Natural Attenuation of Groundwater Contaminants: New Paradigms, Technologies, and Applications
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Approx. 28 hours to complete
Course Summary
Learn about natural attenuation of groundwater contaminants and how to apply it to your work in environmental engineering. This course covers the basics of biodegradation and chemical degradation, as well as natural attenuation processes like dilution and sorption.Key Learning Points
- Understand the basic principles of natural attenuation and how it can be applied to remediate contaminated groundwater
- Learn about the different types of natural attenuation, including biodegradation and chemical degradation
- Explore case studies of successful natural attenuation projects and gain practical skills for your own work
Job Positions & Salaries of people who have taken this course might have
- USA: $68,000
- India: ₹4,80,000
- Spain: €33,000
- USA: $68,000
- India: ₹4,80,000
- Spain: €33,000
- USA: $85,000
- India: ₹6,00,000
- Spain: €41,000
- USA: $68,000
- India: ₹4,80,000
- Spain: €33,000
- USA: $85,000
- India: ₹6,00,000
- Spain: €41,000
- USA: $64,000
- India: ₹4,50,000
- Spain: €31,000
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the basic principles of natural attenuation and its applications
- Develop practical skills for designing natural attenuation projects
- Apply natural attenuation principles to real-world contaminated sites
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic knowledge of environmental engineering
- Familiarity with groundwater contamination
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online, self-paced
- Video lectures
- Case studies and examples
Similar Courses
- Groundwater Contamination and Remediation
- Bioremediation
Related Education Paths
Notable People in This Field
- Dr. Jane Smith
- Dr. David Brown
Related Books
Description
Cleaning up the large number of groundwater contamination sites is a significant and complex environmental challenge. The environmental industry is continuously looking for remediation methods that are both effective and cost-efficient. Over the past 10 years there have been amazing, important developments in our understanding of key attenuation processes and technologies for evaluating natural attenuation processes, and a changing institutional perspective on when and where Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) may be applied. Despite these advances, restoring groundwater contaminated by anthropogenic sources to allow for unrestricted use continues to be a challenge. Because of a complex mix of physical, chemical, and biological constraints associated with active in-situ cleanup technologies, there has been a long standing focus on understanding natural processes that attenuate groundwater contaminant plumes.
Outline
- Course Overview and MNA as an Evolving Technology
- Course Trailer
- Course Overview
- Course Navigation
- Changing Paradigms for Groundwater Remediation
- Active Remedation vs. MNA
- History of MNA: Fuels, Solvents, Three Lines of Evidence
- Key MNA Protocols
- New Technologies, New Thinking about MNA
- Three Key MNA Processes: 1) Degradation; 2) Storage; 3) Dilution
- General Course Information
- Discussion Forum Guidelines
- Pre-Course Survey
- Week 1 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- Week 1 Quiz
- Biodegradation Principles
- Requirements for Biodegradation
- Thermodynamic Feasibility of Biodegradation
- All About Electron Donors and Acceptors
- Biodegradation Mechanisms: Chlorinated Solvents vs Hydrocarbons
- Reactions at Interfaces and Sustained Treatment: Emerging Concepts
- Biodegradation Kinetics: from Monod to First-Order Models
- Mass Balance Type Calculations
- Week 2 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- Week 2 Quiz
- Abiotic Degradation Principles
- Abiotic Degradation Principles
- Which Minerals Degrade which Contaminants?
- Reaction Models
- Methods and Challenges for Documenting Abiotic Degradation
- Other Abiotic Reactions: Hydrolysis
- Application: Does Abiotic Degradation Explain Attenuation Observed at Field Site?
- Week 3 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- Week 3 Quiz
- Attenuation and Storage in Low K Zones
- Matrix Diffusion Principles
- Diffusion vs Dispersion
- Matrix Diffusion in the Lab and Field
- Matrix Diffusion Sampling
- Groundwater Models for Matrix Diffusion
- Degradation Processes Within Low-k Zones
- Week 4 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- Week 4 Quiz
- Dilution as an Attenuation Process - Sometimes
- Groundwater Flow Review
- Darcy vs. Seepage Velocity
- Attenuation Due to Mixing and Dispersion
- Mass Flux/Mass Discharge Concepts for Estimating Dilution
- Mass Flux/Mass Discharge Measurement Methods
- Plume Magnitude Classification System/Mass Discharge Wrap Up
- Week 5 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- Week 5 Quiz
- Better Technologies: Compound Specific Isotopes & Molecular Biological Tools
- Types of Isotope Analysis and Sampling Techniques/Lab Analysis
- Interpreting CSIA Data
- Emerging Technologies with Isotopes: Pathways and Modeling
- Demonstrating In-Situ Biodegradation
- Molecular Evidence of Biodegradation
- Stable Isotope Probing
- Week 6 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- Week 6 Quiz
- Monitoring for MNA
- High Resolution Characterization for MNA
- Designing an MNA Monitoring Program
- Monitoring Frequency
- Trend Analysis
- Monitoring Well Dynamics
- Key MNA Calculations and Graphics
- Week 7 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- Week 7 Quiz
- Modeling Tools to Support MNA
- How Long, How Far? Key Questions for Modeling Tools
- Fate and Transport Equations for MNA
- Analytical Groundwater Models for MNA
- Estimating Remediation Timeframes
- MNA Lessons from "Big Data" Studies
- Numerical Groundwater Computer Models and MNA
- Week 8 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- Week 8 Quiz
- New Directions for MNA
- BioPIC: Bio Pathway Identification Criteria Screening Tool for MNA
- Applicability of MNA for Different Contaminant Classes
- Natural Source Zone Depletion (NSZD)
- Thermal Monitoring of Natural Source Zone Depletion (Thermal NSZD)
- Low Risk Sites, Transition Assessments, and MNA
- Where MNA Might Go From Here
- Week 9 Homework Exercises (Optional)
- End-of-Course Survey
- Week 9 Quiz
Summary of User Reviews
This course on natural attenuation of groundwater contaminants has received positive reviews from users. The course covers important topics related to groundwater contamination and provides practical solutions for addressing the issue. Users have particularly enjoyed the hands-on approach taken by the instructors to teach the course material.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
Many users have praised the hands-on approach taken by the instructors to teach the course material.Pros from User Reviews
- Practical solutions for addressing groundwater contamination
- Instructors take a hands-on approach to teaching the material
- Course is well-structured and easy to follow
- Excellent resources and materials provided
- Instructors are knowledgeable and engaging
Cons from User Reviews
- Some users found the course material to be too basic
- Course may not be suitable for advanced learners
- Limited opportunities for interaction with other students
- Some of the videos could have been shorter
- Not all of the content was relevant to every user
Pedro Alvarez
4.8 Raiting
Natural Attenuation of Groundwater Contaminants: New Paradigms, Technologies, and Applications
- 4.8
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Cleaning up the large number of groundwater contamination sites is a significant and complex environmental challenge. Course Overview and MNA as an Evolving Technology...
