Air and biological laboratory (5cr)

Objective

You know how to process air and biological samples in the laboratory and in the field. You are familiar with the most common standard methods and analyses of air and biological samples. You are able to carry out basic laboratory tests and analyses. You are able to produce environmental data out of air and biological samples and you know how to assess the reliability of the data. You understand the importance of reliable data and how this data is used outside laboratory to make environmental decisions. You understand the differences between the laboratory and the field assays.

Content

How to analyse air and biological samples?
What are standard laboratory protocols and how are they used?
How to produce reliable data out of air and biological samples?
How to assess and improve the reliability of the data?
What are the differences between field and laboratory assays?

Evaluation

Students can:
· use professional vocabulary and concepts in an expert way in different situations.
· evaluate information sources critically.
· work as team members in working life expert duties and identify and describe the problems of the professional field.
· evaluate operations in customer, user and target group situations.
· choose appropriate models, methods, software and techniques according to the purpose and justify these choices.
· promote teams’ goal-oriented operation.
· apply critically the ethical principles of the professional field in different situations.

Course material

LCA-based software and other materials are provided via Learn platform of the course.

Study forms and methods

The course is conducted in the form of contact teaching with Scheduled Track. The students need to participate in the classroom and lab work activities where biological and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) topics are explored, sampled and analysed together and discussed in a lab or seminar-based setting in accordance with the schedule.
There are no possibilities for distance learning.

The course is organised in two halves, the first half about environmental microbiology and the second half about LCA.

RDI and work-related cooperation

Not Applicable.

Timing of exams and assignments

There will be mandatory assignments and reporting for the first part of the course and no exams. For the second part, there will be assignments and exams. The details will be discussed during the course period.

International cooperation

Visiting Lecturer from Germany for the second part of the course (LCA).

Student workload

The total workload is 135 hours including classroom activities, assignments/studies, and report/exam preparations.

Course part description

Environmental Microbiology
Particulate fallout lab
LCA-calculations

Further information

Not Applicable.

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The evaluation is based on course assignments, project reports, and exam. Detailed evaluation methods and criteria are discussed at the beginning of the course.