Universität Wien

280222 VU Towards Zero Pollution: Environmental Biotransformation of Organic Chemicals (2025W)

5.00 ECTS (3.00 SWS), SPL 28 - Erdwissenschaften, Meteorologie-Geophysik und Astronomie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Fr 14.11. 09:00-11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

The first session of this course will be on October 10, 2025

Attendance is mandatory on the following dates: November 28, December 5, December 12 - and highly recommended on all other dates where in-class sessions take place.

  • Friday 03.10. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 10.10. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 17.10. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 24.10. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 31.10. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 07.11. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 21.11. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 28.11. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 05.12. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 12.12. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 19.12. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 09.01. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 16.01. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 23.01. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II
  • Friday 30.01. 09:00 - 11:15 Seminarraum Geochemie 2C193 1.OG UZA II

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The overarching goal of this course is to deepen your understanding on the environmental biotransformation and biodegradation of organic anthropogenic organic. The focus will be on chemicals that are relevant environmental contaminants – including, but not limited to, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and plastics – and on environmental systems that receive these chemicals in response to human activities. We will cover the most important steps of contaminant biodegradation, key factors that influence this process, as well as analytical techniques and experimental approaches to investigate environmental contaminant biodegradation. We will discuss how this knowledge can be used in the transition towards a sustainable use of synthetic chemicals. Additionally, we will train to critically assess research articles on the topic of this course.

The course will have two parts. The first part will consist of lectures on topics related to environmental contaminant biodegradation – including enzymology, microbial metabolism, emerging contaminants, biotransformation pathway prediction, and environmental analytical chemistry. This part will be accompanied by exercises to strengthen your understanding. The second part will consist of journal club-style sessions, during which you will apply and extend your knowledge through discussions about key research articles on environmental contamination biodegradation. You will present key points on selected research articles to your peers and subsequently moderate a scientific discussion.

This course is targeted to students that have already studied the basics of environmental organic chemistry (e.g., in course 280206-1: Organic Pollutants in the Environment) and are typically in their third MSc semester.

Assessment and permitted materials

Students can obtain a maximum of 100 points during the entire course. 30 points can be obtained in the exercise sets accompanying the first part of the course. 40 points can be obtained in the journal club presentation and discussion (i.e., the second part of the course). 30 points can be obtained in a paper evaluation exercise at the end of the course. Further details and dates will be announced during the first lecture.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Students can obtain a maximum of 100 points during the entire course. The points from the three individual assessments are accumulated and the final grade is calculated according to the following grading scheme:
> 87% (1); 75-86 % (2); 63-74 % (3); 50-62 % (4); < 50 % (5)

Examination topics

Lecture material, reading assignments, exercise sets, journal-club presentations, and subsequent discussions.

Reading list

Will be provided during the course.

Association in the course directory

MES-5

Last modified: Th 25.09.2025 13:27