Jawaharlal Nehru University

School of Environmental Sciences

M.Sc.

Semester-I Credit Semester-II Credit

ES-461 Earth Processes 2 ES-471 Remote Sensing 2
ES-462 Environmental Chemistry 3 ES-472 Energy and Environmental 2
ES-463 Meteorology 3 ES-473 Lab. II 2
ES-464 Thermodynamics 3 ES-562 Radiation and Environment 2
ES-465 Ecology 2 8
ES-466 Lab. I 2 Group A
15 ES-475 Water Pollution 3
ES-477 Air Pollution 3
ES-578 Noise Pollution 2
8
Group B
ES-478 Ecosystem Dynamics 3
ES-479 Environmental Biochemistry 2
ES-480 Pollution Biology 3
8
Semester-III Credit Semester-IV Credit
ES-456 Field Trip 2 ES-491 Environmental Impact 2
Assessment
ES-474 Soil Science 2 ES-566 Current Topics in 0
Environmental Sciences
ES-561 Environmental Conservation 2 ES-572 Projects 3
ES-563 Marine Environment 2 5
ES-564 Water Resources 2
ES-565 Ecology and Sustainable 3
Development
13
Group A Group A
ES-485 Aquatic Ecology 2 ES-529 Soil Pollution and Solid 3
Waste Management
ES-574 Geochemistry 2 ES-573 Earth Resource 2
ES-579 Climatology 2 ES-580 Natural Hazards 2
6 ES-581 Hydrology 2
9
Group B Group B
ES-577 Environmental Pollution 2 ES-524 Eco-Toxicology 3
ES-583 Environmental Biotechnology 2 ES-582 Microbial Ecology 2
ES-585 Environmental Biophysics 3 ES-584 Environmental and 3
Occupational Health
7 8
* Field trip (2 Credits) is completed during Iind Semester but to be registered in IIIrd
Semester
** In addition to the above revised M.Sc. Package there are Two Optional course for Group A
and B with Zero Credits ES-405 Statistics Computer Applications
 M.Sc. Course Syllabus

Semester I – Common Course

Course No. Title Credits
ES-405 Statistics 0
ES-461 Earth Processes 2
ES-462 Environmental Chemistry 3
ES-463 Meteorology 3
ES-464 Thermodynamics 3
ES-465 Ecology 2
ES-466 Lab. I 2
15

Semester I

ES-405 Statistics Credits: 0

Probability; sampling, measurement and distribution of attributes; Normal, Poison and binomial distributions;
Arithmetic Geometric and Harmonic Means; Moments; Expectations mode, median, skewness, dispersion and
kurtosis; statistical inference; planning and analysis of experiments.

ES-461 Earth Processes Credits: 2

Primary differentiation and formation of core, mantle, crust, atmosphere and hydrosphere; magma generation
and formation of igneous rocks: weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition of earth’s materials by
running water, wind and glaciers: formation of land forms and sedimentary rocks: thermal, magnetic and
gravitational fields of the earth: plate tectonics – sea floor spreading, mountain building, rock deformation and
evolution of continents.

ES-462 Environmental Chemistry Credits: 3

Lithosphere: Chemical composition of the earth, metals, minerals fossil fuels, and soils.

Atmosphere: Atmospheric chemistry, reactions in the lower and upper atmosphere, radioactivity in the
atmosphere and air pollution chemistry.

Hydrosphere: Structure and properties of water and their environmental significance, fresh water and marine
chemistry, biochemical aspects f water pollutants, role of water in the environment.

Some significant chemical processes such as photosynthesis, fermentation and biodegradation; analytical
methods (for example) chromatography, spectrometry, fluorometry, etc., chemistry of pollutants (for example)
surfactants, pesticides, sewage, etc.

