B0125 - Sources and Processes Related to Air Pollution

Academic Year 2022/2023

  • Docente: Vanes Poluzzi
  • Credits: 3
  • SSD: BIO/14
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences (cod. 8518)

    Also valid for First cycle degree programme (L) in Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences (cod. 8518)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student knows the main classes of air pollutants, their sources and formation processes, the main sampling methods, the adverse health effects associated with their presence. In particular, the student is able to:

- recognize the sources of both primary and secondary air pollution;

- analyze the main processes occurring in the atmosphere: diffusion, turbulence, chemistry, thermodynamic and kinetic aspects, photochemistry;

- know the main sampling and analysis methods for the identification of compounds and elements present in the atmosphere;

- know the main mathematical models for evaluating the concentrations of pollutants in the atmosphere

- understand the meaning of the regulations and limit values from the point of view of the impact on the environment and health.

Course contents

Review of chemistry, principles of thermodynamics, kinetics and equilibrium reactions;

Main aspects of atmospheric chemistry and physics;

Reference legislation relating to pollution of the atmosphere;

Primary and secondary pollutants: Nitrogen oxides, Sulfur oxides, Carbon monoxide, Ozone and its precursors, Aerosols of different sizes, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Benzene and homologues, Heavy metals. Notes on compounds such as radicals or extremely oxidized forms;

Troposphere pollution with analysis of different formation and development conditions, examples of acute pollution events;

Inventories of emissions with particular reference to sources: production activities, vehicular traffic, heating, agriculture, long-distance transport;

Mode of expression of the concentrations of the different substances;

Main methods of sampling, chemical analysis and measurements of substances in the air;

Basics of mathematical modeling for the simulation of concentrations of substances in the atmosphere.

Readings/Bibliography

Slides of the lectures, by prof. Vanes Poluzzi

Environmental Chemistry - Colina Baird, Michel Cann - Zanichelli

Teaching methods

The course is organized in lectures

Assessment methods

Normally, the procedure for carrying out the exam will be oral. However, in the event that the number of students enrolled in the exams was a significant number, the test could be written.

The exam will focus on what is presented in class, with the aim of verifying the student's learning in the topics covered.

In particular, the skills relating to:

• General aspects of chemistry of the main polluting compounds present in the atmosphere;

• Legislation requests relating to toxic substances in the air;

• Influence of weather conditions and physical and chemical aspects of the atmosphere on the behavior of pollutants;

• Main techniques for assessing the quality of the air in indoor and outdoor environments;

• Principles of measurement of the main substances present in the air;

• Basic elements of mathematical modeling for the evaluation of some compounds in the atmosphere.

Teaching tools

The teaching material presented in class will be made available to the student in electronic format.

To obtain the didactic material ask:

vanes.poluzzi@unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Vanes Poluzzi