G2311 Groundwater contamination

Faculty of Science
Spring 2025

The course is not taught in Spring 2025

Extent and Intensity
2/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Tomáš Kuchovský, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Adam Říčka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Tomáš Kuchovský, Ph.D.
Department of Geological Sciences – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: Ing. Jana Pechmannová
Supplier department: Department of Geological Sciences – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Hydrogeology (G2101) recommended
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 38 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The course is intended for students of bachelor studies in geology. The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the fundamental aspects of groundwater contamination - from its origin, through the processes of contamination spreading, to the limits of contaminant concentrations in the legislative framework of the laws and regulations of the Government of the Czech Republic. The student will thus be informed about the principles of contamination transport in the unsaturated and saturated zone, with the differences between the transport of non-aqueous phase liquids which are lighter or denser than water. Moreover, the contamination and transport of emergency pollutants will be discussed. The course also includes a methodology for determining the transport characteristics of the rock environment and contaminants. Subsequently, the methods of calculating the balance of contaminants occurring in the rock environment in all its possible forms - soil air, dissolved in water, liquid residue and free phase will be explained. The course also includes a methodology for evaluating the results of laboratory analyses.
Learning outcomes
After finishing the course students should be able to: - identify the sources of contaminanation - know the main types of contaminants and principles of their transport in porous media - calculate the mass balance of contaminants in both vadose and saturated zones - evaluate the water contamination based on lab certificates - compare the concentrations with limits given in water legislation
Syllabus
  • 1) sources of contamination
  • 2) contaminants and their physico-chemical properties
  • 3) transport processes in both saturated and vadose zones
  • 4) contaminants mass balance evaluation
  • 5) data presentation, evaluation of the contamination from lab certificates
  • 6) regulatory limits in Czech water legislation.
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Pelikán, V: Ochrana podzemních vod. 1. vyd. Praha: SNTL, 1983. 321s.
  • Kliner, K. - Kněžek, M. - Olmer., M.: Využití a ochrana podzemních vod. 1. vyd. Praha: Státní zemědělské nakladatelství, 1978. 295 s.
  • Šráčk, O. - Datel, J. - Mls, J: Kontaminační hydrogeologie. Praha: UK - Karolinum, 2000. 210 s.
  • SCHWARTZ, F. W. and Hubao ZHANG. Fundamentals of ground water. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2003, vii, 583. ISBN 0471137855. info
  • FETTER, C. W. Contaminant hydrogeology. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1999, x, 500. ISBN 0137512155. info
  • DOMENICO, P. A. and F. W. SCHWARTZ. Physical and chemical hydrogeology. 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1997, xiii, 506. ISBN 0471597627. info
Teaching methods
lectures, practical exercises, home work
Assessment methods
two parts of the subject completion:
1) oral defense of separately processed project focused on the evaluation of contaminated site
2) written test.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
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