ES-463 Meteorology Credits 3

Meteorology fundamentals – Pressure, temperature, wind, humidity, radiation, atmospheric stability adiabatic
diagrams, turbulence and diffusion. Scales of meteorology. Applications of micrometeorology to vegetated
surfaces, urban areas, human beings, animals. Application of meteorological principles to transport and
diffusion of pollutants. Scavenging processes. Effects of meteorological parameters on pollutants and vice versa.
Wind roses. Topographic effects. Pollution climatology. Preliminary concepts of climate change. Seasons in
India, Mansoons, El Nino, ENSO, Preliminary concepts of climate change – global warming sea level rise,
ozone depletion green house gases.

ES-464 Thermodynamics Credits: 3

Review of classical thermodynamics; state of a system; first law; adiabatic transformations; second law;
Carnot’s cycle; absolute temperature; entropy; Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution; thermodynamic functions; third
law.

1
Chemical Thermodynamics: Gibb’s energy; chemical potential; activity coefficient; Gibb’s s-Donan
equilibrium; phase equilibria; equilibrium of chemical reactions; coupling of chemical reactions.

Chemical Kinetics: Simple reaction mechanisms; order of chemical reactions; kinetic equations; law of mass
action; enzyme kinetics; Michaelis – Menten enzyme kinetics.

Irreversible Thermodynamics: Linear thermodynamics of irreversible processes; flows and forces; Onsager’s
reciprocity relations; entropy change in irreversible processes; study of membranes; diffusion.

ES-465 Ecology Credits: 2

History and scope of ecology, autecoloty, synecology, population, community, biome, tolerance range and
limiting factors. Distinouishing characters of forests grasslands, arid lands and wetlands; community
organisation – concept of habitat, functional role and niche, key stone species, dominant species, ecotone, edge
effect. Analytical characters, synthetic characters like forms, species diversity and measurement of diversity.
Population dynamics, models for single and interacting population, stable points, stable cycles, chaos
competition, prey perdation, etc. Ecological succession, primary and secondary processes in successions, models
of successions, climax community and types of climax. Vegetation of India.

ES-466 Lab. I Credits: 2

Growth and maintenance of Bacteria; Selection of Bacterial mutants; Biomass estimation and Chlorophyll
estimation; U.V. Dosimetry; Purification of plasmid DNA by boiling method; Gel electrophoresis of DNA;
Purification of bio-molecules from a mixture by column chromatography; Cell organelles separation by
differential centrifugation; Assay methods of a few common enzymes; Effects of radiation on living matter.

2
Semester II – Common Course
Course No. Title Credits
ES-471 Remote Sensing 2
ES-472 Energy and Environment 2
ES-473 Lab. II 2
ES-562 Radiation and Environment 2
Package A
ES-475 Water Pollution 3
ES-477 Air Pollution 3
ES-578 Noise Pollution 2
Package B
ES-478 Ecosystem Dynamics 3
ES-479 Environmental Biochemistry 2
ES-480 Pollution Biology II 3

Semester II

ES-471 Remote Sensing Credits: 2

Principle of Remote Sensing and its application to Ground Water Environment, to mining of mineral resources,
to Landslides, Land subsidence and earthquake, Waste land mapping, to Ecology, to environmental Impact
Assessment.

A brief outline of Digital Image processing and Geological Information System.

ES-472 Energy and Environment Credits: 2

Sun as source of energy, nature of its radiation, heat budget of the earth, earth’s temperature and atmosphere.
Photosynthesis, food-chains. Energy resources and their exploitation. Conventional and non-conventional
energy sources: Fossil fuels-coal, oil and nature gas: hydroelectric power: tidal, wind, geothermal energy:
biomass: solar collectors, photovoltaics, solar ponds: nuclear-fission and fusion, magnetohydrodynamic power
(MHD). Resources of energy, energy use pattern in different parts’ of the world and its impact on the
environment. CO2 emission in atmosphere, air, thermal pollution, radioactivity from nuclear reactors, fuel
processing and radioactive waste, hazards related to hydropower.

