Reclamation, Remediation and Land Restoration

obligatory courses

Analysis of environmental degradation (land, soil, water, areas), and the design and evaluation of remediation, reclamation and restoration processes requires the knowledge of phenomena in physical geology, geochemistry, hydrogeology, environmental geoengineering, anthropogenic soils, monitoring, protection and development of the environment.

The aim of the course is the presentation of forms of environmental degradation and practices used in the reconstruction of their production capacity. Technical, agronomic and biological methods of recovering soil and water are analysed. Classification of degraded areas, general rules of reclamation and remediation, methods and substances used in reclamation and remediation procedures are presented. Students learn about principles of restoration of rivers, lakes and wetlands.

- Remediation, reclamation, degraded areas and land use: definitions, basic terms, legal regulations.

- Environmental degradation forms (soil, land, water, areas).

- Industrial wasteland classifications based on the most commonly used criteria. Environmental assessment methods used for soil remediation and reclamation.

- Polluted areas and methods of treatment:

i) examples of contaminated sites and engineering activities undertaken to improve environmental quality,

ii) methods for decontamination/purification of land: land treatment methods, extent of their application, restrictions, requirements and rules of selecting them depending on the type and degree of contamination,

iii) physical methods – soil washing, liquid cleaners, extraction,

iv) thermal methods – thermal desorption, incineration, vitrification; advantages, disadvantages and limitations,

v) methods of in-situ treatment: physical-chemical methods – soil washing, ventilation, heating and complex methods (washing, aeration, bioventilation); electrokinetic methods; soil vapour extraction;

vi) chemical methods: dechlorination, in-situ filtration;

vii) biological methods (bioremediation): general assumptions of bioremediation chemically degraded areas; ex situ cleaning in tanks or bioreactors, in-situ purification (decomposition processes taking place due to direct oxygen enrichment of soil, bacteria, etc.);

viii) method of stabilization/consolidation: use of cement, silicates, lime, polymers, thermoplastic materials, natural and synthetic sorbents.

General rules of remediation, importance of vegetation cover.

- Sub-division of reclamation phases: preparatory reclamation, technical and biological reclamation. Main tasks of the individual phases.

- Directions of reclamation and management of degraded land, reclamation solutions used in Poland and Europe.

- Physical and chemical characteristics of dump material used in the reclamation process.

- General assumptions of the restoration process of degraded lands through the activities of: underground mining, surface and borehole mining, energy industry, chemical and food industry and agriculture.

- Land reclamation of eroded and flooded areas, as well as principles of restoration of rivers and lakes.

- Restoration of the water environment (assumptions, principles, directions): wetland and river valleys habitats.

During the course, the following projects are elaborated: 1) assessment of the environmental degradation of postindustrial areas, 2) reclamation of degraded lands e.g. landfills, mining areas, 3) restoration of a selected river valley.

K_W02 – student has knowledge about the multiple relationships between elements of the environment, abiotic and biotic connections and anthropogenic interactions, knows the basic parameters and diagrams describing these interactions, and methods of their mathematical record and statistical analysis

K_W03 – student has knowledge about the types of pollution, sources of their origin and migration conditions in the aquifer, the vulnerability of soils and groundwater to pollution

K_W04 – student has knowledge of the types of mineral resource deposits and groundwater, methods of their recognition and calculation of their size as well as documentation and approval procedure in connection with applicable legal acts, knows the principles of mineral resource and water resource management, has knowledge of issues of the balance of deposits and balance water-economic

K_W12 – student knows the basics of methods that allow presentation of research results in statistical terms. He knows the methods of reporting research results and reporting the state of knowledge relating to these studies based on existing national and foreign literature; knows and correctly uses terms in a foreign language (English) in the field of geology, with particular emphasis on terminology related to the implementation of European standards

K_U02 – student uses geological data online resources, can verify them, uses simple and advanced computer programs for geological calculations (e.g. Visual MODFLOW, AutoCAD or Arc GIS), interprets calculation results in a descriptive or graphic way

K_U05 – student is able to perform geological interpretation of geophysical data; is able to restor and balance geological cross-sections; has the ability to identify lithology and tectonic structures in the geophysical image and to determine their geological and petrophysical parameters; can solve basic problems related to geological and geophysical drilling services

K_U08 – student is able to independently interpret the results of research and have their own opinion about differences in views; is able to efficiently use a variety of Polish and foreign professional literature and critically evaluate its content; is able to report research results and the state of knowledge pertaining to these studies based on existing Polish and foreign literature using multimedia techniques; can write a research paper in Polish

K_U11 – student has the ability to study professional Polish and world literature and unpublished materials, has language skills at B2 + level, acquired through the use of English-language literature while preparing for seminars and writing a master's thesis; has the ability to draw conclusions and use in research work

K_U12 – student demonstrates the ability to choose the specialty and topic of the MA thesis in terms of future professional career, knows how to develop a geological task in text, graphic and multimedia form, including a master's thesis

K_K01 – student understands the need to constantly improve their professional competences and find new technologies in order to solve research problems by familiarizing themselves with professional literature and legal acts

K_K02 – student cooperates in thematic groups during field classes and during the classes

K_K04 – student realizing geological research tasks is able to identify problems and propose appropriate ways to solve them

Acceptable number of absences subject to excuse: 3

During the classes, projects are carried out: 1) assessment of environmental degradation status of a selected post-industrial area, 2) degraded land reclamation project. e.g. landfill, mining area, 3) re-naturalization project for the selected lowland river.

The basis for completing the course is a written test covering all issues discussed in class and the implementation of projects.

Possible correction in writing.