Introduction to Environmental Engineering Notes

Introduction to What is Environmental Engineering! Environmental Engineering Environmental Engineering is the integration of science and engineering principles to improve What...

Introduction to What is Environmental Engineering! Environmental Engineering Environmental Engineering is the integration of science and engineering principles to improve What is Environmental Engineering? the natural environment, to provide healthy "The application of science and engineering water, air, and land for human habitation and for principles to minimize the adverse effects of other organisms, and to remediate pollution human activity on the environment." sites. What is Environmental Science? The study of how humans interact with their What is Environmental Engineering Science? environment We are concerned with the quality and Our environment is everything that surrounds us, availability of environmental resources and with both natural and man-made. the waste streams that impact them Science...improve our understanding of natural Environmental Science processes The study of the processes in water, air, and soil Engineering... use this understanding to and organisms which lead to pollution or develop and apply technologies that will environmental damage, and the scientific basis maintain or improve environmental quality for the establishment of a standard which can be considered acceptably clean, safe and healthy for What is an engineer? human beings and the natural ecosystem. Problem solver. > Specifically, one who uses science to solve Environmental science: how does the natural real world problems. world work? SO, what about an environmental engineer? >Solves environmental problems using scientific tools Environmental Engineering Concerned with the design, manufacture, installation and operation of the engineering systems that sustain and control the environments required by people and processes. Quantitative environmental science ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER An organized collection of mathematical theories - is a professional trained in the art of applying that may be used to describe and explore scientific principles and technological means to Environmental relationships, while avoid or reduce forms of pollution by human environmental science is an organized body of activities. This includes possessing a knowledge knowledge about environmental relationships of past and current engineering practice and an ability to innovate. What Is Environment? - Involves social, political, economic, and legal Environment is every thing that effects living issues organisms. Ecology is biological science that studies relationship between living organisms and their environment Environment: the total of our surroundings All the things around us with which we interact:  Living things  Animals, plants, forests, fungi, etc. The identification, evaluation, and resolution of a  Nonliving things particular pollution problem typically evolves in  Continents, oceans, clouds, soil, rocks the reverse direction implied by the above, that  Our built environment is  Buildings, human-created living centers 1. Identification of an adverse receptor effect.  Social relationships and institutions 2. Determination of the substance 3. Identification of the source of the polluting Environmental Engineering substances Air pollution 4. Control of the source to achieve the safe  Control devices emission level.  Permitting  Modeling Three environmental systems Water (surface and groundwater):  The water resource management system  Treatment & disinfection  The air resource management system  Storage and distribution  The solid waste management system  Dispersion  Quality The water resource management system Wastewater > Water Supply Subsystem Solid Wastes > Wastewater Disposal Subsystem Hazardous Wastes Radioactive Wastes Integrated Systems Pollution Prevention Air Resource Management System Other - noise and light pollution > Air resource management programs are instituted for a variety of reasons. The most Environmental Engineering defensive reasons are that (1) air quality has Environmental engineering is object-focused deteriorated, and (2) the potential for a future (problem focused), rather than tool-based problem is strong. It operates at four different levels:  remediation of contaminated sites (=fixing Solid Waste Management the past),  treatment of effluents (=dealing with present),  pollution prevention, and  care for future generations. Environmental pollution Environmental pollution: is the contamination of the environment with substances that are potentially injurious to human, plant and animal. Multimedia Systems Some problems can be Single-medium and multimedia pollution problems. Key Environmental Laws Example Activities of Environmental Engineers Natural resources: vital to human survival  Remediation of soil contaminated by a Natural resources = substances and energy gasoline leak sources needed for survival  Permit application based on atmospheric dispersion estimates  Improving environmental performance after an audit  Preparation of an environmental impact assessment In general three lessons have come to view from past experience: Renewable resources: 1. it is dangerous to develop models that are too 1. Perpetually available: sunlight, wind, wave simplistic. energy 2. environmental engineers must use a 2. Renew themselves over short periods: multimedia approach timber, water, soil 3. the best solution to environmental pollution is 3. These can be destroyed waste minimization Nonrenewable resources: can be depleted 1. Oil, coal, minerals Environmental policies and legislation  Problem → regulations and policies Perpetual Resources  To protect the