CEE 271B: Environmental Biotechnology

This course focuses on the application of microbial processes and biochemical principles to address environmental challenges. Students will develop a strong foundation in microbial physiology, biogeochemical cycles, microbial ecology, and the energetics and kinetics of microbial growth. It introduces key environmental biotechnology concepts and the technologies used to engineer biological systems for pollution control and resource recovery. Core topics include biological wastewater treatment processes (e.g., activated sludge, enhanced biological phosphorus removal, and anaerobic digestion), bioreactor design, bioremediation of emerging contaminants, and emerging approaches such as genomic sequencing, converting waste streams into value-added products (e.g., bioplastics). Through selected case studies and real-world examples, students will gain an understanding of how biological systems can be designed, optimized, and applied in environmental engineering practice. Prerequisites: CEE 270 (Movement and Fate of Organic Contaminants in Waters) or equivalent, Fundamentals of Environmental Microbiology, CEE 177 (Aquatic Chemistry and Biology) or equivalent, or consent of the instructor.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, through assignments, discussions, in-class practice, and exams, students will be able to:

• Understand the core concepts of sustainability and environmental biotechnology, and their roles in addressing environmental challenges.
• Recognize major environmental biotechnology applications and evaluate which technologies are most appropriate for specific environmental problems (e.g., water treatment, contaminant removal, resource recovery).
• Differentiate the underlying biological mechanisms of key environmental biotechnology processes, including identifying representative microorganisms, genes, and enzymes involved in these systems.
• Apply bioinformatics tools to analyze environmental microbial datasets and interpret results in the context of environmental biotechnology applications.
• Integrate biological principles with engineering thinking to assess, design, or propose biotechnology-based solutions for real-world environmental scenarios.

Course Text/Materials Information

• Suggested Text:  Environmental Biotechnology: Principles and Applications, Second Edition, By Perry L McCarty and Bruce E Rittmann
• Other useful text: Brock Biology of Microorganisms, 16th Edition, by Michael T. Madigan, Kelly S. Bender, Daniel H. Buckley, W Matthew Sattley, David A. Stahl
• Assigned Reading: Periodic reading will be assigned as the course progresses. These will be from a variety of sources, including the recommended text cited above. Whenever possible I will have links for these readings on the course web site.