EHCS 6255 - ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY

[2 Credits]

This is an elective designed to teach the fundamentals of environmental microbiology, with a focus on laboratory techniques used to identify unknown bacterial contaminants in the air, water and soil. Techniques will include lab safety, acquisition and storage of samples, preparation of growth medica and solutions, microscopy, and staining, cell culture and enumeration, analysis of bacterial growth under varying conditions, and the use of metabolic and molecular techniques to identify unknown bacteria. This course includes a final project assignment involving the identification of an unknown microbial sample and preparation of a report detailing the microbe’s impact on the environment and public health. (1 hour lecture, 2 hour lab)