| Study programme competencies |
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Code
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Study programme competences
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| A1 |
Coñecemento das realidades interdisciplinares da Química e do Medio Ambiente, dos temas punteiros nestas disciplinas e das perspectivas de futuro. |
| A3 |
Capacitar ao alumno para o desenvolvemento dun traballo de investigación nun campo da Química ou do Medio Ambiente, incluíndo os procesos de caracterización de materiais, o estudo das súas propiedades fisicoquímicas e biolóxicas e dos procesos que poden sufrir no medio natural. |
| A15 |
Coñecer os indicadores de calidade do chan e do aire, os procesos de distribución de contaminantes e as tecnoloxías de recuperación e aplicación en cada caso. |
| A19 |
Coñecemento e interpretación da lexislación, normativa e procedementos administrativos básicos sobre medios acuosos, chans e atmosferas. Comprensión das bases científicas e económicas da sustentabilidade. |
| B2 |
Que os estudantes saiban aplicar os coñecementos adquiridos e a súa capacidade de resolución de problemas en contornas novas ou pouco coñecidos dentro de contextos máis amplos (ou multidisciplinares) relacionados coa súa área de estudo. |
| B6 |
Ser capaz de analizar datos e situacións, xestionar a información dispoñible e sintetizala, todo iso a un nivel especializado. |
| B8 |
Comprender, a un nivel especializado, as consecuencias do comportamento humano na contorna ambiental. |
| C6 |
Utilizar as ferramentas básicas das tecnoloxías da información e as comunicacións (TIC) necesarias para o exercicio da súa profesión e para a aprendizaxe ao longo da súa vida. |
| Learning aims |
| Learning outcomes |
Study programme competences |
| To understand soil behavior under human pressure.
To be able to apply soil analysis techniques to real soil problems
To soil problems involving soil pollution and remediation
To develop the capacity to analyze, evaluate, organize and plan soil use
To understand soil and groundwater pollution propagation
To know laws and norms that affect the use of soil
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AC1
AC3
AC15
AC19
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BC2
BC6
BC8
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CC6
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| Contents |
| Topic |
Sub-topic |
1 - Soil composition. Mineral and organic fractions: reactivity and interactions. Texture, structure and related properties. Cation exchange and soil reaction. Microorganisms.
2 - Soil functions. Capacity for self-purification
3 - Soil quality. Quality indicators. Risk assessment.
4 - Punctual and diffuse contamination. Degradation of soil structure. Water erosion. Erosion as a source of diffuse pollution.
5 - Impact of metals on soil functioning. Interaction between trace elements and soil composition. Cycle of trace elements in the soil.
6 - Contaminants from agricultural, urban and industrial origin. Retention and mobility of contaminants in the soil. Persistence. Assessment risl contamination.
7 - Investigation and treatment of contaminated soils. Soil recovery. Environmental control.
8 - Methods for decontamination of soils. Mechanical, chemical and biological methods.
9 - Phytoremediation of soils. Perspectives and applications.
10 - Soil as nonrenewable resource. Strategies against pollution of soils. Legislation and plans on contaminated soils.
11 - Introduction to groundwater. Sources of pollution. Behavior and mobility of contaminants in the saturated zone.
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The common thread of these issues is the relationship between soil functions and quality indicators
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Practices
- Soil sampling, observation profiles, phenomena of degradation
- Determination of physico-chemical indicators of soil quality
- Determination of biological indicators of soil quality
- Case study of contaminated soils.
