Hydrology and Hydrologic Analysis

Code:

MI234237

Acronym:

HAH

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Physical Sciences

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Bromatology and Hidrology Laboratory
Course/CS Responsible:	MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MICF	172	MICF - Transition Study Plan 2023/24 - 2024/25 - 2025/26	4	-	3	31,5	81

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students
Obs.: Será proporcionado aos estudantes: i) Atendimento em inglês; ii) materiais de estudo em inglês; iii) avaliação em inglês. It will be provided to students: i) Assistance in English; ii) English study materials; iii) English evaluation

Objectives

In the theoretical component, the most relevant aspects related to the indispensability of water for human development are addressed in a coherent and integrated way, in order to develop students’ ability to:

• Know the origin, functions and different uses of water and its importance for human health.
• Recognize the importance of an effective management of aquatic ecosystems, in order to combat the problems coming from global warming and demographic pressure, in particular the scarcity of fresh water and the pollution of water resources.
• Evaluate and interpret the procedures associated with the various stages of the production processes of drinking water and wastewater treatment processes.
• Recognize the basic concepts of hydrothermalism.

The laboratory component aims to develop students' analytical skills to:

• physical-chemical characterization of drinking water.
• assessment of the presence of chemical pollutants (pharmaceuticals included) in the different types of water.

In this way, students acquire a clear view of the importance of the challenges posed in this area of ​​knowledge and of the different areas in which their markedly interdisciplinary formation may constitute an important asset in the labor market.

Within the scope of transversal competences, this Curricular Unit aims to contribute to the development of:

• Cognitive skills: analytical, critical, reflective and creative thinking;
• Methodological skills: time management, planning skills and digital skills;
• Social Skills: interpersonal communication and collaborative work.

Learning outcomes and competences

Students must acquire knowledge, skills and competencies that enable them to develop professional activity in the different fields of Hidrology, with particular emphasis on the areas that constitute a privileged space of action of pharmacists, namely:

• physico-chemical characterization of natural (ground and surface) waters


• production and quality control of drinking water, including dessalinaziation procedures


• depollution of water bodies.


• treatment and control of wastewaters of domestic, urban and industrial origin

Additionally, it is intended to provide students with basic skills in other areas of a multidisciplinary nature, such as:

• Water resources management


• Importance of water quality in human health


• Ecohydrobiology (study of the interactions between living beings and the hydrological cycle)


• Identification and control of pollution sources
  


• Hydrothermalism

Learning outcomes directly and indirectly contribute to the overall objectives of the MICF, in particular with regard to:

• Promotion of human health


• Environmental health awareness and promotion


• Execution, interpretation and validation of hydrological analyzes


• Control and monitoring of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)

Working method

Presencial

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

Students should have a thorough basic knowledge of biochemistry, organic and inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, instrumental analytical methods, and microbiology. This knowledge is fundamental for understanding the phenomena of chemical equilibrium in water, the processes drinking water production, depollution of bodies of water and waste water treatments, as well as the methodologies used in the monitoring of natural and polluting components.

Program

Theoretical component

Importance, functions and uses of water.

Physicochemical properties of water.

Hydrological cycle. Changes caused by global warming. Concepts of water scarcity and water stress. Current global situation.

Water for human consumption: origin; occurrence and volume; quality; variability factors.

Management of water resources: river basins and aquifers. National and UE legislation.

Drinking water production: Common treatments. Desalination processes.

Water Biology: a short overview of aquatic ecosystems.

Water pollution and its control:

• polluting sources
• eutrophication phenomena, acid rains and saline intrusion
• concepts of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
• self-purifying water mechanisms
• characterization of the main groups of contaminants: nitrates and nitrites, pesticides and other persistent organic pollutants (POP), endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals and personal hygiene products (PPCP), toxic metals.

Treatment and disposal of wastewaters.

Basic concepts of hydrothermalism.

 

Laboratorial component

Summary analysis of a drinking water (pH, conductivity, alkalinity, hardness, nitrates, chlorides, total iron, free residual chlorine and monochloramines, oxidability and turbidity.

Laboratorial work on advanced extraction techniques used for chromatographic analysis of water contaminants.

