General concepts about microbial biotechnologies. Wastewater
treatment, composting, bioremediation, microorganisms and plastic
degradation, CO2 biofixation, biomineralization and its applications,
microorganisms as biofertilizers and biostimulants in agriculture.
The teacher will provide relevant recent publications, mainly reviews,
indicating, when necessary, the parts to be studied.
Learning Objectives
Learning objective of the course is to develop knowledge and
competences regarding microbial biotechnologies used to protect soil and
the environment in general. In particular, technologies aimed at
preventing pollution or loss of function of ecosystems, as well as
technologies for the restoration of degraded/polluted areas, with special
reference to soil and its agricultural use. Knowledge will be acquired also
in those microbial biotechnologies aimed at monitoring ecosystem status.
Frequency and active participation to the formative activities of the
course (lectures, case study analysis, problem solving) and individual
study will allow the student to:
-understand the functional role of microorganisms in the different
ecosystems to comprehend their use in prevention and protection of the
ecosystem itself;
-understand microbial processes at the base of the biotechnologies
illustrated during the course and analyse the factors influencing microbial
activity in the different processes, on the basis of their physiology and
functional characteristics;
-acquire the capacity to evaluate the most suitable process to apply in
order to attain an established objective in the prevention of
pollution/degradation or in the restoration of an ecosystem, based on
knowledge acquired on the characteristics of the different microbial
groups and applicable technologies.
Transversal competences that will be acquired at the end of the course
concern the ability to organize a team work, problem solving skills,
critical evaluation and capacity to present the acquired contents with
adequate argumentation and ability to make connections.
Prerequisites
The course requires that the student has acquired general information and knowledge on the role played by microorgansims in nitrogen
and carbon biogeochemical cycles. Moreover, general microbiology knowledge is also required (characteristics of the main
microbial groups, microbial metabolism).
Teaching Methods
The course will be structured as lectures with active student participation
and interactivity. Case study analysis of will be proposed to exemplify
and discuss some contents proposed during lectures on actual data.
Team wok will be focused on problem solving, starting from topics
emerged during lectures. Laboratory classes will allow a learning-by-
doing approach for some of the concepts learned during lectures.
Further information
Supplementary materials will be charged on the MOODLE platform for the
students that are interested to deepen some of the topics.
Type of Assessment
Learning verification will comprise the discussion of a report written by
the student on a topic treated during the course
(up to 10 points), and an oral examination on the contents acquired
during the course (up to 20 points). There will be questions on specific
aspects of the contents proposed in the lectures, questions to evaluate
problem solving skills, questions to evaluate the ability to connect and
compare different topics treated during the lectures. The correct use of
language will also be considered.
Course program
•General aspects on environmental protection in the European and global
policies.
•Relationships between microbial ecology and environmental
biotechnology. Impact of antroposphere on ecosphere and, in particular,
on microorganisms.
•Concept of waste and recycling in the frame of a circular economy.
Wastewater treatment in the frame of circular economy. Definitions about
wastewaters and hints of Italian legislation. Characteristics of
wastewaters and of the parameters used to describe them. Primary,
secondary and tertiary treatment. Typologies of secondary treatments
and adopted technologies: anaerobic treatments (digesters) and aerobic
treatments (ponds, filters, biodiscs, activated sludge tanks and SBR).
Biology of biofilm and activated sludge flocs. Microorganisms for nitrogen
removal (nitrifier AOA, AOB, NOB and comammox; denitrifiers; anammox
bacteria; DNRA bacteria; n-DAMO archaea and bacteria) and process
combinations to reduce environmental impact. Biological phosphorus
removal (PAO).
•Composting, definitions. Compostable materials. Composting
techniques. Process phases and characteristics, factors influencing the
microorganisms driving each phase and their physiological processes.
Characteristics and uses of mature compost.
•Bioremediation, definition. Bioremediation techniques. Typologies of
pollutants to be removed, microorganisms and microbial processes
involved.
•Impact of plastics on natural microbial communities. State of the art on
plastic degradation capacity of microorganisms. Potential for the
development of microbial biotechnological processes aimed at mitigating
the problem of plastic accumulation.
•Environmental biomonitoring through microorganisms to evaluate the
effects of pollution and climate change. Phytoplankton as sentinel of
ocean acidification.
•Microorganisms for sustainable agriculture. PGPR bacteria.
Microorganisms and their derivatives for biofertilization and
biostimulation. The new European legislation.
Sustainable Development Goals 2030
The course will treat topics related to several of the goals of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular goal 13 on climate
action and goals 14 and 15 aimed at protection of marine and terrestrial
ecosystems. Other goals related to the course are: goal 6.3 (removal of
pollution from waters); 2.4 (sustainable agriculture)