Microbes in Human Welfare PDF

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7. MICROBES IN HUMAN WELFARE
MICROBES IN HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS 4. Cyclosporine A: produced by Trichoderma polysporum

Lactobacillus or Lactic acid bacteria (LAB): (fungus). Used as an immunosuppressive agent in
- Convert milk to curd. organ transplant patients.
- LAB produces acids that coagulate and partially digest 5. Statins: Produced by Monascus purpureus (a yeast).
the milk proteins. Used as blood-cholesterol lowering agents. It inhibits
- A small amount of curd (which contains LAB) + fresh the enzymes responsible for synthesis of cholesterol.
milk converts to curd. It also increases vitamin B12. MICROBES IN SEWAGE TREATMENT
- In stomach, LAB helps to check pathogens. Sewage (municipal waste-water) contains large amount of
Bacterial Fermentation (Anaerobic respiration) in organic matter and microbes.
dough is used to make foods such as dosa, idli etc. The Sewage is treated in Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) to
puffed up appearance of dough is due to the production of make it less polluting. It includes 2 stages,
CO2 gas. 1. Primary treatment
Bakers Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae): It is used to It is the physical removal of particles. It includes
make bread by fermenting dough. a. Removal of floating debris by sequential filtration.
Toddy is made by fermenting sap from palms. b. Removal of the grit (soil & pebbles) by sedimentation.
Microbes are used to ferment fish, soya bean and All solids that settle form the primary sludge and the
bamboo-shoots to make foods. supernatant form the primary effluent.
Microbes are used to produce cheeses differing in flavor,
taste and texture. E.g. 2. Secondary treatment (Biological treatment)
- Large holes in Swiss cheese are due to production of Primary effluent is passed into large aeration tanks and
CO2 by Propionibacterium sharmanii (a bacterium). constantly agitated. This allows vigorous growth of useful
- Roquefort cheese is ripened by growing a specific aerobic microbes into flocs (masses of bacteria associated
fungus on them that gives them a particular flavor. with fungal filaments to form mesh-like structures). These
microbes consume the major part of the organic matter in
MICROBES IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
the effluent. This reduces the BOD (Biochemical Oxygen
Production of beverages, antibiotics etc on an industrial scale, Demand) of the effluent.
requires growing microbes in very large vessels (fermentors).
Fermented beverages BOD: Amount of O2 consumed by bacteria to oxidize all
organic matter in one litre of water. It is a measure of organic
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Brewers yeast) is used in the matter present in the water. The greater the BOD more is its
production of beverages by fermenting malted cereals and polluting potential.
fruit juices to produce ethanol.
- Wine & Beer are produced without distillation. The effluent is then passed into a settling tank where the
- Whisky, Brandy & Rum are produced by distillation of bacterial flocs are allowed to sediment. This sediment is
fermented broth. called activated sludge.
Antibiotics A small part of the activated sludge is pumped back into the
- Chemical substances produced by some microbes and can aeration tank to serve as the inoculum.
kill or retard the growth of other disease-causing microbes. The remaining major part of the sludge is pumped into large
- They are used to treat plague, whooping cough, tanks called anaerobic sludge digesters. Here, some
diphtheria, leprosy etc. anaerobic bacteria digest the bacteria and fungi in the
- Penicillin: First antibiotic discovered by Alexander sludge by producing gases like CH4, H2S and CO2. These
Fleming. He observed that a mould (Penicillium notatum) gases form the biogas.
growing in unwashed culture plates around which The effluent from secondary treatment plant is released into
Staphylococci could not grow. He extracted penicillin from it. natural water bodies like rivers and streams.
- Earnest chain and Howard Florey established its full The Ministry of Environment & Forests has initiated
potential as an effective antibiotic. Ganga Action Plan & Yamuna Action Plan to save from
- Fleming, Chain & Florey were awarded Nobel Prize (1945). water pollution.
Chemicals, enzymes and other bioactive molecules MICROBES IN THE PRODUCTION OF BIOGAS
1. Organic acids: E.g. - Biogas: Mixture of gases (mainly CH4) produced by the
Aspergillus niger (a fungus) : Citric acid microbial activity. Biogas is used for cooking & lighting.
Acetobacter aceti (a bacterium) : Acetic acid - Methanogens grow anaerobically on cellulosic material
Clostridium butylicum (a bacterium) : Butyric acid and produce CH4. E.g. Methanobacterium.
Lactobacillus (a bacterium) : Lactic acid - Methanobacterium is found in the anaerobic sludge and
2. Alcohol: Yeast (S. cerevisiae) is used to produce ethanol. rumen of cattle (for cellulose digestion).
3. Enzymes: - The dung of cattle (gobar) is rich in these bacteria. Dung
Lipases: Used in detergent formulations. Help to can be used for generation of biogas (Gobar gas).
remove oily stains from the laundry. The Biogas plant
Pectinases & Proteases: To clarify bottled juices.
Consists of
Streptokinase: Produced by Streptococcus. Used as a
A concrete tank (10-15 feet deep) to collect bio-wastes
clot buster to remove clots from the blood vessels of
and slurry of dung. A floating cover is placed over the
patients who have myocardial infarction.
slurry, which keeps on rising as the biogas is produced.
1
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An outlet which is connected to a pipe to supply biogas. o Baculoviruses (Especially genus Nucleopolyhedro-
An outlet to remove spent slurry (used as fertilizer). virus): Attacks insects and other arthropods.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and Khadi These are suitable for species-specific, narrow spectrum
and Village Industries Commission (KVIC): Developed insecticidal applications. This is desirable in IPM program
technology of biogas production in India. to conserve beneficial insects.
MICROBES AS BIOCONTROL AGENTS MICROBES AS BIOFERTILISERS
- Biocontrol: It is the use of biological methods for Biofertilisers are organisms that enrich nutrient quality of
controlling plant diseases and pests. the soil. E.g. Bacteria, fungi, cyanobacteria etc.
- Chemical pesticides and insecticides are harmful to all Rhizobium (symbiotic bacteria in root nodules of
organisms and causes pollution. Chemical pesticide kills leguminous plants) fix atmospheric N2.
both useful and harmful life forms. Free-livings in the soil (E.g. Azospirillum and
Microbial biocontrol agents Azotobacter) enrich the nitrogen content of the soil.
o Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt): to control butterfly caterpillar. Mycorrhiza: Symbiotic association of fungi (E.g. the
These are available in sachets as dried spores which are genus of Glomus) with plants. The fungus gets food from
mixed with water and sprayed on to vulnerable plants the plant. The fungal symbiont
such as brassicas and fruit trees, where these are eaten by o Absorb phosphorous from soil and passes it to the plant.
the insect larvae. In the gut of the larvae, the toxin is o Give resistance to root-borne pathogens and tolerance
released and the larvae get killed. to salinity and draught.
The scientists have introduced B. thuringiensis toxin o Give an overall increase in plant growth and
genes into plants. E.g. Bt cotton. development.
o Trichoderma sp (fungus): are free livings that are seen in Cyanobacteria (Blue green algae): Autotrophic
the root ecosystems. They are effective biocontrol agents microbes. They can fix atmospheric nitrogen. E.g.
of several plant pathogens. Anabaena, Nostoc, Oscillatoria etc. In paddy fields,
Cyanobacteria serve as an important biofertilisers. It also
adds organic matter to the soil and increases its fertility.
Prepared by:
K.C. Muhammed ali K.C
[email protected]
bankofbiology.blogspot.com
9544187632

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MICROBES IN HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS 4. Cyclosporine A: produced by Trichoderma polysporum

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