Module Notes
Faculty Member (Members):
Postgraduate, Fall Semester
Module Type: Specialization Courses
Teaching Language: English/Greek
Course Code: GCHM_C621
ECTS Credits: 8
Module Availability on Erasmus Students: No
Course URL: https://eclass.upatras.gr/
Module Details

After completing this course a student should be able to:

  1. understand the fundamentals of microbiology and microbial processes (homogenous and heterogenous) which are involved for in the remediation of environmental problems
  2. understand the fundamentals of designing microbial systems for environmental protection and rehabilitation

At the end of the course the student will have further developed the following skills/competences:

  1. acquisition of advanced knowledge, techniques and approaches to the use of bioprocesses for  rehabilitation and prevention of environmental pollution
  2. ability to select and design appropriate microbial processes based on wastes’ characteristics in the aim to achieve targeted rehabilitation limits
  3. ability to address the basic problems that might arise during the operation of microbial depollution systems

There are no prerequisites for this course. However, students should have basic knowledge of unit operations and biochemical processes.

  1. Microbiology of bioprocesses. Bioprocesses analysis based on bioenergetics. Stoichiometry of microbial processes.
  2. Bioreactors. Microbial kinetics. Design, control and optimization of bioprocesses.
  3. Biological processes for carbon removal (the activated sludge process, aerobic biofilm processes).
  4. Biological nitrogen (nitrification, denitrification) and phosphorus removal
  5. Anaerobic treatment of municipal and industrial wastewaters
  6. Detoxification of hazardous chemicals.
  7. Biodegradation of problem environmental contaminants
  8. Integration of chemical and biological processes for degradation of recalcitrant organic contaminants
  9. Remediation of polluted sites by engineered bioremediation and phytoremediation

Keywords: microbial processes, stoichiometry, bioenergetics, bioreactors, bioremediation

  • "Environmental Biotechnology: Principles and Applications" by Bruce E. Rittmann and Perry L. McCarty, McGraw-Hill Education - Europe, 2001. ISBN-13: 978-0071181846.
  • "Environmental Biotechnology: Concepts and Applications" by Hans-Joachim Jördening (Ed.) and Josef Winter (Ed.), John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2004  ISBN: 978-3-527-30585-8
  • "Environmental Biotechnology" by Alan Scragg, Oxford University Press, USA, 2005, ISBN 13: 9780199268672.
  • "Compost Engineering: Principles and Practice", R.T.Haug, Ann Arbor Science Publisher Inc./The Butterworth Group, 1980
  • "Wastewater Engineering. Treatment and Reuse", 4th Edition, McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; 2002.  ISBN-13: 978-0070418783

Additionally, published papers in international journals such as Water Research, Water Science and Τechnology, Bioresource Technology, Waste Management etc will be proposed for further reading.

  1. Lectures in powerpoint presentations will be available to the students via e-class
  2. Solving of exercises in class and supervision of small projects
  1. Supervised completion of small projects (70% of the final mark)
  2. Written examination (30% of the final mark)