Preparation and presentation of 1 poster (made under the supervision of a teacher) on a topic related to water.

Mandatory literature

Gray, N.F. ; Drinking Water Quality - Problems and Solutions. , Cambridge University Press, 2008. ISBN: 13 978-0-521-87825-8
Davie, T.; Fundamentals of Hydrology, Taylor & Francis, 2008. ISBN: 0-203-93366-4
Cheremisinof, N.P. ; Handbook of Water and Wastewater Treatment Technologies, Butterworth-Heinemman, 2002. ISBN: 0-7506-7498-9
Eugene R. Weiner; Applications of environmental aquatic chemistry. ISBN: 978-1-4398-5332-0

Complementary Bibliography

Vários; Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality , World Health Organization, 2008. ISBN: 978 92 4 154761 1
Carr, G.M. et al.; Water Quality for Ecosystem and Human Health. United Nations Environment Programme Global Environment Monitoring System/Water Programme, United Nations, 2008. ISBN: 92-95039-51-7

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical classes are essentially masterful, taught based on the use of a PowerPoint slide presentation system through Data-show and occasionally videos. The active participation of students is encouraged, who are challenged to question the teacher about aspects of the subject taught that raise doubts. Some specific subjects, in particular those related to Ecohydrobiology and hydrotherapy, are taught by invited professors who are specialists in the respective area. All materials used in the theoretical classes are made available to students on the UC e-Learning platform.

Laboratory classes focus on laboratory work related to analytical determinations in drinking water, with a view to controlling their respective potability. They are provided with classes to contextualize the work to be carried out and to explain the analytical methodologies to be used. The laboratory work is carried out in groups of 3 students, being permanently monitored by the teacher, in order to correct any performance deficiencies that may arise and to promote the analysis and interpretation of the results obtained.

keywords

Physical sciences > Chemistry > Applied chemistry
Natural sciences > Environmental science > Water science

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	60,00
Teste	16,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	20,00
Trabalho laboratorial	4,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	47,50
Frequência das aulas	17,50
Trabalho laboratorial	10,00
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	6,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

The assistance of students to laboratory classes is mandatory and students who exceed the limit number of absences, corresponding to 25% of the scheduled classes, are considered without frequency, according to the evaluation rules in force.

Theoretical classes are not mandatory, although the presence of students is strongly encouraged.

The frequency is valid for the current academic year and for the following 2 academic years. 

Calculation formula of final grade

The knowledge assessment is of the “Distributed assessment with final exam” type. The assessment of knowledge and skills of the theoretical component has a weight of 60% (12/20 values), the assessment of knowledge and skills of the laboratory component has a weight of 20% (4/20 values), and the evaluation of the special work (preparation and presentation of 1 poster on a water topic has a weight of 20% (4 points)

The assessment of the theoretical component is carried out through 1 final exam to be taken after the end of classes. Students who do not achieve the minimum score of 10 points will have access to a appeal exam.

The evaluation of the laboratory component is carried out through 2 evaluation processes with different relative weights, namely:

Assessment of student attendance and performance in laboratory classes - 20%
Test on knowledge acquired in laboratory classes, carried out simultaneously with the final exam - 80%

Students who do not achieve the minimum grade of 10 in the laboratory component may retake the test on the knowledge acquired in the laboratory classes, during the appeal exam.
The final grade is given by the formula: Theoretical component grade x 0.6 + Laboratory component grade x 0.2 + poster grade x 0,2.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Preparation and presentation of 1 poster (made under the supervision of a teacher) on a topic related to water.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students who for special reasons contemplated in the law are not evaluated in the distributed component may be assessed by final exam. In these circumstances, the theoretical component will take place together with the final written exam and the different components of the practical assessment will be evaluated on the date of the final laboratory exam.

Classification improvement

Both the theoretical component, as well as the part of the laboratory component corresponding to the assessment test, may be subject to improvement at the time of appeal.

Observations

Mobility Students

In addition to students who can quickly develop Portuguese comprehension skills (namely Spanish and Italian), Mobility Students with fluency in English are accepted. The UC is taught in Portuguese, however, the teachers provide bibliography and support in English. In addition, the Mobility Students evaluation processes can be, if requested, in English.