Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Environmental Health. Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution ENHL 238 (for Junior students) Fall 2016

Transcription

1 Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Environmental Health Indoor and Outdoor Air Pollution ENHL 238 (for Junior students) Fall 2016 Instructor: Mr. Vahakn Kabakian Time & Room: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, AM, room 101 Office Hour: Thursday, PM, EH Library (room 410) address: 1. Course Description: Through the examination of the different dimensions of air pollution, this course establishes the connection between global and local impact of air pollution. Students will learn about the major outdoor and indoor environment pollutants, their sources and effects as well as the approaches to control and regulate air pollution. 2. Method of instruction This course is delivered through interactive lectures and discussions. It includes class group exercises, individual air pollution literature presentation and homework. 3. General Instructional Objectives/ Student Learning Outcomes/ Assessment Tools On successful completion of this course students will be able to: General Instructional Student Learning Outcomes Objectives Learn the sources, and - Describe different sources control methods of common of common indoor and outdoor and indoor air outdoor air pollutants pollutants - Identify the different methods of controlling and monitoring air pollutants Assessment Tools Exam Learn the impacts of air pollution on the environment and on human health - Identify the impacts of main air pollutants on the environment and on human health - Understand and use air dispersion modeling (Gaussian dispersion and fixed box models) to identify scale of air Exam Homework

2 Explore international and local guidelines and standards of atmospheric pollutants Understand the global perspective of air pollution Understand the local context of air pollution and climate change pollution impact. - Differentiate between guidelines and standards of atmospheric pollutants - Understand the process of developing national standards - Determine the causes and impacts ozone depletion - Determine the sources and impacts of climate change - Understand the process of negotiations for international climate change agreements - Critically analyze the air pollution and climate change situation in Lebanon - Identify the needs of the local partners -Identify and critically analyse local governmental initiatives Exam Class debates Mock negotiations Homework Projects Presentations

3 4. Course Policies and Procedures 4.1 Attendance Attendance in this course follows AUB regulations. For more information, refer to the AUB catalogue ( ). Punctuality is important. Please be on time for the lectures. Any changes in room or class time will be announced in advance or posted on the front door of the building or Vandyke Amphitheater (Nabil Boustany Hall). In accordance with the AUB Catalogue Students who miss more than one-fifth of the sessions of any course in the first ten weeks of the semester (five weeks in the case of the summer term) are dropped from the course if the faculty member has stated in the syllabus that attendance will be taken. Attendance will be taken regularly. 4.2 Course Ethics Code of Conduct Cheating and Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Review the student Code of Conduct in your handbook and familiarize yourself with definitions and penalties. If you re in doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, ask your instructor because it s your responsibility to know. The American University of Beirut has a strict anti-cheating policy. Penalties include failing marks on the assignment in question, suspension or expulsion from University and a permanent mention of the disciplinary action in the student s records Class Conduct Students are expected to avoid any activity that is disruptive to the learning environment in the classroom. Please refer to the Student Handbook for information relating to class conduct. 4.3 Assignments You are expected to submit assignments on time as noted in the course outline. Late assignments will be penalized unless a valid reason is provided. 4.4 Exam You are urged to take the exam on the assigned date. If you miss the exam it will be difficult to reschedule another one. A make-up will be given ONLY if the reason is deemed valid. 4.5 Withdrawal The last day for a student to withdraw from this course is November 4, Any student with an average grade below 60 by that date is recommended to consult with his/her academic advisor and may consider withdrawing from the course. 4.6 Communication via You are kindly requested to check your on a regular basis to get any messages regarding this course. You are responsible for any missed communication in class or via Inclusive education: Students with special needs and that anticipate difficulties with the content or format of the course due to physical or learning disabilities should contact the instructor and/or their academic advisor, as well as the Counseling Center in the Office of Student Affairs (Ext. 3196) as soon as possible to discuss their learning needs.

