BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE, PILANI

WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMMES

COURSE HANDOUT

Academic Term First Semester 2023-2024

Course Title Environmental Biotechnology

Course ID No. EE ZG512/SSTM ZG522

Lead Instructor Jayita Chopra

Instructor(s)

Course Modules

Module No Module Title Objectives

1 Introduction to environmental biotechnology Basic concept of environment and its components.

Biotechnology for environment; definitions and facts

2 Basics of microbiology in relation to Microbial groups, characteristics; Microbial

environment metabolism in relation to waste treatment

3 Environmental pollution Methods for the measurement of pollution. Air, water

and soil sampling; Analyses of samples; physical,
chemical and biological methods. Nucleic acid based
techniques for analyses of diversity, structure and
dynamics of microbial community in wastewater
treatment, Concept of biomarkers, Biosensors

4 Biotechnology of sewage treatment Basics of sewage treatment processes. Function of

various treatment systems. Microbiology of sewage
treatment

5 Bioreactors Reactor configuration. Processing and operation.

Comparison of different bioreactors

6 Bioremediation of inorganic pollutants (heavy
metals and radionuclides)
Microbial interaction with metallic elements. Metal
Toxicity. Molecular mechanism of metal resistance.
Biosorption and biotransformation of metals and
radionuclides. Recent developments in metal
bioremediation.
 7 Bioremediation of inorganic pollutants (nitrate Nitrification and denitrification–microbial
and phosphate) fundamentals and application. Biological phosphate
removal

8 Bioremediation of organic pollutants Aerobic and anaerobic degradation of organic

pollutants. Principles, biochemical pathways and
genetic regulation. Degradation of aliphatic, aromatic,
polyaromatic and chlorinated compounds. Recent
developments in waste treatment.

9 Phytoremediation Use of plants for removal of organic and metallic

pollutants

10 Development of clean technology Fundamentals of clean technology. Integrated pest

(minimization of waste generation) management and bio-control of plant diseases.
Microbial polymer production and bio-plastic
technology

11. Bioresource technology development Biotechnology for energy production; basic concept.
Biological energy sources and bio-fuels.
Biotechnology for enhanced oil recovery

12. Biomining of metals and radionuclides Concepts of bioleaching, microbial aspects, regulatory
factors and process application

13 Agriculture biotechnology for safe Improvement of plant and animals Methods and
environment application of plant improvement. Biotechnology of
nitrogen fixation

Text Book(s)

T1 Text Book : Environmental Biotechnology by Alan Scragg, Pearson Education Limited,

UK.

1999.

Reference Book(s) & other resources

R1 Biotechnology, a comprehensive treatise, ed by Rehm H J and Reed G, VCH Verleg, Germany,

1999

R2 Introduction to environmental biotechnology by A K Chaterjee, PHI, India, 2000

R3 Course material
Module Title: Introduction to Environmental Biotechnology

Session 1

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

1.1 Basic concept of environment and its components. Chap. 1, TB

RB 2

1.2 Biotechnology for environment; definitions and facts Chap. 1, TB

RB 2

Module Title: Basics of microbiology in relation to environment

Session 2

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

2.1 Microbial groups, characteristics RB2, Class notes

2.2 Microbial metabolism in relation to waste treatment RB2, Class notes

Module Title: Environmental pollution

Session 3

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

3.1 Sources of various pollutions and their environmental impact. Chap.1, TB

3.2

Module Title: Environmental monitoring

Session 4

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

4.1 Methods for the measurement of pollution. Chap.2, TB

RB 1
 4.2 Air, water and soil sampling; Chap.2, TB

RB 1

4.3 Analyses of samples; physical, chemical and biological Chap.2, TB

methods.
RB 1

4.4 Nucleic acid based techniques for analyses of diversity, structure Chap.2, TB
and dynamics of microbial community in wastewater treatment,
RB 1

4.5 Concept of biomarkers Chap.2, TB

RB 1

Module Title: Biosensor technology

Session 5

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

5.1 Principle, Chap.2 TB,

RB 1, Class Notes

5.2 Types Chap.2 TB,

RB 1, Class Notes

5.3 Applications Chap.2 TB,

RB 1, Class Notes

5.7

Module Title: Biotechnology of sewage treatment

Session 6

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

6.1 Basics of sewage treatment processes. Chap.3 TB

6.2 Function of various treatment systems. Chap.3 TB

6.3 Microbiology of sewage treatment Chap.3 TB

Module Title: Bioreactors

Session 7

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

7.1 Reactor configuration. RB 1, Class notes

7.2 Processing and operation. RB 1, Class notes

7.3 Comparison of different bioreactors RB 1, Class notes

Module Title: Bioremediation of inorganic pollutants (heavy metals and radionuclides)

