METHODOLOGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING

The aim of the course is to direct the student in identifying strategies and procedures to assess the quality of environmental systems, therefore the student will be supported to choose the more appropriate chimico-analytical methodologies to assess the presence and distribution of pollutants in environmental matrices and the more suitable parameters to define the quality level of environmental systems.
The course allows to acquire the analytical competence to determine trace and ultra-trace chemical species, acquire the concept of speciation and the analytical techniques to differentiate and quantify the chemical forms in which elements can be present in environmental matrices.

The student will acquire the ability to produce and interpret analytical data for a correct assessment of the quality of the environment. In particular, the student will have the necessary skills to choose the most suitable analytical chemical techniques for the characterization of natural waters, soils and sediments, the control of the presence and distribution of polluting chemical species or parameters that allow to define the quality status of an environmental system; it will have the ability to define sampling strategies, in terms of sample distribution, sampling methodologies and sampling instrumentation, which are more suitable for monitoring environmental systems.

knowledge of instrumental and classical analytical techniques. Basic knowledge of statistics and chemometric methods.

It will be considered all the analytical steps to determine the pollutant concentration in environemtal systems.
General characterization of the environmental system. Sampling strategy. Sample treatment. Analytical determination. Procedures for the chemical and physical speciation of analytes.
Will be examined and used the following analytical methodology:
- 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).
Will be made experimental exercises to apply the techniques and methodologies studied.

Teaching handout prepared by the teacher.
Fiefield F.W., Hanes P., Environmental Analytical Chemistry, Chapman and Hall, London
Mundroch A., MacKmight S.D., Handbook of Techniques for acquatic Sediments Sampling, Lewis Publ., Boca Raton.
Fresenius W., Quentin K.E. and Schneider W., Water Analysis, Springer-Verlag Berlin.
Hunt D.T.E. and Wilson A.L., The Chemical Analysis of Water, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge.
Manahan S.E., Environmental Chemistry, Lewis, Chelsea, Michigan.
Moore T.C.Jr. and Health G.R., in "Chemical Oceanography", J.P. Riley and R. Chester (Eds.), Vol.7, chapt. 36, Academic Press, London.
UNICHIM, Misure alle Emissioni, Flussi gassosi convogliati, Metodo Unichim n.825.
Methods for determination of inorganic substances in water and fluvial sediments, U.S.Geological Survey.
Batley G.E., Trace Element Speciation: Analytical Methods and Problems, CRC Press, Florida.
Greenberg A.E., Connors J.J. and Jenkins D., Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, APHA, AAWWA, WPCF, Washington.
Manahan S.E., Environmental Chemistry, Lewis, Chelsea, Michigan.
Spiro T.G., Stigliani W.M., Chemistry of the Environment,Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River.

The oral examination consists of 5 questions, each of which will be scored with a maximum of 6 points. Honors will be awarded based on the depth and accuracy of the answers.
The questions will cover:
- 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 analytical problems

oral

The exam will be considered passed if the student correctly answers 3 questions, thus obtaining a score of 18/30.
With 4 correct answers, the student will obtain a score of 24/30.
With 5 correct answers, the student will obtain a score of 30/30.
Honors may be awarded based on the depth of the correct answers.
Intermediate scores will be given for partially correct answers.

Lectures in class and experimental activity in laboratory and on field. The class lectures will be used to explain the strategy to describe one environmental system taking in consideration the physical characteristics of environmetal systems (morphology, time and space variability, homogeneity) and relation with the study aims; will be highlighted chemical, physical and biological parameters that can be used for the general characterization of the system; will be described the chemico-analytical methodologies to determine specific classes of pollutants. The experimental activities will be used to give at the student the opportunity to apply autonomously the studied procedures.

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