Guide to Environmental Engineering

Guide to Environmental Engineering

Guide to Environmental Engineering

Chandrakin Pillai

Guide to Environmental Engineering

Chandrakin Pillai

ISBN - 9789361522147

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Preface

This book deals with subject environmental engineering. The content of this book is related to engineering students. Those students are grounded in basic physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and who have already been introduced to fluid mechanics. Everything seems to matter in environmental engineering. The social sciences and humanities, as well as natural science, can be important to the practice of environmental skills. Many environmental engineers find this combination of skills and disciplines, with its inherent breadth, both challenging and rewarding. In universities, however, the inclusion of these disciplines often requires the environmental engineering student to cross-discipline and department boundaries.

The text is organized into area important to all environmental engineers: introduction to environmental engineering, environment, pollution, air pollution its effects, source, try to solve the pollution problem, water pollution, landfilling, solid and hazardous wastes noise pollution its effect source try to solve the problem, formula related to sounds related examples exercise for practice. We have included all fundamental topics and principles on which the practices of environmental engineering is grounded.

Students will find this book incredibly easy to comprehend, practice numerical, and understand what is an environmental engineering and make it ideal for everyone who has a spark of interest in environmental engineering. This book will guide you and help you to bring out the best in you. Hope you like it!

Table of Contents

1 Introduction to Environmental Engineering 1

1.1 Objectives 1

1.2 Introduction to Environmental Engineering 1

1.2.1 The Environment 2

1.2.2 Population 3

1.2.3 Sustainable Development 5

1.2.4 Water 6

1.2.5 Wastewater and Water Pollution Control 8

1.2.6 Industrial and Hazardous Wastes 9

1.2.7 Air Pollution and Global Environmental Change 11

1.3 Introduction to Environmental Policy 14

1.3.1 The EQA 1974 and the Environmental Issues 15

1.3.2 Air Quality 16

1.3.3 Related International Treaties 16

1.4 Overview 17

1.5 Exercise 18

2 Noise pollution 19

2.1 Objectives 19

2.2 What Is Noise Pollution? 19

2.3 Effect of Noise 20

2.4 Sources of Noise Pollution 22

2.5 Physical Properties of Sound 23

2.6 Sound Power and Intensity 23

2.7 The Decibel 24

2.8 Addition of Sound Level 25

2.8.1 Time-Varying Sound Level 26

2.8.2 A, B and C weight 27

2.9 Loudness 31

2.10 Noise Measurement 32

2.10.1 Sound Level Meter 32

2.10.2 Dosimeter 33

2.11 Noise Regulation 34

2.12 Overview 36

2.13 Exercise 37

3 Solid Waste 39

3.1 Objectives 39

3.2 Historical Aspects & National Problems 39

3.3 Waste Management 41

3.3.1 Waste management hierarchy 45

3.4 Waste Generation & Composition 47

3.4.1 Waste Generations 47

3.4.2 Waste Composition 50

3.5 Waste Classification 51

3.5.1 Physical Properties 55

3.5.2 Chemical Properties of Waste 59

3.6 Waste Collection and Processing 64

3.6.1 Waste Collection 65

3.6.2 Collection Technologies and Strategies 67

3.7 Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and Processing 70

3.7.1 Balers and Shredders 72

3.7.2 Other Equipment Requirements 73

3.7.3 Additional Considerations 74

3.8 Landfill Engineering and Control 74

3.9 Public Health & Environment 86

3.9.1 Aesthetics 86

3.9.2 Gas and Leachate 86

3.9.3 Birds 87

3.9.4 Fires and Odors 87

3.9.5 Pests 88

3.9.6 Rats 88

3.9.7 Scavenging 88

3.10 Overview 88

3.11 Exercise 89

4 Hazardous Waste 90

4.1 Objectives 90

4.2 What is Hazardous Waste? 90

4.3 Toxic Waste 92

4.4 History 93

4.5 Hazardous Waste Generation 93

4.6 Characteristics of Hazardous Waste 93

4.6.1 Ignitability 94

4.6.2 Corrosivity 94

4.6.3 Reactivity 94

4.6.4 Toxicity 95

4.7 Hazardous Waste Legislation 95

4.8 Overview 96

4.9 Exercise 97

5 Air Pollution 99

5.1 Objectives 99

5.2 What is Air Pollution? 99

5.3 Historical Review 100

5.4 Air Pollution 101

5.4.1 Sources of Air Pollution 105

5.4.2 Legislation and Standards 107

5.5 Classification of Pollutant 108

5.5.1 Origin 108

5.5.2 Chemical Composition 108

5.5.3 State of Matter 109

5.6 Particulate 109

5.6.1 Detection, Measurement and Analysis 110

5.7 Units of Measurement 113

5.8 Effect of Air Pollution 114

5.8.1 Effect on Health 114

5.8.2 Effect on Vegetation 118

5.8.3 Effect on Material 118

5.9 Ozone Depletion 119

5.10 Acid Rain 123

5.11 Meteorology 126

5.11.1 Stability 128

5.11.2 Plume Types 130

5.12 Overview 133

5.13 Exercise 134

6 Water Pollution 136

6.1 Objectives 136

6.2 What is Water Pollution? 136

6.3 Sources of Water Pollution 138

6.3.1 Point Sources Pollution 139

6.3.2 Non-Point Sources Pollution 139

6.4 The Effects of Water Pollution 142

6.5 Water Quality Parameters 143

6.5.1 Physical Parameters 143

6.5.2 Chemical Parameters 149

6.5.3 Biological Parameters 160

6.6 Regulation and Standard for Water Pollution 166

6.6.1 Environmental Quality Act (EQA) 1974 166

6.6.2 Marine Water Quality Criteria and Standards 170

6.7 Water Quality Trends in Malaysia 170

6.8 Principle of Water and Wastewater Treatment 172

6.8.1 Water Treatment 172

6.8.2 Wastewater Treatment 176

6.9 Overview 179

6.10 Exercise 180

Appendix 182

Glossary 186

Index 203

Chapter - 1 Introduction to Environmental Engineering

1.1 Objectives

The followings are the objectives of this chapter:

* Ability to describe basic environmental engineering components comprising air, water, and land.

