Course Description
This course discusses various types of contaminants (metals, organic pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, flame-retardants, microplastics, nanomaterials) and their impact on the environment. Lectures will cover sources, transport and fate of these contaminants in various environmental media (air, water), degradation mechanisms, uptake into biological systems and toxicity. Case studies such as pollutants in Arctic ecosystems and the potential risks they pose to the health of indigenous people will be examined. Class discussions of current scientific articles will complement lectures.
Distribution Requirement: Science
Lecture hours: 12
Tutorial hours: 12
Prerequisite: [8.0 credits and (1.0 credit from GGR201H5 or GGR214H5 or GGR217H5 or GGR227H5)] or permission of instructor
The course was extremely intellectually stimulating and encouraged a lot of rewarding class discussion. Lecture content was well organized and assessed complex concepts in a way that was very easy to grasp and apply
Core Skills Developed
- understanding of how contaminants are released, transported and bioaccumulated in ecosystems
- critiquing and analyzing scientific literature
- critical thinking, scientific study design, oral and written communication