Learning objectives
This course is offered for the free choice of the student with the goal of completing the training on water resources, treatment and reuse of wastewater. The specific objectives are:
to identify and evaluate the pollutant sources and loads from the main human activities
to identify the most suitable technique for wastewater processing;
to approach the treatment plant design;
to identify and handle the main parameters for managing treatment plants.
All objectives contribute to the formation of skills and operational abilities.
Prerequisites
Basic background in basic and applied ecology and in freshwater ecology
Course unit content
This course has mainly a technical approach and is divided into four parts.
The first presents a summary of the main sources of water supply, with reference to its availability and quality. The main pollution sources and how to evaluate the pollutant loads are then presented.
The second part discuss the main wastewater treatment techniques, with emphasis on the activated sludge technique, that particularly widespread in Italy. Concurrently, students are introduced to the design of simple WWTP.
The third part presents extensive methods, with particular attention to phytodepuration with subsurface water flow.
The fourth part consist in the visit and activities to the Parma west WWTP (activated sludge with denitrification) and to a wetland system.
Full programme
Water resources: identification and exploitation. Main sources: natural surface water systems, lakes, reservoir and groundwater.
Qualitative characteristics of waters. Use limitation caused by pollution. Italian, European and international standards.
Identification of sources and estimation of pollutant loads. Polluting activities, sources and types of pollution. Population equivalent and related coefficients. Methods for calculating potential loads: IRSA-CNR method, soil system budget, NANI; estimate of the real loads. Short-circuiting of the water cycle. The integrated water cycle.
Italian and European standards for managing water and wastewaters (short notes)
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) with intensive technological systems. The activated biological sludge theory. Design of a reactor with microbial zero-order kinetics. Biological components and operation of the biological reactor. Management parameters. Other types of WWTPs (short notes): biological disks and trickling filters. Treatment, use and disposal of sludges. Legislation.
Treatments with extensive systems. Biological ponds. Constructed wetlands. Constructed wetlands. Sub-surface horizontal and vertical flow systems. Biological components and operation. Design and management. Ecological Applications: exploitation of marginal ecosystems, buffer strips, wetlands, cover crops.
Field activities.
Visit to the Parma West WWTP, meeting and discussion with the technicians who run the system.
Visit to the constructed wetland systems of the dairy farm “Coop.Sociale Santa Vittoria (Carpaneto, PC). Along with activities in the treatment plants, student will have the opportunity to visit the production system and to learn about the action taken to save water and reduce emissions.
Bibliography
Theacher notes that have to be integrated with chpters from the following texbooks.
Berland J.-M., C. Boutin, Molle P., Cooper P., 2001. Extensive treatment processes for wastewaters. European Commission, International Water Office, Luxembourg.
Provini A., Galassi S., Marchetti R., 1997. Applied ecology. UTET, Torino (in Italian)
Madoni P., 2005. Biological processes in acrivated sludges ENIA, RE (in Italian)
Teaching methods
Lectures on the main wastewater treatment techniques (60%).
Visit and activities in two types of WWTP (40%)
Assessment methods and criteria
At the end of the course students acquired skills that enable them to identify the main contaminants of water and to select the most appropriate treatment technique.
The final examination consists of the presentation of a report dealing with one of the following topics : (1 ) water quality in relation to the uses and standards, ( 2 ) qualitative and quantitative evaluation of pollutant emissions of a given productive activity, ( 3 ) selection and design of a treatment plant of a given productive activity, (4) land management to prevent and/or reduce water pollution .
The report must be submitted in written form and discussed with a power point or similar support . The written report must contain a summary (5 lines), a brief introduction dealing with the state of the art, the aims , the development of the selected topic and bibliography. The report, will be from 4 to 6 pages, margins 2.5 cm, spaced 1.5. Up to a maximum of 4 between tables and figures are allowed. The power point presentation has to be 10 minutes long with 8-10 slides.
Other information
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