CHAPTER- 10

Microbes in Human Welfare

Keywords
LAB lactic acid bacteria
Fermenters Large vessels used to culture microorganisms
Antibiotics Substance produced by microorganism, that is detrimental to other microorganisms
Sewage Sewage is a type of wastewater that is produced by a community of people
STPs Sewage treatment plants
Flocs masses of bacteria associated with fungal filaments form mesh like structures
BOD biochemical oxygen demand
Methanogens Methane producing bacteria
IARI Indian Agricultural Research Institute
KVIC Khadi and Village Industries Commission
Bio fertilizer Microorganism used as fertilizer to improve soil quality
Bio pesticide Living organisms used as pesticide
Mycorrhiza Association between fungus and root of plants
Biocontrol use of biological methods for controlling plant diseases and pests
IPM Integrated pest management
MICROBES IN HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

LAB- Lactobacillus group of bacteria is called lactic acid bacteria (LAB).

The LAB produces lactic acid which coagulates and partially digests the milk proteins. This results
in the formation of curd.
Curd is rich in vitamin B12 and it checks the disease-causing microbes in the stomach.
Fermentation property – Microorganisms are widely used in the formation of dosa, idli, and bread.
The puffed-up appearance of dough is due to the production of CO2 gas.
In bread formation, baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used.
The fermentation of palm sap is used to make traditional drinks like a toddy.
In cheese formation, specific microbes are used-
The large holes in ‘Swiss cheese’ are due to the production of a large amount of CO2 by a
bacterium named Propionibacterium sharmanii.
The ‘Roquefort cheese’ is ripened by growing specific fungi on them.

MICROBES IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS

Beverages - wine, beer, whisky, brandy or rum. Brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is used for
fermenting malted cereals and fruit juices, to produce ethanol.
Wine and beer are produced without distillation.
Whereas whisky, brandy and rum are produced by distillation of the fermented broth.

ANTIBIOTICS
Antibiotics are chemical substances, which are produced by some microbes and can kill or retard the growth of other
(disease-causing) microbes.
• Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic Penicillin from Penicillium notatum.
• Ernest Chain and Howard Florey established the full potential of Penicillin as an effective antibiotic.
• Antibiotics have greatly improved our capacity to treat deadly diseases such as plague, whooping cough,
diphtheria, and leprosy, etc.
CHEMICALS, ENZYMES AND OTHER BIOACTIVE MOLECULES

Microorganism Name Product

Fungus Aspergillus niger Citric acid
Bacterium Acetobacter aceti Acetic acid
Bacterium Clostridium butylicum Butyric acid
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 Bacterium Lactobacillus Lactic acid
Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ethanol
Lipases are used in detergent formulations and are helpful in removing oily stains from the laundry.
Bottled fruit juices bought from the market are clearer as compared to those made at home. This is because the
bottled juices are clarified by the use of pectinases and proteases.
Product Microorganism Use
Streptokinase Streptococcus clot buster
Cyclosporin A Trichoderma polysporum immunosuppressive agent
Statins Monascus purpureus Blood-cholesterol-lowering agents.

MICROBES IN SEWAGE TREATMENT

This municipal wastewater is also called sewage. Sewage) contains a large amount of organic matter and pathogenic
microbes, human excreta etc. Before disposal, hence, sewage is treated in sewage treatment plants (STPs)
Sewage treatment is done in two stages- primary treatment and secondary biological) treatment
Primary Treatment
• This involves the physical removal of particles from the sewage through filtration and sedimentation.
• The effluent from the primary settling tank is taken for secondary treatment.
Secondary treatment (Biological treatment)

• The primary effluent is passed into large aeration tanks where it is constantly agitated mechanically and air is
pumped into it.
• This allows vigorous growth of useful aerobic microbes as flocs.
• These microbes consume the major part of the organic matter in the effluent. This significantly reduces the
BOD.
• Once the BOD of sewage is reduced significantly, the effluent is then passed into a settling tank where the
bacterial ‘flocs’ are allowed to sediment. This sediment is called activated sludge.
• A small part of the activated sludge is pumped back into the aeration tank to serve as the inoculum.
• The remaining major part of the sludge is pumped into large tanks called anaerobic sludge digesters. Here
anaerobic bacteria produce biogas (methane, hydrogen sulphide, and carbon dioxide).
• The effluent from the secondary treatment plant is generally released into natural water bodies like rivers and
streams.
MICROBES IN THE PRODUCTION OF BIOGAS
• Biogas is (containing methane) produced by the microbial activity of methanogen on cow dung and cellulosic
waste. Cow dung is a common source of methanogens e.g. Methanobacterium.
• The biogas plant consists of a concrete tank (10-15 feet deep) in which bio-wastes are collected and the slurry
of dung is fed.
• The Biogas plant has A floating cover placed over the slurry (which keeps on rising as the gas is produced in
the tank) and an outlet (supply biogas to nearby houses).
• The spent slurry is removed through another outlet and may be used as fertilizer. The biogas thus produced is
used for cooking and lighting.
MICROBES AS BIOCONTROL AGENTS
Biological control of pests and diseases
Biocontrol refers to the control of pests by microorganisms.

