ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

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AIM
The aim of this course is to create awareness in every engineering graduate about the importance
of environment, the effect of technology on the environment and ecological balance and make
them sensitive to the environment problems in every professional endeavour that they participates.
OBJECTIVE
At the end of this course the student is expected to understand what constitutes the environment,
what are precious resources in the environment, how to conserve these resources, what is the role
of a human being in maintaining a clean environment and useful environment for the future
generations and how to maintain ecological balance and preserve bio-diversity. The role of
government and non-government organization in environment managements.
Unit 1 ENVIRONMENT, ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY

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Definition, scope and importance of environment need for public awareness - concept of an
ecosystem structure and function of an ecosystem producers, consumers and decomposers
energy flow in the ecosystem ecological succession food chains, food webs and ecological
pyramids Introduction, types, characteristic features, structure and function of the (a) forest
ecosystem (b) grassland ecosystem (c) desert ecosystem (d) aquatic ecosystems (ponds, streams,
lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries) Introduction to biodiversity definition: genetic, species and
ecosystem diversity biogeographical classification of India value of biodiversity: consumptive
use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values Biodiversity at global, national
and local levels India as a mega-diversity nation hot-spots of biodiversity threats to
biodiversity: habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, man-wildlife conflicts endangered and endemic
species of India conservation of biodiversity: In-situ and ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.
Field study of common plants, insects, birds
Field study of simple ecosystems pond, river, hill slopes, etc.
Unit 2 ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Definition causes, effects and control measures of: (a) Air pollution (b) Water pollution (c) Soil
pollution (d) Marine pollution (e) Noise pollution (f) Thermal pollution (g) Nuclear hazards soil
waste management: causes, effects and control measures of municipal solid wastes role of an
individual in prevention of pollution pollution case studies disaster management: floods,
earthquake, cyclone and landslides.
Field study of local polluted site Urban / Rural / Industrial / Agricultural.
Unit 3.

NATURAL RESOURCES

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Forest resources: Use and over-exploitation, deforestation, case studies- timber extraction, mining,
dams and their effects on forests and tribal people Water resources: Use and over-utilization of
surface and ground water, floods, drought, conflicts over water, dams-benefits and problems
Mineral resources: Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and using mineral
resources, case studies Food resources: World food problems, changes caused by agriculture and
overgrazing, effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, water logging, salinity,
case studies Energy resources: Growing energy needs, renewable and non renewable energy
sources, use of alternate energy sources. case studies Land resources: Land as a resource, land
degradation, man induced landslides, soil erosion and desertification role of an individual in
conservation of natural resources Equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyles.
Field study of local area to document environmental assets river / forest / grassland / hill /
mountain.

Unit 4. SOCIAL ISSUES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

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From unsustainable to sustainable development urban problems related to energy water
conservation, rain water harvesting, watershed management resettlement and rehabilitation of
people; its problems and concerns, case studies role of non-governmental organizationenvironmental ethics: Issues and possible solutions climate change, global warming, acid rain,
ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust, case studies. wasteland reclamation
consumerism and waste products environment production act Air (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) act Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) act Wildlife protection act Forest
conservation act enforcement machinery involved in environmental legislation- central and state
pollution control boards- Public awareness.
Unit 5. HUMAN POPULATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Population growth, variation among nations population explosion family welfare programme
environment and human health human rights value education HIV / AIDS women and
child welfare role of information technology in environment and human health Case studies.
Total = 45
TEXT BOOKS
1.
2.

Gilbert M.Masters, Introduction to Environmental Engineering and

Science, 2nd edition, Pearson Education (2004).
Benny Joseph, Environmental Science and Engineering, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, (2006).

REFERENCE BOOKS
1.

R.K. Trivedi, Handbook of Environmental Laws, Rules, Guidelines, Compliances and Standards,
Vol. I and II, Enviro Media.

2.

Cunningham, W.P. Cooper, T.H. Gorhani, Environmental Encyclopedia, Jaico Publ., House,
Mumbai, 2001.

3.

Dharmendra S. Sengar, Environmental law, Prentice hall of India PVT LTD, New Delhi, 2007.

4.

