Instructor: Dr. Zhi-Qing
Lin
Office: 2165 Science West
Email:
zhlin@siue.edu
Phone:
618-650-2650
Class schedule &
location: Wednesdays, 6:00 pm - 8:50 pm, Peck Hall 2412
TA office hours: 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm on Tuesdays in 2095 Science West
Course Description:
This course covers a wide range of topics in the environmental sciences, with
particular emphasis on the transport and fate of pollutants in terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems. The course examines the influence of physical, chemical,
and biological processes on the transport of pollutants in the environment. Students
will explore ecological effects of selected environmental pollution problems;
particularly those related to chemical contaminants. This course will provide
the base scientific knowledge that is essential for assessing the impact of
pollution on the structure and function of ecosystems.
Course Prerequisites: BIOL 468: Junior standing, BIOL 220 and 365 with a grade of C or better or consent of Instructor; ENSC 540: CHEM 121a,b and BIOL 150 and 151 with a grade of C or better, or consent of Instructor
Textbooks: Environmental Pollution Science (second edition), by I.L. Pepper, C.P. Gerba, and M.L. Brusseau. Academic Press, 2006; Chemical Fate and Transport in the Environment, 2nd Edition, by H.F. Hemond and E.J. Fechner-Levy. Academic Press, 2000.
Additional handouts (e.g., recent peer-reviewed research publications) will be given during the lecture time.
Course Objectives:
1) To study the fundamental concepts and principles of mass transport, chemical partitioning, and biological transformation in the environment;
2) To examine the influence of physical, chemical, and biological processes on the transport of pollutants in the environment;
3) To explore the potential impact of chemical pollutants on the structure and function of ecosystems.
Grading Policy:
Class exams (two midterms and one final exams): Material presented in class lectures and required readings will form the basis for examination questions. Class examinations will require an understanding of lecture and reading materials, and result in applications of the knowledge to practical situations. One group research presentation will be given during the class lectures.
Grading: Midterm I: 20%; Midterm II: 30%; Research: 10%; Assignments: 10%; Final exam: 30%; Total Points: 100. A: >90, B: 80-89, C: 70-79, D: 60-69, and F:<60.
Graduate students will be required to submit a thorough and in-depth research report by each individual, along with the oral research presentation by each research group. The undergraduate students will only need to give a group research presentation that accounts for 10% of the total point. For graduate students the research report and the presentation will account for 5% each. In addition, each exam will also have at least one extra question for graduate students to answer. To answer those extra questions, a more comprehensive understanding of the text book and materials will be required.
Late assignments will be marked down 10% a day, unless arrangements are made with the instructor prior to the due date. Assignments more than 5 days late will not be accepted.
Attendance Policy:
Regular prompt attendance is required for success in this course. Only University approved absences will be accepted. However, excessive absences may result in a 10% reduction of your overall grade or being dropped from the course.
Academic Misconduct:
"Acts of academic misconduct for which students are subject to sanctions include, without limitation, plagiarism, cheating, failure or refusal to follow clinical practice standards, falsifying or manufacturing scientific or educational data and/or representing manufactured data to be the result of scientific or scholarly experiment or research, and soliciting, aiding, abetting, concealing, or attempting such act. Plagiarism is defined as including, without limitation, the act of representing the work of another as one's own. Plagiarism may consist of copying, paraphrasing, or otherwise using the written, electronic, or oral work of another without proper acknowledgement or consent of the source or presenting oral, electronic, or written material prepared by another as one's own. Plagiarism also includes using information from electronic resources, including the Internet, without the use of proper citations." (SIUE Student Academic Code)
In the event of academic misconduct, the student is subject to a number of penalties, including a failing grade for a plagiarized assignment or for a course.
Students with
Disabilities
Students with disabilities should visit the Disability Support Services (DDS) located in the Student Success Center, Room 1270, at their earliest convenience to meet the director and discuss available services. The student with a documented disability and a disability ID card from DSS should also notify the instructor as soon as possible to make any necessary arrangements, including assistance in case of emergency evacuation.
Lecture Schedule:
Week 1, August 23:
Course introduction: basic concepts, pollution and population
Week 2, August 30:
Air pollution: physical and chemical properties of the atmosphere, characteristics of air pollution
Week 3, September 6:
Transport of pollutants in the atmosphere: effects of atmospheric conditions and pollution sources, atmospheric deposition, long-range transport
Week 4, September 13:
Soil pollution: abiotic characteristics of soil, biotic activity in soil
Week 5, September 20:
Special topic:
Demonstration of RUSLE2
Midterm I - Covers
materials from Weeks 1-4
Week 6, September 27:
Physical and chemical processes affecting pollutant transport in soil
Week 7, October 4:
Water pollution: characteristics of pollutants in inland water, groundwater, and the Oceans
Week 8, October 11:
Transport of pollutants in water: physical transport,
air-water exchange
Outline of group research project due
Week 9, October 18:
Structure and function of ecosystem: food webs, energy flow, biogeochemical cycling of mineral nutrients;
Biological processes affecting pollutant transport in ecosystems: degradation, bioaccumulation, magnification, transformation
Week 10, October 25:
Special topics; Student research discussion
Midterm II - Covers
materials from Weeks 6-9
Week 11, November 1:
Pollutants in ecosystems: pathways and fate of pollutants in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems
Week 12, November 8:
Ecotoxicology of pollutants: biomagnification and biotransformation of pollutants through the food chain
Week 13, November 15:
Special topics: Waste disposal, agricultural sources of pollution
Week 14, November 22:
Thanksgiving break (no class)
Week 15, November 29:
Biogeochemistry of environmentally important trace elements - case studies and classroom discussion
Student research
presentations (I)
Week 16, December 6:
Student research
presentations (II)
Week 17, December 13:
Final Exam - Covers
materials from Weeks 10-15