University of the West of England

MODULE SPECIFICATION

Code: USSJPB-20-2 Title: Pollution, Health and Environment Version: 1

Level: 2 UWE credit rating: 20 ECTS credit rating: 10

Module type: STANDARD

Owning Faculty: FAS Field: Natural & Life Sciences

Valid from: September 2007 Discontinued from:

Pre-requisites: None

Co-requisites: None

Excluded combinations: None

Learning outcomes:

Students will be able to:

    • Examine the sources of physical, chemical and biological pollutants and evaluate the evidence of their impacts upon integrated exposure pathways.

    • Evaluate data for human health implications

    • Plan approaches for pollution monitoring and sampling, accurately record data and present analysed information.

Syllabus outline:

Pollution: Types of pollution; physical(noise), chemical(air, water and soil borne pollutants) and biological(carcinogens and mutagens). Properties of pollutants in the integrated environment. Persistence, bioaccumulation and bioconversion. Primary and secondary pollutants. Residence times for pollutants.

Toxicology: Principles and scope of toxicology as applied to environmental health. Acute and chronic toxicity.

Human Health: Physiological effects of environmental stressors upon human organs and tissues; inflammation, allergy, carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, fibrogenesis.

Environmental Monitoring: Techniques for monitoring at source. Monitoring the fate of pollutants: air, soil, water pathways. Critical evaluation of the reliability, precision and accuracy of the equipment in use. Interpretation of results and report writing skills.

Teaching and learning methods:

This module will be delivered using lectures, practical laboratory classes and field visits. A case study approach will be used to allow students to develop a deeper understanding of the subject.

Small group teaching and consideration of individual learning needs is provided.

Reading Strategy

All students will be encouraged to make full use of the print and electronic resources available to them through membership of the University. These include a range of electronic journals and a wide variety of resources available through web sites and information gateways. The University Library’s web pages provide access to subject relevant resources and services, and to the library catalogue. Many resources can be accessed remotely. Students will be presented with opportunities within the curriculum to develop their information retrieval and evaluation skills in order to identify such resources effectively.

This guidance will be available either in the module handbook, via the module information on UWE online or through any other vehicle deemed appropriate by the module/programme leaders.

Indicative Sources

• Hill, M.K. (2004). Understanding Environmental Pollution, Cambridge University Press.

• Metcalfe, S. and Derwent, D. (2005). Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Change, Arnold Publishers, Oxford University Press.

• Radojevic, M. and Bashkin, V.N. (1999). Practical Environmental Analysis. The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge.

• Smith, B. J. (1996). Acoustics and noise control / B.J.Smith, R.J. Peters, Stephanie Owen (2nd Ed) Longman.

Assessment

Weighting between components A and B (standard modules only) A: 50% B: 50 %

ATTEMPT 1

First Assessment Opportunity

Component A Element weighting

EX2

Examination ( 2 hours)

1

 

   

 

   

Component B

Description of each Element weighting

CS1

Case Study (1500 words)

1

 

   

 

   

Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes) No

Component A

Description of each Element weighting

EX2

Examination ( 2 hours)

1

 

   

 

   

Component B

Description of each Element weighting

CS1

Case Study (1500 words)

1

 

   

 

   

SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT

Attendance at taught classes. No

Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………

(Associate Dean/Programme Director)

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