Gestión Académica

Environmental Analysis is an optional theoretical course included into the Module 2 with a total workload of 3 ECTS.

The whole subject is taught in English and it provides the students with theoretical and practical knowledge to deal with the development of analytical methods for the determination of organic, inorganic and organometallic contaminants present in the different environmental compartments.

This subject is closely related to the subjects “Espectrometría de Masas para Análisis Elemental y Molecular (Mass Spectrometry for Elemental and Molecular Analysis)” and “Técnicas Actuales en Ciencias de Separación (Modern Techniques in Separation Sciences” and to a lesser extent to “Quimiometría y Análisis de Datos Avanzados (Chemometrics and Advanced Data Processing”, all of them compulsory subjects from the Module 1.

The requisites match up with the general ones of the master degree:

“The prerequisite for entry the master will be a first cycle degree in one of the following disciplines:

-           Bachelor degree in chemistry

-           Bachelor degree in the related disciplines: Physics, Geology, Biology, Biochemsitry, Pharmacy, Medicine, Environmental Sciences and Food technology

-           Bachelor degree in engineering chemistry

-           Other related Bachelor degrees in Sciences and Life Sciences.

In the case of students from other countries which could have studied different disciplines, every specific case will be evaluated to check if the student profile matches the prerequisites of the master.”

General Competencies:

• CG-1:  Ability to analyse material and synthesise concepts.
• CG-2:  Good skills in planning and arranging the experiments required for an efficient solving of complex analytical problems.
• CG-3:  Ability to innovate, develop and/or improve existing analytical methods and techniques to approach and solve a particular analytical problem.
• GC-4:  Information-management competences, in relation to primary and secondary information sources and ability to manage adequately such obtained information.
• CG-5:  Ability to make decisions according to the obtained results.
• CG-6:  Good skills in interpersonal relationships and team work.
• CG-7:  Good skills for interaction with scientists working in different fields for the development of a quality multidisciplinary research.
• CG-8:  Improving of the language skills in English for a better understanding of scientific papers and different instrument user manuals.

Specific Competencies:

• CE-1:  Knowledge of the basis for the main analysis techniques, both already established and state-of-the-art techniques, and the related experimental methodologies.
• CE-2:  Skills for conducting advanced laboratory procedures and use of instrumentation in synthetic and analytical work both in a research and routine lab.
• CE-3:  Application of chemometric concepts to experimental design and data treatment.
• CE-4:  Knowledge and application of the guidelines to achieve quality control in the laboratory.
• CE-6:  Ability to choose the right analytical technique for the analysis, characterization and quantification of compounds of interest, both inorganics and organics, in complex samples.
• CE-7:  Ability to assimilate and evaluate laboratory results to solve problems efficiently.

Student learning outcomes:

• RA-1: The student should demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles and theories relating to the subject areas studied during the Master program.
• RA-2: The student should be able to read and understand scientific papers published in international journals.
•  RA-5: The student should be able to develop skills for the use of the analytical techniques used during the laboratory practical lessons.
• RA-6: The student should be able to write down a detailed report summarising all the work carried out in the laboratory.

The contents of this subject are divided into three main sections as described below:

SECTION 1: Determination of Inorganic Contaminants

This section will include a review of the legislative aspects concerning the most important inorganic contaminants, which can be present in the different environmental compartments. The general guidelines established by European Union or the different Member States will be presented.

The general analytical strategy to be applied in the determination of this type of contaminants will be described, including sampling, sample transport, storage and sample preparation steps. Different aspects that may affect the analytical procedure, such as the type of analyte, its concentration level as well as the accuracy and precision required for the analytical results will be also considered. Finally, the main analytical techniques required for the determination of the most important environmental inorganic analytes will be examined.

The impact and environmental interest of radionuclides and new emerging inorganic contaminants will be discussed. Finally, the importance of trace element speciation (inorganic and organometallic analytes) and its effects in the contaminant distribution among the different environmental compartments, their mobility, toxicity and bioaccumulation behavior will be considered in terms of the analytical requierements.

