37352 - Industrial and Environmental Biotechnologies I M

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide the fundamentals of applied biochemistry and microbiology required to understand the role of biologic agents in the main biotechnological processes of industrial and environmental relevance.

Course contents

Potential of Industrial and Environmental Biotechnologies in the chemical, farmaceutical, food, textile and biofuel industries and in  bioremediation. Enzymes and microorganisms of industrial and environmantal interest and their main current applications. Use of microbial cultures in batch, fed-batch and continuous reactors and kinetics description of the processes. Chemical compounds released into the environment: biogenic and xenobiotic compounds. Biotransformation of biodegradable  compounds: anabolic and catabolic pathways, Gibbs free energy, cell bioenergetics. Metabolism of organic biogenic compounds. Aerobic metabolism: the two glycolysis pathways, the Krebs cycle and the oxidative phosphorylation. Examples of environmental relevant microorganisms living by respiring aerobically biogenic organic compounds. Anaerobic metabolism: biochemistry of the nitrate-reduction, Fe(III)-reduction, sulphate-reduction, HCO 3 - -reduction and main features of microorganisms using such anaerobic respiration routes. Fermentation of carbohydrates and proteins occurring in the environment (alcoholic fermentation, lactic fermentation and the other fermentations addressed to produce solvents and organic acids of industrial interest) and features of the main microorganisms responsible for them. Fermentation and anaerobic respiration processes associated to the anaerobic digestion of organic matter (biomethanization). Metabolism of inorganic compounds: nitrification, S ° or S =  -oxidation, Fe(II) oxidation and industrial microbial leaching CO 2  autotrophic fixation. Sources and fate of the 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 polluted environment. Biodegradation pathways for aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated and not, in aerobic and anaerobic polluted environments. Basis of biotransformation on heavy metals in polluted sites. Biotechnological processes of industrial interest. Strategies and operative phases associated to their development: selection, improvement and optimization of biocatalists, selection of feedstocks and medium preparation, fermentation stage and downstream stage. Biochemical, microbiological and technological aspects associated to the industrial production (via fermentation or bioconversion) of aminoacids, vitamins, organic acids, antibiotics and enzymes from conventional feedstocks. Examples of bioconversions processes of industrial relevance.

Readings/Bibliography

Madigan et al. (2000) Brock: Biology of Microorganisms . 9th 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  Glazer & Nikaido  (1995) Microbial Biotechnology, WH Freeman and Company, New York. Ratledge & Kristiansen (2001) Basic Biotechnology, II Edition, Cambridge University Press, London;

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Fava