ESE 516 Chemical Degradation and Remediation

A thorough introduction to the transformation reactions that contribute to the fate of organic substances in the environment. The course covers pathways, mechanisms and kinetics of hydrolysis, oxidation, reduction, elimination, conjugation, etc. Treatment is balanced to reflect the importance of these processes in all types of environmental waters ranging from engineered systems to groundwater, surface water, rain, and fog. (4 credits)

Recommended preparation: ESE 511 and ESE 514.

ESE 554 Biodegradation and Remediation

A process-oriented survey of microbially mediated transformations of organic pollutants. Transformations occurring in the natural environment as well as in remediation technologies are considered. Emphasis is on the pollutant properties, micro-biological factors, and medium properties that determine the pathways and kinetics of bio-degradation. (4 credits)

Recommended preparation: ESE 550.

ESE 581 Special Topics: Modeling Subsurface Chemical reactions

Chemical reactions play an important role in the fate of chemicals in the subsurface and are particularly important in the context of removing contaminants from groundwater. In some cases those chemical reactions can be significantly enhanced by manipulation of subsurface conditions. This special topics course will examine both the mechanisms of subsurface chemical reactions and the physical context in which they occur. Emphasis will be placed on mathematical modeling of those reactions through application and elaboration of the advection-dispersion equation.

Recommended preparation: ESE 550.