Lotic and lenitic ecosystems, abiotic conditions, cycles of matters and energy flow, biogeochemical cycles. Aquatic biota, environmental adaptations, bioindicators. Biotic interactions - competition, predation, trophic structure.
Methods of ecological research, biomonitoring.
Anthropogenic impacts - eutrophication, acidification, organic matter, toxic substances, land use, water constructions, climatic changes. Eutrophication and management of reservoirs, water quality assessment, plankton succession, biomanipulation. Saprobity and saprobic systems. Conservation and restoration of aquatic ecosystems.
The course focuses on processes associated with the treatment of surface and ground water to drinking water. A wide range of basic processes of water treatment is presented, especially coagulation and aggregation, determination of optimal coagulant dose, coagulation kinetics,separation of suspension by sedimentation, flotation and filtration, deironing, demanganation, oxidation of organic and inorganic substances, disinfection, biological methods of ammonia and nitrates removal, water hardening and softening processes, deacidification, drinking water treatment, etc.
Some special technologies such as sorption and membrane processes are presented. Considerable attention is paid to the properties of natural water in relation to drinking water treatment and to drinking water quality standards.