ES-473 Lab. II Credits: 2

Wind Roses. Reading of topo maps. Reading of Geological maps. Interpretation of Remotely sensed data. X-ray
diffraction of rock/soil samples, Study of particle size distribution of sediments and soils. Water chemistry,
Dissolved Oxygen determination in waste water, Primary production and BOD: Organisms in polluted water.
MOSFET amplifier characteristics, Measurement of Noise levels, Statistical Applications (Data computation
and Analysis).

ES-562 Radiation and Environment Credits: 2

Discovery’ of Radioactivity – Units and definition of radioactivity – Radioactivity and Radiation of cosmic
Origin-Mechanism of Radiation action on living system – Stochastic and Non-stochastic effects: delayed
effects; Methods of radioactivity measurements – Terrestrial Radiation and Radioactivity-Dose from
environment radiations – Fall out from Nuclear explosions – Ultraviolet radiations (UVB-UVC) – Atmospheric.
Aquatic and biological pathways and transport – Pathways Analysis and Dose assessment – Radiologic age
dating – Radioactivity risk assessment.

3
 Package A

ES-475 Water Pollution Credits: 2+1

Types, sources and consequences, of water pollution, ecological and biochemical aspects of water pollution,
types and characteristics of domestic, industrial agricultural wastes – their effects on water bodies: chemical and
bacteriological sampling and analysis; water quality parameters; criteria and standards, sewage and waste water
treatment. Water pollution control, case studies.

Practicals: Physico-chemical parameters, for example, hardness; acidity, alkalinity, chloride, nitrate, sulphate;
iodide, etc., to be bone by tetrameter and colorimetry. Organics, for example, Phenols, Hydrocarbons etc. – to be
done by spectrophotometry Inorganics, for example, metals – to

ES-477 Air Pollution Credits: 2+1

Atmosphere and its functions, Gas laws governing the behaviour of pollutants in atmosphere, natural and
anthropogenic sources of atmospheric pollutants, significance of these pollutants and their reactions in the
atmosphere, transport and dispersion of pollutants – effect of meteorological and topographical factors, effects
of pollutants sampling of gaseous and particulate pollutants, their analysis and control, Air quality standards and
criteria, case studies.

Practicals: Dustfall/Total Suspended Particulates. Sulphation Rate-lead candle method. Flow rate
measurements – High volume and handy samplers (collection of gaseous and particulate samples). SO 2, NOX,
analysis by wet chemistry method. Organics like hydrocarbons – fluorescence method.

ES-S78 Noise Pollution Credits: 2

Basic properties of sound waves-plane and spherical waves, sound pressure and intensity levels, decibel, effect
of meteorological parameters on sound propagation. Measurement and analysis of sound. A weighted sound
level, Equivalent sound pressure level (Leq), Noise pollution level (NPL), Sound exposure level (SEL), Traffic
noise index (TNI), Day-Night level, noise criteria curves; Noise sources; machinery noise, pumps; compressors,
building and construction equipment, domestic appliances, traffic – vehicular, train, aircraft. Prediction of traffic
noise-nomograph method. Noise control and abatement measures; sound absorption coefficient (ast), sound
absorbing materials, reverberation time, acoustic silencers, mufflers, barriers, vibration and impact isolation,
anechoic chamber.

Package B

ES-478 Ecosystem Dynamics Credits: 3

The ecosystem concept, abiotic and biotic components. Energy input in ecosystem, standing crop, biomass,
primary and secondary production, gross and net production, concept of food chain food web, ten percent law,
net community’ production, methods of measuring productivity, pattern of primary production and biomass in
the major ecosystem of the world, Energy flow, Feed back and control. Biogeochemical cycles, gaseous and
sedimentary turnover rate and turnover item. Hydrological cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, sulphur cycle,
phosphorus cycle, nutrient budget, man’s impact on nutrient cycles.

