BB907: Introduction to xenobiotics in the environment

The Study Board for Science

Teaching language: Danish
EKA: N150009102
Assessment: Second examiner: None
Grading: Pass/Fail
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Master(s)

STADS ID (UVA): N150009101
ECTS value: 2.5

Date of Approval: 29-04-2021


Duration: 1 semester

Version: Archive

Comment

Introduction course for the Masters in Climate Adaptation for students with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (TEK). The purpose of the course is to create an academic foundation since students will have different academic backgrounds.

Co-taught with BB526 with the exclusion of the laboratory part and the report. 

Entry requirements

The course cannot be taken as an elective on bachelor or master programmes.

Academic preconditions

Students following the course are expected to have basic knowledge about biology and chemistry

Course introduction

The purpose of the course is to give the student an understanding of the effects of xenobiotics on the environment including the student being able to correctly use terms within toxicology and ecotoxicology and the most important methods in the subject. Furthermore, the students gain insight into the environmental consequences of human activities. This knowledge is relevant to work with handling run-off containing xenobiotics. 

The course builds on basic high-school-level biology and chemistry.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree, it is the explicit focus of the course to:
  • Give the competence to understand the effects of xenobiotics on the surrounding ecosystems. 
  • Give knowledge about the adverse effects on humans and flora/fauna in the environment of the specific substances and groups of substances. Including effects on single organs and whole organ systems as the nervous system and the endocrine system. 

Expected learning outcome

In order to achieve the purpose of the course, the learning objective of the course is that the student demonstrates the ability to: 
  • Explain the emission, transport, and degradation of chemicals to or in the environment
  • Explain the mechanisms behind the uptake, decomposition, excretion, and effects of chemicals in humans and animals
  • Describe the dispersion and effect of chemicals in nature and humans
  • Explain the procedure for environmental risk assessment of chemicals on a general level
  • Explain the uses and effects of pesticides
  • Achieve training in analytical and critical approach in handling and interpretation of ecotoxicological data, figures, and graphs
  • Explain the most significant xenobiotics
  • Describe the expected climate effects on the dispersion and accumulation of xenobiotics

Content

The course contains these main academic areas: 
  • Terms and methods used in ecotoxicology
  • Decomposition of xenobiotics in humans and animals
  • Uptake and elimination kinetics 
  • Human and environmental effects of endocrine-disrupting substances, metals, chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT, PCB, dioxins), hydrocarbons, acid rain, radioactive elements, pharmaceutical drugs, and pesticides.
  • risk assessment of chemicals on a general level

Literature

Book: Økotoksikologi by Poul Bjerregaard

Examination regulations

Exam element a)

Timing

Autumn

Tests

Written MCQ test

EKA

N150009102

Assessment

Second examiner: None

Grading

Pass/Fail

Identification

Student Identification Card - Name

Language

Normally, the same as teaching language

Duration

2 hours

Examination aids

Not allowed, a closer description of the exam rules will be posted on itslearning.

ECTS value

2.5

Additional information

The examination form for re-examination may be different from the exam form at the regular exam.

Indicative number of lessons

42 hours per semester

Teaching Method

The teaching method is based on three phase model.
  • Intro-phase: 30 hours
  • Exercise-phase: 12 hours

Activities in the study phase:

  • Solving weekly assignments in preparation for the discussion of these in the exercise classes
  • Independent studying of some subjects from the book
  • Independent recapitulation of the curriculum

Teacher responsible

Name E-mail Department
Jane Ebsen Morthorst jamor@biology.sdu.dk Biologisk Institut

Additional teachers

Name E-mail Department City
Poul Bjerregaard Poul@biology.sdu.dk Biologisk Institut
Sara Egemose saege@biology.sdu.dk Biologisk Institut

Timetable

Administrative Unit

Biologisk Institut

Team at Registration

NAT

Offered in

Odense

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