CY 1201 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

ANNA UNIVERSITY CHENNAI :: CHENNAI 600 025
CURRICULUM 2004
B.E. ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
CY 1201 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

AIM
The aim of this course is to create awareness in every engineering graduate about the importance of environment, the effect of technology on the environment and ecological balance and make him/her sensitive to the environment problems in every professional endeavour that he/she participates.

OBJECTIVE
At the end of this course the student is expected to understand what constitutes the environment, what are precious resources in the environment, how to conserve these resources, what is the role of a human being in maintaining a clean environment and useful environment for the future generations and how to maintain ecological balance and preserve bio-diversity.

1. INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND NATURAL
RESOURCES 10
Definition, scope and importance – Need for public awareness – Forest resources: Use and over-exploitation, deforestation, case studies. Timber extraction, mining, dams and their effects on forests and tribal people – Water resources: Use and over-utilization of surface and ground water, floods, drought, conflicts over water, dams-benefits and problems – Mineral resources: Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and using mineral resources, case studies – Food resources: World food problems, changes caused by agriculture and overgrazing, effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, water logging, salinity, case studies – Energy resources: Growing energy needs, renewable and non renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy sources. case studies – Land resources: Land as a resource, land degradation, man induced landslides, soil erosion and desertification – Role of an individual in conservation of natural resources – Equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyles.
Field study of local area to document environmental assets – river / forest / grassland / hill / mountain.

2. ECOSYSTEMS AND BIODIVERSITY 14
Concept of an ecosystem – Structure and function of an ecosystem – Producers, consumers and decomposers – Energy flow in the ecosystem – Ecological succession – Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids – Introduction, types, characteristic features, structure and function of the (a) Forest ecosystem (b) Grassland ecosystem (c) Desert ecosystem (d) Aquatic ecosystems (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries) – Introduction to biodiversity – Definition: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity – Biogeographical classification of India – Value of biodiversity: consumptive use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values – Biodiversity at global, National and local levels – India as a mega-diversity nation – Hot-spots of biodiversity – Threats to biodiversity: habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, man-wildlife conflicts – Endangered and endemic species of India – Conservation of biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.

Field study of common plants, insects, birds
Field study of simple ecosystems – pond, river, hill slopes, etc.

3. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION 8
Definition – Causes, effects and control measures of: (a) Air pollution (b) Water pollution (c) Soil pollution (d) Marine pollution (e) Noise pollution (f) Thermal pollution (g) Nuclear hazards – Soil waste management: Causes, effects and control measures of urban and industrial wastes – Role of an individual in prevention of pollution – Pollution case studies – Disaster management: floods, earthquake, cyclone and landslides.

Field study of local polluted site – Urban / Rural / Industrial / Agricultural.

4. SOCIAL ISSUES AND THE ENVIRONMENT 7
From unsustainable to sustainable development – Urban problems related to energy – Water conservation, rain water harvesting, watershed management – Resettlement and rehabilitation of people; its problems and concerns, case studies – Environmental ethics: Issues and possible solutions – Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust, case studies. – Wasteland reclamation – Consumerism and waste products – Environment production act – Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) act – Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) act – Wildlife protection act – Forest conservation act – Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation – Public awareness.

5. HUMAN POPULATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT 6
Population growth, variation among nations – Population explosion – Family welfare programme – Environment and human health – Human rights – Value education – HIV / AIDS – Women and child welfare – Role of information technology in environment and human health – Case studies.
L = 45 Total = 45
TEXT BOOKS

1. Gilbert M.Masters, ‘Introduction to Environmental Engineering and Science’, 2nd edition,

Pearson Education, 2004.

2. T.G. Jr. Miller, ‘Environmental Science’, Wadsworth Publishing Co.
3. C. Townsend, J. Harper and Michael Begon, ‘Essentials of Ecology’, Blackwell Science.
4. R.K. Trivedi and P.K. Goel, ‘Introduction to Air Pollution’, Techno-Science Publications.

REFERENCE BOOKS
1. Bharucha Erach, ‘The Biodiversity of India’, Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad India, Email: mapin@icenet.net.

2. R.K. Trivedi, ‘Handbook of Environmental Laws, Rules, Guidelines, Compliances and Standards’, Vol. I and II, Enviro Media.

3. Cunningham, W.P. Cooper, T.H. Gorhani, ‘Environmental Encyclopedia’, Jaico Publ., House, Mumbai, 2001.

4. K.D. Wager, ‘Environmental Management’, W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, USA, 1998.