Soil

[pic] Master of Science Degree in Industrial and Environmental Chemistry
Part I Examination

Academic Year 2007/2008 – January 2009
INEC 54062– Soil Chemistry and Terrestrial Pollution

Number of Questions: Four (04) Number of pages: Four (04)
Time : 02 hrs Answer all questions
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(01) Answer all parts

(a) Give four major processes that contribute to the soil acidity.
(20 marks)
(b) How do you recognize the soil pollution?
(20 marks)
(c) Explain the following methods of soil treatments briefly using examples. (i) Steam stripping (ii) Vacuum extraction (iii) Aeration (iv) Bioremediation (40 marks)

(d) Explain the principles behind the following water treatment methods briefly. (i) Activated carbon filtration (ii) Distillation (20 marks)

(02) Answer all parts

(a) What is Acids drainage? Explain briefly. (25 marks)

(b) List five mechanisms employed to control the release of heavy metals or metalloids to the soil-water environment. (25 marks)

(c) A pond is found to be contaminated by manganese and iron. Describe a potential electrochemical interaction between MnO2 and Fe2+. Explain why the interaction is environmentally important. (25 marks)

(d) Illustrate graphically the hierarchy of pollution and waste management strategies by comparing relative cost and risk. (25 marks)

03) Answer all parts.

a. How does “soil” differ from “earth”? (10 marks)

b. An owner of a sloppy land cuts soil/earth from high ground and fills the lower level of the land. How will it affect the soil of the land? (15 marks)

c. Define “particle