This course surveys society’s interaction with water, air, and soil systems. The role of engineering in these major environmental components is examined in terms of pollution, waste, fate and transport, and sustainability. Each of these topics will be discussed in the context of fundamental chemical and physical principles while considering the human and ecological health drivers that keep the material relevant and interesting.

This course covers the basic principles of aquatic chemistry as applied to problems in natural and engineered waters relevant to environmental engineering. Four specific reaction types will be covered including 1) acid-base, 2) precipitation-dissolution, 3) complexation, and 4) oxidation-reduction. Problem solving skills will be developed using graphical, analytical and computer simulation techniques.

This class covers the increasingly necessary shift from current industrial system designs toward a more sustainable system based on efficient and effective use of benign materials and energy. The focus is on a green engineering design framework and the key approaches to advancing sustainability through engineering design. This class will cover sustainability, metrics, general design processes, and challenges to sustainability. The current approach to design, manufacturing, and disposal will be discussed in the context of examples and case studies from various sectors. Fundamental engineering design topics that will be addressed include toxicity and benign alternatives, pollution prevention and source reduction, separations and disassembly, material and energy efficiencies and flows, systems analysis, biomimicry, and life cycle design, management, and analysis.