Study Notes on Environmental Science and Engineering

CHAPTER 1

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

INTRODUCTION

  • Environmental Science serves as a comprehensive overview focusing on the effects of scientific activities on our environment.

  • The core focus areas include:
      - Interactions among four key components:
        - Solid Earth
        - Water
        - Air
        - Living organisms

  • Understanding dynamic, interdependent relationships among these components.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE?

  • To explore more sustainable ways of living.

  • To comprehend the behaviors exhibited by organisms under various natural conditions.

  • To educate and increase awareness among people regarding environmental issues and problems.

COURSE OUTLINE

  • Main topics covered in the course:
      - Ecosystem and Ecology
      - Environmental Challenges
      - Roles of Engineers in Sustainability
      - Basic Science and Fundamentals

ECOSYSTEM

  • Definition: An ecosystem is a crucial term utilized in both biology and environmental studies.

  • Concept: A functional unit where a biological community of organisms interacts with non-living components as a cohesive system.

STRUCTURE OF ECOSYSTEM

  • Ecosystems are shaped by two primary categories of factors:
      - Social Benefits
      - Biotic Component
        - Producers
        - Consumers
        - Decomposers
      - Abiotic Component
        - Temperature
        - Moisture
        - Soil
        - Sunlight
        - Altitude
        - Geology
        - Air

ECOLOGY

  • Definition: The scientific study dedicated to understanding interactions between living organisms, including humans, and their physical and chemical environments.

  • Objectives:
      - Understand vital connections between plants, animals, and their surrounding environment.

WHY ECOLOGY MATTERS?

  • Resource Management:
      - Ensures sustainable use of natural resources (timber, fish, water) without depleting them.

  • Public Health:
      - Reveals how natural systems, like wetlands, filter toxins from water, affecting health.

  • Climate Change:
      - Provides data necessary to anticipate and mitigate long-term impacts of rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns on biodiversity.

  • Biodiversity Protection:
      - Informs legislation and conservation strategies aimed at stabilizing endangered populations and protecting unique habitats.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

  • Today's environmental challenges are recognized as the "Triple Planetary Crisis":
      - Climate change
      - Pollution
      - Biodiversity loss

  • These challenges are interrelated and increasingly affect global health, economies, and food security.
      - Accelerating Climate Crisis:
        - Issues include extreme weather, record-breaking heat, sea-level rise, and melting ice.
      - Pervasive Pollution:
        - Focuses on the plastic crisis, air quality concerns, and legacy pollutants.
      - Biodiversity and Ecosystem Collapse:
        - Involves mass extinction, deforestation, and soil degradation.

ROLES OF ENGINEERS IN SUSTAINABILITY

  • Water Resource Management:
      - Addressing issues of water scarcity and pollution.

  • Waste Management & Circular Economy:
      - Tackling the plastic crisis and overflowing landfills.

  • Air Quality & Emission Control:
      - Managing industrial smog and greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA):
      - Evaluating damage caused by new constructions such as malls, dams, and roads.

BASIC SCIENCE AND FUNDAMENTALS

  • Key components includes the following topics:
      - Temperature
      - Basic Mathematics
      - Simple Ratio
      - Percentage
      - Conversion Factors
      - Transformation of Units
      - Basic Chemistry & Physics

PROBLEM 1 (TEMPERATURE)

  • Scenario: A local environmental regulation prohibits treated wastewater discharge into a stream from exceeding 28 °C to protect cold-water fish species.

  • Question: Convert the maximum allowable temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

PROBLEM 2 (TEMPERATURE)

  • Question: Determine the temperature where Celsius and Fahrenheit are equal.

PROBLEM 3 (RATIO AND PROPORTION)

  • Scenario: A water treatment plant uses 124 chlorine cylinders (cy) during a 30-day period; each cylinder has an average supply of 135 lb.

  • Question: Calculate the total weight of chlorine used over a period of 3 weeks (21 days).

PROBLEM 4 (BASIC MATH)

  • Scenario: If 5.2 mg/L of chlorine (Cl2) is introduced to a water sample, after 30 minutes the residual chlorine concentration is found to be 0.9 mg/L.

  • Question: What is the chlorine demand of the water?

PROBLEM 5 (BASIC MATH)

  • Scenario: An environmental engineer checks a medical waste incinerator, which must operate at a minimum temperature of 850 °C to ensure complete pathogen destruction.

  • Current Reading: The temperature currently displayed is 1550 °F.

  • Question: Analyze whether the incinerator is operating at a sufficient temperature to meet safety requirements.