ES2S203 - Environmental Contaminants 01 Jul 2022 - 31 Aug 2028 | Version 1
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | ES2S203 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | Environmental Contaminants | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Science | ||
| Faculty Group: | Applied Sciences | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Earth and Environment | ||
| Module Leader: | Ian Skilling | ||
| Module Team: | James Cruwys, Niamh Breslin, Anthony Harris, Talatu Usar | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2027 | Final Year of Intake: | 2027 |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 20 | Credit Level: | 5 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | 100369 - geographical information systems | 101045 - environmental chemistry | 101072 - pollution control |
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 10 | 50 | 40 |
Document Version Information
| Version | 1 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Jul 2022 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2028 |
Module Aims
The Environmental Contaminants module provides an overview of the causes, assessment, management, regulatory framework and remediation of contaminated land, with an emphasis on the UK.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide the students with an appreciation of the importance of understanding the contamination of land by a wide variety of past and present industrial and agricultural uses, including mine waste (heavy metals, acid mine drainage), hydrocarbon leaks and spills, landfill leakage, asbestos, radioactive waste, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides etc
- To provide a detailed field-based case study of land contaminated, for example, by past metal mining activity (heavy metals)
In engaging with the module appropriately, students will fully achieve level-appropriate Behaviour Domains of the following USW Graduate Attributes:
Commercial Awareness - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3
Communication - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3
Leadership - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3
Innovation and Enterprise - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3
Project Management - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3
Digital Literacy - Behaviour Domains 1, 2, 3
The Capabilities associated with these behaviours are found in the Graduate Attributes table at the end of the descriptor.
Content Summary
The detection, analysis, management and mitigation of environmental contaminants. Contaminated land environmental impact assessment. Source-Pathway-Receptor pollutant linkages. Stages of site assessment (desk, walkover, generic and specific risk assessments). Pollutant sources, identification, characterisation and source apportionment. Field based sampling strategies. Laboratory analytical methods; data output and interpretation. QA/QC systems. Use of GIS and remote sensing. Remediation strategies. Atmospheric pollutants – measurement and characterisation of PM10 / PM2.5. Sources and sinks of atmospheric dusts.
Field course: Detailed field-based case study of land contaminated, for example, by metal mining waste.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 20 |
| Practical classes and workshops | 12 |
| Fieldwork | 16 |
| Independent Study | 118 |
| Directed Study | 10 |
| Groupwork | 8 |
| Problem / challenge based learning | 16 |
| Total Hours Selected | 200 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Gain an in-depth appreciation of the causes, assessment, monitoring and mitigation of contaminated land, with an emphasis on the UK |
| LO2 | Gain an in-depth understanding of an authentic case study of land contaminated by metal mining waste |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous Assessment | Report 2 | Field report | 0 | 2000 | 50 | No | 40 |
| Asynchronous Assessment | Report 1 | Individual report on UK contaminated land site | 0 | 2000 | 50 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Report 2 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Report 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |