MICROBES IN HUMAN WELFARE

INTRODUCTION

    
Microbes are the major They are present even at sites Microbes are diverse-protozoa, Microbes like bacteria and Microbes can be harmful and
components of biological where no other life-form bacteria, fungi and many fungi can be grown on disease causing but many
could possibly exist-like deep
systems on this earth. They microscopic animal & plant nutritive media to form colonies are useful to man in diverse
inside the geysers (thermal
are present everywhere-in vents) where the temperature viruses, viroids and also prions. that can be seen with naked ways.
soil, water, air, inside our is 100° C, deep in the soil,
eyes. Such cultures are useful
under the layers of snow
bodies and that of other
several metres thick and in in studies on micro-organisms.
animals and plants. highly acidic environments.

Lactobacillus & others (LAB) grow in milk &

convert it to curd. LAB produce acids that coagulate &
partially digest milk proteins, at suitable temperatures. It
Toddy is fermented sap from palms.
also improves its nutritional quality by increasing vit- B12.
In our stomach too, LAB play beneficial role in
checking pathogenic microbes.

MICROBES
IN HOUSEHOLD
The dough used for dosa and idli is Microbes are used to ferment fish, soyabean
fermented by bacteria. & bamboo shoots to make foods.

PRODUCTS

The characteristic texture, flavour, taste and specificity of

cheese is due to the microbes:
Dough which is used for making bread, is a. Swiss cheese : Large holes are due to large amount of CO2
fermented using baker's yeast produced by the bacterium. Propionibacterium sharmanii.
b. Roquefort cheese : Ripened by a specific fungi, which
(Saccharomyces cerevisiae). gives the specific flavour.

MICROBES IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS

Requires growing microbes in fermentors

Fermented Beverages Antibiotics (Anti = against, bio = life)

Penicillin-first antibiotic was a chance discovery by Alexander Fleming,

Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is used for Wine & beer are produced without
beverages production and called brewer's distillation, whereas whisky, brandy & rum while working on Staphylococci bacteria. When he observed that they
yeast. It is also used for fermenting malted are produced by distillation of fermented didn't grow due to the growth of a mould Penicillium notatum. Its full
cereals & fruit juices to produce ethanol. broth.
potential was discovered by Chain & Florey. Fleming, Chain & Florey were
awarded Nobel prize in 1945.
 Aspergillus niger (a fungus) - Citric acid Saccharomyces cerevisiae - Ethanol

Acetobacter aceti (a bacterium) - Acetic acid Chemicals, Lipases - Used in detergent formulations.

Enzymes &
Streptokinase produced by bacterium Streptococcus &
Clostridium butylicum (a bacterium) -
Butyric acid
other Bioactive modified by genetic engineering used as a 'clot buster'
for removing clots from blood vessels in myocardial infarction
patients.

Molecules Cyclosporin-A, used as immunosuppressive agent

Lactobacillus (a bacterium) - Lactic acid in organ-transplant patients, is produced from
Trichoderma polysporum (a fungus).

Statins produced by yeast Monascus purpureus is a blood-cholesterol lowering agent.

MICROBES IN SEWAGE TREATMENT

The municipal waste water is called sewage. Before disposal into natural water bodies like Treatment of waste water is done by the
A major component of this waste water is rivers and streams, it is treated in sewage heterotrophic microbes naturally present
human excreta. It contains large amounts of treatment plants (STPs) to make it less in the sewage.
organic matter & microbes. polluting.

