70037 - BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR THE SUSTAINABLE RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED LANDS AND WATERS

Academic Year 2012/2013

  • Docente: Fabio Fava
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: CHIM/11
  • Language: English
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Civil Engineering (cod. 8211)

    Also valid for Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Environmental Engineering (cod. 0939)

Learning outcomes

To provide the students with the fundamentals for understanding the nature and roles of indigenous microorganisms in natural and contaminated habitats and the microbial and technological aspects associated with the conduction and optimization of the main environmental processes currently applied to the sustainable (bio)remediation of industrial sites and lands contaminated by xenobiotic compounds.

Course contents

Chemical compounds released into the environment: their classification, source and fate as well as their environmental impact.

Main features, cellular organization and physiology of bacteria, fungi, algae and protozoa occurring in environments and/or applied in the environmental remediation processes.

Biotransformation of biogenic compounds occurring/released in the environment. Anabolic and catabolic pathways. Catabolism of biogenic organic matter in aerobic and anaerobic habitats and processes. Aerobic respiration: the glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the oxidative phosphorylation. Examples of environmental relevant microorganisms respiring aerobically biogenic organic compounds. Anaerobic metabolism of organic matter: nitrate-reduction, Fe(III)-reduction, sulphate-reduction, HCO3— reduction (methanogenesis and acetogenesis) and main features of microorganisms using such anaerobic respiration routes. Fermentation of carbohydrates and proteins occurring in the environment and features of the main microorganisms responsible for it. Anaerobic digestion of organic matter and biowaste.

Metabolism of inorganic compounds in aerobic habitats or treatment processes, such as nitrification, S° or S= -oxidation, Fe(II) oxidation and industrial microbial leaching and main features of microorganisms responsible for them.

Sources and fate of main organic and inorganic xenobiotic compounds in contaminated soils, sediments and waters. Microorganisms mainly involved in their biotransformation and detoxification and biochemical-molecular mechanisms responsible for their adaptation to the pollutants.

Biodegradation pathways for major aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, including chlorinated derivatives, in aerobic and anaerobic polluted environments. Basis of biotransformation on heavy metals in polluted sites.

Contaminated sites: hydrogeology structure and fundamentals on contaminants transport and fate at the site (soil and groundwater). Approaches to the management of contaminated sites: containment and remediation. Main remediation technologies and types of ex-situ and in situ interventions.

Basis and specific microbiological and technological aspects related to bioremediation ex-situ and in situ of sites contaminated by organic xenobiotic compounds. Basis of the Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) and Enhanced Natural Attenuation (ENA). Basics of myco-, phyto- and rhizo-remediation.

Basics of physical-chemical remediation of soils under ex-situ conditions (soil flushing, soil washing, soil venting, chemical stabilization, incineration) and under in-situ conditions (thermal desorption and chemical stabilization). Physical-chemical remediation of contaminated groundwater under in-situ conditions (air sparging and permeable reactive barriers).

Basics on the main strategies for the (bio)remediation of contaminated sediments.

Readings/Bibliography

Madigan M.T. Martinko J.M., Parker J. (2002) Brock: Biology of Microorganisms. 10th Edition, Prentice Hall International, Inc. New Jersey, USA

Rittmann B.E., McCarty P.L. (2001) Environmental Biotechnology: principles and applications. McGraw-Hill Higher education, New York, USA

Teaching methods

class lectures plus training activities in the labs

Assessment methods

final oral exam

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Fava