Priority Organic Pollutants – Transport, Distribution and Transformation

• Has general and specific knowledge about several key groups of organic pollutants with special emphasis on persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT).
• Will have a general knowledge of the physico-chemical properties of several key groups of organic pollutants.
• Can identify the governing processes for organic pollutants and evaluate how they affect their fate, exposure and effects in the environment.
• Can relate these processes to the molecular structure and the physico-chemical properties of the pollutants.
• Can relate these processes to the characteristics of the environmental compartment.
• Can identify and evaluate the factors that affect the bioavailability and exposure of chemical compounds in various matrices.
• Has up to date knowledge about recent trends on PMT substances, PFAS and UVCBs.
• Understand the importance of persistence as priority criteria and the molecular features that are associated with high persistence.

The first part of the course covers selected key processes that control the fate, exposure and effects of organic pollutants in the environment. These processes fall within the general categories of transport (diffusion, advection, co-transport), distribution (partitioning, adsorption, entrapment) and transformations (e.g. biodegradation, photodegradation and hydrolysis). These processes will be introduced and described within an environmental organic chemistry context.
The second part of the course covers a selection of key contaminant groups: (1) Legacy persistent organic pollutants (PCBs, DDTs, dioxins), (2) Brominated Flameretardants, (3) Fluorinated organic pollutants (PFAS), (4) Polyaromatic hydrocarbons including alkylated and hydroxylated PAHs, (5) Polymer additives, (6) Persistent, mobile and toxic chemicals (PMT chemicals), (7) Pharmaceuticals and (8) UVCBs. For each group, there will be emphasis on sources and inputs to the environment, physico-chemical properties, distribution in environmental matrices, transport of compounds within and between matrices, abiotic and biotic transformations as well as environmental and human toxicity. In the lectures and exercises there will be special focus at identifying key substance properties and processes and at discussing how these affect the fate, exposure and effects of the specific chemicals. Some of the lectures will be given by experts with active research on the specific contaminant group.

12102/12104/12233/26000/26400, Qualified Prerequisites: 2-3 courses within Environmental Chemical and Biological Processes, Environmental Chemistry, Ecotoxicology, Basic (Organic) Chemistry, Environmental Pollution
and Physical Chemistry.

Lectures (internal & external) and group work

The course complements the course 12237 “Chemicals in the environment”, and is intended to provide a deeper and broader understanding of key processes and key pollutants within the area of environmental organic chemistry.

Minimum: 10, Maximum: 60.

Please be aware that this course has a minimum requirement for the number of participants needed, in order for it to be held. If these requirements are not met, then the course will not be held. Furthermore, there is a limited number of seats available. If there are too many applicants, a pool will be created for the remainder of the qualified applicants, and they will be selected at random. You will be informed 8 days before the start of the course, whether you have been allocated a spot.