Environmental Engineering

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I. COURSE DESCRIPTION
The aim of the course is to provide basic knowledge on environment,
natural resources, sustainable development and ecosystems by
demonstrating various types of pollution leading to a good awareness on
environmental issues and control of pollution and protecting the
environment.

II. OBJECTIVES
The course aims to:
1. To develop knowledge of basic concepts of environmental engineering.
2.To develop professional skills to deal with various types of pollution to
protect the environment.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge on natural resources and conservation
of resources.
2. Identify ecosystems, energy cycle in ecosystems.
3. Identify the mechanisms of various types of pollution, measures,
mechanism, causes, control. And experimental practice.
4. Demonstrate Environmental awareness and knowledge on
practices such as water harvesting, water conservation and
protecting natural resources.
5. Apply sustainability concept and implication in construction
industry.
6. 6. Identify the problem of global warming, causes, construction
industry contribution, and remedies

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ASSESSMENT STRATEGY

1. Continuous Assessment (50% of Total Grade)

a. Assignments, Quizzes: 30%
b. Lab Reports: 20%

2. Examinations (50% of Total Grade)

a. Mid-term exam :20%
b. Final Exam written: 30%

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TOPICS TO BE COVERED
1. Introduction to environmental engineering: Definition, principles and
scope of environmental science, earth, man and environment,
ecosystem, Pathways in ecosystem. Structure and composition of
atmosphere.
2. Natural resources: Forest, water and mineral resources,
conservation of resources, energy resources, and growing energy
needs, renewable and non-renewable resources.
3. Ecosystems: Definition of ecology, principles and scope.
Ecosystems: concept of ecosystem, structure and function of
ecosystem, and energy flows, food chains, food webs and
ecological pyramids.

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4.Pollution: Definition, causes, and effects of air, water, soil
and noise pollution. Contribution of construction industry in
pollution. Case studies on pollution.

5.Sustainability and environment: Sustainable development,

environmental and awareness, water conservation, rainwater
harvesting, global environmental issues.

6. Global warming problem, causes effects, construction

industry implications
 University of Buraimi Faculty of
Engineering
Civil Engineering Department
Environmental Engineering CIVL 313

Chapter 1
Introduction to
Environmental Engineering

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How do we define "Environment"?

"Environment" is meant to include:

• Land, water and air (all layers of atmosphere)
•Organic and inorganic matter and living
organisms and species, including humans.
• Interacting natural systems
•Social, economical and cultural conditions
influence lives of people and community;
• Any structure or thing made by people.
Photos of Environment components
What is Environmental Engineering?
The application of science and engineering
knowledge and concepts to care for our natural
environment and solve environmental problems.

Environmental engineering refers to the use of

scientific and engineering principles to help
improve the Earth’s environment to provide
healthier land, water and air for human use and
to find ways to scale back on pollution sites.
 Who does it affect?
• Everyone & Everything!
– plants
– insects
– animals
– humans
– ecosystems
– our planet
What are
environmental issues?

• Three areas:
– water quality
– land quality
– air quality
 Why Water is corner stone issue in
Environmental engineering?

• Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid, so

it carries chemicals, minerals and nutrients as it travels

• The overall amount of water on our planet has remained

the same for two billion years
• 80% of the Earth’s surface is water and humans can drink
only 2.5% of available water
Water Cycle in Environment

Groundwater Recharge
(Percolation)
 Water Quality Key Terms

• Contamination: The presence of a minor

component in another chemical or mixture.
• Purification: To make something pure or to cleanse.
• Remediation: To correct something that has gone
bad or defective.
• Adsorption: The adhesion of atoms, ions or
molecules from a gas, liquid or dissolved substance
to a surface.
 How do we purify water?

• Larger-scale methods
– reverse osmosis
– ultra-filtration
– electro-deionization
• Smaller-scale methods
– filters
– boiling
Filters
Reverse Osmosis
Activated Carbon
Carbon filtering is a method of filtering that uses a
bed of activated carbon to remove impurities from
a fluid using adsorption.

The activated carbon is a material that is produced

from carbonaceous sources materials, such as coal,
coconuts, peats, woods and ignite.

The carbon based material is converted to

activated carbon through physical modification
and thermal decomposition in a furnace under a
controlled atmosphere and temperature.
Electro Deionization
Conductivity Unit
Siemens per
meter [S/m] in SI
and
millimhos per
centimeter
[mmho/cm]

Pure distilled and deionized water has a conductivity of

0.05 µS/cm.

Seawater has a conductivity of 50 mS/cm. (mili)

Drinking water has a conductivity of 200 to 800 µS/cm.

Boiling Water
 Water Contamination Sources

• leaking sewage
• leaking underground fuel storage tanks
• pesticide and herbicide runoff
• landfills and dumps
• industrial waste
• and more…
Sewage Spills
Underground Storage Tanks
Pesticides and Herbicides
Industrial Waste Spills
 Land Quality
• Land pollution: Destruction of the Earth’s surface
caused by human activities and the misuse of
natural resources.
• Natural resources: Land and raw materials that
exist naturally in the environment undisturbed by
humans.
• Renewable resource: A natural resource that can
be replaced by a natural process.
• Non-renewable resource: A natural resource that
cannot be produced or re-grown or reused.
 Examples
Renewable Resources Non-Renewable Resources

To determine whether an item is

renewable or non-renewable, look at
our consumption of it. For example,
wood is a natural resource because we
can re-grow trees, but if we are cutting
down forests at a faster rate than we
are planting them, then wood becomes
a non-renewable resource.
What problems arise from land pollution?

Acid mine drainage Pesticides and herbicides Landfills

 Air Quality
Why is air quality such a problem?
Poor air quality can lead to:
• smog
• respiratory & other illnesses
• acid rain
• global warming
From where do air pollutants come?
 Air Quality

• Air pollutant: A known

substance in the air that
can cause harm to
humans and the
environment. Effects of acid rain on plants

– nitrogen oxides (NOx)

– sulfur oxides (SOx)
– carbon monoxide (CO)
– carbon dioxide (CO2)
Greenhouse Gases & Global Warming
• Global warming: An increase in the average air
temperature of the Earth.
• Greenhouse effect: Heat from the sun gets trapped
inside the glass of a greenhouse and heats up its air.
• More carbon dioxide (CO2) being released in the
atmosphere traps more heat.
 How do we reduce air pollutants?

• carpool
• hybrid cars
• government
regulation
• alternative fuels
• walk, bike or use
public transportation