Rajagopalan, R, Environmental Studies-From Crisis to Cure, Oxford University Press (2005)

Unit 1:
1. Define environment.
It is defined as the whole outer physical and biological system in which man and
other organisms live is a whole, although a complicated one, with many interacting
components.
2. What are the different types of environment?
1. Physical environment.
2. Biological environment.
3. Cultural environment.
3. What are the types of physical environment?
1. Lithosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Atmosphere.
4. What are the types of biological environment?
1. Floral environment.
2. Fanual environment.
3. Microbial environment.
5. What are the types of cultural environment?
1. Social environment.
2. Economic environment.
3. Political environment.
6. What is lithosphere?
The crust of ocean and the land comprises the lithosphere. It consists of different
type of soil nature, which includes bedrock, weathering bed rock, compacted organic
accumulation and decomposed organic debris.
7. What is hydrosphere?
This consist of the water available on surface, ground and the sea.
8. What is atmosphere?
The atmosphere is the gases which envelope the earth.
9. What are the different zones in atmosphere?
1. Troposphere
2. Stratosphere
3. Mesosphere
4. Thermoshpere

10. List out the different environmental resources.

1. Forest resources.
2. Water resources.
11. What is ecology?
It is the study of the earths households including the plants, animals, microorganisms and people that live together as interdependent components.
12. What are the different types of ecological factors?
1. Physical factor.
2. Living factor.
13. What is ecosystem?
It is defined as the natural functional ecological unit comprising of living
organism and their non living environment that interact to form a stable self supporting
system.
14. What are the types of ecosystem?
1. Natural ecosystem.
2. Artificial ecosystem.
15. What is natural ecosystem?
It operates under natural condition. There is no interference of man at all.
16. What is artificial ecosystem?
They are maintained artificially by man where energy added and manipulation is
planned.
17. What is food chain?
It is the flow of energy accepted by consumer from produced.
18. What are the different types of food chain?
1. Grazing.
2. Parasitic.
3. Detritus.
19. What is grazing?
It starts from green plants and ends to carnivorous by passing through
herbivorous.
20. What is parasitic food chain?
When plants and animals of grazing food chain are infected by parasitic. Here
smaller organisms grows or consumes larger organism without killing them.

21. What is alkalinity?

The quantitative capacity of aqueous media to react with H+ ions or donate
electrons.
22. What is amino acid?
An organic compound containing and amino group and a carboxyl group amino
acids are the units or building blocks that make peptide and protein molecules.
23. What is autotroph?
It is an organism that synthesizes food molecules from inorganic molecules by
using an external energy source.
24. What is carbon cycle?
The circulation of carbon between living organisms, the air, the water and the
earth.
25. What is biodiversity?
The variety of worlds organisms, including their genetic make up and their
communities and interrelationships. Biodiversity can be considered at three levels, the
genetic, species and ecosystem levels of biological diversity.

Unit 2:
1. What is pollution?
EPA defines a pollution as any substance introduced into the environment that
adversely affects the usefulness of a resource.
2. What are the terms are used to describe the pollution?
ppm = parts per million
ppb = parts per billion
ppt = parts per trillion
ppq = parts per quadrillion
3. Define air pollution.
Air pollution may be defined as the presence of impurities in excessive quantity
and duration to cause adverse effects on plants, animals, human beings and materials.
4. What are the prime sources of particulate matter?
1) Coal fired power plants.
2) Automobiles.
5. Define suspended particulate matter.
Suspended particulate matter is a complex mixture of small and large particles
with size less than 100 varying origin and chemical composition.
6. What are gaseous pollutants?
These are toxic and poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide, chlorine,
ammonia, hydrogen sulphate, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide.
7. What are the effects of air pollution on animals?
Animals take up fluorides of air through plants. Their milk production falls and
their teeth and bones are affected. They are also prone to lead poisoning and paralysis.
8. How air pollution can be controlled at source?
1) Proper use of the existing equipment.
2) Change in process.
3) Modification of equipments.
4) Installation of controlling equipments.
9. What are the gaseous control equipments?
1) Wet and dry adsorption.
2) Combustion or catalytic incineration.