• Analysis of inorganic contaminants at trace and ultra-trace concentration levels.
• Determination of radionuclides.
• Determination of emerging inorganic contaminants.
• Determination of organometallic species.

SECTION 2: Determination of Organic Contaminants

In this section the legislative aspects for the determination of organic contaminants will be reviewed, and the analytical methods to be applied for their determination at trace and ultra-trace levels will be described considering the particular properties of such type of contaminants (persistence and lipophylicity).

The determination of some organic contaminants which pose a special risk for the environment, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) and brominated flame (BFRs), will be studied in more detail.

Finally, new emerging organic contaminants that can be usually found in aquatic environments will be presented. The potential risk that these substances may pose to aquatic organisms and to humans requires the development of new analytical methods for the determination of very low concentration levels of these substances.

• Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
• Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
• Determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Determination of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs).
• Determination of brominated flame (BFRs).
• Determination of new emerging contaminants.

SECTION 3: Risk Assessment

This section provides an overview of the methods used for exposure assessment to toxic substances present in the environment at concentration levels that may endanger the ecosystems and human beings.

• Ecological and human health risk assessment.

Exceptionally, if required  by the sanitary conditions, on-line teaching activities may be included. In this case, students will be informed of the changes made in advance.

The wide variety of learning and teaching approaches used is divided into 2 main groups:

On-Site Activities:

• 15 Lectures (one hour each), supported by multimedia teaching techniques, where the principles and general concepts of the environmental analysis will be explained.
• Group Tutorial teaching (2.5 hours), where issues related to the theoretical classes will be discussed. Student participation will be promoted.
• Laboratory Sessions (4 hours) to be held in the laboratories placed in the Scientific and Technological Services of the University of Oviedo, in which the student will receive a first insight into the organometallic speciation analysis.

Distance Activities:

• Individual work: The student should devote time to assimilate the concepts and background presented by the instructor during the lectures. In addition, the student should go into the main topics using primary and secondary information sources, including information retrieval through on-line computer searches. The students should deliver a test about the topic explained during the lecture at the end of the class, when required. A bibliographic review of a one specific topic (maximum 2000 words) will be written and presented (10 minutes + 5 minutes discussion) by each student for evaluation purposes.
• Team work: The teaching in smaller groups will be performed in groups. Such groups will be maintained for any other activity which could take place, for example, in the laboratory practical classes. Also, ability to interact with other people and to engage in team-working will be promoted. Some tests about the contents of the lecture will be proposed at the end of the class when required.

Working plan

The whole subject consists of 3 ECTS equivalent to 75 working hours. The student workload for each specific section is given in the following table:

According to the teaching and learning methods:

Exceptionally, if required by the sanitary conditions, on-line evaluation activities may be included. In this case, students will be informed of the changes made in advance.

Bibliography and complementary information:

• Toma y Tratamiento de muestras, C. Camara (editora), P. Fernández, A. Martin-Esteban, C. Pérez-Conde, M. Vidal, Editorial Síntesis, 2004
• Inductively Coupled Plasma Spectrometry and its Applications, S. Hill, Ed. Blackwell Publishing, 2ª edición, 2007.
• Bioavailability, Bioaccessibility and Mobility of Environmental Contaminants, John R. Dean, Ed. Wiley, 2007.
• Emerging Organic Pollutants in Waste Waters and Sludge. D. Barcelo, Ed. Springer, 2005.

Instruments:

The Mass Spectrometric techniques named below may be used for the two laboratory practical lessons (subject to availability). These instruments can be found in the Mass Spectrometry laboratorios (Unidad de Espectrometría the Masas) placed in the Scientific and Technological Services (Servicios Científico-Tecnicos).

• Gas Chromatograph (Agilent)
• ICP-MS 7500 CE equipped with a collision cell (Agilent)
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) 6890 N (Agilent)

Software:

The bibliographic review will be presented as a written work as well as an oral presentation using Microsoft Word and Powerpoint respectively (or equivalent software).