This course covers the fundamentals of mass transport of chemicals between air, water, soil, and biota. Material is divided into three subject areas: mass transfer theory, transport processes related to engineered reactors, and transport in the natural environment. The focus of the course is on chemical calculations particular to dilute systems, with emphasis on quantifying chemical transport rates and distributions in natural and engineered environments. Special topics of interest to Environmental Engineers include biofilm models, bioreactors, chemical partitioning in thin fluid films, and fate of anthropogenic chemicals from spills and discharges into the environment (rivers, lakes, and groundwaters).

This course represents the high level of theory and engineering in the groundwater pollution control and remediation, highlighting the unity of pollution theory and engineering, advancement and practicality, reflecting the cutting-edge theory, modern methods, technology and engineering of groundwater pollution control and remediation. The course systematically introduces the definition and types of groundwater, its status and role; comprehensively describes the meaning of groundwater pollution, pollution characteristics and pollutant composition, pollution sources and pollution channels, basic patterns of groundwater movement, basic theories of hydrodynamics, physical and biological effects governing the transport of pollutants, physical and biological treatment techniques and engineering, polluted aquifer treatment techniques and engineering, and principles of treatment engineering design, etc.,

The main task of the course is to distinguish the general principles in water pollution control, air pollution control, solid waste disposal and environmental reclamation engineering, the fundamental principles of engineering design and calculations, and methodology of analyzing and solving problems. The basic knowledge includes principles in three aspects: environmental engineering systems, separation process and reaction engineering. The first part includes mass balance, heat/energy transfer and mass transfer. The second part includes precipitation, filtration, absorption, adsorption and membrane filtration. The third part includes the metrology and dynamics of chemical and microbial reactions, and the analysis and calculations of various types of reactors.

“Soil and Environmental Safety” is a core professional course offered by the School of Environment at Tsinghua University. The course addresses the critical issue of soil pollution, providing a systematic framework covering the fate and transport of contaminants in soil, risk assessment to ecosystems and human health, and cutting-edge remediation technologies and management strategies. Key Course Modules: Fundamentals: Soil science principles and contaminant chemistry. Processes & Risk: Environmental behavior of pollutants and methodologies for health and ecological risk assessment. Remediation Technologies: Principles and applications of physical, chemical, and biological remediation techniques. Policy & Management: Domestic and international soil environmental regulations, standards, and sustainable management frameworks. This interdisciplinary course integrates knowledge from environmental science, chemistry, biology, and engineering. It is characterized by a problem-solving approach and exposure to frontier research. Taught by leading experts in the field (e.g., Prof. Guanghe Li’s and Prof. Deyi Hou’s research teams), the curriculum is closely aligned with national strategic priorities (e.g., China’s “Soil Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan”) and global scientific advancements, equipping students with comprehensive skills to tackle complex soil environmental challenges.