Technologies For Environmental Protection

Knowledge and understanding: the student acquires knowledge regarding:

- the properties of the hydrosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and their interconnections;

- the emissions of pollutants associated with energy production and their effects on the environment;

- sampling of gaseous emissions and the main methods for the analysis of gaseous pollutants;

- the most important technologies for the reduction of pollutants in the air;

- the main methodologies for the analysis of substances dissolved in water;

- the most important depuration plants of municipal and industrial wastewater;

- the procedures required for water potabilization.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: the student acquires the ability to list the different environmental problems and the best technologies to reduce contamination. It will be able to propose intervention strategies for specific environmental problems.

Learning skills: the student becomes capable of having a deep understanding in reading scientific articles / reports on pollution cases.

Autonomy of judgment: after having consolidated the basic concepts, the student develops his critical ability in evaluating and interpreting the data that allow him to independently address chemical pollution problems also in relation to multidisciplinary areas that include eco-toxicological assessments.

Communication skills: the student will be able to clearly describe and deepen the main aspects of environmental contamination. Use appropriate terminology to write technical reports on the prevention / reduction of pollutants and technologies for remediation of polluted areas.

The course will be carried out through lectures and some laboratory experiences.

If the teaching is given in a mixed or remote way, the necessary changes may be introduced with respect to what was previously stated, in order to comply with the program envisaged and reported in the syllabus.

It is necessary to have a basic preparation in chemistry and physics. It is recommended to have passed all the chemistry exams of the first and second years.

The Earth system

Energy production and conservation. Principles of operation of energy production and conservation plants. Efficiency and environmental issues related to plants and devices that make use of non-renewable energy sources (fossil and nuclear fuels) and renewable energy sources (hydroelectric, solar, wind and geothermal). Electrochemical energy conservation devices: accumulators and fuel cells.

AIR

Structure and composition of the atmosphere. Gaseous pollutants: CO, CO₂, NO_X, SO_X; particulate matter and volatile organic compounds; greenhouse effect and acid rain. Stratospheric ozone depletion and pollution in the troposphere. Natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change. Radon pollution.

Notes on the environmental laws. The VIA, VAS, AIA and AUA authorizations. UNI, EN and ISO standard rules.

Continuous and discontinuous monitoring of emissions into the air. Sampling and verification of emissions. Measurements of velocity, flow rate, concentrations of pollutants and mass flow.

GAS ANALYSIS

Determination of total volatile organic compounds by flame ionization detector and determination of individual VOCs by gas chromatography.

Paramagnetic and electrochemical determination of oxygen.

Determination of particulate matter by gravimetry and beta radiation.

NO_X measurement by chemiluminescence.

Infrared, UV-VIS, and diode laser analyzers.

Determination of aqueous vapor by gravimetric method.

Ion exchange chromatography.

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL

VOC control techniques: activated carbon absorbers, roto-concentrator, and condensers. Incineration: flares, thermal oxidisers, catalytic oxidisers and biodegradation.

Airborne particles control techniques: deposition chambers, cyclones, electrostatic precipitators, electrified filter bed and baghouse filters.

Wet scrubbers: spray-tower; impingement plate tower; packed bed tower and Venturi systems. Dry scrubber.

WATER ANALYSIS

Determination of cations: atomic absorption with fame atomizer and electrotermal atomizer, and inductively coupled plasma (ICP-optical and ICP-MS). Electrochemical methods: conductometry and potentiometry.

Dissolved oxygen determination: Clark electrode, Winkler and spectroscopic method.

Suspended solids: turbidimetry and nephelometry.

Carbon in water: total, organic and inorganic. Gas chromatography - Mass spectrometry. Liquid chromatography and HPLC.

Chemical oxygen demand (COD) and Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).

Chlorine and organic halogen derivatives. Fixed residue and suspended solids. Hardness. Total nitrogen and phosphorus.

Watch list of substances.

TREATMENT OF MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER

Mechanical pre-treatment: the screening. Grit removal - flotation. Equalization and homogenization.

Primary sedimentation: clarification and flocculation.

Biological secondary treatment, denitrification and phosphorus removal. Activated sludge plants, percolators, membrane bioreactors (MBR), moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR), biological rotating discs and sequencing batch reactor (SBR).

Secondary clarifier.

Natural purification, phytodepuration, aerobic and anaerobic lagooning.

Tertiary treatments: sand filtration, activated carbon filtration, micro-, ultra-, nano- and hyper-filtration, biofiltration and electrodialysis with membrane.

TREATMENT OF SLUDGE

Sludge classification, sand removal, pre-thickening, stabilization (biological aerobic / anaerobic, chemical and thermal), post-thickening; conditioning, dehydration, drying and final disposal.

POTABILIZATION

Classification of water based on its origin.

Reduction of hardness, iron, manganese, hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, VOC, and radon. Filtration. Surface water clarification.

Desalination and ultrapure water.

Water disinfection. Chemical treatment with chlorine, hypochlorite, chloroamines, chlorine dioxide, ozone, bromine, copper-silver ions, potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide (peroxone and peracetic acid). The by-products of disinfection. Physical treatment with ultraviolet light, beta radiation, gamma radiation, ultrasound and heat.

1. Lecture notes are available.

2. C. Baird M. Cann “Chimica Ambientale” Zanichelli, 2013.

3. S. E.Manahan “Chimica dell’Ambiente” Ed. It. Piccin, 2000.