Safety and Civil Protection Engineering

Introduction to environmental geochemistry: definitions and fields of application. Natural distribution of chemical elements: main sources and processes. Fundamental biogeochemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus). Natural and anthropogenic dispersion processes of chemical elements in the environment. Definition and identification of geochemical anomalies. Concepts of geochemical risk: exposure, vulnerability, and hazard. Sampling techniques and geochemical analysis of soils and waters. Interpretation of analytical data: basic descriptive and statistical methods. Case studies on real environmental issues: contamination of soils, groundwater, and surface waters.

Basic knowledge of general and environmental chemistry, understanding of fundamental geological principles, and elementary skills in data analysis.

Recommended textbooks: Rollinson, H.R., Using Geochemical Data: Evaluation, Presentation, Interpretation, Longman. Reimann, C., Filzmoser, P., Statistical Data Analysis Explained: Applied Environmental Statistics with R, Wiley. Alloway, B.J., Heavy Metals in Soils: Trace Metals and Metalloids in Soils and their Bioavailability, Springer. Notes and materials: Supplementary teaching materials, including presentations, handouts, datasets, and practical exercises, will be provided directly by the instructor via the University's e-learning platform or distributed during lectures.

Knowledge and use of the main methods of sampling and geochemical analysis. Ability to design and interpretation of geochemical surveys; Knowledge of the main physical parameters that regulate the geochemical mobility of exogenous factors in the environment; Identification of geochemical anomalies and their relation to the geological environment; Ability to solve environmental issues also with an interdisciplinary approach;

Attendance at educational activities, including lectures and practical exercises, is not mandatory but is strongly recommended. Regular participation is essential for a full understanding of the course topics and for effective preparation for the final examination. Attendance also offers the opportunity to engage actively with the instructor, explore applied topics in greater depth, and develop operational skills through practical exercises.

The assessment of learning is based on an oral examination aimed at verifying the understanding of theoretical concepts, the ability to analyse geochemical data, and the application of knowledge to environmental case studies. The exam will include open-ended questions on topics covered during the course and may involve discussions on practical exercises or applied cases. The ability to argue with scientific rigour and to propose solutions to environmental problems will be a key element of the evaluation. Attendance at lectures and practical sessions is not mandatory for admission to the final examination.

Teaching activities include lectures and practical exercises. Lectures, held in the classroom, are dedicated to the theoretical exposition of the course content and are supported by multimedia tools (presentations, graphs, thematic maps). Practical exercises involve the analysis of real or simulated geochemical data, interpretation of geochemical maps, use of basic statistical tools, and discussion of environmental case studies. Practical sessions are aimed at developing applied and operational skills. Attendance is mandatory: students must attend at least 75% of lectures and practical activities. All teaching materials (slides, exercises, datasets) will be made available through the University's e-learning platform.