stability; Models of Gaussian Plume for point sources; -CONTAMINATION IN LAKES AND RESERVOIRS: Fundamentals; Seasonal stratification of lakes; Characterization parameters; Eutrophic State; Model of a lake in steady state; A Water-Sediment exchange model. -SURFACE WATER CONTAMINATION: conceptual Model; Solution of the transport equation with simultaneous convection and Diffusion; Inclusion of Degradation in the transport Equations; Three-dimensional Transport; Continuous linear source in two dimensions; Continuous point Source with constant Diffusivity; Bi-dimensional transport from a margin. EFFECTS of ORGANIC WASTE in ECO-systems of WATER STREAMS: dissolved oxygen and oxygen Biochemical demand in watercourses; Models of Streeter Phelps. Modified Streeter-Phelps models; TRANSPORT AND FATE IN THE SUBSOIL: model of transport and fate of a contamination in the vadoze zone; Advective and Dispersive groundwater transport model; One-dimensional model, Advective and dispersive bi-dimensional and three-dimensional transport models. Advective and dispersive transport with retardation. TRANSFER TO THE FLORA AND THE FOOD CHAIN: Transfer to Flora; Mass Balance; Models for transfer in the Food Chain. INTRODUCTION TO ECOTOXICOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY: RISK ANALYSIS: Fundamental Concepts; Pharmacokinetics; Dose-Response Relationships; Exposure assessment; Evaluation of Toxicity; General toxicological data and basic risk concentrations. INCORPORATION OF UNCERTAINTY AND VARIABILITY IN RISK ANALYSIS: assessment of exposure and the Dose Concept; Exposure scenarios; Variability and uncertainty; Quantitative treatment of variability and uncertainty. Need for a new metric and exposure dynamics.

Mandatory literature

António Fiúza; Quimodinâmica e Análise de Risco Ambiental, FEUP, 2010

Complementary Bibliography

S Trapp, Michael Matthies, Stefan Trapp ; Chemodynamics and Environmental Modeling, Springer, 1997. ISBN: 3540630961
Louis J. Thibodeaux; Environmental chemodynamics: Movement of chemicals in air, water and soil (2nd edition). , John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1996. ISBN: 0-471-61295-2
Donald Mackay ; Multimedia Environmental Models: The Fugacity Approach, Lewis Publishers, 2nd Edition, 2001

Teaching methods and learning activities

 

Classes comprise theoretical lectures and quantitative applications exemplifying the main concepts. The theoretical lectures focus on mathematical models of liberation, transport, fate and transfer of environmental contaminants; the models are deduced considering assumptions that are explained. For typical situations students will develop the algorithmic implementation of the models studied. At an advanced stage the output of these models will be associated with scenarios of exposure for the population and will allow estimate the quantitative toxicological risk.

Software

Matlab

keywords

Natural sciences > Environmental science
Technological sciences > Technology > Environmental technology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
	Trabalho escrito	40,00	40,00	2013-06-05
	Exame	3,00	60,00	2013-07-14
	Total:	-	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
	Frequência das aulas	56	2013-06-05
	Estudo autónomo	66	2013-06-28
	Total:	122,00

Eligibility for exams

Students are obligied to attend at least 75% of the lectures and also perform the specific work.

Calculation formula of final grade

 

Students must perform both the continuous evaluation component and final examination.  The final exam consists of two parts: the quantitative component) that focuses on the first 4 chapters of the main textbook: calculation of multi-compartimental repartition of contaminants using a chemodynamics perspective based on the fugacity concept either in steady-state or in dynamic situations. b) Qualitative component focusing on the remainder subjects.

 

In distributed component assessment each student will perform a work on a specific contamination. The models to be applied to paradigmatic and multi-compartment situations and require for their resolution that the student makes a program in Matlab. Each student or group of two students, will present orally their work to classmates and teachers. 

Final standings: Final examination-60% Distributed Assessment – 40%.  

 

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not Applicable.

Internship work/project

Not Applicable.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Special students have the same system as ordinary students.

Classification improvement

Only through the final exam component.

Observations

Not Applicable.