Water protection

Code

Course teacher

Associate teachers

Status of the course

Course objectives

Students will become familiar with the types, distribution and quality of water in nature, the properties of aquatic ecosystems, and the methods and legislaton to preserve their quality.

Course enrolment requirements and entry competences required for the course

Learning outcomes expected at the level of the course (4 to 10 learning outcomes)

It is expected that the outcome of learning to provide knowledge about:
- understanding the concepts ecosystem, biotope, biocenose, food chain
- cycling of matter and energy in the ecosystem
- abiotic and biotic ecological factors
- importance of water and its physico-chemical properties
- characteristics of fresh water and seawaters
- physical, chemical and biological indicators of water quality
- water resource management
- sustainable use of water
- water protection through preservation of good water condition, preventing the devastation of waters that are under risk, and remediation of degraded water status in order to preserve human health and the environment
- point and nonpoint sources of pollution
- protection from the harmful effects of water
- classification of fresh waters and coastal sea
- reuse of treated wastewater
- guidelines for water reuse
- legislation for wastewater and treated water
- final disposal of sludge generated in the wastewater treatment plant.

Course content broken down in detail by weekly class schedule (syllabus)

1st week: Ecosystem. Biotope. Ecological factors.
2nd week: Fresh waters. Seawater.
3rd week: Physicochemical properties of water.
4th week: Indicator of water quality.
5th week: Disorders in aquatic ecosystems quality. Eutrophication. (I written evaluation)
6th week: Autopurification of water systems
7th week: Water management. Water legislation.
8th week: Classification of fresh waters and coastal seas. The state plan for water protection.
9th week: Planning and environment management.
10th week: Conservation and improvement of water quality. (II written evaluation)
11th week: Monitoring of natural waters quality.
12th week: Legislation for effluent disposal.
13th week: Wastewaters treatment.
14th week: Field trip - visiting the technological facilities for the drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment.
15th week: Waste management and conservation of aquatic environment.
(III written evaluation)
Exercises 1-Characterization of water samples (color, taste, odor, turbidity, pH, and el. conductivity).
Exercises 2-Determination of total solids (TS), total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the water sample.
Exercises 3-Adsorption of dissolved organic matter and removal of odor and color on activated carbon by batch process.
Exercises 4-Determination of organic compounds by oxidizing method with KMnO4.

Format of instruction:

Student responsibilities

Attending lectures is 80%, while seminars, laboratory exercises and field work 100% of the total hours.