Chem-540
September 30 - October 1, 2010, 8:00 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Mission Valley Resort
875 Hotel Circle South | San Diego, California 92108

Instructor: Ioana Petrisor, Ph.D; Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Forensics Journal
Environmental Scientist, Haley & Aldrich, Inc.

Register Online | Directions | Accommodations | Course Brochure PDF | Course Catalog
Description: This course provides useful information for a large range of professionals dealing with environmental contamination issues, especially legal liability and complex site contamination characterization and cleanup. The goal of the course is to provide the audience with an understanding of the main environmental forensic techniques available to "fingerprint" and track a variety of contaminants (e.g., oil spills, petroleum and chlorinated solvents, metals, PCBs, PAHs) released into the environment, thereby enabling attendees to reconstruct past contamination events. Some of these techniques can reveal multiple releases and are effective when tracking old contamination that may have started decades ago. This course will include both formal presentation as well as inter-active discussions and practice involving the audience.

Course Topics:

What is Environmental Forensics?
Discussion of general and specific concepts, applicability and use.

Classic techniques:
Historical file review and aerial photograph documentation
Chemical fingerprinting
Isotopic fingerprinting
Associate compounds (signature chemicals)
Mineralogical fingerprinting
Other techniques

Emerging and sustainable techniques:
Atmospheric contaminants for age-dating
DNA fingerprinting
Dendroecology (tree-ring fingerprinting)
Case-studies

Alternative Discussion Topics Based on Audience Interest, possibly including:
eKey attributes for successful expert witness investigation and testimony
Mock trial (example)
Chinese drywall liability
Sustainability and Environmental Forensics
Environmental Forensics and Monitored Natural Attenuation

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

  • Understand techniques to conduct scientific investigations that address environmental contamination
  • Successfully settle environmental disputes (e.g., a large variety of environmental litigations)
  • Build appropriate monitoring strategies and minimize future liability
  • Effectively characterize complex sites in industrial or other settings (where many potential sources of contamination exist) enabling efficient and cost-effective remedial design

Intended Audience: This course is intended for environmental professionals including, but not limited to, environmental consultants, industrial site owners and operators (e.g., manufacturers, mining companies, foundry operators, refineries, dry cleaners), insurance agency employees, environmental lawyers, governmental employees, and environmental students.

About the Instructor: Ioana Petrisor, Ph.D, has over 18 years of experience as a biochemist, specializing in environmental forensics. She has up-to-date knowledge and has applied a variety of forensics methods to track the source and age-date contaminants in soil and water. She identified and applied cutting-edge investigative techniques such as dendroecology, which uses tree rings to detect age-date contamination and its release into soil and water, even after site mitigation. Dr. Petrisor is the Editor-in-Chief of the Environmental Forensics Journal, providing a scientific lead of the Journal. She has managed and conducted innovative research for the U.S. DOE, U.S. DOD, and European Community on environmental characterization, as well as projects relating to the development of innovative remedial technologies for a variety of contaminants in soil, aquatic sediments, and water.

Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of environmental contaminants will be useful background for successful completion this course but is not required.

Course Materials: Attendees will receive a binder containing workshop proceedings and reference material.

Continuing Education Units: 1.3 CEUs

Registration: $495/$395*
*reduced tuition is available for Native American tribes; government employees; nonprofits; students; and NAEP, NEBC, NWAEP members. Register Online!

What to Bring: Pen or pencil, coffee mug, and a water bottle (to reduce waste). Lunch will be on your own. Drinks and snacks will be provided each day.

Cancellation Policy: Registration fees are fully refundable up to 30 days prior to the event and 50 percent refundable (or 100% credit) thereafter up to 3 business days prior to the event. No refunds are issued for cancellations occurring less than 3 business days before the start day. Course registration fees and cancellation policy are subject to change without notice.

Disability Accommodations: To request disability accommodations, please contact us at info@nwetc.org or (206) 762-1976 at least 30 days prior to the event.

To find out more about NWETC's programs send us an email.

Northwest Environmental Training Center, 501(c)(3)
A nonprofit program of EOS Alliance
650 S. Orcas Street, Suite 220, Seattle, Washington 98108
Phone: (206)762-1976, Fax: (206)762-1979
www.nwetc.org