Module Code - Title:
ER4707
-
MONITORING AND RESEARCH METHODS
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
To familiarise the student with the chemical and physical nature of a broad range of pollutant types which are currently of environmental concern.
To facilitate the student in understanding the nature of environmental sampling and the industrial origin of specific pollutants and associated environmental impacts.
Assessment of sampling technologies covering a range of environmental samples from a variety of media including air, soil, surface water and groundwater.
Development of the students' working knowledge of industrial and ambient monitoring techniques on a practical and quantitative basis.
Syllabus:
[Emissions & Impacts] industrial plant emissions û sources û emissions impact assessment methods û primary/secondary/tertiary/quaternary systems.
[Groundwater Pollution] subsurface environment, groundwater movement, sources of pollution, point sources û diffuse sources û microbial activity.
[Pollutant transport in groundwater], non-aqueous phase liquid pollution (NAPL) / (DNAPL).
[Groundwater Monitoring Wells] construction û design.
[Sampling Groundwater] well depth measuring û well evacuation û sampling.
[Analysis of Groundwater] techniques.
[Surface Water Pollution] emissions to water, water quality monitoring, water quality assessment.
[Atmospheric Pollution] odour, SOx, NOx & Acids, organics, temperature pressure, humidity, molar volumes, converting ppmv to mg/m3, STP/NTP - time weighted averages, dust, USEPA methods, isokinetic sampling methods
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
1. Recognise the nature and source of selected pollutant emissions.
2. Associate specific pollutant emissions with impact on different environmental compartments.
3. Identify the main environmental impacts associated with industrial emissions.
4. Demonstrate a theoretical knowledge of environmental monitoring methods appropriate to point sources of emission and ambient locations.
5. Formulate basic monitoring strategies for assessment of atmospheric, soil and water quality.
6. Evaluate strengths and weaknesses in monitoring strategies.
7. Calculate a series of parameters related to environmental sampling and pollutant emission levels.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
8. Demonstrate an appreciation of the significance of pollutant emission on the environment.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
9. Demonstrate laboratory skills in the areas of environmental sampling techniques and analytical measurement.
10. Calculate a series of parameters including laboratory and environmental concentrations of selected pollutants.
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
This module will be taught through a formal interactive lecturing mode (3 x 1-hour lectures plus 1 x 1-hour tutorial per week) and the students' education will be supplemented with a series of relevant laboratory practicals (3 hour sessions spaced during the semester). Students will complete an experiment calculations sheet during each laboratory session. This sheet then forms part of the overall module assessment for each student.
The module will be assessed by means of a final written exam (75 % of marks) with the remaining marks allotted for the laboratory worksheets (25% of marks).
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
N/A
Prime Texts:
Wiersma G.B. (2004)
Environmental Monitoring
, CRC Press
Artiola J., et al. (2004)
Environmental Monitoring & Characterisation
, Academic Press
Burden F.R. (2002)
Environmental Monitoring Handbook
, McGraw-Hill
Gray N.F. (1999)
Water Technology: An Introduction for Environmental Scientists and Engineers
, Arnold
Colls J. (1997)
Air Pollution : An Introduction
, E &FN Spon
Bartram J., Ballance R. (1996)
Water Quality Monitoring
, E & FN Spon
Price M. (1996)
Introducing Groundwater
, Chapman & Hall
Other Relevant Texts:
Keith L.H., Walker M. M. (1995)
Handbook of Air Toxics: Sampling, Analysis and Properties
, Lewis Publishers
Wright G.D. (1994)
Fundamentals of Air Sampling
, Lewis Publishers
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Module Leader:
Tadhg.Kennedy@ul.ie