Treatment is carried in two stages

Primary Treatment (Physical treatment) Secondary Treatment (Biological treatment)

• Involves physical removal of particles large & small from Primary effluent is passed into large
aeration tanks
the sewage through filtration and sedimentation

• Floating debris is removed by sequential filtration In anaerobic sludge digester anaerobic bacteria digest
bacteria & fungi in the sludge. Produce a Constantly agitated and air is pumped into it
• Grit (soil & small pebbles) removed by sedimentation mixture of CH4, H2S, CO2 (Biogas)

• Solids that settle form the primary sludge & the supernatant

forms the effluent. Allows vigorous growth of useful aerobic microbes into flocs.
A small part of the activated sludge is pumped back (Bacteria + fungal filaments to form mesh like structures)
• The effluent is taken for secondary treatment. into aeration tank to serve as inoculum. Rest is pumped
into anaerobic sludge digesters

Microbes grow & consume the major part of organic matter,

significantly reducing the BOD.
Effluent passed into settling tank, where bacterial 'flocs' sediment,
called activated sludge and then effluent from secondary
treatment plant can be released into natural water bodies.

Methanogens,
These bacteria are
like Methanobacterium,

MICROBES IN
commonly found in
Biogas is a mixture grow anaerobically on
anaerobic sludge during
of gases (predominantly methane) cellulosic material to produce
sewage treatment, rumen
produced by microbial activity. large amount of
of cattle.
CH4 along with CO2 and H2.

PRODUCTION In rumen,
these bacteria help
in the breakdown of
Dung can be
used for
generation of biogas,

OF BIOGAS
cellulose & play an so commonly called
important role in nutrition of Gobar gas.
cattle. The excreta of cattle
(dung), commonly called
Gobar is rich in these
bacteria.
 BIOGAS PLANT

01
Consist of a concrete tank
(10-15 feet deep) in which biowastes are
02
collected and a slurry of dung is fed. A floating cover is placed over the slurry, which rises
when gas is produced due to microbial activity.

03
It has outlet to transfer biogas. 04
Slurry is removed and may be used
as fertiliser.

05
06
Biogas can be used for cooking and
The technology of biogas production was developed in India mainly
lighting. due to the efforts of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) &
Khadi & Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

MICROBES AS BIOFERTILISERS

Root nodules in leguminous

Biofertilizers are organisms Main sources of plants is formed by symbiotic
Organic farming
that enrich the nutrient biofertilizer are bacteria, association of Rhizobium to fix
uses biofertilizers.
quality of the soil. fungi & cyanobacteria. atmospheric nitrogen into
organic forms.

Fungi-plant root, symbiotic association Cyanobacteria like

Free-living N2-fixers is called mycorrhiza. Glomus form BGA (blue green algae)
Anabaena, Nostoc,
like Azospirillum mycorrhiza. Fungi- absorb phosphorus from
also add organic
soil & passes to the plant. Plants also show Oscillatoria etc. fix
and Azotobacter enrich matter to the soil and
resistance to root-borne pathogens, tolerance
atmospheric N2 in
the soil. to salinity and drought and overall increase increase its fertility.
in growth and development. paddy fields.

• The puffed-up appearance of dough is due to CO2 gas.

• Toddy is a traditional drink of some parts of Southern India.

• Antibiotics mean against life, in the context of disease causing organisms.

• Bottled juices are clarified by use of pectinases and proteases.

• Statins act by competitively inhibiting the enzyme responsible for synthesis of cholesterol.

• BOD (Biochemical Oxygen Demand) is the amount of oxygen consumed if all the organic matter in one liter of water were oxidised by bacteria.

• BOD test measures the rate of uptake of oxygen by microorganisms in a sample of water. BOD is a measure of the organic matter present in the water.

• In our country, a number of biofertilisers are available commercially in the market and farmers use these regularly to replenish soil nutrients and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers.

• Microbes are a very important component of life on earth. Not all microbes are pathogenic and many are very useful.

• Microbes play a major role in treating millions of gallons of waste water everyday across the globe. Till date, no manmade technology has been able to rival the microbial treatment of sewage.

• The ministry of Environment and Forests has initiated Ganga Action Plan & Yamuna Action Plan to save these major rivers of our country from pollution.

• The biocontrol measures help us to avoid heavy usage of toxic pesticides for controlling pests.

• It is clear from the diverse usage that microbes are essential for our survival.