Microbes in Human Welfare PDF

Microbes in Human Welfare © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Key Takeaways Microbes in household products 1 Curd 2 Microbes in industrial products Cheese Fermented beverages Bread Antibiotics Idli & dosa Chemicals Toddy Enzymes Bioactive molecules © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved M...

Microbes in Human Welfare © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Key Takeaways Microbes in household products 1 Curd 2 Microbes in industrial products Cheese Fermented beverages Bread Antibiotics Idli & dosa Chemicals Toddy Enzymes Bioactive molecules © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in sewage treatment 3 Primary treatment 4 Secondary treatment Microbes in farming 5 Biocontrol agents Biofertilisers Summary © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in production of biogas Microbes Microbes are tiny living organisms that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These microbes are present not only in the human body, but all around like in soil, water and air. Some are found in the most extreme habitats like soil buried below many layers of snow. Some are also found near the deep-sea hydrothermal vents with temperatures reaching up to 100oC. One can observe them with the help of a microscope. Hence, they are named microorganisms/microbes as they need to be magnified over many folds/times to become visible. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes Magnified 1000 X Magnified 1000 X Magnified 1000 X Bacteria Fungi Protozoa © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Magnified 100,000 X Magnified 100,000 X Virus Prions Microbes Adenovirus TMV Bacteriophage Magnified by 1,00,000-1,50,000X Examples of viruses include adenovirus, Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) and bacteriophage. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Household Products Curd Curd is a fermented product obtained with the help of Lactobacillus bacteria which converts milk to curd. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) – include o Lactobacillus lactis o Lactococcus lactis o Lactobacillus bulgaricus etc. LAB produce acids that coagulate and partially digest the milk proteins Starter culture consists of millions of LAB which multiply to produce curd at suitable temperatures. In anaerobic condition, LAB carry out lactic acid fermentation for energy production. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Lactobacillus bacteria Microbes in Household Products Advantages of curd Enhanced nutritional value - Vitamin B12 Easy to digest Probiotic – Gut health improves Curd Safe to consume for lactose intolerant people Enhances texture and flavor © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Household Products Cheese Cheese, is one of the oldest food items in which microbes are used. It is a partially degraded concentrate of milk, fat & protein. Different varieties of cheese are known by their characteristic texture, flavour and taste and the specificity coming from the microbes used. Some types of cheese Swiss cheese Large-holed cheese ripened by Propionibacterium shermanii © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Roquefort cheese Ripened by Penicillium roqueforti Camembert cheese Ripened by Penicillium camemberti Microbes in Household Products Bread Idli & dosa Toddy Prepared from dough fermented using Baker’s yeast Fermented preparation of rice and black gram Traditional drink of some parts of South India Dough appears puffed up due to production of CO2 Prepared using Leuconostoc and Streptococcus Made from fermented sap of palm known as Caryota urens CO2 and ethyl alcohol evaporate on baking, leaving the bread porous and soft Fermented by naturally occurring yeast © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Industrial Products In industry, microbes are used to synthesise many products valuable to human beings. For production on an industrial scale, fermentors are required. A large number of microbes can be grown in a fermentor. Many fermentors combine to form a fermentation plant. Fermentors © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Fermentation plant Microbes in Industrial Products Microbes are used in manufacturing of several industrial products Fermented beverages Antibiotics Chemicals Enzymes Bioactive molecules Produced by alcoholic fermentation of organic substrates Mostly yeast species are used Most commonly used yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae o Also called Brewer’s yeast Other yeast used include o S. ellipsoideus - wine yeast o S. pireformis - ginger beer/Ale yeast © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Industrial Products Types of alcohol Distilled alcohols (high alcohol concentration) Whisky Cereals (50% alcohol) © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Undistilled alcohols (low alcohol concentration) Rum Brandy Wine Beer Molasses (40% alcohol) Fruit juices (60-70% alcohol) Fruit juices (9-12% alcohol) Barley malt (3-6% alcohol) Microbes in Industrial Products Antibiotics Chemical substances, which are produced by some microbes and can kill or inhibit the growth of other (diseasecausing) microbes. Anti against Bio life Anti is a Greek word that means ‘against’. Bio means ‘life’, together they mean ‘against life’ (in the context of disease causing organisms). Whereas, with reference to human beings, they are ‘pro-life’ and not against. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Industrial Products Antibiotics Antibiotics are the medications that can kill bacteria. Antibiotics were discovered by Alexander Fleming. Alexander Fleming observed a mould growing on one of his unwashed culture plates around which Staphylococci could not grow. He found out that it was due to a chemical produced by the mould. He named it penicillin after the mould Penicillium notatum. