Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory
環境生物技術實驗室

Objective

Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory is under the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau. The laboratory serves students for teaching and researches for year 4 students’ Final Year Projects and master’s and Ph.D. students in the area of environmental science and engineering, especially in the areas of bioremediation of contaminated environment (soil and groundwater), treatment and reuse of wastewater, and production of renewable energy from waste and wastewater.

Facilities

Liquid Chromatography with DAD, SPE and Mass Spectrometry (LC-DAD/SPE/MS)
Analyses of contaminants with high boiling point and chemical stability in environmental samples. Separate various organic components in the mixture and detect them by DAD detector and mass spectrometry.

Gas Chromatography, Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC, GC-MS)
Separate various organic components in the mixture and detect them by TCD/FID detectors and mass spectrometry.

Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS)
Used primarily to analyze metallic elements in solution.

Interscience easySpiral Dilute
Automatic diluter and plater of Petri dishes, allow 1/10th serial dilutions and plating up to 6 log. dilution on 1 single Petri dish, with a countable range of 30 to 10¹² CFU/ml.

Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) Spectrophotometer
Used for the quantitative determination of diverse analytes or sample, such as transition metal ions, highly conjugated organic compounds, biological macromolecules, and those with the most pre-programmed testing methods that make use of HACH chemicals and procedures, such as COD, TP, TN, ammonia-N, and etc.

Microscope, Coloni Countre
For observation of microbial morphology and counting.

pH Meter, Multi-Parameter Meter
Measure the pH, ORP, and DO of liquid samples.

Analytical Balance
Used for accurately weighing experimental chemicals and agents.

Biological Safety Cabinet
Used for handling pathogenic samples or for applications requiring a sterile work zone, providing an enclosed, ventilated laboratory workspace for safely working with a defined biosafety level (II) and mostly to maintain the sterility of materials inside.

Autoclave
Used to sterilize the liquid and solid materials used for biological experiments, and the contaminated biological apparatus (e.g. syringe, petri dish, etc.) before re-use or disposal.

Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) Reactor
Used for sample digesting for measurement of the total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and the organic strength of wastes (in terms of COD).

BOD TRAK II Instrument
Measure Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) using the respirometric method and allow the user to monitor results at any time.

Centrifuge
Used to separate particles suspended in a liquid sample.

Oven
Used for heating and drying experimental apparatus.

Shaking Incubator
Incubate microorganisms by providing designated temperature and rotating speed.

Freezer, Refrigerator
Used for storage of chemical and biological samples at low temperatures.

Pilot-scale Plant (UASB Reactor, Airlift Reactor)
Utilize the aerobic, anaerobic, and/or combined biotechnologies to remove organics, nitrogen and phosphorous simultaneously, and produce biogas for resource recovery.

Courses supported

CIVL4000/4001Graduation Project I/II