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Protecting the Public from Air Pollution

Course Number
CHL5921H
Series
5900 (Occupational & Environmental Health)
Format
Lecture
Course Instructor(s)
Jeremy Alexander Scott, Bruce Urch

Course Description

Brief Overview: This course covers the principles of air pollution from the perspective of understanding the impacts on and protection of human health.

Detailed Overview: This course will focus on air pollution in the context of understanding and managing its impact on public health. Air pollution will be considered from the local to global scale. Specific principles to be covered include: sources and emissions of air pollutants, the physical and chemical characteristics of air pollution, methods used to monitor ambient air pollutant levels and understand actual individual and population exposure; the impacts of air pollution on human health; the practice of setting ambient air quality standards; and public health benefits through reduction in exposure. Lectures on selected topics will be given by the course coordinators and other experts representing academic, medical, government and industry.

Learning Objectives and Goals

  1. Recognize and implement basic principles relevant to the production, atmospheric behaviour and public health and environmental justice impacts of and responses to air pollution.
    1. From monitoring and exposure assessment to research and epidemiology including estimates of health burden and considering from local to global perspectives.
  2. Explain the theoretical and applied knowledge of air pollution monitoring and exposure modelling and the interpretation of these data to inform regulations.
  3. Put into perspective the role of risk and/or burden assessment in air pollution and policy development.

Methods of Assessment

Presentations (2) 25%
Written Assignments (3) 40%
Final Exam 25%
Participation 10%

General Requirements

It is assumed that students have knowledge of statistics, chemistry, biochemistry, biology and human physiology. Students deficient in these areas may be required to do additional reading.