BIOMONITORING AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

The course of "Environmental Biomonitoring and Biotechnology" is one of the main lessons of the "Environmental monitoring and restoration" curriculum.
The course contributes to provide the conceptual bases, approaches, methods and bio-ecological techniques usable in the field and in the laboratory for: 1) monitoring and evaluation of environmental quality; 2) the design of environmental recovery and rehabilitation interventions and the evaluation of their effectiveness.

The course is divided into two sections. The first aims to provide students with the theoretical foundations and methodological framework of the main procedures used in the Biovalutation and Biomonitoring of air, soil and aquatic environments that are required by environmental regulations or in any case are widely consolidated and used at international and national level for environmental assessment and control. The second will deal with the main techniques of Bioremediation of contaminated waters and soils, with particular attention to consolidated technologies, technologically sustainable and fundamental to the redirection of environmental processes for the optimization of the ecological services provided by them.
Specifically, the main learning outcomes expected are:

Knowledge and understanding:
To know at a theoretical and practical level the main bio-ecological methodologies and techniques used in the monitoring, management and recovery of compromised environments with particular attention to wastewaters, soils and sediments, accumulation and pollutant integration compartments.

Judgment skills:
Knowing how to evaluate the merits and limits of the various techniques. Identify the most appropriate techniques to be used on a case-by-case basis.

Learning skills:
Acquire the ability to re-elaborate the concepts and application examples presented in class, adapting them to various environmental situations. Know how to critically read scientific articles in the sector. Knowing how to properly connect the topics.

Communication skills:
Acquire the ability to expose the topics covered with appropriate terminology.

Basic knowledge of ecology, biochemistry and microbiology are required.

The course includes theoretical lessons with application examples (30 h) and practical laboratory lessons focused on case studies relating to the application of bioindicators and/or quality indices studied at a theoretical level (30 h).

The course will cover the following topics:
a) Bioassessment and biomonitoring: general principles and approaches.
b) Biomonitoring of chemical pollution: ecotoxicological indicators.
c) Biomonitoring of air quality: Bioindicators and used approaches, focus on lichens and IBL index.
d) Soil biomonitoring: Bioindicators and approaches used in soil biomonitoring. The biological communities and the QBS_ar index. Impact indicators for contaminated soils.
e) Biomonitoring of watercourses: focus on the Star_cmi Index. Impact indicators for fresh waters.
f) Biomonitoring of marine-coastal and transition ecosystems pursuant to European Directives: macrobenthic communities, applied indices and focus on the m-AMBI Index. Impact indicators for coastal marine environments.
g) Biomonitoring of wastewater treatment plants and effluents: microbial communities and functionality indices based on microfauna with focus on SBI. Impact indicators.
h) Microbial ecology of biological wastewater treatment processes. Suspended and adhered biomass technologies. Centralized and decentralized treatment plants.
i) Extensive, widespread and localized phytodepuration.
l) Bioremediation of contaminated sites: in situ biological remediation techniques and ex-situ. Phytoremediation processes and techniques.

Bargagli R. (2012). Ecologia applicata. Per un uso consapevole dell’aria, dell’acqua e del suolo. Ed. Amon, pp. 272.

Madoni P. Depurazione biologica nei fanghi attivi. Ed. Enia.

Borin M. (2003). Fitodepurazione. Ed. Edagricole, pp. 196

Brugnoli E. Massarelli C., Uricchio V. Zurlini G. (2014). Tecnologie di bonifica dei siti contaminati. Ed. Cacucci (anche in formato e-book), pp. 312

Selected material (scientific articles and application manuals) will be provided by the teacher.

The verification of learning takes place through an oral exam. The oral exam includes the presentation and discussion of one scientific article chosen by the student on the basis of interest in the topics. The preparation will then be verified through questions on the rest of the program.
Intermediate tests with presentation of a scientific report and discussion in the classroom of specific topics considered in lab experiences will be also provided.

The course is organized into lectures (30 hours) and practical laboratory experiences on bioindicators/indexes applied to various environmental sectors and remediation ecotechnologies (30 hours). Group work is expected. The course also includes the organization of seminars held by experts in the sector and educational trips.

Italian

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development