10. What are back filters?

Bag filters are the woven or non woven fabrics used to filter the particulate laden
gases. These generally of tubular shape or envelope shape.
11. What are the factors to be considered in selection of the type of fabric in fabric filters?
1) Temperature of the gas.
2) Costiveness or abrasiveness of the particles.
12. Name some of the wet scrubbers.
1) Spray towers.
2) Centrifugal scrubbers.
3) Venturi scrubbers
4) Packed bed columns.
13. Define water pollution.
It is defined as any physical, chemical or biological change in quality of water
that has a harmful effect on living organisms or makes the water unsuitable for needs.
14. How do the nutrients from agricultural fields affect the watershed?
Enrichment of nutrients from surrounding watershed affects the penetration of
light through the water, causing damage to the characteristics of water and aquatic life.
15. Define soil pollution.
It is defined as the introduction of substances, biological organisms, or energy
into the soil, resulting in a change of the soil quality, which is likely to affect the normal
use of the soil or endangering public health and living environment.
16. Define marine pollution.
It is defined as the introduction of man, directly or indirectly, of substances or
energy into the marine environment resulting in such destructive effects as harm to living
resources, hazard to human health, hindrance to marine activities including fishing,
impairment of quality for use of sea water and reduction of amenities.
17. Define thermal pollution.
It is defined as the excessive raising or lowering of water temperature above or
below normal seasonal ranges in streams, lakes, or estuaries or oceans as the result of
discharge of hot or cold effluents into such water.
18. What are solid wastes?
The wastes generated and discarded from human and animal activities that are
normally solid are called as solid wastes.

19. What is the purpose of on site processing?

On site processing of solid wastes is used to recover the reusable materials from
the solid wastes. This process also helps in reducing the volume of solid wastes or
altering the physical form of the solid wastes.
20. Write any three on site processing methods.
1) Manual sorting.
2) Compaction.
3) Incineration.
21. What are the types of municipal solid wastes collection system?
1) Hauled container systems
2) Stationary container systems.
22. Define half life period.
The half life of a radioactive substance is defines as the time taken for decaying of
half of the material present.
23. How can you define hazardous wastes?
Wastes that create danger to the living community, immediately or over a period
of time, are called as hazardous wastes.
24. Name some of the mechanical separation methods of solid wastes.
1) Air separation.
2) Magnetic separation.
3) screening.
25. What is tsunami?
A tsunami is a wave train, or series of waves, generated in a body of water by an
impulsive disturbance that vertically displaces the water.

Unit 3:

1. Define deforestation.
Deforestation refers to the removal of plants in the forest.
2. Define surface water.
Precipitation that does not soak into the ground or return to the atmosphere by
evaporation or transpiration is called surface water.
3. What is ground water?
The subsurface area where all available soil and rock spaces are filled by water is
called the zone of saturation, and the water in these pores is called ground water.
4. What is rock?
Rock is any material that makes up a large natural, continuous part of the earths
crust.
5. Give the classifications of mineral resources.
1) Metallic mineral resources.
2) Non Metallic mineral resources.
6. Classify food production.
1) Industrialized agriculture.
2) Traditional agriculture.
7. Define traditional agriculture.
Traditional agriculture can be classified as traditional subsistence agriculture and
traditional intensive agriculture.
8. What are the types of traditional agriculture?
1) Traditional subsistence agriculture.
2) Traditional intensive agriculture.
9. Define traditional intensive agriculture?
In traditional intensive agriculture farmers increase their inputs of human and
draft labour, fertilizer, and water to get a higher yield per area of cultivated land to
produce enough food.
10. Define Traditional subsistence agriculture.
In Traditional subsistence agriculture produces enough crops or live stock for a
farm familys survival and in good years a surplus to sell or put aside for hard times.
11. Classify energy resources.
1) Renewable energy sources.
2) Non Renewable energy sources.
12. List some of the food resources available in the world.