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 • The organic farmer, therefore, works to create a system where the insects that are sometimes called pests
are not eradicated, but instead are kept at manageable levels by a complex system of checks and balances
within a living and vibrant ecosystem.
• The use of biocontrol measures will greatly reduce our dependence on toxic chemicals and pesticides.
Ladybird aphids
Dragonflies mosquitoes
Bacillus thuringiensis Insects caterpillar
Trichoderma Several plant pathogens
Baculoviruses e.g. NPV insects
MICROBES AS BIOFERTILISERS
Bio-fertilizers are organisms that enrich the nutrient quality of the soil.

Rhizobium in the root nodule of leguminous plants fixes atmospheric nitrogen

Bacteria into organic forms, which is used by the plant as a nutrient. Azospirillum and
Azotobacter are also used as nitrogen-enriching biofertilizers.

Many species of fungus form a symbiotic association with the roots of plants
Fungi (Mycorrhiza). e.g.- Genus Glomus form mycorrhiza. The fungal mycelium absorbs
phosphorus from the soil and passes it to the plant. Such plants also show
resistance to root-borne pathogens and tolerance to salinity and drought.

Cyanobacteria- These blue-green algae may fix atmospheric nitrogen. E.g.

BGA Anabaena, Nostoc, Oscillatoria etc. Blue-green algae also add organic matter to
the soil and increase its fertility
.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
Very Short Answer Type Questions/ MCQ
1- Nostoc is economically very important due to its following feature-
a. N2 fixing bacteria
b. N2 fixing cyanobacteria
c. Mycorrhizae
d. None of these
Ans: B
2- Bacillus thuringiensis is widely used as:
a. Insecticide
b. Weedicides
c. Rodenticide
d. None of the above
Ans: A
3- Which one is used as a biocontrol agent-
a. Bacillus
b. NPV
c. Trichoderma
d. All of these
Ans: D
4- Full potential of Penicillin is established by which scientist?
a. Ernest Chain
b. Howard Florey

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 c. Both A and B
d. Only A
Ans: C
5- What is common in penicillin and ampicillin-

a. Antibiotic
b. Antibody
c. Immunoglobin
d. Antiseptic
Ans: A
6- Which organism is involved in curd formation? Mention the process of curd formation.
Ans: Lactic acid bacteria are used in the formation of curd.
The LAB produces lactic acid which coagulates and partially digests the milk proteins.
7- Swiss cheese has large holes. Give the reason. Also, mention the name of the microorganism responsible for
this.
Ans: the large holes in ‘Swiss cheese’ are due to the production of a large amount of CO2 by a bacterium named
Propionibacterium sharmanii.
8- Write the scientific name of baker’s yeast and brewer’s yeast.
Ans: Saccharomyces cerevisiae
9- What Nucleopolyhedra viruses (NPV) are being used nowadays?
Ans: NPV is used as a biocontrol agent for insect control
10- Name a biological product that is used to remove stains from clothes.
Ans: Lipase
11- List an immune immunosuppressive agent and also, mention the name of the source organisms.
Ans: Cyclosporin A, source organism: Trichoderma polysporum
12- Why bottled juice looks clearer than homemade juice.
Ans: Proteases and pectinases are used which digest pectin and make juice clearer.
13- Why is the secondary treatment of water in sewage treatment plants called biological treatment?
Ans: In this treatment Organic wastes of sewage water are decomposed by certain microorganisms in the
presence of water.
14- Name the plant whose sap is used in making Toddy. Mention the process involved in it.
Ans: Palm tree, Fermentation process
Short Answer Types Questions
1- Expand BOD. Mention its significance in the sewage treatment plant.
Ans: BOD refers to the amount of oxygen that would be consumed if all the organic matter in one liter of water
were oxidized by bacteria. The sewage water is treated till the BOD is reduced. The greater the BOD of waste
water, the more is polluted.
2- Alexander Fleming observed that in the presence of Penicillium notatum a particular species “A” can’t grow.
Give the reason and also identify “A”.
Ans: “A” is Staphylococci bacteria.
• ‘A’ is unable to grow because the chemical Penicillin (now called as antibiotic) is released by Penicillium
notatum
3- Give two examples each of distilled and non-distilled beverages.
Ans: Wine and beer (without distillation), whisky, and brandy (distillation) of the fermented broth
4- Name the type of association that genus Glomus exhibits with the higher plant. How it is beneficial for
plants?
• Ans: Mycorrhiza
• The fungal mycelium absorbs phosphorus from the soil and passes it to the plant. Such plants also
show resistance to root-borne pathogens and tolerance to salinity and drought.
5- From which organism we can obtain a clot buster? Write its use.

