CHE 445Bioremediation/Green Chemistry

3 credits · Chemical Engineering · Penn State

Man has polluted his environment but biotechnology holds great promise for cleansing it and for synthesizing the chemicals that we all need in a modern society in a manner that limits generating new pollution. The course focuses on the application of biological and engineering principles toward the remediation of hazardous wastes and for the synthesis of chemicals in a sustainable manner; i.e., in a manner that limits the production of unwanted compounds. The tools that will be explained for accomplishing this are metabolic engineering, systems biology, and protein engineering. Students will also gain knowledge related to the design of biological contacting devices for waste remediation and green chemistry. Emphasis will also be placed on the evolution of bacterial pathways for accomplishing engineering goals. Discussion will also ensue on societal issues such as the wisdom of the release of genetically-engineered microorganisms and the limitations of biotechnological approaches.