The course has two teaching modules. Its mission is:
- To give the fundamental knowledge on biotechnological processes relating to biomass and biomolecules production using both of conventional methods and recombinant DNA technology. The knowledge of the application of the biotechnology in the clinical-medical, environmental, food and energetic fields.
- To provide the fundamental knowledge of the use of membrane, supercritical fluid, chromatographic and adsorption processes in the chemical industry.

The topic of the first part of the course is the basic knowledge of metabolic pathways and production strategies of industrial microbial products.
Expected competences of the first teaching module are:
- knowledge of industrial microbiological products
- knowledge of metabolic pathways and storage strategies of most important biotechnological products
- knowledge of up-stream and down-stream processes in industrial biotechnology
- knowledge of basic fermentation plant (bioreactor, separation , concentration and purification equipment).
Expected skills:
- Selection of fermentation process to produce biomass and metabolites of industrial interest
- Selection of separation and purification methods for biological products.
Expected competences of the second teaching module are:
- Membrane processes, membrane and module types used in the process industry.
- Mathematical modeling of mass transfer within the membrane, concentration polarization and simple separation units.
- Supercritical fluid properties and their applications in the process industry.
- Fixed bed adsorption, main application and scaling-up.
- Main chromatographic methods and their application in the industrial field.
Expected skills:
- Selection of the membrane, the module and the membrane process suitable for a specific separation.
- Application of simple mathematical models of the membrane separation units.
- Evaluation of the applicability and advantages of the use of a supercritical fluid in an industrial process.
- Evaluation of the length of an adsorption bed and scaling-up form laboratory data.
- Evaluation of the chromatographic separation obtainable from a column for a specific separation.

Basic knowledge of thermodynamics, transport phenomena, and differential calculus
Basic knowledge of Molecular Biology, biochemistry and microbiology.

Industrial microbiology products
Microbial biomasses, primary metabolites, secondary metabolites, enzymes, complex microbial products, products of biotransformation reactions, products of recombinant DNA technology.
Microbial metabolism
Fundamentals of microbial metabolism. Biochemical reaction in microbial metabolites production. Strategies for microbial metabolites production.
Media and raw materials
Microbial nutrition (macronutrients, micronutrients, growth factors and vitamins). Synthetic and complex media: C and N sources.
Industrial plants in biotechnology
Bioreactor configuration and control systems. Overview on bioseparation processes. Bioproducts and bioseparation methods. Separation of microbial cells. Separation of intracellular component (cell lysis). Product isolation from fermentation medium (extraction, sorption, precipitation, ultrafiltration), product purification (protein precipitation techniques, cromatography), final isolation of product (crystallization, drying, freeze-drying).
Classical biotechnology products
Microbial biomasses (bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi), organic acids, aminoacids, enzymes, antibiotics, bio-based polymers (PHA, PLA).
Products of recombinant DNA technology
Insulin, erythropoietin, hepatitis B virus surface antigen, monoclonal antibodies.



MEMBRANE PROCESSES
Introduction on membrane processes. Definition of membrane and classification of membrane processes.
Preparation of synthetic membranes. Phase inversion membranes: preparation by evaporation, thermal precipitation, and Immersion precipitation. Composite membranes: interfacial polymerization and dip-coating. Modification of homogeneous dense membrane. Influence of various parameters on membrane morphology. Inorganic membranes.
Transport in membranes. Transport through porous membranes: Knudsen flow and friction model. Transport through non-porous membranes: solution diffusion model.
Polarization phenomena and fouling.
Module and process design. Plate and frame module. Tubular module. Spiral wound module. Capillary module. Hollow fiber module. Comparison of module configurations.
Industrial membrane processes. Microfiltration, membranes for microfiltration and applications. Ultrafiltration, membranes for ultrafiltration and applications. Reverse Osmosis, membranes for reverse osmosis and applications. Gas separation, membranes for gas separation and applications. Electrodialysis, membranes for elettrodialysis and applications. Pervaporization, membranes for pervaporation and applications.
FIXED BED ADSORBERS
Modeling of a isothermal fixed bed adsorber and scale-up criteria. Temperature swing adsorption (TSA). Pressure swing adsorption (PSA).
SUPERCRITICAL FLUID PROCESSES
Physical properties of supercritical fluids: thermodynamic and transport properties. Equations of state for supercritical fluids. Solubility, phase equilibria, polymer swelling. Effect of a cosolvent. The typical supercritical fluid-extraction process. Propane deasphalting. ROSE process. Solexol process. Production of decaffeinated coffee using supercritical carbon dioxide. Rapid expansion of supercritical fluid solutions (RESS). Precipitation with a compress fluid anti-solvent (PCA).
CHROMATOGRAPHY
Basic principles of chromatography. Theory of linear chromatography. Sources of band asymmetry and tailing in linear chromatography. Sources of band broadening. Plate height equation. Resolution between peaks. Modes of operation: elution chromatography, frontal analysis and displacement development.

References for deeper insigth in the subject:
- Baker,Richard W. Membrane technology and applications. Chichester: Wiley, copyr. 2004.
- McHugh,Mark A. Supercritical fluid extraction: principles and practice. Boston: Butterworth - Heinemann, copyr. 1994.
- R.Y.Stanier, J.L. Ingraham, M.L. Wheelis, P.R. Painter, "Il mondo dei microrganismi", Zanichelli, 1993
- B. Alberts, D. Bray, J. Lewis, M. Raff, K. Roberts, J.D.Watson, "Biologia molecolare della cellula", Zanichelli, 1995
- J.E. Bailey, D.F.Ollis, "Biochemical engineering fundamentals", Mc Graw Hill, 1986
- M.R. Ladisch, Bioseparations engineering: principles, practice and economics", Wiley, 2001
- G. Walsh, "Biopharmaceuticals: biochemistry and biotechnology", Wiley, 2003
- S. Donadio, G. Marino, Biotecnologie microbiche, CEA , 2008
- M. Manzoni "Microbiologia industriale", CEA 2008
- J.E. Smith, "Biotechnology" Fifth edition, Cambridge, 2009
- R.Vismara et al. " Biogas da agrozootecnia e agroindustria" Dario Flaccovio Editore, 2011
- B.E. Logan "Microbial Fuel Cell", Wiley, 2008

The exam consists of an oral test divided into two parts: one concerns the module of "Biotechnological Products and Processes" and the other concerns the module "Advanced Separation Processes". The two parties may be taken jointly or separately, chosen by the student.
The part concerning the module " Biotechnological Products and Processes " has the purpose to verify the basic knowledge in microbiology and biochemistry, which are preliminary to the study of fermentation processes, and the knowledge of the processes of industrial microbiology. On this last part, it is also required a laboratory report.
The part relating to the module of "Advanced Separation Processes" is aimed to evaluate the knowledge of the separation processes covered in the lessons and the technological solutions adopted for their application. The questions will concern both theoretical part (consisting of the models and mathematical proofs exposed during the lessons) and the applied part (consisting in technological solutions adopted for each separation process considered).The candidate will have to know, in particular, the main solutions technology employed, the advantages and disadvantages that their adoption entails, and application examples.