BIO-INORGANICA DEGLI INQUINANTI AMBIENTALI E FITORISANAMENTO
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: ROSARIA ACQUAVIVAExpected Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
The course provides theoretical and practical foundations on the processes and mechanisms of phytoremediation, with particular focus on their role in environmental protection and restoration.
Applying Knowledge and Understanding
Students acquire the ability to evaluate the importance of phytoremediation and to apply plant-based strategies for the removal of pollutants from soil, water, and air.
Making Judgments
Students develop critical skills in analyzing environmental pollution issues and in autonomously selecting the most suitable plant species for phytoremediation interventions.
Communication Skills
Students are able to present knowledge and applications of phytoremediation in both academic and professional contexts, using appropriate technical and scientific language.
Learning Skills
Students strengthen their ability to learn independently, developing the capacity to identify plant species useful for phytoremediation and to understand their functional mechanisms.
Problem-Solving Skills
Students are encouraged to propose concrete solutions to environmental pollution problems by identifying and applying suitable plants for the remediation of soil, water, and air.
Course Structure
The course will be structured in frontal teaching with power point projection and/or short films and group exercises in the laboratory. During the course there will be exercises and problem based learning. Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programe planned and outlined in the syllabus.
According to the University Didactic Regulations (RDA), Article 12 – University Educational Credits (CFU):
Within the standard workload of 25 hours of total student commitment per credit, the following may be included:
a) 7 hours dedicated to lectures or equivalent teaching activities, with the remaining hours allocated to individual study;
b) at least 12 and no more than 15 hours dedicated to classroom exercises or equivalent assisted activities (e.g., laboratories), with the remaining hours for personal study and review.
Required Prerequisites
Knowledge of general chemistry and pharmaceutical biology
Attendance of Lessons
Attendance is compulsory according to the regulations of the teaching regulations of the CdS in SFA as reported in the link: http://www.dsf.unict.it/corsi/l-29_sfa/regolamento-didattico
Detailed Course Content
Introduction to the course. Phytoremediation of soil and water from metals: advantages and disadvantages.
Plant organs involved in the phytoremediation process: stem, leaves, roots
Mechanisms used by plants in phytoremediation: Phytoextraction; Phytodegradation; Phytostabilization; Rhizodegradation; Phytovolatilization.
Economic evaluations and parameters for choosing phytoremediation.
Use of agricultural plants in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated by heavy metals and metalloids.
Plants tolerant to high concentrations of contaminants mostly belong to the families: Caryophyllaceae, Brassicaceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Chenopodiaceae.
Main plants used in the bioremediation of air, water, and soil.
Licheni; Alghe; Cannabis sativa L. (Canapa), Helianthus annuus L. (Girasole), Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (Sorgo), Zea mays L. (Mais), Brassica juncea (Senape), Lupinus albus L. (Lupino bianco), Salix sp. (Salici), Populus sp. (Pioppi) pteride a foglie lunghe (Pteris sp.), Dracaena trifasciata Mabb. (Sansevieria), Spathiphyllum Schott (Spatifilum), Epipremnum aureum G.S. Bunting (Potos), Eichhornia crassipes (C.Mart.) Solms-Laubach (Giacinto d'acqua), Noccaea caerulescens F.K.Mey (Erba storna alpina), Odontarrhena chalcidica (Alisso murale)
Textbook Information
1. Bonomo L.- Bonifica di siti contaminati. Caratterizzazione e tecnologie di risanamento. McGraw-Hill Education, 2021
2. Phytoremediation of Contaminated Soil and Water. Edited By Norman Terry, Gary S. Banuelos
3. Maugini E., Maleci Bini L., Mariotti Lippi M. - Manuale di Botanica Farmaceutica IX Ed. – PICCIN 2014
4. Dispense del docente su piattoforma studium
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1, 2, 4 | |
| 2 | 3 | |
| 3 | 1,2,4 | |
| 4 | 1,2,4 | |
| 5 | 1,2,3,4 | |
| 6 | 1,2,3,4 | |
| 7 | 1,2,3,4 | |
| 8 | 1,2,3 |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
EVALUATIVE CRITERIA
The final exam will be evaluated based on the following indicators weighted equally and consistent with what is described in the expected learning outcomes (Dublin Descriptors):
- personal processing skills and operational initiative;
- ability to consult and use bibliographic materials;
- expository skills;
- scientific understanding of the topic.
Therefore, the final grade takes into account various factors listed below.
Quality of knowledge, skills, competencies possessed and/or manifested:
(a) appropriateness, correctness and congruence of knowledge
(b) appropriateness, correctness and congruence of skills
(c) appropriateness, correctness and congruence of skills
Expository mode:
(a) Expressive ability;
(b) Appropriate use of discipline-specific language;
(c) Logical skills and consequentiality in linking content;
(d) Ability to connect different topics by finding common points and establishing a coherent overall pattern, i.e., taking care of structure, organization and logical connections of expository discourse;
(e) Ability to synthesize including through the use of the subject's own symbolism and the graphic expression of notions and concepts, in the form of, for example, formulas, diagrams, equations.
Relational qualities:
Willingness to exchange and interact with the lecturer during the interview.
Personal qualities:
(a) critical spirit;
(b) ability to self-evaluate;
(c) problem-solving skills;
(d) ability to make decisions.