Session 8

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

8.1 Microbial interaction with metallic elements. Chap.5, TB & RB 1, Class notes

8.2 Metal Toxicity. Chap.5, TB & RB 1, Class notes

8.3 Molecular mechanism of metal resistance. Chap.5, TB & RB 1, Class notes

8.4 Biosorption and biotransformation of metals and radionuclides. Chap.5, TB & RB 1, Class notes

8.5 Recent developments in metal bioremediation. Chap.5, TB & RB 1, Class notes

Module Title: Bioremediation of inorganic pollutants (nitrate and phosphate)

Session 9

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

9.1 Nitrification and denitrification–microbial fundamentals and Chap. 5 TB

application.
RB 1

9.2 Biological phosphate removal Chap. 5 TB

RB 1

Module Title: Bioremediation of organic pollutants

Session 10

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

10.1 Aerobic and anaerobic degradation of organic pollutants Chap.5 TB

RB 1, Class Notes

10.2 Principles, biochemical pathways and genetic regulation Chap.5 TB

RB 1, Class Notes

10.3 Degradation of aliphatic, aromatic, polyaromatic and chlorinated Chap.5 TB

compounds
RB 1, Class Notes

10.4 Recent developments in waste treatment Chap.5 TB

RB 1, Class Notes

Module Title: Phytoremediation

Session 11

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

11.1 Use of plants for removal of organic and metallic pollutants Chap. 5 TB

RB 1, Class notes

Module Title: Development of clean technology (minimization of waste generation)

Session 12

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

12.1 Fundamentals of clean technology Chap. 4 TB

12.2 Integrated pest management and bio-control of plant diseases Chap. 4 TB

12.3 Microbial polymer production and bio-plastic technology Chap. 4 TB

Module Title: Bioresource technology development

Session 13
Topic Topic Title Reference
No.

13.1 Biotechnology for energy production; basic concept Chap. 6-7 TB

13.2 Biological energy sources and bio-fuels Chap. 6-7 TB

13.3 Biotechnology for enhanced oil recovery Chap. 6-7 TB

Module Title: Biomining of metals and radionuclides

Session 14

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

14.1 Concepts of bioleaching, microbial aspects Chap 7, TB

Class Notes

14.2 regulatory factors and process application

Module Title: Agriculture biotechnology for safe environment

Session 15

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

15.1 Improvement of plant and animals Methods and Chap.8 TB

15.2 application of plant improvement Chap.8 TB

15.3 Biotechnology of nitrogen fixation Chap.8 TB

Module Title: Ethical issues in environmental biotechnology

Session 16

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

16.1 Release of genetically modified organisms Chap. 9 TB

Module Title: Intellectual property rights and environmental biotechnology

Session 16

Topic Topic Title Reference

No.

16.1 IPR for microorganisms and for environmental biotechnology Class Notes
processes

Session 12: Review Session

Evaluation Scheme:

Legend: EC = Evaluation Component; AN = After Noon Session; FN = Fore Noon Session

No Name Type Duration Weight Day, Date, Session, Time

EC-1 Assignment / Quiz Online - 30% September 1-10, 2023

EC-2 Mid-Semester Test Closed 2 hours 30%

Sunday, 24/09/2023 (AN)
Book

EC-3 Comprehensive Exam Open Book 2 ½ 40%

Sunday, 26/11/2023 (AN)
hours

Syllabus for Mid-Semester Test (Closed Book): Topics in Session Nos. 1 to 8

Syllabus for Comprehensive Exam (Open Book): All topics

Important links and information:

Elearn portal: https://elearn.bits-pilani.ac.in

Students are expected to visit the Elearn portal on a regular basis and stay up to date with the latest
announcements and deadlines.

Contact sessions: Students should attend the online lectures as per the schedule provided on the Elearn
portal.

Evaluation Guidelines:

1. EC-1 consists of either two Assignments or three Quizzes. Students will attempt them through the
course pages on the Elearn portal. Announcements will be made on the portal, in a timely manner.

2. For Closed Book tests: No books or reference material of any kind will be permitted.

3. For Open Book exams: Use of books and any printed / written reference material (filed or bound) is
permitted. However, loose sheets of paper will not be allowed. Use of calculators is permitted in all
exams. Laptops/Mobiles of any kind are not allowed. Exchange of any material is not allowed.

It shall be the responsibility of the individual student to be regular in maintaining the self study schedule as
given in the course handout, attend the online lectures, and take all the prescribed evaluation components
such as Assignment/Quiz, Mid-Semester Test and Comprehensive Exam according to the evaluation scheme
provided in the handout