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Penicillium notatum Penicillin Microbes in Industrial Products Antibiotics Ernst Chain and Howard Florey found the full potential of penicillin as an effective antibiotic. This antibiotic was extensively used to treat American soldiers wounded in World War II. Fleming, Chain and Florey were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1945, for this discovery. Some other antibiotics and their source Cephalosporium acremonium Bacillus subtilis Streptomyces griseus Micromonospora purpurea Cephalosporin Bacitracin Streptomycin Gentamicin © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Industrial Products Antibiotics Antibiotics have greatly improved our capacity to treat deadly diseases. Plague Diphtheria (gal ghotu) © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Whooping cough (kali khansi) Leprosy (kusht rog) Microbes in Industrial Products Chemicals, Enzymes and Bioactive molecules Chemicals Enzymes Bioactive molecules Any material with a definite chemical composition Substances which act as biological catalysts Molecules which are functional in living systems or can interact with their components © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Industrial Products Organic acids Microbes Product Usage (a) Aspergillus niger (fungus) Citric acid Employed in dyeing, inks, medicines, flavouring and preservation of food (b) Acetobacter aceti (bacterium) Acetic acid Used in preparation of vinegar (c) Clostridium butylicum (bacterium) Butyric acid Used for making rancid butter Lactic acid Curd Gluconic acid Used to produce calcium gluconate which is used in treating calcium deficiency (d) Lactobacillus (bacterium) (e) Aspergillus niger, Penicillium (fungi) © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Industrial Products Enzymes Lipases Pectinases & proteases Used in detergent Help in clarifying fruit Helpful in removing Pectinases obtained formulations oily stains from laundry Obtained from: Candida lipolytica, Geotrichum candidum © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved juice from: o Aspergillus niger, o Byssochlamys fulva Proteases obtained from - Aspergillus and Bacillus sp. and Mortierella renispora Streptokinase Used in clot buster Helps in removing clot from blood vessels of patients who have undergone myocardial infarction Obtained from: Streptococcus Amylase Degrades starch Obtained from: o Rhizopus, Aspergillus and Bacillus sp. Microbes in Industrial Products Bioactive molecules Cyclosporin A Statins Used as an immunosuppressive agent in organ transplant patients Used as blood-cholesterol lowering agents Produced by - Trichoderma polysperma Acts by competitively inhibiting enzyme responsible for synthesis of cholesterol Statins resemble mevalonate o Competitive inhibitor of β-hydroxy βmethylglutaryl CoA reductase or HMG CoA reductase Produced by - Monascus purpureus © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Sewage Treatment Untreated sewage if discharged in water body pollutes the water body. As a result: o Aquatic animals start dying o Water becomes unfit for use o Water-borne diseases spread Thus, sewage must not be discarded into the natural water bodies directly. Town City Water collecting pipelines Municipal wastewater - Sewage Untreated sewage © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Natural water body Microbes in Sewage Treatment Sewage needs to be treated in a sewage treatment plant before releasing into water body. Town City Water collecting pipelines Sewage treatment plant Treated sewage © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Natural water body Microbes in Sewage Treatment Sewage treatment plant Sewage treatment plant can be defined as a plant having multiple chambers dedicated to treat sewage, using heterotrophic microbes. 1 2 3 4 The process of sewage treatment is divided into: Primary sewage treatment Secondary sewage treatment 5 © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Sewage Treatment Plant Primary sewage treatment This treatment involves removal of large and small suspended floating particles through simple physical processes like filtration and sedimentation. Filtration tank Sedimentation tank 4 3 Primary sewage treatment 5 © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Primary Sewage Treatment Sewage enters the first tank for primary treatment Tank 1 - Filtration tank It has multiple filters arranged one after the other. Each filter has a different pore size. 1st filter has the largest pore size, and the pore size decreases gradually over the subsequent filters. Sewage enters the tank with a variety of waste materials inside it. It includes diapers, sticks, clothes, bottle, shoes etc. All these floating solid debris get filtered out according to their size and separate out. Therefore, tank 1 removes majority of floating solid debris (small and large) by sequential filtration method. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Primary Sewage Treatment Then the sewage enters the next tank of the primary treatment Tank 2 - Sedimentation tank The smaller solid particles which cannot be removed by sequential filtration are transferred to other tank called sedimentation tank. The grits (soil and small pebbles) are heavier than water. Thus, when the sewage is left undisturbed in this tank, the heavier particles start settling down – sedimentation. Small solid debris, which are heavy, settle down and form the sediment. This sediment is called the primary sludge as it is obtained by primary treatment. The lighter floating portion of the sewage which includes water, dissolved elements and microbes forms the supernatant which is called the effluent. Supernatant = Effluent © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Sediment = Primary Sludge Secondary Sewage Treatment Removal of organic matter from the sewage through microbial action Secondary sewage treatment Filtration tank Sedimentation tank The wastewater is treated by the heterotrophic microbes naturally present in sewage. