This course will discuss the types of scientific data needed and methods currently available to assess the environmental risk of chemicals. The risk assessment process will be analyzed and compared with risk management and risk communication. Survey of regulations, cost-benefit analysis and environmental health issues related to risk assessment. Applications of principles from chemical thermodynamics will be used to study phase-transfer processes of organic pollutants in the environment (solid/water, solid/air, water/air). Kinetics principles will be used to calculate or estimate the pollutants half-life. We will discuss the role of mathematical models and the transfer and applications of environmental chemistry to environmental technology. Students will learn the interrelations among different disciplines governing the risk assessment and management of pollutants.

The course will be designed primary for students with a background in environmental engineering. Specifically it is assumed that students have a reasonable background in the quantitative methods used by engineers (including calculus and statistics) and are familiar with the basic principles of environmental chemistry and environmental engineering.

Supplementary readings