Aquatic Pollution Processes

(Course Code: 224KEΥ, Course outline)

Semester: 5 Teaching Credits: 3 ECTS Credits: 6 Type:

Compulsory
Prerequisite Courses:  – Course type: Special background Instructor: Michael O. Angelidis
  • To familiarize students with the key concepts of water pollution
  • To provide an understanding of the sources, transport and fate of the major pollutant groups in aquatic systems
Topics per Week:
    1. Introduction to aquatic pollution: basic pollution concepts, outline of the European Union Water Framework Directive and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
    2. The Hydrosphere: physicochemical characteristics of the water and the aquatic ecosystems
    3. Biodegradable organic matter – oxygen consuming effluents.
    4. Microbiological pollution
    5. Nutrients and eutrophication
    6. Trace metals and metalloids
    7. Petroleum hydrocarbons
    8. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
    9. Persistent Organic Pollutants: Pesticides, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, polyhalogenated compounds, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans
    10. Emerging contaminants – endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals
    11. Marine litter, plastics/microplastics
    12. Radioactivity
    13. Ocean acidification
Theory – Lectures
(hours / week):		  3
Exercises – Laboratories
(hours / week):		 –
Other Activities:  –
Grading: Final written examination:Short-answer questions 50%, Open-ended questions  50%
Notes: –
Basic Textbook: Αλμπάνης Τ., 2009. Ρύπανση και τεχνολογίες προστασίας περιβάλλοντος Εκδόσεις Τζιόλα, Θεσσαλονίκη
Bibliography:
  • Φυτιάνος Κ., 1996. Η ρύπανση των θαλασσών. (Β΄ έκδοση), UNIVERSITY STUDIO PRESS
  • A. Laws: Aquatic Pollution: An Introductory Text, 4th Edition, 2017. Wiley ed.
  • B. Clark. Marine Pollution, 5th Edition. Oxford Press
Language:

The course is taught in Greek. For exchange students, English literature is proposed and examinations are given in English.
Internet Links:
  • http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/water-pollution
  • http://toxics.usgs.gov/http://water.usgs.gov/edu/
  • http://www.epa.gov/gateway/learn/
  • http://www.unep.org/http://chm.pops.int/
  • http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/index.asp