Microbes In Human Welfare Flashcards
What are antibiotics?
Substances that greatly improve our capacity to treat deadly diseases
Examples include penicillin, which was the first antibiotic discovered.
Name some diseases that antibiotics help treat.
- Plague
- Whooping cough
- Diphtheria
- Leprosy
These diseases historically caused millions of deaths.
What are some examples of organic acid producers?
- Aspergillus niger (citric acid)
- Acetobacter aceti (acetic acid)
- Clostridium butylicum (butyric acid)
- Lactobacillus (lactic acid)
These microbes are utilized in the commercial production of organic acids.
Which yeast is used for the commercial production of ethanol?
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
This yeast is widely used in brewing and baking industries.
What are lipases used for?
Detergent formulations to remove oily stains
Lipases are enzymes that break down fats and oils.
Why are bottled fruit juices clearer than homemade ones?
Bottled juices are clarified using pectinases and proteases
These enzymes help in breaking down pectin and proteins that cause cloudiness.
What is streptokinase and its use?
An enzyme produced by Streptococcus used as a ‘clot buster’
It helps remove clots from blood vessels in myocardial infarction patients.
What is cyclosporin A and its source?
An immunosuppressive agent produced by Trichoderma polysporum
It is used in organ-transplant patients to prevent rejection.
What are statins and their source?
Blood-cholesterol lowering agents produced by Monascus purpureus
Statins inhibit the enzyme responsible for cholesterol synthesis.
What is sewage?
Municipal waste-water containing large amounts of organic matter and microbes
It often includes human excreta and can be pathogenic.
Why can’t sewage be discharged directly into natural water bodies?
It contains pathogens and organic matter that can harm ecosystems
Sewage treatment is necessary to mitigate environmental impact.
What is the primary component of municipal waste-water?
Human excreta
This is a significant source of organic matter in sewage.
What is secondary treatment in sewage treatment?
Secondary treatment involves the biological treatment of primary effluent using heterotrophic microbes to reduce organic matter.
What occurs during primary treatment?
Primary treatment involves the physical removal of particles from sewage through filtration and sedimentation.
What is the process for removing floating debris in primary treatment?
Floating debris is removed by sequential filtration.
How is grit removed during primary treatment?
Grit, which includes soil and small pebbles, is removed by sedimentation.
What forms the primary sludge?
All solids that settle during primary treatment form the primary sludge.
What is the effluent in sewage treatment?
The supernatant that is taken from the primary settling tank is referred to as the effluent.
What happens in the aeration tanks during secondary treatment?
The primary effluent is agitated mechanically and aerated to promote the growth of aerobic microbes.
What are flocs in the context of secondary treatment?
Flocs are masses of bacteria associated with fungal filaments that form mesh-like structures.
What is BOD?
BOD stands for biochemical oxygen demand, which measures the amount of oxygen consumed by bacteria oxidizing organic matter in water.
What does a high BOD indicate?
A greater BOD indicates a higher polluting potential of wastewater.
What happens after the BOD is reduced in secondary treatment?
The effluent is passed into a settling tank where bacterial flocs are allowed to sediment.
What is activated sludge?
Activated sludge is the sediment formed from the bacterial flocs after secondary treatment.