Based on the above, the rating can be:
(a) Sufficient (18 to 20/30)
Candidate demonstrates little acquired knowledge, superficial level, many gaps. Modest expressive skills, but still sufficient to sustain a coherent dialogue; logical skills and consequentiality in connecting topics of elementary level; poor synthesis skills and rather stunted graphic expression skills; poor interaction with the lecturer during the interview.
(b) Fair (21 to 23)
Candidate demonstrates fair acquisition of notions, but little in-depth study, few gaps; more than sufficient expressive skills to sustain a coherent dialogue; acceptable command of scientific language; logical skills and consequentiality in connecting topics of moderate complexity; more than sufficient ability to synthesize and acceptable graphic expression skills.
Example Questions: 1.Describe the morphology and classification of the plant body 2. Describe the morphology of meristematic tissues 4. Characteristics and function of primary and secondary metabolites 5. Biotechnology of medicinal plants. 6. Medicinal plants for the production of hormones, vaccines, and natural and bioactive products.
(c) Good (24 to 26)
The candidate demonstrates a fairly broad background, moderate depth of knowledge, with small gaps; satisfactory expressive skills and significant mastery of scientific language; well-detectable dialogical skills and critical spirit; good synthesis skills and more than acceptable graphical expression skills.
(d) Excellent (27 to 29)
The candidate demonstrates a very extensive, well-developed body of knowledge, with marginal gaps; remarkable expressive skills and high mastery of scientific language; remarkable dialogical ability, good competence and relevant aptitude for logical synthesis; high synthesis and graphic expression skills.
(e) Excellent (30)
The candidate demonstrates a very extensive and in-depth knowledge base, any gaps irrelevant; high expressive ability and high mastery of scientific language; remarkable dialogical ability, marked aptitude for making connections between different topics; excellent synthesis ability and great familiarity with graphic expression.
Honors are awarded to candidates who are clearly above average, and whose possible limitations in notional, expressive, conceptual, and logical skills are on the whole completely irrelevant.
The final exam will be evaluated based on the following indicators weighted equally and consistent with what is described in the expected learning outcomes (Dublin Descriptors):
- personal processing skills and operational initiative;
- ability to consult and use bibliographic materials;
- expository skills;
- scientific understanding of the topic.
Therefore, the final grade takes into account various factors listed below.
Quality of knowledge, skills, competencies possessed and/or manifested:
(a) appropriateness, correctness and congruence of knowledge
(b) appropriateness, correctness and congruence of skills
(c) appropriateness, correctness and congruence of skills
Expository mode:
(a) Expressive ability;
(b) Appropriate use of discipline-specific language;
(c) Logical skills and consequentiality in linking content;
(d) Ability to connect different topics by finding common points and establishing a coherent overall pattern, i.e., taking care of structure, organization and logical connections of expository discourse;
(e) Ability to synthesize including through the use of the subject's own symbolism and the graphic expression of notions and concepts, in the form of, for example, formulas, diagrams, equations.
Relational qualities:
Willingness to exchange and interact with the lecturer during the interview.
Personal qualities:
(a) critical spirit;
(b) ability to self-evaluate;
(c) problem-solving skills;
(d) ability to make decisions.
Based on the above, the rating can be:
(a) Sufficient (18 to 20/30)
Candidate demonstrates little acquired knowledge, superficial level, many gaps. Modest expressive skills, but still sufficient to sustain a coherent dialogue; logical skills and consequentiality in connecting topics of elementary level; poor synthesis skills and rather stunted graphic expression skills; poor interaction with the lecturer during the interview.
(b) Fair (21 to 23)
Candidate demonstrates fair acquisition of notions, but little in-depth study, few gaps; more than sufficient expressive skills to sustain a coherent dialogue; acceptable command of scientific language; logical skills and consequentiality in connecting topics of moderate complexity; more than sufficient ability to synthesize and acceptable graphic expression skills.
Example Questions: 1.Describe the morphology and classification of the plant body 2. Describe the morphology of meristematic tissues 4. Characteristics and function of primary and secondary metabolites 5. Biotechnology of medicinal plants. 6. Medicinal plants for the production of hormones, vaccines, and natural and bioactive products.
(c) Good (24 to 26)
The candidate demonstrates a fairly broad background, moderate depth of knowledge, with small gaps; satisfactory expressive skills and significant mastery of scientific language; well-detectable dialogical skills and critical spirit; good synthesis skills and more than acceptable graphical expression skills.
(d) Excellent (27 to 29)
The candidate demonstrates a very extensive, well-developed body of knowledge, with marginal gaps; remarkable expressive skills and high mastery of scientific language; remarkable dialogical ability, good competence and relevant aptitude for logical synthesis; high synthesis and graphic expression skills.
(e) Excellent (30)
The candidate demonstrates a very extensive and in-depth knowledge base, any gaps irrelevant; high expressive ability and high mastery of scientific language; remarkable dialogical ability, marked aptitude for making connections between different topics; excellent synthesis ability and great familiarity with graphic expression.
Honors are awarded to candidates who are clearly above average, and whose possible limitations in notional, expressive, conceptual, and logical skills are on the whole completely irrelevant.
EXAM DATE: The exam dates are published on the site of the Department of Drug and Health Sciences : https://www.dsf.unict.it/it/corsi/l-29_sfa/calendario-esami Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.
Information for students with disabilities and / or SLD: To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and / or dispensatory measures, based on the teaching objectives and specifications needs. It is also possible to contact the CInAP contact person (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and / or SLD) of the Department, prof.ssa Santina Chiechio.