Biotechnology and the environment Flashcards
what is environmental biotechnology
The development, use and regulation of biological systems for remediation of contaminated environments (land, air, water), and for environment-friendly processes.
what is biomediation
is a treatment process that uses biosystems; microorganisms (yeast, fungi, or bacteria) to naturally break down (digest/biodegrade) hazardous substances into less toxic/harmless products (inorganic salts, CO2 & H20)
what are the pros of biomediation
a cost effective and natural process, commonly used to treat organics, fuels or solvents
what does biomediation require
requires water, oxygen, heat and nutrients for healthy bacterial (microorganisms) growth.
What is the difference between autochthonous and allochthonous microorganisms
Autochthonous microorganisms colonize particular habitats, i.e., physical spaces in the GI tract, whereas allochthonous microorganisms cannot colonize particular habitats except under abnormal conditions
how many microbes does unpolluted water contain
Unpolluted water contains low organic nutrients, thus low numbers of microbes
what is water polluted with
sewage, agricultural runoff and industrial pollutants
what is polluted water high in
organic matter, coliform and noncoliform bacteria
what are the types of pollution
physical, biological and chemical
how are natural wastes able to be inherent self-purifying
by indigenous/autochthonous microbes
what is anaerobic digestion
microorganisms break down organic sewage into fatty acids e.g. acetic acid, carbon dioxide and hydrogen
what is aerobic digestion
aerobic microbes oxidize organic compounds in sludge by pumping air through
what diseases spread via contaminated water
typhoid fever, cholera, shigellosis and Legionnaires’ disease
what viruses spread in contaminated water
hepatis A, rotavirus and polio virus
how does river contamination work
- Nutrients enter the river from sources like sewage and causes accumulated phosphates and causes algal blooms
- Algae die and settle to the bottom as sediment
- The blooms supply nutrients to other microbes, which use up oxygen
- Aquatic animals and plants die and they accumulate on the bottom where anaerobic bacteria thrive
what does sewage contain
oils and animal and vegetable matter
what Is BOD
measure of oxygen demand =organic carbon content
what are the types of sewage treatment
primary, secondary and tertiary
what is coliform
-Coliform bacteria live in mammalian intestines, but can survive in water
-The membrane filter technique and standard plate count are used to determine numbers of bacteria in a water sample. Or using the serial dilution and plating.
-uses MPN
WHAT IS MPN
The most probable number test determines number of bacteria by observing carbon dioxide gas production
what is solid waste composting
-A process to convert organic waste into stable sanitary humus-like product used for soil improvement or conditioning
-Usually organic waste is mixed with sewage sludge to improve N:C balance
what is oligotrophic
nutrient-deficient aquatic ecosystem; supports few microorganisms; many bacteriophage
what is eutrophication
addition of excess quantities of nutrients; naturally or by effluents from sewage, agriculture or industry; encourages heavy surface growth of algae (bloom) which cuts off the O2 supply; disturbs the ecological balance
what does algae causes
impacts on the environment
-oxygen depletion
-clogging water filters
-colours/odors/tastes in drinking water
what organisms are internal parts of food chains
diatoms and dinoflagellates
what types of microbes grow in the ocean
Halophiles, psychrophiles, and barophiles
where do Most marine microorganisms live
in the littoral zone
Some can live in the deep benthic and abyssal (deep) zones
what are biofilms
-A biofilm is an immobilized population of microbes tangled together in fibers adhering to a surface
-Microbes in a biofilm work together for :
nutrient storage production
predator protection and protection against assaults of antibiotics etc…
what are biofilms used for
used in bioremediation to degrade toxic wastes
