This course will cover the various aspects of phytoremediation - the use of plants (both natural hyper-accumulators and transgenic) and their associated microbes with the purpose of environmental clean-up of contaminated soil, sediments and water. Various strategies for phytoremediation of a wide range of toxic pollutants, both organic and elemental, with a special emphasis on toxic metals will be discussed.

Fellows work on sustainability initiatives around campus and are sponsored by a faculty member.

Not available at this time.

Students in junior or senior year, with faculty sponsorship, may elect to complete a portion of their credit requirements with an internship/study experience coordinated through the Career Center.

Independent Study for Campus Sustainability Fellowship participants completing their second semester in the program.

Introduction to the biology of environmental pollution. Examples of air, water, and land degradation will be studied using case histories. Strategies to restore damaged ecosystems and current approaches to achieve sustainable environments will be discussed. (Gen.Ed. BS)

With lab. Fundamental chemical processes in soils such as precipitation/dissolution, ion exchange, redox reactions, partitioning and adsorption, and ion speciation as well as the nature of soil minerals and organic matter. Chemical processes affecting fate, transport, availability and remediation of heavy metals and organic contaminants in soils and other related terrestrial environments also addressed. Computer models used to examine some current environmental, agricultural, and engineering problems. Problem solving requiring algebraic and numerical manipulations.

Microbial processes in the soil and sediment environments. The ecology of the various microbial communities; the decomposition of organic matter, carbon transformations, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and other mineral transformations; chemistry of these reactions and their biogeochemical implications; biological equilibrium, the rhizosphere, and microbial associations. Prerequisites: basic biology and organic chemistry.

Not available at this time