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 Ans: clot buster is obtained from Streptococcus. It is used for removing clots from the blood vessels of patients
who have undergone myocardial infarction.
6- How Flocs are formed during sewage treatment. Mention its application.
• Ans: Flocs are mesh-like structures containing aerobic bacteria and fungal mycelium.
• These are forms in aerobic tanks when organic matter is abundant.
• Flocs digest organic matter and reduce the BOD of sewage water.
7- Why is sewage water treated until the BOD is reduced? Give a reason.at which stage of sewage treatment
BOD reduces significantly.
• Ans: The greater the BOD of sewage water more is its polluting potential. So, the sewage water is
treated, till its BOD is reduced to reduce the organic matter present in it.
• At the secondary level during biological treatment flocs reduces BOD significantly.
8- A farmer is advised to add a culture of microorganisms in the soil before sowing the crop. Name two
microorganisms that can be helpful for farmers. How are these microbes useful to the crop?
Ans: bio-fertilizers: Rhizobium, Cyanobacteria
These microorganisms enrich the nutrient quality of the soil.
They can fix atmospheric nitrogen into organic forms, which is used by plants as a nutrient.
9- Why are biofertilizers or biopesticides preferred to chemical fertilizers or pesticides?
Ans: They do not cause any pollution.
They do not spoil the quality of the soil.
Biopesticides are target specific.
They are less expensive and are biodegradable.
10- Write the chemical nature of biogas. Name one organism which produces biogas. Name the institutions that
developed technology of biogas production in India.
Ans: Chemical nature of biogas – CH4 , CO2 , H2.
Organism: Group of bacteria known as methanogens. E.g. Methanobacterium
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and Khadi and Village Industries Commission
Long Answer Type Questions
1- Explain the process of secondary sewage treatment.
Ans: •The primary effluent is passed into large aeration tanks where it is constantly agitated mechanically
and air is pumped into it.
•This allows vigorous growth of useful aerobic microbes as flocs. These microbes consume the organic matter
in the effluent. This significantly reduces the BOD.
•Once the BOD of sewage is reduced significantly, the effluent is then passed into a settling tank where the
bacterial ‘flocs’ are allowed to sediment. This sediment is called activated sludge.
•The major part of the sludge is pumped into anaerobic sludge digesters. Here anaerobic bacteria produce
biogas (methane, hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide).
•The effluent from the secondary treatment plant is generally released into natural water bodies like rivers
and streams.
2- (i) Draw a typical biogas plant.
(ii) Describe how biogas is obtained from the activated sludge?
Ans: (i) Fig. 10.8, Page 186, NCERT
(ii) Biogas formation from activated sludge:
• Major portion of activated sludge is pumped into anaerobic sludge digesters.
• Here, anaerobic bacteria digest the organic material of the sludge.
• During this digestion, the methanogen bacteria produce biogas (methane, carbon dioxide hydrogen
sulphide)
3- Organic farmers use microbes to decrease the use of chemical pesticides. By giving five examples, Explain
how can this be accomplished.

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 Ans: Organic farmer believes that the use of biocontrol measures will greatly reduce our dependence on
toxic chemicals and pesticides.
Ladybird Aphids
Dragonflies Mosquitoes
Bacillus thuringiensis Insects caterpillar
Trichoderma Several plant pathogens
Baculoviruses, NPV Insects
4- Microbes may be very useful for human beings. Give at least five examples in favour of your answer.
Ans: Microbes are the major components of biological systems on this earth. They may be very useful for
mankind in the following ways-
• As biofertilizers- Rhizobium, Cyanobacteria, and Azotobacter are goof nitrogen-fixing organisms
• Biopesticides- Trichoderma, NPV, Dragonfly, and Bacillus thuringiensis are good biopesticides.
• Sewage treatment and Biogas formation- Aerobic bacteria and methanogens
• Antibiotics- Penicillum notatum produces Penicillin
• Food and beverages – LAB- curd formation, (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in the bakery and brewers industry
5- Various bioactive molecules and chemicals are produced from microorganisms by using modern
technology. Give a brief account of them
Ans:
Microorganism Name Product
Fungus Aspergillus niger Citric acid
Bacterium Acetobacter aceti Acetic acid
Bacterium Clostridium butylicum Butyric acid
Bacterium Lactobacillus Lactic acid
Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ethanol
Lipases are used in detergent formulations and are helpful in removing oily stains
from the laundry.
Bottled fruit juices bought from the market are clearer as compared to those
made at home. This is because the bottled juices are clarified by the use of
pectinases and proteases.
Product Microorganism Use
Streptokinase Streptococcus clot buster
Cyclosporin A Trichoderma polysporum immunosuppressive agent
Statins Monascus purpureus Blood-cholesterol lowering
agents.

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