In the last years a continuous evolution of the applied technologies in the field of the soil remediation is taking place. The remediation of a polluted sites must be carefully projected by means of laboratory and in situ tests, with the choice of the best solution considering the pollutants and the different operative contexts.
The aim of the course is to give the main knowledges concerning the soil physics and chemistry, the interaction among soil and pollutants and the remediation of polluted soil. Therefore the course is integrated with the knowledges concerning the chemistry, the geology, the geophysics, the dynamic of pollutants and the applied environmental engineering.

The course is useful for furnishing a theoretical and technical expertise in the field of reclamation of the polluted soil to the engineers of land and environment. The main object is to enhance the comprehension of physical and chemical phenomena concerning the polluted sites in order to give the technical and scientific instruments useful to to select the best remediation option keeping into account a cost-benefit analysis.

Chemistry, geology, geophysics

The first part of the course will concern the basic concepts of the pollutants, soil and water properties and the physical and chemical principles of the main remediation technologies. In the second part the main remediation technologies will be carefully described in order to provide students of criteria and knowledges useful to evaluate the different technical solutions and to realize a basic project of the intervention.

Characteristics and properties of different environmental targets: air, water and soil. Particularly important will be the soil characterization: components, chemical sorption coefficients, vadose and saturated zone characterization . Chemistry of aqueous solutions, chemical equilibria, material exchange: redox potential, solubility product, compounds volatility (20 h).

Characterization of polluted soils and risk analysis (8h).

Basic principles of remediation technologies: physical, biological and chemical contaminants removal. Classification of remediation treatments: in situ, on site, off site (4 h).

Tecnologies based on gas-liquid exchange: air sparging, soil venting, soil vapour extraction, dual phase extraction, bioslurping, pump and treat (12 h).

Chemical technologies: permeable reactive barriers, oxidation-reduction, solvents washing (10 h).

Physical- chemical technologies: soil washing, solidification-stabilization, phytodepuration, incineration, waterproof barriers (6h).

Environmental laws analysis.
Characterization of polluted sites: sampling and analysis procedures, geophysical investigation. Practical examples.
Simple projects and calculation concerning the examined remediation technologies.

Some didactic material will be distributed during the lessons. Beside the slides shown during lessons are available on the web.
Chiesa Guido (1994). Inquinamento delle acque sotterranee: metodi di indagine e di studio per la bonifica delle acque inquinate. Milano, Hoepli.
Suthersan, S. (1997) Remediation engineering: design concepts. CRC Lewis publishers.

The exam will be written and oral. The written exam will furnish the main evaluation for the final mark. The oral consists in one question in order to refine the evaluation.