ES-479 Environmental Biochemistry Credits: 2+1

Introductory Remarks: Thrust on biochemical degradation of pollutants inside the cell as well as cellular
interactions with the pollutants. Pollutant interaction with biological system at different levels, for example,
organism, organs, and cell organelles. Bioconversion of pollutants: active vs. inactive process; enzymic
degradation by monooxygenesis; role of cytochrome P 450 and its multiple form. Metal toxicity: chemical form,
metal biomacromolecule interaction, teratogenerity and carcinogenecity. Cellular/Tissue injury: altered
membrane permeability, free radical formation, lipid peroxidation, lysosomal degradation, superoxide
dismutase.

LAB: Protein: isolation and purification by column chromatography Purity by PAGE molecular determination
subunit. Determination by SDS-PAGE analysis.

4
ES-480 Pollutions Biology Credits: 3

Concepts: Pollutants vs. resources; cycling of materials, tolerance ranges, carrying capacity, Bioaccumulation.
Air Pollution: Responses of plants and animals, monitoring air pollution by plants (for example, lichens);
control of air pollution by plants. Water pollution: Responses of plants and animals to changes in physico-
chemical characteristics; distribution of plants in relation to pollution (microphytes; Phytoplankton, periphyton
and moorophytes); Biological monitoring of pollution in water, Biological control. Soil pollution: Responses of
plants to soil pollution, changes in soil characteristics, by waste disposal, sanitary land fills, mining wastes, and
human activities, plants and animals in degraded soil; soil pollution.

5
Semester III – Common Course
Course No. Title Credits
ES-474 Soil Science 2
ES-561 Environmental Conservation 2
ES-563 Marine Environment 2
ES-564 Water Resource 2
ES-565 Ecology and Sustainable Development 3
Package A
ES-485 Aquatic Ecology 2
ES-574 Geochemistry 2
ES-579 Climatology 2
Package B
ES-577 Environmental Pollution 2
ES-583 Environmental Biotechnology 2
ES-585 Environmental Biophysics 3

Semester III

ES-474 Soil Science Credits: 2

Soil Genesis: Weathering processes and soil formation. Soil profile development, chemical mineralogical
composition of soil. Soil classification.

Soil Organic Matter: Sources, composition, microbial decomposition of organic matter, Humus formation.
Nature and properties of humus. Clay-Humus complex, significance of C:N ratio. Soil colloidal system, cation
and anion exchange phenomena. Soil reaction: Soil pH, Buffering capacity. Soil acidity, alkalinity, salinity-
nature, formation and control. Soil major nutrients and Trace elements. Soil, water-Different forms,
Hydroscopic, capillary and gravitational. Movement of soil water under saturated and unsaturated conditions.
Soil Air: composition and gaseous exchange between atmosphere and soil air.

Soil Temperature, Absorption and loss of heat, Thermal conductivity through a soil profile.

ES-561 Environmental Conservation Credits: 2

Organisms-evolution and distribution in space and time: elements of energy flow, conservation and
preservation: response of ecosystem to exploitation: convergence and divergence in species: health and
conservation: diversity and the food chains: sustainable exploitation and development: Forest, water and mineral
resources conservation: wild-life conservation: Why conserve? Conservation-depletion rates model using
petroleum as example: limits to growth: Gadgil-Joshi model.

ES-563 Marine Environment Credits: 2

History and development of marine sciences; general characteristics of oceans, exploration, survey tools and
methods, Naviation and positioning systems. Physical Oceanography: Physical properties of marine waters;
temperature, density, optics. Waves-generation, shoreline Iransfonnation, energy. Currents-Wave generated,
thermo-haline, turbidity currents (gravity), large scale (gyres) oceanic circulation, Coriolis forces upwelling.
Biological Oceanography: The division of the marine environment – benthing, pelagic, batuyal, littoral. Ocean
waters as a biological environment. Distribution and population of plants and animals. Marine ecology and
fisheries potential. Effects of pollution on marine . life. Geological and geophysical Oceanography: History of
ocean basins. Geophysical and geological processes. Ocean basin rocks and sediments. Beach and beach
processes, littoral sediment transports. Coastal erosion-causes and protection. Resources of the ocean-renewable
and non-renewable.

