7241 Remediation of contaminated soils

The course deals with the problem of soil contamination, which is a crucial environmental problem worldwide. The topics which are covered include presentation of the main categories of pollutants and analysis of their fate and transport in the environment. A risk assessment methodology, as decision making tool for evaluating the risks associated with contaminated sites and for setting remediation priorities, is also presented. The most important remediation technologies for the case of organic contaminants, based on physical and biological processes, are analyzed in detail.
ECTS : 4
Language : el
Learning Outcomes : After successfully completing the course, students should be able to: - assess human health risk by considering different exposure pathways to soil and groundwater pollutants - calculate the distribution of organic pollutants in individual soil phases based on soil, groundwater, or soil gas analyses - calculate the basic parameters involved in the design and operation of a soil vapor extraction system, such as radius of influence per soil vapor extraction well, required number of wells, estimated operating time of the system for completion of remediation work - calculate oxygen and macronutrient requirements for aerobic degradation of organic pollutants, as well as their addition rate, during the application of bioremediation methods in the vadose zone or aquifer - determine the mechanical composition, pH and neutralization potential of soils and evaluate the impact on pollutant dispersion - evaluate the distribution of inorganic pollutants in individual soil phases by applying the sequential extraction method - evaluate the hazard of contaminated soils based on the results of standard leachability tests - understand basic principles of applying biological methods and stabilization methods for removing or immobilizing inorganic pollutants in soils.