Introduction Environmental Technology

The course gives a general introduction to environmental technology and its role in sustainable development, taking the nature and background of environmental and sustainability issues into account. Lectures deal with the various fields of application of environmental technology in water, soil and air: gaseous emissions and off-gas treatment, water pollution and wastewater treatment, soil- and groundwater contamination and remediation, and the collection, management, conversion and re-use of wastes. The most relevant state-of-the-art technology, as well as promising new technological developments will be discussed. Focus is on the biological, chemical and physical principles of the processes, as well on the design of reactors and engineered natural systems.
Working group sessions:
Design and evaluation of environmental technology requires both quantitative assessment of the fundamental of the process as well as creativity in the innovative application of technologies. Students will practice this in exercises, in which relevant processes are analysed by means of calculations and cases are discussed and solved in small groups.
Assignment coupled to lectures and excursion:
The assignment is group work (3-5 students per group) and is focused on selected environmental challenges of the world. Students choose a topic , analyse the environmental problem and define a solution while integrating the lectured knowledge into their specific topic.
The course includes an excursion to a local waste water treatment plant and a local soil remediation location to see environmental technologies in practice.
Practical training:
The practical exercises (in groups of 2-3 students) illustrate the theory of several environmental technological processes. By doing laboratory experiments on wastewater treatment and soil remediation, students get acquainted with practical aspects of environmental technology. They will evaluate the outcome of the experiments and draw conclusions for practical applications and write a practical report.

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:

• Explain basic biological, chemical and physical principles of environmental processes and technologies
• Apply qualitatively and quantitatively environmental technologies to relevant environmental matrices such as soil, water, and air
• Set up mass balances for a selected group of treatment processes, and to solve basic equations describing these processes
• Illustrate how (simple) environmental technological measures can abate or prevent environmental pollution.
• Carry out experimental laboratory research into a number of treatment processes
• Analyse experimental results by applying theoretical knowledge from the lectures
• Report and present results of experimental and literature studies
• Work as a team member on a project on scenario's for a sustainable future using novel technological concepts

Mandatory Knowledge:
ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety, ZSS06200 Fieldwork Safety
Assumed Knowledge:
Basic knowledge of natural and environmental science.