ES-564 Water Resources Credits: 2

Basic Hydrological Concepts: The basin, the hydrological cycle, and its balances. Factors influencing the
surface water and characteristics of steam flow, sub-surface water. Darcy’s law: Darcy’s experiment; intrinsic
permeability, viscous character of ground water flow. Fundamental Equation of ground water flow:
Generalization of Darcy’s law, Equation of continuity, Elementary problems of confined, semi-confined and
undefined aquifer. Ground water levels and Environmental influences: Three variation of levels, steam flow and

6
ground water levels, fluctuations due to evapotranspiration, fluctuations due to meteorological phenomena,
urbanization, external loads, land subsidence. Water quality: Sources of salinity, measures of water quality,
chemical analysis, criteria, changes in chemical composition, temperature. Drainage: Estimates of flow storm
drainage and highway drainage. Planning for water resource development: Level, phases, objectives, data
requirements. Project formulation, environmental considerations, multi-purpose project. National water policy:
Salient features.

ES-565 Ecology and Sustainable Development Credits: 3

Ecosystem concept in space and time; Ecosystem level processes and landscape level processes; the concept of
sustainable development temporal and spatial dimensions; currencies for evaluations of sustainable development
– Biophysical measurements; Environmental degradations and conservation issues; Global change and
sustainability issues: Climate change, biological invasion, Bio-diversity concerns; Ecosystem and social
processes in: (a) Rehabilitation of degraded rural landscape, (b) Rehabilitation of unbalanced soils, (c)
Rehabilitation of specialized habitats, for example, Water bodies, mangroves; (d) Mined area rehabilitation
participatory research and education environmental decision making with people initiates.

Package A

ES-485 Aquatic Ecology Credits: 2

Aquatic Environment: major physical and chemical factors (light, temperature, gases, nutrients). Aquatic
biota: phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, periphyton, macrophytes, fish and other animals. Production in
lakes, rivers, estuaries and wetlands. Nutrient dynamics in lakes, rivers, estuaries and wetlands. Eutrophication
and water pollution: monitoring and control conservation and management of lakes, rivers and wetlands.

ES-574 Geochemistry Credits: 2

Atomic properties of elements, the periodic, table and geochemical classification of elements; abundance of
elements in the bulk earth, crust, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere; Introduction to mineral structures and
compositions; thermodynamic classification of elements into essential, structural, major and trace elements and
their partitioning during mineral formation; chemical reactions involving proton and electron transfers, mineral
stability diagrams and controls on the chemistry’ of natural waters; geochemical cycling-concepts with an
example; radioactivity, decay of parent and growth of daughter nuclides and methods of radiometric dating;
stable isotopes, their fractionation and application to geothermometry and paleoclimates.

ES-579 Climatology Credits: 2

Elements of climate, climatic controls. Earth and sun relations; Rotation and Revolution. Spatial and temporal
patterns of climate parameters in India. Indian monsoon jet streams, general circulation. Climatic classifications.
Climates of Indian region. Elements of Agroclimatology, Human and Animal bio-climatology, urban
climatology. Causes and consequences of Global Warming, Ozone hole. Sea level rise in climate. Climatic
considerations in Industrial locations, city planning, landscape architecture and abatement/mitigation of
pollution.

Package B

ES-577 Environmental Pollution Credits: 2

Nexus between energy, environment and development. Human population issues. Environmental ethics and
environmental quality. Definition of pollution. Different types of pollution – Air, Water and soil and their local,
regional and global aspects. Air: Sources of air pollutants, their sources and behaviour in the atmosphere.
Effects of air pollutants on humans, animals, plants and properties. Control approaches. Water: Sources,
consequences, control of water pollution. Soil: Sources and nature of soil pollution and its harmful effects. Solid
waste management principles. Environmental problems associated with noise pollution, oil pollution and
radioactive pollution.
ES-583 Environmental Biotechnology Credits: 2

Basic techniques in genetic engineering: Nucleic acid hybridisation and polymerase chain reaction as sensitive
detention methods. Introduction of clone genes into new hosts using plasmid and phage vector systems.

