Biotechnology and the environment

Question 1

what is environmental biotechnology

Answer 1

The development, use and regulation of biological systems for remediation of contaminated environments (land, air, water), and for environment-friendly processes.

Question 2

what is biomediation

Answer 2

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)

Question 3

what are the pros of biomediation

Answer 3

a cost effective and natural process, commonly used to treat organics, fuels or solvents

Question 4

what does biomediation require

Answer 4

requires water, oxygen, heat and nutrients for healthy bacterial (microorganisms) growth.

Question 5

What is the difference between autochthonous and allochthonous microorganisms

Answer 5

Autochthonous microorganisms colonize particular habitats, i.e., physical spaces in the GI tract, whereas allochthonous microorganisms cannot colonize particular habitats except under abnormal conditions

Question 6

how many microbes does unpolluted water contain

Answer 6

Unpolluted water contains low organic nutrients, thus low numbers of microbes

Question 7

what is water polluted with

Answer 7

sewage, agricultural runoff and industrial pollutants

Question 8

what is polluted water high in

Answer 8

organic matter, coliform and noncoliform bacteria

Question 9

what are the types of pollution

Answer 9

physical, biological and chemical

Question 10

how are natural wastes able to be inherent self-purifying

Answer 10

by indigenous/autochthonous microbes

Question 11

what is anaerobic digestion

Answer 11

microorganisms break down organic sewage into fatty acids e.g. acetic acid, carbon dioxide and hydrogen

Question 12

what is aerobic digestion

Answer 12

aerobic microbes oxidize organic compounds in sludge by pumping air through

Question 13

what diseases spread via contaminated water

Answer 13

typhoid fever, cholera, shigellosis and Legionnaires’ disease

Question 14

what viruses spread in contaminated water

Answer 14

hepatis A, rotavirus and polio virus

Question 15

how does river contamination work

Answer 15

1. Nutrients enter the river from sources like sewage and causes accumulated phosphates and causes algal blooms
2. Algae die and settle to the bottom as sediment
3. The blooms supply nutrients to other microbes, which use up oxygen
4. Aquatic animals and plants die and they accumulate on the bottom where anaerobic bacteria thrive

Question 16

what does sewage contain

Answer 16

oils and animal and vegetable matter

Question 17

what Is BOD

Answer 17

measure of oxygen demand =organic carbon content

Question 18

what are the types of sewage treatment

Answer 18

primary, secondary and tertiary

Question 19

what is coliform

Answer 19

-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

Question 20

WHAT IS MPN

Answer 20

The most probable number test determines number of bacteria by observing carbon dioxide gas production

Question 21

what is solid waste composting

Answer 21

-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

Question 22

what is oligotrophic

Answer 22

nutrient-deficient aquatic ecosystem; supports few microorganisms; many bacteriophage

Question 23

what is eutrophication

Answer 23

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

Question 24

what does algae causes

Answer 24

impacts on the environment
-oxygen depletion
-clogging water filters
-colours/odors/tastes in drinking water

Question 25

what organisms are internal parts of food chains

Answer 25

diatoms and dinoflagellates

Question 25

what types of microbes grow in the ocean

Answer 25

Halophiles, psychrophiles, and barophiles

Question 26

where do Most marine microorganisms live

Answer 26

in the littoral zone
Some can live in the deep benthic and abyssal (deep) zones

Question 27

what are biofilms

Answer 27

-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…

Question 28

what are biofilms used for

Answer 28

used in bioremediation to degrade toxic wastes