Environmental Microbiology Laboratory 11:375:312 and 16:375:512
Fall 2007 Index # 27884
Instructor: Dr. Craig Phelps phelps@envsci.rutgers.edu
Times and Location: Tues. and Thurs. 5:35 - 8:35 p.m. in ENRSB 203
Sept. 4 Class policies, Safety and Introduction
6 Lab #1 Sampling Trip (Passion Puddle)
11 Lab #2 Media Preparation and Culture handling
13 Lab #3 Selective and Differential media
18 Lab #4 Microscopy I (Protozoa)
20 Lab #5 Microscopy II (Bacteria and Staining)
Soil Microcosm Set-Up
25 Lab #6 Enumeration of Bacteria
27 Lab #7 Coliforms (MPN and Membrane Filtration)
Oct. 2 Coliforms (Confirmed test)
4 Coliforms (Completed test)
Lab #8 Chlorination
9 Lab #7 Coliforms (Species Typing)
Lab #9 Rossi-Cholodny Slides
11 Lab #10 Soil Enzymes (Polymer Degradation)
16 Lab #11 Soil Enzymes (Alkaline Phosphatase)
18 DNA lecture
23 Lab #12 DNA I (Extraction)
25 DNA II
30 DNA III
Nov. 1 Anaerobic Respiration Lecture
6 Lab #13 Iron Columns (setup)
8 Lab #14 Aerobic vs Anaerobic Treatment (setup)
13 Lab #15 Degradation of Xenobiotics (setup)
15 Lab #16 Nitrogen Cycle (setup)
Lab #14 Aerobic vs Anaerobic Treatment (analysis)
20 Lab #15 Degradation of Xenobiotics (analysis)
27 Lab #16 Nitrogen Cycle (analysis)
Dec. 4 Lab #13 Iron Columns (analysis)
6 Lab Clean Up
11 Wrap Up
Contact Information:
Contact Information: Office Hours:
Rm. 236 ENRSB or Rm. 312 Foran 236 ENRSB
932-9755 (during office hours)
or 932-8165 ext. 314 (all other times)
phelps@envsci.rutgers.edu
Course Policy
Grading
- Attendance to all laboratory periods is expected. If you need to miss a class, please inform the instructor as soon as possible.
- The Final Grade will be based on class participation (10 points), 16 lab reports (10, 15 or 20 points each for a total of 200) and one term paper (40 points)
(Graduate students will also be responsible for turning in a separate 5 page lab report for Lab #12.)
- Lab reports are due at the beginning of the lab period following collection of the final data.
- Term papers will be a critique of a current or newly proposed method used in environmental microbiology. The focus of discussion should be the strengths and limitations of the method as compared to alternatives. Papers should be ~5 pages long plus figures and refer to at least 3 original research papers. Topics need to be approved by the instructor. Titles and Outlines are due on November 30th. Final papers are due on December 11th.
(Graduate student papers will be ~8 pages long and refer to at least 5 original research papers.)
Ethics
- Plagiarism of any kind will not be tolerated. All students are required to turn in their own work and properly attribute all sources.
- It is expected that lab groups will collaborate on calculations and interpretations of experiments on lab reports. Other questions should be answered independently.
Safety
1. Read and understand each lab procedure before starting the lab.
2. Wear safety goggles whenever working with chemicals, flame or anything that may be infective. Lab coats are recommended but not required.
3. Treat all chemicals as potentially hazardous and dispose of waste according to instructions.
4. At the end of each class
1) Put away all materials
2) Rinse any used glassware
3) Disinfect the lab bench
4) Wash your hands before leaving.
5. No eating, drinking or applying make-up in the lab.
6. Tie back any long hair.
7. No loose clothing or open-toed shoes.
8. No horseplay.
Text: There is no required text for this course. If you have not taken a general microbiology course previously, however, I recommend that you pick up a good microbiology text such as "Brock's Biology of Microorganisms" for reference (any edition will be fine).