Learning outcomes:

At the end of the course unit student should be able to

• apply microbial growth kinetics and principles of biochemical engineering in microbial product formations,
• assess the role of microorganisms in the production of industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food products etc.,
• use the natural microbial activities that are essential for controlling environmental pollution in water and soil, and their contributions to clean the environment under different conditions,
• apply the technology used to minimize the production waste in selected industries.

Course content:
Microbial technology
Biochemical engineering: Stoichiometry of Microbial processes, Bioprocess kinetics; Models of microbial growth, (Monod); Kinetics of Batch fermentation, Continuous fermentation and Fed-batch fermentation system; Productivity in fermentation systems.

Microbial process development, Selection, and Maintenance of industrially important microorganisms.  Media formulation and the characteristics of the large scale fermentation. Scale up of the fermentation process.  Downstream processing and products recovery.

Fermentation industry: Production of organic acids, amino acid enzymes, bio-ethanol, solvents, pharmaceuticals and other health care products.  Cosmetic Microbiology.  Economics in biotechnology and fermentation processes.  Management of microbiological quality of selected products.

Environmental Microbiology

Microorganisms in their natural habitats and microbial loops, Bio deterioration: paper, wood, paint, textile and metal corrosion: Bio-leaching of metals, Biodegradation of xenobiotics, Methane and methanogenesis. Waste biotechnology: Water and wastewater management; water and wastewater treatment plants: domestic and industrial waste management; sewage treatment strategies, Bioagumentation, Composting-substrate, process operation and control process economics. Application of Geographical Information Systems as a planning tool for bioagumentation of natural habitats.  Waste exploitation for higher value products, exploitation of industrial waster streams e.g. SCP and alcohol, xanthan.  Microbial quality assurance procedures and ISO guideline for environmental management.  Cleaner production technology.

Method of teaching and learning:

Throughout the year course with a combination of lectures, tutorials, computer assisted learning and assignments.

Assessment:

Continuous assessment and end of the course examination.

Recommended reading:

1. Atlas, R. & Bartha R.( 1998). Microbial Ecology: Fundamentals and Applications.(4th ed).  Benjamin/Cummings Pub. Inc.
2. Crueger,W.& Crueger,A.( 1989) Biotechnology-A textbook of Industrial Microbiology. Sinauer.  Associates.
3. Hurst, C. J., Knudson, G. R. (1997) Manual of Environmental Microbiology Washington, ASM Press.
4. Rehm, H.J & Reed, G.,(1996). Biotechnology volume 1 - 8  John Wiley Publishers, U.S.A