SYLLABUS

Name of Course:  Introduction to Environmental Technology 

Course Instructor:  Gary Phillips, Environmental Studies Program Coordinator
Office phone number - (712) 362-7978 & e-mail address - gphillips@iowalakes.edu 

Credits:  Lecture (EV234A) - 4 credits, Laboratory (EV234B) - 0 credits

Catalog Description:  Introduction to environmental technology with emphasis on the recognition, inventory, and evaluation of environmental pollutants.  Attention is given to the sources and types of environmental pollutants and the problems which they create.  Topics covered include environmental impact, air pollution, water pollution, and hazardous materials.

Text:  Introduction to Environmental Technology by Ann Boyce. 

Other Materials:  Introduction to Environmental Technology Laboratory Manual 

Objective of Course:  The objective of this course is to introduce students to environmental technology and to familiarize them with the methods which are available to recognize, inventory, and evaluate environmental pollutants.

Course Content:

  1. Environmental impact.

  2. Air pollution.

  3. Water pollution.

  4. Hazardous materials.

Method of Instructional Delivery:  There are three hours of lecture, demonstrations, and discussions each week.  A one-hour test will be given after each of the four units covered in this course.  Two 2-hour laboratory periods are also part of this course.  These lab periods are used for the performance of experiments, field trips, writing of lab reports, and work on special projects and research papers.

Learning Objectives/Competencies:
Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

  1. Define environmental technology and explain its role in modern society.

  2. List and describe the primary federal agencies involved in environmental protection.

  3. Briefly describe the history of the environmental movement in the United States.

  4. Describe the relationship between human population growth and environmental impact.

  5. Define the following terms; organisms, environment, ecology, biosphere, ecosystem, biomes, community, species, population, habitat, niche, succession, climax community, food chain, food web, trophic level, producers, consumers, decomposers, and ecological pyramids.

  6. Illustrate the concepts of bioaccumulation and bioamplification.

  7. Describe the problems associated with the following ecological concerns;  acid         deposition, ozone depletion, global warming, and species loss including habitat           destruction.

  8. List the key points addressed by the National Environmental Policy Act.

  9. Outline the steps involved in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

  10. Describe the relationships which exist between public health and environmental           technology.

  11. List the responsibilities of public sanitarians.

  12. List and describe the various types of diseases and give examples of each type.

  13. Describe the social ecology of disease.

  14. Describe the various technologies involved in arthropod and rodent control.

  15. Describe the basic criteria for food and milk sanitation.

  16. Define air pollution and list the various categories of air pollutants.

  17. List and describe the various processes which produce air pollutants.

  18. List the various categories of air pollutants and describe the characteristics, sources, and effects of each category.

  19. Describe the effects of air pollutants on human health and the environment.

  20. Describe the relationship which exists between air pollutants and meteorological conditions.

  21. List and describe the techniques involved in management of atmospheric resources.

  22. List and describe the key components of the Clean Air Act.

  23. Define water pollution and describe the scope of this environmental problem.

  24. Define point and nonpoint water pollution and give examples of each.

  25. List and describe the sources of water pollution.

  26. Define the following properties of water; temperature, transparency, color, turbidity, odor, velocity of flow, pH, conductivity, acidity, alkalinity, dissolved gases, dissolved ions, organic compounds, solids, salinity, coliform count, and biochemical oxygen demand.

  27. List the categories of water pollutants and describe the characteristics of each category.

  28. Draw and label a diagram of the oxygen sag curve.

  29. Describe the causes and effects of cultural eutrophication.

  30. Define the following terms; unsaturated zone, saturated zone, water table, capillary fringe, unconfined aquifer, confining bed, confining aquifer, and porosity.

  31. Describe the causes and effect of ground water contamination.

  32. List and describe the sources of ocean pollution.

  33. List and describe the techniques involved in management of water resources.

  34. List and describe the key components of the Water Pollution Control Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.

  35. Outline the current status of hazardous materials management in the United States.

  36. Describe the characteristics associated with land pollution.

  37. List and describe the categories of hazardous materials.

  38. Describe the code used to identify hazardous materials.

  39. Describe the process of nuclear fission.

  40. Outline the steps involved in the nuclear fuel cycle.

  41. Define the following terms; roentgen, roentgen equivalent man, radiation absorbed dose, and curie.

  42. Describe the hazards associated with pesticides, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, toxic metals, and radioactive materials.

  43. Define the following terms; toxicology, toxic effects, toxicity, toxicologists, toxin, toxicant, dose, exposure, acute toxicity, and chronic toxicity.                

  44. List and describe the factors that determine the toxicity of a substance.

  45. Describe the relative toxicity associated with the following standards:  LOAEL, NOAEL, LD50, LC50, TD50, and TC50.

  46. Describe how toxic materials effect the organ systems of the human body.

  47. List and describe the two theories of cancer formation.

  48. Define the following terms; carcinogenicity, cancer, carcinogen, mutations, mutagen, mutagenicity, teratogen, and teratogenicity.

  49. Describe how epidemiological data is generated.

  50. Define the following terms; risk, risk management, risk assessment, risk/benefit analysis, and safe.

  51. Describe the principles associated with risk assessment.

  52. Define solid waste and describe the scope of the problem in the United States.

Methods of Evaluation:  Four 1-hour tests of 100 points each will be given during the semester.  These tests will include multiple choice and essay questions.  Four quizzes will also be given during the semester.  Laboratory reports will be required for selected labs and will be graded on accuracy, completeness, proper format, neatness, and scientific knowledge.  A 100 point research paper is also required for this course.  Students are expected to attend class except in cases of sickness, emergencies, or excused absences.  Students who miss class for the above reasons will be allowed to make up their work.  Some extra credit may be earned for approved projects.

Grading:  Grading is determined by a percentage of total points for the semester.  Sixty percent is required to pass the course, seventy percent for a C, eighty percent for a B, and ninety percent for an A.

 

Tests 400 points
Quizzes 40 points
Laboratory Reports 260 points
Research Paper 100 points
TOTAL POINTS  800

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