Syllabus academic year 2009/2010
(Created 2009-08-11.)
METHODS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORINGFKF100

Higher education credits: 7,5. Grading scale: TH. Level: A (Second level). Language of instruction: The course will be given in English on demand. Optional for: E4, E4em, E4ss, F4, F4mi, W4. Course coordinator: Professor Erik Swietlicki, Erik.Swietlicki@nuclear.lu.se, Fysik, kurslaboratoriet. Recommended prerequisits: Basic physics. Assessment: The examination consists of two parts, one written exam in which the student individually answers questions, mostly of a descriptive character, and a project work in a small group. To pass, the student must also take active part in the compulsory laboratory exercises, and have the written laboratory reports approved. The grade is based only on the written exam. Further information: The course is a collaboration between the divisions of Nuclear physics, Atomic physics, and Ergonomics and aerosol technology at LTH and departments of Occupational and environmental medicine and Physical geography and ecosystems analysis. The course is on request given in English. Home page: http://www.fysik.lu.se/eriksw/fkf100/fkf100.htm.

Aim
The course aims at providing an understanding of advanced environmental measurement techniques for air quality applications, and how these techniques can be used to provide a scientifically sound basis for estimates of the impact of various human activities on the environment and human health.

The course also aims at stimulating the student to reflect on how our common-day human activities may affect the environment and human health, and at acquiring a capability to assess and discuss environmental issues within the working life and societal debate from a natural science perspective.

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

- have acquired the capability to describe and understand various environmental problems with an emphasis on air quality related issues from a natural science perspective,

- be able to formulate problems aiming at clarifying risks to the environment and human health related to air quality issues,

- be able to plan an environmental investigation based on the problems formulated, and select the most suitable measurement techniques,

- have acquired the capability to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the acquired environmental data aiming at clarifying the problems formulated.

Skills and abilities
For a passing grade the student must

- be able to integrate knowledge regarding environmental measurement techniques and problems relating to air quality issues,

- have acquired the capability to present the results from their project work and to discuss the results with the course teachers and students during an oral presentation;

- be able to carry out a project and plan the presentation within the given framework;

- be able to integrate knowledge from an extensive material in order to provide solutions to environmental problems;

- be able to present the results obtained from the data evaluation both in writing and orally.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

- have been stimulated to reflect further on how our common-day human activities may affect the environment and human health.

Contents
General air quality problems and their environmental and health effects are presented. Discussion of various measurement scenarios. Multiphase processes in air pollution studies. Physical and chemical processes associated with air pollution. Measurement and analytical methods based on physical and chemical characterisation of air pollutants. A project dealing with evaluation of environmental measurement data. Laboratory exercises where high technology research equipment is used or demonstrated.

Literature
Copied material from the participating divisions and departments compiled.