7
Expression of genes in new host. II practical aspects of genetic engineering with microorganisms from extreme
environment: (a) Use of micro-organisms like thermophiles, alkalophiles; acidophiles, halophiles and
psychrophiles in waste treatment and methane production; production of enzymes like cellulase, proteases
amylases; alcohol and acetic acid production, (b) Microbial leaching of low grade mineral ores, molecular
probes for organisms in mines and mine tailings, (c) Petroleum pollutant biodegradation. III Practicals:
Purification of plasmid DNA and analysis by gel electrophoresis use of restriction enzymes; Nucleid acid
hybridisation analysis with dot blot and southern blot.

ES-575 Environmental Biophysics Credits: 3

Cellular function of cell, membrane structure and transport origin and conduction of impulses in nerve cell
muscles, methods in bioelectric measurements. Radiation and molecular response, elementary aspects of atomic
and molecular excitation, biointeractions with environment, fundamental and applied aspects of extremely low
frequency, radio and microwave fields, bioacoustics, biomedical aspects of laser. Magnetic environments and
geomagnetic fields, behavioural changes, therapeutic and diagnostic possibilities.

8
Semester IV – Common Course
Course No. Title Credits
ES-491 Environmental Impact Assessment 2
ES-566 Current Topics in Environmental Sciences 0
ES-572 Projects 3
Package A
ES-529 Soil Pollution and Solid Waste Management 3
ES-573 Earth Resource 2
ES-580 Natural Hazards 2
ES-581 Hydrology 2
Package B
ES-524 Eco-Toxicology 2
ES-582 Microbial Ecology 2
ES-584 Environmental and Occupational Health 3

Semester IV

ES-491 Environmental Impact Assessment Credits: 2

Introductory Background: Nexus between development and environment; comparison between economic and
ecological criteria: concept of externality: shared resources: global commons: carrying capacity: origin and
development of EIA: relationship of EIA to sustainable development: EIA in project planning and
implementation: EIA process: evaluation of proposed actions: scoping EIA methodologies: role of GIS in EIA
base line study: risk assessment and risk management: mitigation measures: comparison of alternatives: review
and decision making: compensatory actions: green belts: review of procedures, practices and guidelines in India.
Case studies: river valley projects: thermal power plants: mining projects: oil refineries and petrochemicals:
tourism coastal zone development.

ES-566 Current Topics in Environmental Sciences Credits: 0

In each year, lectures and seminars will be given by teachers and other invited speakers on current topics and
environmental issues.

The course would run as a seminar series (at least 10 seminars in chosen topic) with compulsory attendance.

ES-572 Projects Credits: 3

Package A

ES-529 Soil Pollution and Solid Waste Management Credits: 3

Physical and chemical properties of soil composition of soil organic matter. Soil micro-organisms and their
functions, degradation of different insectisides, fungicides and weedicides in soil, their effects on soil
components, residual toxicity and pollution. Different kinds of synthetic fertilizer (N, P and K) and their
interactions with different components of soil. Losses of these substances due to volatilization, leaching and
microbial immobulation, their toxicity and pollution. Industrial effluents of different kinds, their interactions
with soil components, problems of toxic heavy metals and pollution. Contamination of radionuclides. Sources
and generation of solid waste, their nature and chemical composition. Their characterization and classification.
Different methods of dispersal and management of solid wastes. Recycling of waste materials.

ES-573 Earth Resources Credits: 2

Definition of resources and reserves; abundance of elements and mineral resources; classifications; plate
tectonics and mineral resources; geologic setting for geographic distribution of and reserves of important ferrous
and nonferrous metals, non-metallic and industrial minerals in India and in the world; mineral deposits through
geologic time; major and trace element geochemistry of metallic and non-metallic deposits; processing of
minerals and environment; resources, population and development.