4 5. Grading scheme 1. Mid-term exam 30% 2. Final Exam 35% 3. Attendance and participation 10% 4. Project/homework/presentation 25% - Gaussian Model Homework 7.5% - GHG Calculation Homework 7.5% - Mock Negotiations 5% - Air pollution Literature presentation 5% 6. References Jeremy Colls. Air Pollution. Second edition. Spon Press. London, 2002, 560 pages. LOCATION IN AUB: Engineering E :C714a:c.1. Further readings: Hemond, Harold F. Chemical fate and transport in the environment San Diego CA: Academic Press. LOCATION IN AUB: Sci/Agr:S S :H489c:c1 (air pollution chapter 4) Raven, Berg, Johnson. Environment. Saunders College Publishing (Chapter 19) Holgate, Samet, Koren, Maynard. Air pollution and health. Academic Press Nadadur and Hollingsworth (Eds.). Air pollution and health effects. Humana Press Course Assignments The course assignments (Project/homework/presentation) include: Assignment Type Objective 1. Air dispersion Individual - Learn the basics of air dispersion modelling modelling exercise assignment - Identify vulnerable areas and populations in the 2. Calculation of greenhouse gas emissions 3. Climate change mock negotiations Individual exercise Group exercise in class vicinity of point source pollution - Familiarize with the different methodologies of calculating greenhouse gas emissions - Calculate greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector - Identify the positions of the different negotiating bodies under the UNFCCC - Understand the commitments an interests of each party 4.Course individual projects Topics related to national air pollution Individual exercise - Students select peer-reviewed and grey literature related to national air pollution and present it in class

5 9. Detailed schedule Lecture Date Topic Deliverables/Milestones 1 August 29 Introduction and course overview 2 August 31 Air pollution: Definition; introduction to the atmosphere; history of air pollution (1) 3 September 2 Air pollution: Definition; introduction to the atmosphere; history of air pollution (2) 4 September 5 Air pollution: types, sources and pathways (1) 5 September 7 Air pollution: types, sources and pathways (2) 6 September 9 Air pollution: types, sources and pathways (3) 7 September 12 Al-Adha No classes 8 September 14 Al-Adha No classes 9 September 16 Air Pollution modelling: Fixed Box Model (1) 10 September 19 Air Pollution modelling: Fixed Box Model (2) 11 September 21 Air Pollution modelling: Gaussian model (1) 12 September 23 Air Pollution modelling: Gaussian model (2) Assignment 13 September 26 Environmental and Health effects of air pollution 14 September 28 Air quality monitoring and control: stationary emissions (1) 15 September 30 Air quality monitoring and control: stationary emissions (2) 16 October 3 Air quality monitoring and control: mobile emissions (1) 17 October 5 Air quality standards and air quality index (1) 18 October 7 Air quality standards and air quality index (2) + Guest speaker 19 October 10 Pollution prevention and control strategies (1) 20 October 12 Pollution prevention and control strategies (2) 21 October 14 Climate change: sources and mitigation actions 22 October 17 Climate mitigation action and air pollution 23 October 19 Greenhouse gas calculations (1) Class exercise 24 October 21 Greenhouse gas calculations (2) Assignment 25 October 24 Mid-Term Exam 26 October 26 Climate change: impacts and adaptation actions (1) 27 October 28 Climate change: impacts and adaptation actions (2)

6 28 October 31 Climate change negotiations Guest speaker 29 November 2 Climate change negotiations class simulation Group class assignment 30 November 4 Ozone Depleting Substances Guest speaker 31 November 7 Persistent Organic Pollutants: Dioxin emissions Guest speaker 32 November 9 Climate Change Mitigation - Guest speaker 33 November 11 TBD 34 November 14 TBD 35 November 16 TBD 36 November18 TBD 37 November 21 Indoor air pollution (1) 38 November 23 Indoor air pollution (2) 39 November 25 Indoor air pollution (3) 40 November 28 Projects presentations 41 November 30 Projects presentations 42 December 02 Projects presentations 43 December 05 Project presentations