environment and > Renewed continuously on human scale. prevent/minimize pollution  Solar energy  To keep environmental quality  Wind energy  Environmental law consists of all legal guidelines that are intended to protect our What is an "environmental problem"? environment. The perception of what constitutes a problem  Promote sustainable development varies between individuals and societies Ex.: DDT, a pesticide In developing countries: welcome because it kills malaria-carrying mosquitoes In developed countries: not welcome, due to health risks ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Environmental Pollution and Degradation What are Environmental Issues? Pollution is viewed as the release of substances Environmental Issues are any such issues that and energy as waste products of human are created by human activities and can cause activities which result in harmful changes within harm to the environment. the natural environment (Sharma and Kaur, They relate to the anthropogenic effects on the 1994). natural environment. Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of Major Environmental Issues resources such as air, water and soil; the  Human overpopulation destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction;  Hydrological issues the extinction of wildlife; and pollution.  Nuclear issues It is defined as any change or disturbance to the  Land use issues environment perceived to be deleterious or  Intensive farming and agriculture undesirable (Johnshon et al., 1997).  Climate change  Environmental health Types of Environmental Pollution  Hazards  Air pollution  Environmental Pollution and Degradation  Water pollution  Land pollution We face challenges in agriculture  Noise pollution Expanded food production led to increased  Heat pollution population and consumption  Radioactive pollution It's one of humanity's greatest achievements, but at an enormous environmental cost Air pollution Nearly half of the planet's land surface is used  Air pollution refers to the entrance of for agriculture foreign elements into the atmosphere. Chemical fertilizers  Industries, vehicles and agricultural Pesticides emissions are the prime source of air Erosion pollution. Changed natural systems  Respiratory problems, heart diseases, acid rain, eutrophication, ozone layer depletion Intensive Farming and Agriculture etc. are the effects. Intensive Farming or agriculture is a kind of farming or agriculture where a lot of money and Water pollution labour are used to increase the yield that can be  The deterioration of the water quality due obtained per area of land. The use of large to the changes of water quality parameters. amounts of pesticides for crops, and of  Parameters are- PH, DO, TDS, temperature, medication for animal stocks is common. nutrient elements, electric conductivity, We face challenges in pollution nutrient elements etc. Waste products and artificial chemicals used in  Effects are- lack of fresh drinking water, farms, industries, and households arsenic poisoning, water contaminated Each year, millions of people die from pollution diseases, destruction of ecosystem etc. Land pollution The Earth's surface is warming  Mostly occur due to the land filling of non Melting glaciers degradable elements, solid waste disposal, Rising sea levels emission of toxic chemicals etc. Impacted wildlife and crops  As a result, soil fertility is lost, soil Increasingly destructive weather ecosystem is hampered, human health is Since the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric affected and carbon dioxide concentrations have risen by 37%, to the highest level in 650,000 years Noise pollution  Noise pollution is the disturbing of noise Climate Change with harmful impact on the activity of Climate change is a change in global or regional human or animal life. climate patterns, in particular a change apparent  The source of outdoor noise worldwide is from the mid to late 20th century onwards and mainly caused by the machines, Transport attributed largely to the increased levels of and transportation systems, motor vehicles atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use engines, trains, etc. of fossil fuels.  Hearing problems, sleeping disorder, cardiovascular issues etc. are the impacts. Climate change issue include- Global warming Heat Pollution Sea level rise  Heat of thermal pollution is the Habitat loss degradation of water quality by any process Ocean acidification that changes ambient water temperature. Thermal expansion  A common cause of thermal pollution is the Ice melting use of water as a coolant by power plants Urban heat island and industrial manufacturers. Climatic complications  Effects are- decrease of DO, biodiversity Hazards and disasters loss, toxication etc. Hydrological Issues Radioactive Pollution Hydrological issues refer to the harm of water  It refers to the physical pollution of air, bodies, water system and constrains on water water and other by radioactive materials management system. The quality of water in the natural radiations are also known as the reservoirs are affected in many ways and also background radiations. there is a shortage of water.  Sources are- nuclear plants, medical wastes, nuclear mining, cool ash etc. Human Overpopulation  Skin burns, cancer, destruction of cells, Overpopulation is an undesirable condition genetic defects etc. where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth. We face challenges in climate It affects environment in many ways. Scientists have firmly concluded that humans are changing the composition of the atmosphere It has the following effects on environment-  Exceeding biophysical carrying capacity.  Land degradation and land conflicts.  