METHODOLOGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

This course is one of the core activities of the curriculum "Control and Environmental Rehabilitation " whose objectives are to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills to analyze: the processes that contribute to environmental contamination and de-qualification; the technologies currently in use for the treatment of solid, liquid and gaseous waste and their energy conversion; the methods for environmental monitoring; the green and environmentally friendly industrial products and processes; the environmental remediation including biotechnology.
The training objectives of the course are:

1. To provide knowledge on a wide spectrum of advanced coupled analytical techniques, in particular on inorganic and organic mass spectrometry.
2. To provide in-depth knowledge on the theoretical aspects that underlie the different analytical techniques taken into consideration.
3. Provide knowledge on the pre-analytical analysis.
4. Provide knowledge on the instrumental apparatus and develop practical skills in order to perform an experimental measurement with the appropriate accuracy and precision.
5. Develop the ability to propose new approaches in the chemical-analytical field to solve complex problems related to the qualitative and quantitative determination of elements and organic compounds of environmental interest in real matrices.

The scope of the course is to provide the knowledge and methodological basis necessary for the qualitative and quantitative determination of elements and compounds in the various environmental matrices using classical and instrumental analytical techniques. The student will acquire a broad spectrum of analytical chemistry knowledge and skills including:
Knowledge and understanding
- Know the fundamental principles and terminologies of advanced analytical techniques.
- Know the pre-analytical techniques for the determination of micro-pollutants in environmental matrices.
- Know the principles of operation and use of advanced analytical instruments.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
- (Knowing the fundamental principles and terminologies of advanced analytical techniques). Knowing how to correctly understand and use scientific terminology used to describe advanced analytical methodologies and to solve various environmental problems.
- (Know the pre-analytical techniques for the determination of micro-pollutants in environmental matrices). Knowing how to identify and use the pre-analytical procedures suitable for solving the proposed environmental problems.
- (Know the principles of operation of advanced analytical instruments). Knowing how to identify and use the advanced analytical instruments suitable for solving the environmental problems.
Communication skills
Knowing how to communicate both verbally and in writing to the general public or experts using language to describe the use, operation and results obtained from the use of advanced analytical methodologies.
Learning ability
To know how to use the scientific method as a work tool both for the continuation of the training course and for the professional activity. Knowing how to identify and use advanced analytical methodologies for solving the environmental problems

Basic knowledge of chemistry and analytical chemistry

The course takes into consideration the analytical methodologies to determine and evaluate the distribution of chemical parameters and the main pollutants in aqueous environments, in sediments, in biota and in the atmosphere. All the analytical steps are examined from the treatment of the sample to the analytical chemical determination.
The analytes considered are: Total content and speciation of heavy metals; organic compounds in trace and ultra-trace levels; main atmospheric pollutants.
The most recent and advanced analytical methodologies will be examined and used, such as:
- Low and high resolution mass spectrometry.
- Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (high and low resolution).
- Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS / MS, IC / MS, LC-Orbitrap, LC-TOF)
- Inorganic mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
- Pre-analytical methods for the determination of micro-pollutants in environmental matrices.
- Sampling activities, treatment of environmental samples (sediment, aerosol, water) and analysis of micropollutants in environmental matrices.

Lecture notes

With the oral examination will be verified :
- Theoretical knowledge of analytical methodologies
- Theoretical knowledge in the use of analytical instrumentation
- Technical knowledge to solve analytical problems

The questions include the description and the solution of environmental problems.

Lectures and laboratory work

Italian

oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development