Major food sources available in the world to cater the humans hunger are 12
types of seeds and grains, 3 root crops, 20 common fruits and vegetables, 6 mammals, 2
domestic fowl, few fishes and other forms of marine life, etc.
13. Mention any two awareness programme of environmental issues to students.
1. Participating in seminars and courses related to environmental issues
2. Discussion with people about the environmental problems.
14. Write the advantages of petroleum as a energy resources.
1. It is relatively cheap to extract and transport.
2. It requires little processing to produce desired products.
3. It has relatively high net and useful energy yield.
15. Write the disadvantages of petroleum as a energy resources.
1. Produces environmental pollution.
2. Oil spills, in ocean cause water pollution and is expensive to clean up.
16. What is fission neutrons?
The fission process is accompanied not only by the release of energy also it
releases neutrons called as fission neutrons.
17. Name the several types of nuclear reactors.
1. Light water reactor.
2. Heavy water reactor.
3. Gas cooled reactor.
4. Boiling water reactor.
5. Pressurized water reactor.
6. Liquid metal fast reactor.
18. Define soil erosion.
Soil erosion is the movement of soil components, especially surface litter and top
soil, from one place to another. The two main movers are flowing water and wind.
19. List some of the renewable energy sources.
1. Solar energy
2. Wind energy
3. Hydro energy
4. Geo thermal energy
5. Ocean thermal energy.
6. Biogas.
20. Write short notes on tidal energy.
Tides, the alternate rise and fall of sea water posses lot of energy. The identified
tidal power potential in India is around 9000MW.
21. What is equitable use of resources?

The equitable use of resources is a concept that deals with the rational use of
resources so that a harmony between mans resources requirement and its availability can
be established.
22. How will you divide the consumers?
1. Herbivores.
2. Carnivores.
3. Omnivores.
23. What is herbivores?
These are the consumers that eat plants for their energy and nutrients.
24. What is Carnivores?
The organisms that feed on herbivores are called as carnivores.
25. What is omnivores?
Omnivores eat both plants and animals.

Unit 4:

1. State the Rio declaration about the sustainable development.

The Rio declaration states that, human beings are at the center of concern for
sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony
with the nature.
2. Define sustainable development.
It is defined as the development to meet the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
3. Define sustainable development indicators.
Sustainable development Indicators are various statistical values that collectively
measure the capacity to meet present and future needs. It will provide information crucial
to decisions on national policy and to the general public.
4. What are the uses of sustainable development indicators.
The indicators are used by decision makers and the policy makers at all levels in
order to monitor the progress towards attaining sustainable development.
5. Define sustainability.
Sustainability can be defines as the ability of a society or ecosystem to continue
functioning into the indefinite future without being forced into decline through complete
loss of its strength or overloading of key resources on which that system depends.
6. Define resistance stability.
Resistance stability is the ability of a system to remain stable in the face of
stresses.
7. Define resilience stability.
It is the ability of the system to recover from the disturbance occurred due to the
activities happened.
8. Define urbanization.
It is defined as the process of movement of human population from rural areas to
urban areas in search of better economic interests with better education, communication,
health, civic facilities and other day to day needs.
9. Define water conservation.
The production, development and efficient management of water resources for
beneficial use is called water conservation.

10. Indicate some of the water conservation techniques.

1) Rain water harvesting.

2) Watershed management.
3) Construction of storage reservoirs.
4) Reuse of industrial wastewater.
11. What do you know about watershed?
A watershed is defined as the geographic area from which water is a particular
stream, lake or estuary originates.
12. What is watershed management?
Watershed management is a process aimed at protecting and restoring the habitat
and water resources of a watershed, incorporating the needs of multiples stakeholders.
13. What are the impacts of human activities on watershed?
1. Alteration of water course.
2. Addition of pollution sources.
3. Urbanization.
4. Securing of channels.
14. What are the two important principles of watershed management?
1. To preserve the environment
2. To use the most cost effective means to achieve this goal.
15. Name some of the factors causing relocation of people.
1. Development activities.
2. Natural and man made disasters.
3. Conservation initiatives.
16. Define resettlement.
It is defined as the process of simple relocation or displacement of human
population without considering their individual, community, or social needs.
17. What is rehabilitation?
Rehabilitation is defined as the process of replacing the lost economic assets,
rebuilding the community systems that have been weakened by displacement, attending
to the psychological trauma of forced separation from livelihood.
18. How do you define the term Environmental ethics?
It is the branch of ethics which is analyzing about human use of earths limited
resources.
19. Define global warming.
It is defined as the increase in temperature of the earth, which causes more
changes in climate.
20. What are the two principal acids present in acid rain?

