Understand the concepts and methods of study of Environmental Physical Chemistry. In particular: to know the scientific basis of the concept of sustainability; thermodynamic knowledge for the study of pollutant flows; in-depth knowledge on thermodynamic dynamics and terrestrial environment; life cycle analysis, LCA; basic information on the end of life of products.

Specifically:

Applied knowledge and understanding: Acquire theoretical and experimental knowledge of chemical and physical processes regarding anthropogenic pollutant compounds.
Applied knowledge and understanding: Ability to apply what has been learned during frontal lectures in experiments performed in the laboratory.
Autonomy of judgment: Students learn to evaluate objectively what they have learned during lectures and laboratory activities
Communication skills: Students acquire communication skills that are developed both during lectures and laboratory activities, thanks to a continuous verbal interlocution with the teacher, and during the oral examination.
Learning Skills: Learning skills are assessed through the oral examination and laboratory reports that are an important part of the course.

Information for students with disabilities and/or SLD

To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory measures, based on the educational objectives and specific needs.

D2: ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING 

 At the end of the course, students will be able to solve problems related to Environmental Physical Chemistry and develop scientific and/or technical application projects. 

At the end of the course, students will be able to use complex measurement and analysis equipment for the characterisation of pollutants

At the end of the course, students will be able to use the operational skills acquired for various professional and research needs in the environmental sector.

D3: INDEPENDENT JUDGEMENT

At the end of the course, students will be able to choose the most appropriate investigation techniques for the type of experimental problem to be addressed in the environmental field and to assess their limitations.

At the end of the course, students will be able to critically transfer the methodological skills acquired to different operational contexts and research topics, independently identifying the most suitable approaches in relation to the specificity of environmental problems

Students will be able to find and analyse information from open access databases, scientific literature, etc.

At the end of the course, students will be able to formulate reflections on scientific and ethical issues relating to environmental sustainability, economic impact and health. 

Students will be able to plan experimental activities, evaluating their timing and methods, independently assess the results obtained and quantify them. 

During laboratory activities and/or exercises, students will acquire the ability to work in a team.

D4: COMMUNICATION SKILLS

At the end of the course, students will be able to discuss and defend scientific issues relating to Environmental Physical Chemistry in specialist and popular contexts.

Students will acquire communication skills useful for participating in or coordinating multidisciplinary projects and groups in the field of chemical research.

At the end of the course, students will be able to work independently, managing time and resources and adapting to new contexts.  

During laboratory activities, students will learn to interact with colleagues, plan and manage the time needed to carry out laboratory experiments, and work both in groups and independently, adapting to different contexts.

D5: LEARNING SKILLS

At the end of the course, students will be able to effectively identify and consult scientific literature, specialised databases and online resources to obtain information on environmental physical chemistry.

At the end of the course, students will be able to tackle new studies, emerging scientific issues and professional problems in different work contexts.

At the end of the course, students will be able to manage complex problems, including those of an interdisciplinary nature.

At the end of the course, students will be able to find and evaluate information in order to formulate and argue solutions in specialist and popular fields.

The course is divided into two sections. One part consists of lectures to be attended in the classroom and the second part consists of experimental laboratory activities.

If the course is taught in a blended or distance learning format, the necessary changes may be made to the above in order to comply with the programme set out in the syllabus.

In silico case studies

1- Taking Earth’s Temperature. Estimating Earth’s equilibrium temperature from black-body emission
2- The Espresso Footprint: Moka versus Nespresso: energy, waste and CO₂-equivalent emissions
3- Plastic Salad or Wasted Salad? Life-cycle thinking applied to ready-to-eat salad and food waste
4- Living Downwind of a Refinery: Gaussian plume and puff models for atmospheric pollutant dispersion
5- Escape Time: Chemistry of a Marine Spill. Diffusion, dispersion and response time after pollutant release in seawater
6- Random Walks in Dirty Soil. Stochastic simulation of pollutant migration in contaminated soils
7- When the World Stopped. Atmospheric pollution reduction during the pandemic lockdown
8- Can Atmospheric Chemistry Convince a Flat-Earther? Using the NOx–O₃ photochemical cycle to infer annual periodicity
9 -Can a Machine Smell Pollution? Electronic-nose big data for odour impact assessmen

Consider a Spherical Cow, 2nd ed

Assessment methods

Oral exam

Grades are expressed in thirtieths according to the following scale:

Unsatisfactory

Knowledge and understanding of the subject: significant gaps and inaccuracies

Ability to analyse and synthesise: irrelevant, frequent generalisations

Use of references: completely inappropriate

18-20

Knowledge and understanding of the subject: very modest, obvious imperfections

Ability to analyse and synthesise: barely sufficient

Use of references: barely appropriate

21-23

Knowledge and understanding of the subject: slightly more than sufficient knowledge

Ability to analyse and synthesise: reasonable ability to analyse and synthesise, argues logically and

coherently

Use of references: uses standard references

24-26

Knowledge and understanding of the subject: good knowledge

Ability to analyse and synthesise: has good analytical and synthesis skills, arguments are presented

coherently

Use of references: uses standard references

27-29

Knowledge and understanding of the subject: more than good knowledge

Ability to analyse and synthesise: has remarkable analytical and synthesis skills

Use of references: has explored the topics in depth

30-30 with honours

Knowledge and understanding of the subject: excellent knowledge

Ability to analyse and synthesise: has remarkable analytical and synthesis skills.

Use of references: significant insights.

Definition of solar radiation, albedo, earth temperature Degradation kinetics. 

Synthesis and applications of nanoparticles for eco-remediation 

What are temperature inversion and thermal gradient