Agr, Lndscp & Envir: Soil/Water Pollution/Bioremed

Examines key issues in pollution of soil and water. Topics include type of pollutants, their reactions in soil and water, pollution prevention and bioremediation. Prerequisites: ALE 2610 or Instructor permission.

Open to Degree and PACE students; Prereqs enforced by the system: PSS/ ALE 2610

This course provides an integrated understanding of soil and water pollution processes and bioremediation strategies. Students will explore how contaminants move through and interact with soil–water systems and how biological, chemical, and ecological mechanisms can be applied to restore environmental quality. The course blends environmental soil chemistry, pollutant fate and transport modeling, and bio-based remediation technologies such as phytoremediation, microbial degradation, and biochar-based amendments.

This course combines lectures, discussion recitations, and laboratory/field activities to support different learning modes and connect theory with practice. Lectures form the core of this course, providing a strong foundation in the theory of chemical mechanisms, pollutant dynamics, and contaminant behavior within the soil–water continuum. Through these sessions, students will develop the conceptual and analytical skills needed to understand how pollutants interact with environmental systems. Recitations complement the lectures by engaging students in discussions of assigned readings and case studies, linking scientific research to remediation strategies and policy implications. Workshops serve as applied extensions of the lectures, focusing on laboratory simulations and data interpretation rather than extensive fieldwork. Activities will include sorption and desorption experiments, simple contaminant transport modeling, interpretation of pollutant datasets, and critical evaluation of remediation technologies through literature analysis. By the end of the course, students will be able to: 1. Explain the physicochemical and biological processes controlling contaminant fate and transport in soils and waters. 2. Identify and characterize major classes of soil and water pollutants (nutrients, metals, organics, PPCPs, PFAS). 3. Evaluate biological and ecological mechanisms of remediation in contaminated environments. 4. Apply soil–water chemistry concepts to design a remediation or monitoring strategy. 5. Reflect on the social, ecological, and sustainability dimensions of pollution management.

Student performance in this course will be assessed through a combination of participation, written assignments, and examinations designed to reinforce both theoretical understanding and applied analysis. Active participation and consistent attendance (10%) are essential, as lectures, discussions, and student-led activities form the foundation of the learning experience. Homework assignments (20%) will consist of short reflective exercises linking readings, lectures, and emerging issues in soil and water pollution. The final project (30%) will be a 10-page literature-based paper analyzing a specific pollutant and its remediation strategy, emphasizing critical evaluation and synthesis of scientific literature. A midterm examination (20%) will test understanding of contaminant fate and transport processes, while the final exam (20%) will focus on bioremediation principles and integrated remediation approaches.