- Soil and water pollution
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Most common soil profiles in the region |
| Planning |
| Methodologies / tests |
Competencies |
Ordinary class hours |
Student’s personal work hours |
Total hours |
| Laboratory practice |
A3 A15 B6 |
7 |
10.5 |
17.5 |
| Guest lecture / keynote speech |
A1 A3 A15 A19 B2 B6 B8 |
16 |
24 |
40 |
| Case study |
A1 A3 A15 B8 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
| Oral presentation |
A3 A15 A19 B2 B6 C6 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
| Objective test |
A1 A3 A15 B2 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
| Field trip |
A1 A3 A15 B6 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
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| Personalized attention |
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1.5 |
0 |
1.5 |
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| (*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students. |
| Methodologies |
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Methodologies |
Description |
| Laboratory practice |
In this activity, the students will perform soil analysis in order to measure various soil quality indicators. |
| Guest lecture / keynote speech |
The professor communicates the basic concepts and the most important contents of each topic. In addition, questions that the students should discuss and solve will be suggested in order to foster the involvement of the students in the course. |
| Case study |
Real or hypothetical situations will be suggested, and the students will have to analyze them and propose solutions to specific cases related to soil quality conditions. |
| Oral presentation |
Individual work that the students have to present in front of the class |
| Objective test |
This activity will include a series of questions to evaluate the degree of acquisition of the competences defined for this course. |
| Field trip |
A field trip will be organized to observe different soils and soil degradation processes. |
| Personalized attention |
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Methodologies
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| Oral presentation |
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| Description |
| During the course, the student will be guided by the teaching staff, individually, in all aspects that will be considered necessary, including the most relevant sources of information and any doubts that the student could have on the topics of the course. |
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| Assessment |
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Methodologies
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Competencies |
Description
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Qualification
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| Field trip |
A1 A3 A15 B6 |
Proactive attitudes during the field trip and the development of the tasks will be positively assessed. |
5 |
| Objective test |
A1 A3 A15 B2 |
The evaluation of the course contents and the acquisition of the competences defined for the course will be evaluated in a final test, which will include theoretical questions and applied problems. |
60 |
| Oral presentation |
A3 A15 A19 B2 B6 C6 |
Evaluation of the depth and quality of the work, supporting methodology, and clarity and precision of the presentation. |
15 |
| Laboratory practice |
A3 A15 B6 |
The work and skills demonstrated during the laboratory work will be evaluated. Moreover, the students will hand a final report of their laboratory work, and questions related to this activity could be included in the final test. |
10 |
| Case study |
A1 A3 A15 B8 |
A real case related to soil quality will be proposed to the student, who needs to evaluate it and suggest solutions in an environmental report. |
10 |
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Assessment comments |
La concesión de matrícula de honor se otorgará a los alumnos que alcancen tal calificación en la primera oportunidad. Se considerarán no presentados aquellos alumnos que realicen todas las actividades excepto la prueba objetiva. |
| Sources of information |
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Basic
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- Cheng, H. H. (Ed). 1990. Pesticides in the soil environmental processes, impacts and moedlling, Soil. Sci. Soc. Am. Inc. Madison. USA. - Comisión Europea. 2004. Reports of the Technical working goups. Thematic strategy for soil protection. - Consellería de Medio Ambiente e Desenvolvemento Sostible. 2006. Guía metodolóxica e técnica para a investigación da calidade dos solos de Galicia. Santiago de Compostela. - Doran et al. 1994. Defining soil quality criteria for a sustainable environment. Soil. Sci. Soc. Am. Publication n 35. Madison. USA. - Essington, M. E. 2004. Soil and water chemistry. An integrative approach. CRC Press. USA. - Giraud, M.C. y otros. 2005. Sols et environment. Dunod. Paris. - Kabata-Pendias, A. 2011. Trace Elements in Soils and Plants. Fourth ed. CRC Press. USA. - Lal, R. 2002. Encyclopedia of Soil Science. Marcel Dekker. - Porta, J. et al. 2014. Edafología. Uso y Protección de Suelos. Mundi-Prensa. - Wiley, Neil. Phytoremediation: Methods and Reviews. 2007. Methods in Biotechnology Humana Press. |
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Complementary
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Barceló, J & Poschenrieder, Ch. Phytorremediation: principles and perspectivas. 2003. Contributions to Science 2: 333-344
Pilon-Smits, E. & Pilo, M. Phytorremediation of metals using transgenic plants. 2002. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 21: 439-456 |
| Recommendations |
| Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before |
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| Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously |
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| Subjects that continue the syllabus |
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