C9591 - ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Learning outcomes

Students will understand the concepts and principles of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and learn how to model material recycling and energy recovery in LCA. They will understand the environmental fate of organic pollutants, outlining the main distribution of an otrganic compound in environmental compartments and their main degradation pathways and sinks. The student is expected to be able to: 1. Gain basic LCA modelling skills; 2. Understand and describe the main structural features of organic pollutants, their distribution and degradation pathways in environmental compartments.

Course contents

The CU is composed of three modules with the following contents.

Environmental Fate of Organic Pollutants: Environmental partition of organic pollutants, key descriptors and examples. Main degradation pathways and environmental fate of organic pollutants. Evaluation of expected sinks and persistence of unknown organic compounds on the basis of molecule reactivity. Examples from main classes of organic pollutants.

Environmental Risk Assessment of Emerging Chemicals: there is an increasing concern about contaminants, like pharmaceuticals, or personal care products or nanomaterials, whose concentration in the environment is growing in recent years. The different definitions of emerging pollutants. Measuring the concentration of trace pollutants. How to assess the risk posed by pollutants present in low concentration in the different environments.
Definition of risk assessment (e.g., exposure assessment vs. hazard identification, risk quotients) and chemicals’ exposure assessment. Hazard identification (principles, basic ecotoxicological parameters, dose-response curve; methods applied for hazard assessment); Regulatory and policy approaches for managing emerging chemicals (including NORMAN and PARC initiatives); Case studies for selected emerging chemicals.

Life Cycle Assessment: Introduction to life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology and its main elements. Definition of the system boundaries, the functional unit and multifunctionality issues. Life cycle inventory and data acquisition: primary and secondary sources. Energy recovery and material recycling in LCA. Life cycle impact assessment: midpoint and endpoint methods. LCA application to selected case studies concerning processes and system-products. Practical modelling and software simulation with LCA.

Readings/Bibliography

Lecture notes and selected papers will be available for students on the Moodle. In addition, the following readings are suggested:

Colin Baird, Environmental chemistry, WH Frreman
R. P. Schwarzenbach, P.M. Gschwend, D. I. Imboden, Environmental Organic Chemistry, Wiley Interscience


ISO 14040:2006/Amd 1:2020 and ISO 14044:2006/Amd 1:2020
O. Jolliet, M. Saadé-Sbeih, S. Shaked, A. Jolliet, P. Crettaz, "Environmental Life Cycle Assessment", CRC Press, 2016

Teaching methods

The course unit is divided into three modules taught independently at different times in the academic year, each module is organized in theoretical classes where main concepts are introduced, as well as tutorial classes with discussion of case-study examples.

Assessment methods

Each module learning is evaluated independently, exploiting: i) written tests; ii) oral presentations or interviews; iii) written assignments or combinations of them. The Course Unit grade will be the arithmetic mean of grades from the three modules. ChIRS grades scale goes from 1 to 100, pass grade is
40, and will be translated into ECTS and different University scales. Criteria: knowledge on a very limited number of topics covered in the course and analytical ability that emerges only with the help of the instructor, using generally correct language → 40-45;
Knowledge on a limited number of topics covered in the course and independent analytical ability only on purely executive
issues, using correct language → 45-60;
Knowledge on a large number of topics covered in the course, ability to make independent critical analysis choices, mastery
of specific terminology → 60-80;
Essentially comprehensive knowledge on the topics covered in the course, ability to make independent critical analysis and
connection choices, full mastery of specific terminology, and ability for argumentation and self-reflection → 80-100.

Module I: Written report and oral presentation about an organic pollutant environmental fate

Module III: The acquisition of the expected knowledge and transferred skills is assessed through a final exam. The exam consists of a written test, which may include multiple-choice questions and open-ended questions.

Use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): the use of AI is prohibited during assessments. Any use constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Teaching tools

Lectures slides and notes will be available on the course moodle https://emmcchir-learning.ualg.pt

The course will be taught with the aid of computer support for the projection of text and images. . ICT tools will be employed to introduce the use of calculation software and database.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible ( https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Paola Galletti

See the website of Anna Maria Białk Bielińska

See the website of Luca Ciacci