* Ability to explain the concept of aspect and impact factors.

* Ability to describe and relate the Environmental Quality Act 1974 to environmental issues.

1.2 Introduction to environmental engineering

Environmental engineering is the application of science and engineering principles to manage and improve the environment. As such, topics discussed in relation to the environment normally include water, air and land resources. Sustainable development aims at providing healthy water, air and land for human habitation, for other organisms to survive, and to remediate polluted sites as well.

Human interaction with the environment could give rise to an impact on the environment and sometimes is being adversely impacted by pollutants in the environment. A large amount of data will have to be interpreted in light of the need for sustainable development. As such, environmental engineers will have to be conscious of and find viable ways to cope with such a situation.

The environmental crisis is a crisis of the senses, imagination, and use of pertinent tools that guide us in our ways of thinking, developing concepts, and postulating theories. In the context of sustainable development, aspect and impact factors affecting the environment are of prime importance in discussing the future of sustainable development. As such, any decision-making process on environmental management must be based on both these factors.

1.2.1 The Environment

Simply stated, the environment is one’s surroundings. To the environmental engineer, the word environment may take on a wide definition and requires a global perception. It should not be a narrow definition dealing only with liquid, gaseous or solid materials within a treatment plant reactor, but it should go beyond that.

Figure 1.1 The Environment

(source:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Hopetoun_Falls_NS.jpg)

The global environment comprises the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere in which life-sustaining resources of the earth are contained. The atmosphere, a mixture of gases extending outward from the surface of the earth, evolved from the elements of the earth that were gasifier during its formation and metamorphosis. The hydrosphere consists of oceans, lakes, streams, and shallow groundwater bodies that interflow with surface water.

The lithosphere is the soil mantle that wraps the core of the earth. The biosphere, a thin shell that encapsulates the earth, is made of the atmosphere and lithosphere adjacent to the surface of the earth, together with the hydrosphere. It is within the biosphere that the life forms of earth, including humans, live. Life-sustaining materials in gaseous, liquid, and solid forms are cycled through the biosphere, providing sustenance to all living organisms.

1.2.2 Population

The growing population puts pressure on both the economic and environmental systems. It brings along a need for more food, fuel, water, and goods and services. As such, it is vital to discuss the interaction of the aspects of demographics and the environment. Population growth means more demand for a good lifestyle. Above all, it creates a requirement for more investment to be committed to meet all these needs.

Consequently, there bounds to arise in economic activities, a direct impact on a lot more people, and an increasing burden on the ecosystem. However, this should not be a case for an argument to be made against population growth. If the environmental, economic and social carrying capacities of the system can cope with the demands, then it will be well and good. It must be emphasized that the purpose of an economy is to provide sufficient supplies of goods and services for the people and not to create more problems.

Figure 1.2 Pollution

(source: https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2018/08/30/08/us-pollution.jpg?w968h681)

However, there is one vital caveat: for the system to be sustainable, it must have the capacity to generate enough wealth to provide for the necessary investments for the maintenance of the environment and the material requirements of the population as well. In moving towards an era in which environmental stability is a prime factor in economic and social survival, similar observations with the earlier transition from the agricultural age to that of the industrial one can be inferred. That transition became possible only when agricultural production was sufficient to support not only those living on the agricultural land but also the new industrial population.

1.2.3 Sustainable Development

Population, economic development, and the environment are among the three important elements in the sustainability equation. Take one example: that of dealing with the unwanted waste products of development—not simply referring to solid industrial or domestic waste -but also various forms of water and air pollution generated by humans that contribute to the build-up of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere. An ecologically satisfactory solution may be pursued in three ways: limiting economic activity and thereby cutting down on the waste generating process, investing in technologies that limit and render the waste harmless, or ensuring that population growth does not exceed the capacity of the economy to evolve as per environmental requirements. If the first route is emphasized, then this may well imply that we should move away from our present technologically oriented society and go for a simpler lifestyle.

The problem is that it would have to be much simpler, and at a population density far lower and not to resort to draconian measures. It would also entail a very long period of adaptation. If the second route is chosen as the main solution, then policymakers must be fully committed to the cause. To deal with problems of waste through the wider application of technology, we will need large capital investments. In order to create this, we will, in turn, need a level of industrial output that exceeds both consumption and economic requirements so that there will be enough money available for the investment in the necessary technologies. The snag here is that the higher the levels of industrial output required, the higher will be the generated waste. Thus, we have the twin feedback loops to address in every system: a positive and a negative. The third route is to ensure that the population growth accords with the potential for environmentally sound economic development. Therefore, these are the concerns of those involved in demographic questions. Taking Malaysia as a case in point, her per capita generation rate of solid waste has been reported to be around 0.85-1.4 kg, and it is continuously increasing.

This generation rate of solid waste is rather alarming. Serious effort should be made to overcome or to prevent this generation rate so that it will not exceed the capacity available to treat it. An integrated approach should be taken in the decision-making process, and local authorities will have to gear up their plans to deal with the associated problems as they arise. In Johor Bahru, for example, the population was rapidly increasing and subsequently posing a serious