9
ES-580 Natural Hazards Credits: 2

River Flooding: Causes, nature and frequency of flooding: nature and extent of flood hazard; urbanization and
flooding; environmental effects of flooding; flood mitigation methods; landslides: causes; human use and
landslides; prevention and correction. Coastal hazards: tropical cyclone and tsunamis; coastal erosion; sea level
changes an its impact on coastal areas. Earthquakes: causes, intensity and magnitude of earthquakes; geographic
distribution of earthquake zones seismic waves, travel-time and location of epicentre; nature of destruction;
ground subsidence; protection from earthquake hazards; volcanism: nature, extent and causes of volcanism,
volcanic materials geographic distribution of volcanoes; volcanism and climate.

ES-581 Hydrology Credits: 2

Introduction: The hydrologic cycle, Inventory of Earth’s water. Precipitation: Various form of precipitation,
interpretation of precipitation data. Evaporation and Evapotranspiration: Meteorological factors, transpiration,
methods of estimating evaporation from land surface using Penman’s equation. Infiltration and percolation:
Infiltration capacity of soil. Factors influencing infiltration capacity, methods of determining infiltration
capacity. Runoff: Duration of runoff, flow rating curves-their determination, adjustment and extension.
catchment characteristics and their effects of runoff, climatic factors. Ground water: The occurrence of ground
water factors of influence, ground water flow, abstraction of ground water. Hydrological forecasting: Frequency
analysis, probability of the N-year event, series of events, Probability plotting, Cyclical nature of hydrological
phenomena.

Package B

ES-524 Eco-Toxicology Credits: 2

Principles in toxicology; Animal management in toxicological evaluation; Animal toxicity tests; Statistical
concepts of LD50; Dose-effect and Dose response relationship; Frequency response and cumulative response;
Biological and chemical factors and influence toxicity; Bio-transformation and Bio-accumulation. Influence of
ecological factors on the effects of toxicity; Pollution of the Ecosphere by industries; Global dispersion of toxic
substance; Dispersion and circulating mechanisms of pollutants; degradable and non-degradable toxic
substances; food chain. Eco-system influence on the fate and transport of toxicants. Aquatic toxicity tests;
Statistical tests; Response of planktons to toxicants; EC 59; Photosynthetic bacteria; Bio-absolption of heavy
metals. Information management system in Eco-toxicology.

ES-582 Microbial Ecology Credits: 2

Microbial world-introductory review to the Prokaryotic and Eukaiyotic microorganisms, Nutrition and growth,
Microbial metabolism and regulation.

Major groups of microorganims. Natural environments of microorganisms – the terrestrial environment, aquatic
environment and extreme environments. Structure, behaviour and growth of microorganisms as related to the
environment. Types of Interactions-microbe-microbe, Interactions between microorganisms and plants.
Interaction between microorganisms and animals. Role of microorganisms in the cycling of bioelements – the
carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, sulpher cycle, phosphorous cycle. Role of microorganisms in the degradation of
manmade compounds pesticides, synthetic polymers, other recalcitrant chemicals.

ES-584 Environmental and Occupational Health Credits: 3

Basic principle of environmental health. Physiological responses of man to relevant stresses in the environment.
Cases and effects of pollution. Industrial Toxicology: Study of environmental dose effect relationships.
Evaluation of toxicity and threshold limits. Principles and methods of occupational health. The relationship of
occupation of hygiene and safety and disease. Health maintenance: Survey, analysis and recommendations
regarding health and safety problems in the working and living environment. Biostatistics, epidemiology:
Application of statistical methods to medical records in the study of health problems of human population in a
given environment. Treatment of variation, with demographic, vital statistics and epidemologica data. Hazard
evaluation in polluted environment with specific emphasis on radiological health. Industrial hygiene technology-
laboratory remains illustrating the principles, methods of recognizing evaluating and controlling environmental
hazards like air pollution, etc.

10
September, 1998 Prof. J. Subba Rao

11