SDG Detail

ENVENG 747 : Soil-Contaminant Fate Processes and Modelling

Postgraduate course

Project description

Focuses on modelling sorption, degradation kinetics, and leaching of chemicals in the soil environment. Topics include deriving sorption parameters, parent and metabolite fitting with statistical rigours, calculating degradation end-points, novel adsorbents for removing contaminants in soil and water. The core taught skills are extended by an individual project in which independent research is undertaken to solve an environmental issue.

Year 2020

Location New Zealand

Organization University of Auckland

Project aims

Project outcome

By the end of this course, students will be able to: Apply knowledge of environmental chemistry and mathematics to construct sorption siotherm using both different and extraction techniques (Capability 1) Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of sorption isotherm for contaminanats in soils and other media and able to derive the sorption parameters successflly using isotherms models. (Capability 2) Identify different degradation kinetic models used to derive dissipation times for both parent and metabolite (Capability 3) Understand the production techniques of biomass-derved biochar and chaterisation to determine their properties (Capability 3) Evaluate the degradation kinetic models using statistical rigours and using simple excel spreadsheet calculation as well as apply simple algorithm to prioritise contaminants of concern in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. (Capability 2) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of soil contaminant fae processess in order to detrmine their ultimate risk in the environment. (Capability 2)