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ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
FRANCESCA COMITINI

Seat Scienze
A.A. 2016/2017
Credits 7
Hours 56
Period 1^ semestre
Language ENG
U-gov code ST03 3S605

Prerequisites

Main knowledge on topics of  General Biology.

Development of the course

Theoretical lessons (4 credits, 32 hours) are planned together with laboratory practical experiments carried out individually or in small groups (2 credits, 16 hours). The frontal lessons are flanked with group activity of cooperative learning in which students develop inputs provided by the professor.
Educational visits to environmental companies and / or centers applied to the bioremediation industry represent an integral part of the course.

Learning outcomes

KNOWLEDGE: 
Analysis of microbial communities in natural environments and their role in environmental contamination.
Learn about and discuss issues relating to environmental microbial contamination.
To know and apply the main techniques of bioremediation of contaminated sites.

Ability to apply the knowledge:
Demonstrate to understand scientific articles and case studies related to monitoring and environmental management;
Be able to independently plan and manage an environmental microbiological control and analyze critically the results.
Be able to independently meet the material covered in class during classroom discussion of case studies.
Insights on the prevention on health risks from microbial contamination of different environments (confined, workplaces etc.)
- Analysis of case studies and knowledge on the management of issues related to environmental microbial contamination.
The student will know how to apply their knowledge to manage and analyze critical issues related to the prevention of microbial contamination in different environments.

Program

- Introduction on microbial diversity in natural environment.
- The soil as microbial habitat
- Biogeochemical cycles
- Environments and microbial contamination: notes about environmental factors that favor, the main microorganisms involved, health risks, concept of microbial contamination.
- Bioremediation
- Composting
- Work on the regulations on the prevention of contamination and the monitoring of soil.

- Examples of microbial environmental contamination in different environments (indoors, the workplace) as case studies

Development of the examination

Methods of learning assessment:
The exam consists of an oral exam, also the student delivery their lab reports.

Criteria for assessing learning outcomes: 
In the lab reports the student must demonstrate that they have achieved the ability to apply the knowledge acquired during the frontal lessons, to enforce a simple laboratory analysis with the ability to critically draw a report test.

Criteria for measuring learning outcomes:
The final evaluation is expressed in thirty. The exam is valid when the grade is greater than or equal to 18. Criteria for awarding the final grade:

Criteria for conferring final mark:
The final grade is given by summing the evaluation of the oral exam with the laboratory report, up to a maximum of two points. Praise is given when the student has demonstrated full mastery of the subject.

Recommended reading

Lecture notes
Microbiologia ambientale ed elementi di ecologia microbica; Autore Barbieri Paola; Bestetti Giuseppina; Galli Enrica. CEA
Microbiologia agroambientale Autori B. Biavati, C. Sorlini. CEA
Slides available on the webpage of the class
Microbiologia ambientale ed elementi di ecologia microbica; Autore Barbieri Paola; Bestetti Giuseppina; Galli Enrica. CEA
Microbiologia agroambientale Autori B. Biavati, C. Sorlini. CEA

Courses

• Scienze ambientali e protezione civile