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved 4 3 5 Secondary Sewage Treatment Effluent from the sedimentation tank is sent to next tank for secondary treatment. Tank 3 - Aeration tank The effluent consists of large amount of organic matter. The heterotrophic microbes naturally present in the sewage are bacteria and algae. This large tank is mechanically agitated, and air is constantly pumped into it. Manual, mechanical agitation and pumping of air causes increase in the number of aerobic microbes. Large number of aerobic microbes join to form flocs. If we observe microscopically, microbial floc is a mesh like structure formed by masses of bacterial and fungal filaments. This microbial floc consumes and digests the organic matter present in the sewage. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Secondary Sewage Treatment Oxygen consumed Biological Oxygen Demand Microbial consumption of the organic matter decreases the level of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) o Amount of oxygen consumed by the bacteria for oxidation of all the organic matter in one liter of water Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) test measures rate of uptake of oxygen by microorganisms in a sample of water Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Time © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Secondary Sewage Treatment Biological Oxygen Demand Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) is indirectly the measure of the organic matter present in the water Greater the BOD of waste water = higher the amount of organic matter = greater the polluting potential of water Sewage water is treated till the BOD is reduced © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Secondary Sewage Treatment Secondary sewage treatment Filtration tank Sedimentation tank 4 Aeration tank 5 © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Secondary Sewage Treatment Effluent from the aeration tank is sent to next tank of secondary treatment Tank 4 - Settling tank Once the BOD of sewage (waste water) is reduced significantly, the effluent is then passed into a settling tank where the bacterial ‘flocs’ sediment. This sediment is called activated sludge. The clean supernatant is the treated effluent. Flocs contain heterotrophic aerobic microbes and fungal filaments. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Secondary Sewage Treatment A small portion of activated sludge is pumped back to aeration tank. This small portion acts as inoculum for the next batch of sewage. This inoculum helps in the formation of floc in the aeration tank next time. Remaining major portion of the activated sludge is transferred to another tank. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Secondary sewage treatment Filtration tank Sedimentation tank Aeration tank Settling tank 5 Secondary Sewage Treatment Tank 5 - Anaerobic sludge digester tank The sludge digester tank does not have oxygen, so aerobic bacteria die in the absence of oxygen. Different kinds of anaerobic bacteria present in this chamber digest the aerobic bacteria and the fungal filaments in the activated sludge. This digestion releases mixture of gases like methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide. These gases form biogas which is used as source of energy and is inflammable. Thus, from the anaerobic sludge digester tank, we obtain two useful byproducts o biogas o manure © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Sewage Treatment At the end of the sewage treatment there are two major outputs: 1st – Treated sewage water which can be released into natural water body and is non-polluting. 2nd – Really useful byproduct which is biogas Secondary sewage treatment Filtration tank Sedimentati on tank Biogas © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Aeration tank Settling tank Anaerobic sludge digester tank Natural water body Microbes in Production of Biogas Methanogens are bacteria present in the rumen of cattle and their dung. They help in the digestion of cellulose. The most common methanogen is Methanobacterium. Cow dung contains cellulose. Methanogens present in the cow dung acts on the cellulosic material anaerobically. They result in the production of biogas, also known as gobar gas. Anaerobic respiration Cow dung with methanogens © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Methanobacterium Cow dung with methanogens Biogas / Gobar gas Microbes in Production of Biogas Biogas is a mixture of different gases that are produced due to microbial activity of methanogens. It predominantly consists of o Methane (approx. 50-70%) o Carbon dioxide (30-40%) o H2 and H2S (10%) Calorific value of biogas is 4429 Kcal/m3 at 50% methane content. Technology for biogas in India was developed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute and Khadi and Village Industries Commission. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Production of Biogas Parts of biogas plant 10-15 m deep tank in which biowastes and cow dung slurry is collected It is a floating cover which collects the gas and has an outlet Slurry is added into digester through this tank Spent slurry is collected and removed through this tank Digester Gas holder Slurry tank Sludge tank © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes in Farming Microbes in farming Biocontrol agents © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Biofertilisers Microbes which are used in controlling plant diseases and pests are called biocontrol agents. Biological control using microbes is based on natural predation and not on chemicals. It is one of the important parts of integrated pest management. Microbes as Biocontrol Agents Advantages of using microbes as biocontrol agents Do not pollute the environment The consumption of chemicals sprayed on vegetables or fruits for a long period can result in certain health issues. This can be avoided by using microbes as biocontrol agents. