Economic Significance of Microorganisms
Economic Significance of Microorganisms
Economic Significance of Microorganisms
Microorganisms
Microorganisms
• Microorganisms are small living things that can
only be seen under high power microscope.
• Microorganisms include:
– Virus
– Bacteria
– Protozoa
– Microscopic Fungi
– Microscopic Algae
Use of Micro-organisms in environment
1. Fixation of atmospheric nitrogen
2. Decomposition of organic wastes and residues
3. Suppression of soil-borne pathogens
4. Recycling and increased availability of plant nutrients
5. Degradation of toxicants including pesticides
6. Production of antibiotics and other bioactive compounds
7. Production of simple organic molecules for plant uptake
8. Complexation of heavy metals to limit plant uptake
9. Solubilization of insoluble nutrient sources
10. Production of polysaccharides to improve soil
aggregation
Beneficial Microorganisms
• Antibiotics
• Food Production
• Soil Fertility and Bacteria and
Fungi
• Combating Pollution
Antibiotics
• Antibiotic is chemical substance produced
by microorganisms that can kill or inhibit
the growth of other microorganisms.
• Antibiotics kill or inhibit other organisms
by interfering the metabolic process in the
bacterium that is not found in the host.
Penicillin
conidia
conidiophores
phialides
Food Production
• Fermentation:
C2H12O6 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 + energy
• Dairy Products: cheese, yogurt and butter
• Wine and bread: yeast (Saccharomyces
cerevisaea)
Soil Fertility and Bacteria
and Fungi
• Formation of Humus:
– Organic compounds are decomposed by
saprophytic bacteria.
• Nitrogen Fixation
– Nitrogen Ammonia
• Nitrifying bacteria
– NH4+, NH3 Nitrosomona NO2- nitrobacter NO3-
Combating Against Pollution
• Sewage Treatment.
• Oil spillage: Pseudomonas sp.can
digest the oil into harmless forms.
Sewage Treatment (1)
• Primary treatment
– In the sewage treatment plant the
solid organic matter is moved from
the sewage as sludge which may be
treated further to form fertilizer.
Sewage Treatment (2)
• Secondary treatment:
– The organic matter left in solution
and suspension are decomposed
rapidly by the added micro-
organisms (e.g. Bacillus,
Pseudomonas, Vorticella )
Sewage Treatment (3)
• Tertiary treatment:
– Finally all the micro-organisms are
killed by adding chlorine to the
effluent of the treated sewage which
can run into the rivers without
causing any pollution problems.
Water Treatment of HK
Microorganism in other
productions
vaccines
amino acid
Enzymes (invertase)
Vitamins (e.g. B2)
Harmful Organisms
• Causing Diseases.
• Food Spoilage.
Pickling of Food.
Source from: Biology: A Modern approach. (2nd Ed.)
Food Preservation Techniques
Thermal Processing
Refrigeration
Drying
Food Additives
Canning
Smoking
Thermal Processing
Heating Pasteurization
Refrigeration
Drying
Food Additive
Canning
Smoking