Unit APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
- Course
- Agricultural and environmental biotechnology
- Study-unit Code
- A002227
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Pietro Buzzini
- CFU
- 12
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2022
- Offered
- 2022/23
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa integrata
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
| Code | A002228 |
|---|---|
| CFU | 6 |
| Teacher | Benedetta Turchetti |
| Teachers |
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| Hours |
|
| Learning activities | Caratterizzante |
| Area | Discipline biotecnologiche generali |
| Academic discipline | AGR/16 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Contents | Microbial biodiversity. Metabolic Diversity of Microorganisms. Geochemical Cycles. Applied environmental microbiology (compost, biogas, wastewater treatment, bioregionation, hydrogen) |
| Reference texts | - Environmental Microbiology (Third Edition)Edited by:Ian L. Pepper, Charles P. Gerba and Terry J. Gentry - Elsevier Inc - Brock Biology of Microorganisms - Michael T. Madigan, Kelly S. Bende, Daniel H. Buckley, W. Matthew Sattley, David A. Stahl - Pearson 2017 |
| Educational objectives | Provide students with the knowledge of: major factors affecting microbial survival; the main microbial groups present in the environment in relation to their metabolic ability, the main microbial metabolites, the main applications of microorganisms in the environment: composting, biogas production, water purification and environmental rehabilitation. Provide students with the capabilities to: conduct and evaluate environmental sampling, perform selective microbial isolation, perform microbial counts from environmental samples, critically analyze and discuss laboratory results |
| Prerequisites | In order to understand and interpret critically the covered topics, good preparation in general microbiology (basic techniques of microbiology) and biochemistry (principal metabolisms) is required |
| Teaching methods | Teaching methods: frontal lectures, laboratory exercises, student seminars, educational visit to plants. Teaching and learning support: video screenings of lessons, teaching material distributed by the teacher, texts recommended for study, papers selected by the teacher laboratorio, realizzazione e presentazione di relazioni individuali o eseguite in piccoli gruppi di lavori su temi e progetti specifici Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento L’esame prevede una prova orale della durata di circa 30 minuti finalizzata ad accertare il livello di conoscenza e capacità di comprensione degli argomenti trattati nel corso e l’abilità di saperli correlare tra loro. La prova orale consentirà inoltre di verificare la capacità di comunicazione dello studente e le proprietà di linguaggio tecnico in relazione agli argomenti trattati Programma esteso - Fattori che influenzano la diversità microbica. - Diversità metabolica dei microrganismi: fototrofia, chemiotrofia, autotrofia e eterotrofia. - Ruolo dei microrganismi nei cicli biogeochimici degli elementi: ciclo del carbonio, dell'azoto, dello zolfo. - Biofilm microbici. - Gli insilati: ecologia microbica negli insilati, tecniche di insilamento, uso di additivi e starter microbici, valutazione dello stato di conservazione. - Compostaggio: processo di compostaggio, microflora durante il processo, valutazione dello stato di maturazione. - Produzione di energia sotto forma di metano: metanogenesi, ecologia dei microrganismi metanogeni, biochimica del processo, applicazioni. - Produzione di energia sotto forma di idrogeno: produzione di idrogeno per via fermentativa, produzione negli impianti, produzione di idrogeno da microrganismi fotosintetici. - Depurazione biologica delle acque: struttura di un impianto di depurazione, ecologia microbica dei fanghi attivi, biochimica dei processi microbiologici. - Biorisanamento dei suoli contaminati: ruolo dei microrganismi nei processi di degradazione degli inquinanti nel suolo, influenza dei fattori ambientali, biorisanamento in situ, tecnologie di biorisanamento Methods of learning (in addition to the frequency of teaching activities): reading and personal study on reference texts, reading and personal study on material suggested by the teacher, laboratory practice, realization and presentation of individual reports or small working groups on topics and specific projects. |
| Learning verification modality | The exam consists on an oral test of approximately 30 minutes, aimed at assessing the level of knowledge and understanding of the topics of the course and the ability to link them. The oral examination will also allow to verify the student's communication skills and the technical language skills in relation to the discussed topics |
| Extended program | - Factors that influence microbial diversity. - Metabolic diversity of microorganisms: phototrophy, chemotherapy, autotrophy and heterotrophy. - The role of microorganisms in the biogeochemical cycles of the elements: carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles. - Microbial biofilm. - Compost: composting process, microflora during the process, evaluation of the maturation state. - Energy production in the form of methane: methanogens, ecology of methanogenic microorganisms, process biochemistry, applications. - Energy production in the form of hydrogen: production of hydrogen by fermentation, production of hydrogen by photosynthetic microorganisms. - Biological water purification: structure of a purification plant, microbial ecology of activated sludge, biochemistry of microbiological processes. - Bioremediation of contaminated soil: role of microorganisms in soil contaminants degradation processes, influence of environmental factors, bioremediation in situ, bioremediation techniques. |
INDUSTRIAL MICROBIOLOGY
| Code | A002138 |
|---|---|
| CFU | 6 |
| Teacher | Pietro Buzzini |
| Teachers |
|
| Hours |
|
| Learning activities | Caratterizzante |
| Area | Discipline biotecnologiche generali |
| Academic discipline | AGR/16 |
| Type of study-unit | Obbligatorio (Required) |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Contents | - Fundamental of microbial biotechnologies and of biocatalytic processes. - Use of bioreactors and control systems of operational parameters. Batch, fed-batch and continuous cultures. Cell immobilization. - Chemostat and Turbidostat. Industrial culture media, kinetic of substrate utilization, assessment of biomass. - Examples of industrial utilization of selected microorganisms for production of biomass and chemicals of industrial importance. - Techiques of screening for selecting microorganisms for the production of industrially relevant molecules. - Techniques of downstream processing and determination of biological activity of microbial metabolites. |
| Reference texts | M. MANZONI. Microbiologia Industriale, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano, 2006. B. BIAVATI, C. SORLINI. Microbiologia Generale e Agraria. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2007. A. N. GLAZER, H. NIKAIDO. Microbial Biotecnology, Cambridge Univesrity Press, 2007. A. L. DEMAIN, J. E. DAVIS. Manual of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology. ASM Press, 1999. |
| Educational objectives | Ability to: - Work with innovative biotechnological approaches in the field of microbial biotechnology applied to food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and food additives; - Investigate all aspects related with the use of selected microorganisms for biotechnological innovation process type. - Apply the knowledge acquired in fermentation processes conducted at different scales (laboratory scale, pilot scale, industrial scale) and with different modes (batch, fed-batch and continuous); - Apply the acquired knowledge to the development of new processes of fermentation and / or improvement of existing processes. |
| Prerequisites | Basic knowledges of microbiology and biochemistry |
| Teaching methods | Lecture |
| Other information | none |
| Learning verification modality | Final oral examination |
| Extended program | - Fundamental of microbial biotechnologies and of biocatalytic processes. Selection and conservation of biotechnologically relevant microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi), culture collections (BRCs). Screening, genetic improvement, optimizing, modelling and scale-up. - Use of bioreactors and control systems of operational parameters. Batch, fed-batch and continuous cultures. Cell immobilization. - Chemostat and Turbidostat. Industrial culture media, kinetic of substrate utilization, assessment of biomass. - Examples of industrial utilization of selected microorganisms for production of biomass and chemicals of industrial importance (ethanol, enzymes, vitamins, organic acids, glycerol, EPS, VOCs). - Techiques of screening for selecting microorganisms for the production of industrially relevant molecules (e.g. enzymes, vitamins, antibiotics, organic acids). - Techniques of downstream processing and determination of biological activity of microbial metabolites. |