Overview

As a professional environmental consultant, environmental engineer, policy advisor or town and country planner you will be expected to understand the underlying principles associated with air, soil and water quality. A major part of this requires an understanding of how manmade pollutants affect the biosphere and the impact on humans and plants. This central course in environmental science is therefore designed for students with the above training in mind. This module deals with major global environmental topics such as heavy metals, microplastics, pesticides, human pathogens, biodiversity loss from rivers, acid rain, salinity, water scarcity etc. In addition, it covers aspects of environmental UV exposure and elevated ozone, radioactivity and eutrophication. This material is provided with reference to underpinning scientific information (e.g., on soil, water and air) and complementary material on current UK policy. It also looks at the state of the environment at a national and global scale.

Lecture topics may include:

What is soil quality? Soil water Nutrient cycling Soil biology Greenhouse gas emissions from soil The rhizosphere Soil salinity Soil acidity Human and animal pathogens Organic pollutants Heavy metals Water use and conservation Soil erosion Microplastics Air pollution Radioactivity Pesticides Eutrophication Sewage and waterborne diseases

In addition there will be the equivalent of 4 practical sessions. The practicals include 1 field trip (to Henfaes to look at soil, water and plants and 3 lab classes on aspects of air, water and soil pollution. The practicals will enable students to use the basic statistical skills they learnt in Year 1 in real life situations.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -Grade D- to D+- Knowledge of key areas/principles only- Some weaknesses in understanding of main areas- Limited evidence of background study- Answer only poorly focussed on question and with some irrelevant material and poor structure- Arguments presented but lack coherence- Several factual/computational errors- No original interpretation - Only major links between topics are described- Limited problem solving- Many weaknesses in presentation and accuracy- No use of background reading

-good -Grade C- to Grade B+- Strong knowledge- Understands most but not all- Evidence of background study- Focussed answer with good structure- Arguments presented coherently- Mostly free of factual/computational errors -Some limited original interpretation - Well known links between topics are described- Problems addressed by existing methods/approaches -Good presentation with accurate communication- Good use of background reading material within work

-excellent -Grade A- and above-Comprehensive knowledge- Detailed understanding - Extensive background study- Highly focussed answer and well structured- Logically presented and defended arguments- No factual/computational errors- Original interpretation - New links between topics are developed- New approach to a problem- Excellent presentation with very accurate communication- Excellent use of background reading material within work and especially journal articles

Learning Outcomes

• Carry out chemical analysis methods to quantitatively determine pollution levels.

• Conduct statistical analyses of data and critically assess the results.

• Explain what regulates air, soil and water quality from a scientific and legislative perspective.

• Identify how pollutants may be controlled based on knowledge of what properties control pollutant movement in the environment.