Waste

Lecture, three hours. Understanding the impact of the nuclear age on the environment and human health through the interrelated developments of nuclear power and nuclear weapons. The early years of weapon development, catastrophic environmental pollution, perils of nuclear power in the U.S. and Russia.

Lecture, three hours. Focuses on processes of exposure to environmental toxins/agents and their impact to human health and the environment. Media transport, exposure assessment, susceptibility, behavior, and health effect of several toxins are discussed. Public Health Sciences and Public Health Policy majors have first consideration for enrollment.

Introduces students to the Earth as a system, the physical and biological resources on the planet, and the impact of humanity on those resources.

Lecture, three hours. Indirect methods in estimating human exposure to environmental agents. Topics include air, noise, dermal and ingestion exposure assessment, time-activity and micro-environmental approach, uncertainty and variability analysis, and the use of GIS and remote sensing in exposure assessment.

Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Introduction to geologic principles and applications to environmental problems. Topics include: tectonic processes, earth materials, soils, river processes, groundwater, the coastal environment, slope failures, seismic hazards, mineral resources, and land-use evaluation based on geologic conditions. Examples from case studies. Prerequisite: Social Ecology E8.

Covers the origin and evolution of the Earth, its atmosphere, and oceans, from the perspective of biogeochemical cycles, energy use, and human impacts on the Earth system. Earth System Science 1 and 25 may not both be taken for credit.

Water and wastewater microbiology. Engineering principles, molecular aspects, and overview of microorganisms of importance to public health. Topics include aerobic and anaerobic wastewater treatment and disinfection of pathogens in water, wastewaters, and biosolids. Prerequisites: Chemistry 51A, CEE161, CEE162; or consent of instructor.

Theory and dynamics of physical and chemical separation processes in water and wastewater treatment. Topics include coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, gas transfer, membrane separations, and adsorption. Prerequisites: CEE161 and CEE162.

Analysis of natural biological processes in the aquatic environment. Design of biological treatment processes with emphasis on suspended growth systems. Aerobic and anaerobic treatment systems, biodegradation of contaminants in the environment. Construction and use of computer models for process design and operation. Prerequisites: CEE161 and CEE162.

Design of biological treatment processes. Topics include attached and suspended growth, aeration, anaerobic systems, process control and economics. Design projects included. Prerequisite: CEE161.