BOTANY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOREMEDIATION
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Pre-requisites are not required. Basic knowledge of Plant Biology, Botany, Plant Ecology is recommended.
The student will have to show:
- to have thoroughly understood the topics covered (basic notional knowledge)
- to be able to identify correlations between the different topics covered, the basic knowledge learned, and their potential biotechnological applications
- to have the ability to critically analyze the applicative problems considered.
The learning assessment method consists of an oral interview of about 45 minutes to be held at the end of the course. The verification consists of about six questions, two per topic, one of which concerning basic notions and one concerning application problems or experimental examples taken from the scientific literature.
The Botany for Biofuels and Bioremediation course represents a necessary curricular completion for the student who wants to understand how a biotechnological-vegetable approach can ensure that the economic and social development of a territory takes place within a context respectful of the most important ecological principles. In particular, the course is based on theoretical lessons concerning the production of fuels and other derivatives from the treatment of plant material, and how plants can be used for the restoration of areas subject to severe degradation or pollution.
This course, therefore, aims to offer both the biological and molecular mechanisms that allow plant organisms to be applied for the purposes just described, and an overview of the various types of application, production techniques, and specifications of some primary and secondary products.
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
- Design and illustrate recovery and restoration processes of degraded environments using plant organisms;
- Know and discuss the processes for the production of fuels from plant material as well as secondary derivative products;
- Discuss in an integrated way some fundamental elements of plant biology, environmental problems, and traditional techniques, to understand the biological-molecular basis relating to the two previous points;
- Critically understand a scientific text that deals with cellular, anatomical and physiological properties of plant species to be used for biotechnological applications;
- Read, write, and present scientific information in English.
The lectures deal with the following topics (4 credits, 32h):
Phytoremediation (14 h)
- Origins of phytoremediation
- Heavy metal pollution
- Plants and heavy metals
- The rhizosphere
- Techniques and types of phytoremediation
Phytodepuration (8 h)
- Wetlands as a model for phytodepuration
- Phytodepuration techniques and typologies (most used plant species)
- Methods of applying phytodepuration
Biofuels (10 h)
- Fossil fuels, environmental and economic problems
- Types and techniques of biofuel production
- Biochar as agricultural soil amendment and remediation tool
- Forest biomass, traditional and new techniques
Given the advanced level of teaching an adequate textbook is not available. The slides of the lessons together with the lecture notes and the scientific articles presented will be available from the E-learning site.
The course consists of 32 hours of lectures supported by the projection of slides in PPT and PDF format. The aim of the course is also to enhance the student's self-learning skills by stimulating the search in the internet web for in-depth analyzes relating to specific aspects of the course. We also intend to carry out specific guided visits to industrial plants.
RECEPTION HOURS
Preferably by appointment (by e-mail request) or at the end of each lesson. The teacher is available for in-depth meetings or clarifications on the topics, preferably for groups of students.
Professors
Borrowers
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Degree course in: MOLECULAR AND INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY