Academic management

The Environmental Microbiology is a 4CR ECTS subject and is taught as an elective one within the environmental module (required taking at least one subject module), which is oriented to the study of pollutants and microorganisms relations with them. It is taught in the second half of the first year of the Master in Environmental Biotechnology and Health. It has a theoretical character, but without forgetting the biotechnological applications of the topics addressed. Therefore, it is closely related to the aspects that are covered by other more specific electives module (Biogeochemistry, Biotechnology Waste Management). Environmental Microbiology addresses the practical issues that have not been learned in depth in the undergraduate studies and that allow to settle the informative and methodologies foundations that facilitate a better understanding of specific aspects of other subjects related to microbiology and even health (Epidemiological surveillance, Biotechnology for food and water security). In this way several issues will be treated, as the most current methodological issues for analysis and monitoring of microbial populations and activities in the environment, the importance of biofilms in corrosion and degradation processes and the current state of knowledge of microbial populations involved in water purification processes. Therefore it is expected that students who complete the course gain a good basis for course the other subjects, and obtain an optimum overall understanding of the microbiological aspects relating to the environment, contributing in this way to improve their future professional performance.

To properly take advantage of the subject is desirable to have knowledge of microbiology at the graduate level. It is assumed that students have taken the master course in Microbiology in the respective grades. It is also recommended that the students have taken other subjects mandatory or optional related to microbiology.

The competences are contained in the memory of the subject and are the following:

General of the module:

• Know the characteristics, treatment and recovery methods (material or energy) of the main types of waste and wastewater of urban, rural and industrial origin.
• Know the principles of biogeochemistry and ecosystems geochemical control
• Learn the basics of ecotoxicology and applications of different types of biomarkers used in the assessment of environmental pollution
• Know the most appropriate methods for the analysis of major environmental pollutants
• Know the main environmental impacts of indigenous microorganisms, those present in contaminated environments or released by biotechnological processes, with special attention to its impact on human and animal health

Specific subjects:

• Know the structure of microbial communities and their interrelationships in the environment.
• Know the methods of identification and quantification of microorganisms in the environment.
• Know the methods of analysis of the microbial activities on the environment.
• Understand the role of microorganisms in biotechnological processes related to the environment
 

Learning outcomes:

• Proper preparation, discussion and presentation by the student  of the practical tasks and evaluation sessions.
• Ability to detect microbial communities in environmental processes.
• Ability to identify and quantify microorganisms in the environment.
• Ability to analyze microbial activities in the environment.
• Ability to apply methods of identification, quantification and analysis of microbial activities in biotechnological processes of environmental interest

The contents of the course will be developed from the following points:

• Introduction: Concepts and objectives of environmental microbiology. Professional implications.

• Highlights: Methodology; Interactions; Role of microorganisms in the degradation of organic matter.

These contents are structured as follows:

CONCEPTS

Significance, role, diversity and microbial habitats. Biofilms

METHODOLOGY

Sample collection and processing; Culture techniques and counting bacteria, fungi and yeast; Microscopic techniques; Methods of detection / quantitation microbial metabolic activity; Toxicity assays; Molecular analysis in the study of community structure; “-OMIC” approaches for characterization of environmental microorganisms.

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MICROBIAL POPULATIONS

Neutralism; Commensalism; Synergysm  

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MICROORGANISMS AND ANIMALS

Interactions between microorganisms and invertebrates; Interactions between microorganisms and vertebrates

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MICROORGANISMS AND PLANTS

Role as insecticides, Role in phytoremediation

MICROORGANISMS-HUMAN INTERACTIONS. MICROBIOME

Proyecto MetaHit; Role of microbiome in human health.

ROLE OF MICROORGANISMS IN ORGANIC MATTER DEGRADATION: WASTEWATER TREATMENT.

The methodology consists of blocks with the following sequence of activities:

1 - An hour exhibition class time (classroom activity): presentation by the professor of the main objectives of a topic, developing the more relevant content or those more difficult for students. The teacher will present  practical problems and practical issues related to the contents and objectives of the matter, to be solved by students.

2 - Seven or eight hours of non-attendance, on the basis of the exposed in point 1 exhibition class. The students will give a seminar, examined and solved a case study, conducted a literature review, design a study or investigation, or propose solutions to any problems or practical case raised by the teacher. Serve to deepen the topic covered in the lectures, quite understand it, take the consequences, or learn to apply it to real situations.

3 - Two hours of classroom practices (job site): students will present and discuss, under the supervision of the teacher, no classroom work results developed in Section 2. These two hours of classroom practices will take place far enough temporary of the related class time so students have enough time to do the corresponding personnel work.

4 - A half-hour average for each former block of group tutoring, usually coinciding with the period of development of individual work.

The course consists essentially of 8 blocks of this type. These blocks will be consecutive to one another, cyclically, or may overlap several partially or completely, so that, for example, 4h of lectures will be followed by 8h of classroom practices in a range where they can perform 7 to 8h of personnel work for each hour of class exhibition.

The planned face-to-face activities can be carried out online, if necessary.

Attendance at lectures, practical classes, group tutorials and visits will be mandatory, but in duly justified cases will be valid an attendance higher of 80%.

The assessment of student learning will be made by:

• Evaluation of personal attitude and student participation in lectures, practical classes, group tutorials and visits (20%).
• Evaluation of written exercises: summaries from scientific articles or other sources of information (20%).
• Evaluation of the oral exposition of scientific reports (20%).
• Written exercise on the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject (40%).

The evaluacion would be done online, if necessary.

In cases with the right to a duly accredited "differentiated evaluation" that entail the impossibility of participating in face-to-face activities, the continuous evaluation may be partially or totally replaced by the performance of non-face-to-face tasks, or by an additional specific test.

The databases of scientific relevance in this field represents a reference material, as well as up to date monographic revisions. Also some basic books (some references are included) will be used as support.
Other information will be provided during the development of the subject.

MADIGAN, M.T., BENDER, K.S., BUCKLEY, D.H., SATTLEY, W.M. STAHL, D.A (2018). Brock Biology of Microorganisms.  Pearson.

YATES, M.V., NAKATSU,C.H., MILLER, R.V.,  PILLAI, S.D. ( 2016). Manual of Environmental Microbiology. American Society Microbiology, Books 

PEPPER, I.L., GERBA, C.P., GENTRY, T.J. (2015). Environmental Microbiology. Thirth Edition. Academic Press.

DAS, S. (2014). Microbial degradation and bioremediation. First Edition. Elsevier Insights.

MARIN, I., SANZ, J.L., AMILS, R. (2014). Biotecnología y Medioambiente. Ephemera, Madrid.

WILLEY J.M., SHERWOOD, L.M., WOOLVERTON, C.J. (2009). Prescot, Harley y Klein Microbiología.  McGraw-Hill Interamericana de España, S.A.U.

ATLAS, R.M., BARTHA, R. (1998). Microbial Ecology: Fundamentals and Applications. Benjamin Cummings. Traducción española “Ecología Microbiana y Microbiología Ambiental”. Pearson Educación, S.A. 2001.