Course information

This is an introductory course with a series of lectures in the area of ecosystems focusing on the water and air as environmental resources amenable to pollution. The course provides essential background knowledge in the mining and metallurgical engineering in the topics of environmental pollution. Specifically, it focuses on the sources of particulate air pollution and CO2 emissions from the energy production sector and the industrial mining activities as well as on the sources of air pollution from the metallurgical industry. One of the main objectives of the course is the introduction of the students to the principles and functions of the ecosystems by presenting the main elements cycles (e.g. carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorus) with particular focus on the increased carbon emissions which causes the greenhouse effect and other global level climate change phenomena. The role and the function of the aquatic ecosystems and the atmospheric environment are presented and analyzed. The students are familiarized with air and water quality parameters in terms of pollution sources, pollution dispersion and pollution effects to the humans and the environment. The course is also focused on the pollution of water bodies with organic discharges and presents the basic monitoring parameters such as the dissolved oxygen, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and the chemical oxygen demand (COD). These monitoring parameters are explained in the lectures as well as with laboratory practices. At the field of air pollution, the students are familiarized with the concept of the point and dispersed pollution sources for gaseous and particulate pollutants. The importance of particulate materials in terms of size and composition in human health and the environment is presented. Pollution dispersion models are taught by tutorials with simulation software. By completion of this course the students should have acquired the skills to identify/describe: ▪ The role and the function of the ecosystems on the environment. ▪ The cycle of the fundamental elements in the environment. ▪ The pollution sources and the chemical pollutants in the atmospheric and aquatic environment ▪ Large scale environmental problems such as the greenhouse effect and the global warming. ▪ The effect of specific pollutants and assess their impact in the environment. ▪ Identify the industrial activities producing airborne particulate material. ▪ Identify the significance of the airborne particulate material according to their size and composition. ▪ Compute with pollution dispersion models the transport of the pollutants in the environment. ▪ Evaluate data from environmental sampling and monitoring campaigns. ▪ Acquire basic laboratory skills for measuring water quality parameters such as the dissolved oxygen, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and the chemical oxygen demand (COD). ▪ Acquire basic laboratory skills for applying air sampling protocols for the measurement of the particulate maters in air samples.