Inappropriate waste disposal. Hazards  Water scarcity and water conflicts. Hazard is an agent which has the potentiality to cause harm to a vulnerable target. Nuclear Issues Hazards can be of 3 types- The uprising usage of nuclear energy is not only 1. Hydrological Hazards an alternative of energy resources, it is also a 2. Meteorological Hazards threat to environment for many reasons. And the 3. Geological Hazards possibility of mass destruction of life and environmental wealth due to the possibility of Apart from these, there can be several sorts of nuclear war cannot be ignored. man made hazards. The enlistments of nuclear issues are- We face challenges in biodiversity Nuclear fallout Human actions have driven many species Nuclear meltdown extinct, and biodiversity is declining dramatically Nuclear radiation Biodiversity loss may be our biggest Nuclear accidents environmental problem; once a species is extinct, Radioactive waste management it is gone forever Nuclear power and weapons Our energy choices will affect our future Land Use Issues The lives we live today are due to fossil fuels Land use has been defined as "the arrangements,  Machines activities and inputs people undertake in a  Chemicals certain land cover type to produce, change or  Transportation maintain it. " (FAO,1997)  Products The most wide land use sectors in Bangladesh Fossil fuels are a one-time bonanza; supplies are agriculture and settlement. will certainly decline We have used up ½ of the world's oil supplies; Environmental Health how will we handle this imminent fossil fuel Environmental health refers to the influences shortage? human health and disease. "Environment," in this context, means things in Environment and Sustainability the natural environment like air, water and soil, and also all the physical, chemical, biological and social features of our surroundings. Environmental health includes-  Asthma  Birth defect  Developmental disability  Endocrine disruptors Causes Of Environmental Problems  Lead poisoning Population growth  Radiation risk etc. Wasteful and unsustainable resource use Poverty Failure to include environmental costs of goods and services in market prices Sustainability: a goal for the future Too little knowledge of how nature works  Sustainability People with different environmental  Leaves future generations with a rich and worldviews often disagree about the seriousness full Earth of environmental problems and what we should  Conserves the Earth's natural resources do about them.  Maintains fully functioning ecological systems  Sustainable development: the use of resources to satisfy current needs without compromising future availability of resources Non-Renewable Resources Exist only in fixed quantities on earth. Metallic resources (iron, copper, aluminum) Non-metallic resources (salt, clay, sand) Energy Resources (coal, oil, natural gas) Sustainable solutions exist What is an Environmentally Sustainable Society. We must develop solutions that protect both Our lives and economies depend on energy our quality of life and the environment from the sun (solar capital) and natural Organic agriculture resources and natural services (natural capital) Technology provided by the earth.  Reduces pollution Living sustainably means living off earth's Biodiversity natural income without depleting or degrading  Protect species the natural capital that supplies it. Waste disposal  Recycling Four Scientific Principles Of Sustainability Alternative fuels Nature has sustained itself for billions of years by using solar energy, biodiversity, population What Is Sustainability regulation, and nutrient cycling - lessons from In ecology, sustainability is how biological nature that we can apply to our lifestyles and systems remain diverse and productive. economies. Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems. In Four Scientific Principles Of Sustainability more general terms, sustainability is the  Reliance on Solar Energy endurance of systems and processes.  Biodiversity  Nutrient Cycling  Population Control Will we develop in a sustainable way? An Environmental Code of Ethics 1. Use knowledge and skill for the enhancement and protection of the environment. 2. Hold paramount the health, safety and welfare of the environment. 3. Perform services only in areas of personal expertise. 4. Be honest and impartial in serving the public, your employers, your clients and the environment. The triple bottom line: sustainable solutions 5. Issue public statements only in an objective that meet and truthful manner. > Environmental goals > Economic goals Are things getting better or worse? > Social goals Many people think environmental conditions Requires that humans apply knowledge from are better (Human ingenuity will solve any the sciences to problem) >Limit environmental impacts Some think things are much worse in the world >Maintain functioning ecological systems (predict doom and disaster) How can you decide who is correct?  Are the impacts limited to humans, or are other organisms or systems involved?  Are the proponents thinking in the long of short term?  Are they considering all cost and benefits? Conclusion Environmental science helps us understand our relationship with the environment and informs our attempts to solve and prevent problems. Solving environmental problems can move us Examples of Environmental Sustainability towards health, longevity, peace and prosperity Crissey Field Environmental science can help us find balanced solutions to environmental problems The main idea is that we must act responsibly so that resources on the planet will be able to support many generations to come. Environmental Ethics Ethics is the systematic analysis of morality. Morality is the perceptions we have of what is right and wrong, good or bad, or just or unjust.