Sulphuric acid and Nitric acid.

21. How can we minimize the formation of acid rain?
1. By reducing pollution from industries.
2. By using other sources of energy.
3. By using cleaner automobiles.
22. Define ozone.
Ozone is an odorless, colorless gas composed of three atoms of oxygen.
23. Define ozone depletion potential.
The ozone depletion potential of a compound is defined as the measure of its
ability to destroy the stratospheric ozone.
24. Define Dobson unit.
It is the scale for measuring the total amount of ozone occupying a column
overhead.
25. What are the causes for formation of waste land?
1. Deforestation.
2. Desertification.
3. Soil loss.
4. Industrial pollution.

Unit 5:

1. How the population problem in India is analysed?

1. The absolute size of population.
2. The rate of growth of the population.
3. The age structure of the population.
2. What is population explosion?
Population explosion means the rapid population growth which is unexpected and
unimaginable.
3. What is health?
Health is considered as a quality of life that enables the individual to live most
and serve best.
4. Define wellness.
Wellness is a state of optional well being. Wellness emphasizes each individuals
responsibility for making decisions that will lead not only to the prevention for disease
but to the promotion of a high level of health.
5. Name some health related fitness components.
1. Muscular strength and endurance.
2. Flexibility.
3. Body composition.
4. Cardio-vascular endurance.
6. Define Demography.
It refers to the science of dealing with the study of size, composition and
territorial distribution of population it includes study of natality, fertility, mortality,
migration and social mobility.
7. What is vital statistics?
Vital statistics are referred to a systematically and compiled data relating to vital
events of life such as birth, death, marriage, divorce, adoption, etc.
8. Name the fundamental rights of an Indian citizen.
1. Right to equality.
2. Right to freedom of speech and activity.
3. Right against exploitation.
4. Right to freedom of religion.
5. Cultural and educational rights.
6. Right to constitutional remedies.
9. Write short notes on common property resources.
Our environment has a major component that does not belong to individuals.
There are several commonly owned resources that all of us use as a community.
10. What is HIV?

HIV stands for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus and is a virus that can damage
the bodys defence system so that it cannot fight off certain infections.
11. What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. An HIV infected
person receives a diagnosis of AIDS after developing one of the AIDS indicator illnesses.
12. What is opportunistic infection?
Infection with HIV can weaken the immune system to the point that it has
difficulty fighting off certain infections. These types of infections are known as
opportunistic infections.
13. What is information?
The term information has been defines by Eliahu Hoffinan as: an aggregate of
statements or facts or figures which are conceptually by way of reasoning, logic, ideas or
any other mental mode operation connected.
14. List the applications of IT in environment.
1. Remote sensing.
2. Geographic information system.
3. Global positioning system.
4. Meteorology.
15. List the special features of comprehensive programme on women and child welfare.
1. Personality.
2. Reduction of Deprivation.
3. Co-ordinational effectivity.
4. Maternity and motherhood.
16. Name some tests available to find HIV infection.
1. Radio Immuno Precipitation.
2. Dot-blot Immuno binding assay.
3. Immuno fluorescence assay.
4. Nucleic acid testing.
17. What is ELIZA?
ELIZA stands for Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay.
18. What is half life period?
The time needed to decay half of the initial concentration of a material.
19. What is NACO?
National AIDS Control Organization.
20. What is RIPA?

Radio Immuno precipitation Assay.

21. What is health?
Health is viewed differently by different people. A common man in the street may
consider health nothing more than not being sick.
22. List the means of HIV transmission.
1. By having vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom with someone who has
HIV.
2. By using needles, syringes or other drug-injecting equipment that is infected
with HIV.
3. From a woman with HIV to her baby and by breast feeding.
4. By receiving infected blood, blood products or donated organs as part of
medical treatment.
23. Write down the HIV tests.
1. EIA
2. ELIZA
24. State the important safe sex principles.
1. Use of barrier precautions.
2. Abstinence from any behavior, which exposes another person to body fluids.
Touching does not carry the risk of HIV transmission.
25. What are the body fluids spread the HIV?
1. Blood.
2. Semen.
3. Vaginal fluid.
4. Breast Milk.