Martin Scheringer: Catalogue data in Spring Semester 2021

Name Prof. Dr. Martin Scheringer
(Professor Leuphana Universität Lüneburg)
FieldChemical Engineering and Environmental Chemistry
Address
Organische Umweltchemie
ETH Zürich, CHN F 35.2
Universitätstrasse 16
8092 Zürich
SWITZERLAND
Telephone+41 44 632 30 62
Fax+41 44 632 11 89
E-mailscheringer@usys.ethz.ch
URLhttps://www.ethz.ch/content/specialinterest/chab/chemical-n-bioengineering/set-group/en.html
DepartmentEnvironmental Systems Science
RelationshipPrivatdozent

NumberTitleECTSHoursLecturers
701-0998-00LEnvironmental and Human Health Risk Assessment of Chemicals3 credits2GM. Scheringer, B. Escher
AbstractApplication of methods for chemical risk assessment for human health and the environmental according to European and Swiss regulation; hazard and risk; exposure and effect analysis for different types of chemicals. Estimation of missing chemical properties (QSAR methods); critical evaluation of risk assessment methods, presentation of alternative assessment methods.
ObjectiveThe students are familiar with regulatory approaches to human and environmental risk assessment of chemicals and can perform the main steps of a regulatory risk assessment for an industrial chemical. They are aware of pitfalls and challenges and know about new approaches to risk assessment.
ContentRegulatory methods for environmental risk assessment of chemicals (industrial chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals), European regulation REACH, Swiss regulations, international approaches
- Human vs. environmental risk assessment
- Classification and labelling of chemicals
- PBT assessment (persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity)
- Exposure analysis: emission patterns, multimedia fate and transport models for quantifying environmental exposure, Long range transport and persistence, predicted and measured exposure concentration for the environment and humans
- Effect analysis: estimation of hazard potential for ecotoxicity and human health, extrapolation methods, classification of chemicals according to modes of toxic action, predictive models (QSAR)
- Risk assessment methods (deterministic vs. probabilistic), risk assessment vs. hazard assessment, risk management
- uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, precautionary principle
- Environmental Quality Assessment (water, sediment, biota), Water Framework Directive)
- New methods in environmental risk assessment: mixtures, temporally and spatially explicit risk assessment
Lecture notesSlides of lectures, lecture notes for selected chapters and additional reading material will be made available via ILIAS. Also templates for the exercises and the report will be made available via ILIAS.
Literature- Van Leeuwen, C.J., Vermeire, T. (Eds.) Risk Assessment of Chemicals: An Introduction. Springer, 2007 (als e-book in der ETH-Bibliothek verfügbar).
- Scheringer, M., Persistence and Spatial Range of Environmental Chemicals. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2002.
Prerequisites / NoticeBlock course: Lecture and accompanying exercise where students conduct a comprehensive risk assessment for one selected chemical each according to the European regulation for industrial chemicals. The risk assessment will be presented in class and has to be compiled in a written technical report (Chemical dossier) that will be graded.

The overall work load is 90 hours with 30 hours contact time (block course) and 60 hours self-study.
701-1240-00LModelling Environmental Pollutants Restricted registration - show details 3 credits2GM. Scheringer, C. Bogdal
AbstractModeling the emissions, transport, partitioning and transformation/degradation of chemical contaminants in air, water and soil.
ObjectiveThis course is intended for students who are interested in the environmental fate and transport of volatile and semi-volatile organic chemicals and exposure to pollutants in environmental media including air, water, soil and biota. The course focuses on the theory and application of mass-balance models of environmental pollutants. These models are quantitative tools for describing, understanding, and predicting the way pollutants interact with the environment. Important topics include thermodynamic and kinetic descriptions of chemical behavior in environmental systems; mechanisms of chemical degradation in air and other media; novel approaches to modeling chemical fate in a variety of environments, including lakes and rivers, generic regions, and at the global scale, and application of mass balance modeling principles to describe bioaccumulation of pollutants by fish and mammals.
ContentApplication of mass balance principles to chemicals in a system of coupled environmental media. Measurement and estimation of physico-chemical properties that determine the environmental behavior of chemicals. Thermodynamic and kinetic controls on the behavior of pollutants. Modeling environmental persistence, bioaccumulation and long-range transport potential of chemicals, including a review of available empirical data on various degradation processes. Current issues in multimedia contaminant fate modeling and a case study of the student's choice.
Lecture notesMaterial to support the lectures will be distributed during the course.
LiteratureThere is no required text. The following texts are useful for background reading and additional information.
D. Mackay. Multimedia Environmental Models: The Fugacity Approach, 2nd Ed. 2001. CRC Press.
R. P. Schwarzenbach, P. M. Gschwend, D. M. Imboden. Environmental Organic Chemistry. 2nd Ed. 2003, John Wiley & Sons.
M. Scheringer. Persistence and spatial range of environmental chemicals: New ethical and scientific concepts for risk assessment. 2002. Wiley-VCH.
701-1350-00LCase Studies in Environment and Health4 credits2VK. McNeill, T. Julian, M. Scheringer
AbstractThis course will focus on a few individual chemicals and pathogens from different standpoints: their basic chemistry or biology, their environmental behavior, (eco)toxicology, and human health impacts. The course will draw out the common points in each chemical or pathogen's history.
ObjectiveThis course aims to illustrate how the individual properties of chemicals and pathogens along with societal pressures lead to environmental and human health crises. The ultimate goal of the course is to identify common aspects that will improve prediction of environmental crises before they occur. Students are expected to participate actively in the course, which includes the critical reading of the pertinent literature and class presentations.
ContentEach class will feature the case study of a different chemical or pathogen that have had a profound effect on human health and the environment. The instructors will present eight to ten of these and the students will present a poster on their own pollutant or pathogen in groups of two. Students will be expected to contribute to the in class discussions and, on their selected topics, to lead the discussion.
Lecture notesHandouts will be provided as needed.
LiteratureHandouts will be provided as needed.