Complex laboratory techniques for detecting trace contaminants in drinking water and effluent.
About this course
This advanced laboratory course focuses on the complex techniques required to detect and quantify trace contaminants in both drinking water sources and industrial effluent. Students will move beyond basic water chemistry to master high-precision instrumentation, including gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The curriculum emphasizes the rigorous protocols needed to ensure data integrity for regulatory compliance.
You will work through real-world case studies, analyzing samples for heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and emerging pharmaceutical residues. The course also covers the statistical handling of analytical data, ensuring you can confidently distinguish between background noise and actual contamination events.
Who takes this course
Credits: 3 · Hours: 60
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
- Apply advanced spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods to identify trace contaminants
- Design and execute sampling protocols for drinking water and industrial effluent
- Interpret complex laboratory data against provincial and federal regulatory standards
- Document analytical results in professional laboratory reports
- Troubleshoot analytical instrumentation errors and maintain calibration logs
Evaluation
| Component | Weight (%) |
| Laboratory practical examinations | 40 |
| Laboratory reports and data analysis | 30 |
| Midterm examination | 15 |
| Final examination | 15 |