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved In biocontrol, beneficial insects are retained but harmful pests are eliminated. Does not eradicate pests but keeps them under manageable levels Harmful pest Beneficial species Hence, the ecosystem is not disturbed. Microbes as Biocontrol Agents Fungi as a biocontrol agent Trichoderma is a species of fungi found in the root ecosystem. It controls several pathogens affecting plants and acts as a biocontrol agent. Trichoderma Nematode Trichoderma Pathogen fungus Identifies and attacks plant pathogenic fungus Destroy nematode eggs Plant root Pathogen fungus Induces disease resistance in plants © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes as Biocontrol Agents Virus as a biocontrol agent Baculoviruses are pathogens that attack arthropods. These viruses belong to the genus Nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV). They have species specific narrow spectrum insecticidal applications. Nucleopolyhedrovirus (Baculoviruses) © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Insects and other arthropods Microbes as Biocontrol Agents Virus as a biocontrol agent The specialty of this virus is that it is restricted to its host range and does not kill other organisms. These viruses are excellent candidates for speciesspecific, narrow spectrum insecticidal applications. They have been shown to have no negative impacts on plants, mammals, birds, fish or even on non-target insects. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Vertebrates No effect Baculoviruses Non-arthropod invertebrates Plants Microbes as Biocontrol Agents Bacteria as a biocontrol agent Bacillus thuringiensis is the most widely used option. It produces an endotoxin encoded by gene Cry IAc. This gene is incorporated into plants so that they produce the same endotoxin which kills the insects feeding on the plants. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Bt cotton Bacillus thuringiensis genes Used to produce Bt rice Bt corn Microbes as Biocontrol Agents Integrated Pest Management Knowledge of the pests, their life cycles, their interaction with the environment helps in developing a holistic approach in managing the pest The IPM approaches are very economical. Baculoviruses are considered as a desirable factor for integrated pest management (IPM), as it helps in controlling pests without affecting other species (species specific). © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Integrated Pest Management Animals as biocontrol agent Not only microbes but certain animals are also used as biocontrol agents. For example o Ladybird is used to kill aphids. o Dragonflies are useful to get rid of mosquitoes. Ladybird © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Aphids Dragonfly Mosquito Microbes as Biofertilisers One way to provide nourishment to crops is through the use of fertilisers. However, usage of chemical fertilisers has resulted in increase in pollution. o They also have a damaging impact on health of organisms. Hence, utilisation of biofertilisers for farming is gaining prominence. Main sources Cyanobacteria © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Fungi Bacteria Microbes as Biofertilisers Bacteria as biofertiliser The nodules on the roots of leguminous plants formed in symbiotic association with Rhizobium helps in nitrogen fixation. Azotobacter and Azospirillum bacteria are other examples of biofertiliser. o These are free living bacteria In rice fields, Aulosira, helps fix nitrogen non-symbiotically. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes as Biofertiliser Fungi as biofertilizer Mycorrhiza – symbiotic relationship between fungi and roots of the plant. Here, the fungi absorb phosphorus from the soil and pass it on to the plant. Most of the fungi that belong to genus Glomus form the mycorrhiza. Types of mycorrhiza Ectomycorrhizae/ Ectotrophic/Ectophytic Endomycorrhizae/ Endotrophic/Endophytic They absorb and store nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and calcium They are also called vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM). It plays a significant role in phosphorus nutrition in plants. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Microbes as Biofertiliser Cyanobacteria as a biofertiliser Cyanobacteria are autotrophic microbes widely distributed in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Many of them can fix atmospheric nitrogen, e.g. Anabaena, Nostoc, Oscillatoria. Anabaena azollae lives in symbiotic association with the free floating water fern Azolla and fixes atmospheric nitrogen. Anabaena cycadae lives in coralloid root of Cycas. © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Fix atmospheric nitrogen Anabaena azollae Nostoc Summary Household products made with the help of microbes Curd Cheese Idli & dosa Bread Toddy Industrial products made with the help of microbes Fermented beverages Chemicals (Organic acids) Antibiotics © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Bioactive molecules Enzymes Summary Schematic representation of a biogas plant Cow dung + water Biogas Slurry tank Digester © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Outlet Sludge tank Summary Biocontrol agents Virus Baculovirus Fungi Trichoderma Bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis Animals Ladybird & dragonfly © 2022, Aakash BYJU'S. All rights reserved Biofertilisers Bacteria Cyanobacteria Fungi