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652196837-Microbes-in-Human-Welfare-Project.PDF
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MICROBES IN HUMAN WELFARE
INVESTIGATORY PROJECT REPORT
Submitted by
POOVEL ARUN T
Class: XII IC
In the partial fulfillment of Biology Practical Examination
Velammal Vidhyashram, Surapet
2023-2024
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Velammal Vidhyashram, Surapet
certificate
This is to certify that this Biology Investigatory
Project under the title “Microbes In Human
Welfare” has been successfully completed by
Poovel arun.T of class XII C in the partial
fulfillment of the curriculum of Central Board of
Secondary Education during the academic year
2023– 2024.
Place:Chennai
DATE
Teacher In-charge
Internal Examiner External Examiner
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my
Biology Teacher Ms. SATHYA BAMA.A, for her
guidance and support throughout the duration of the project.
I was able to complete the project successfully by her
motivation and her extended support for us.
I would also like to thank our CEO Mr. Vel Murugan,
CAO Mr. Nathan and our Deputy Director Mr. Arul
Kumar, who gave me the golden opportunity to do this
investigatory project, which helped me learn a lot of new
things.
I would also like to thank my parents and friends who
helped me in finalizing this project within the limited time
frame. Above all I would like to thank God Almighty, who
has given me the strength and courage to do this project
efficiently
POOVEL ARUN T
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
S.No. Topic Page No.
1. Introduction
2. Presentation
3. Uses of microbes
4. Importance in human health
5. Importance in ecology
6. Hygiene
7. Presentation
6. 1
INTRODUCTION
What are microbes?
What are microbes? A microorganism or microbe is a
microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell
(unicellular), cell clusters, or multicellular relatively complex
organisms. The study of microorganisms is called
microbiology, a subject that began with Anton van
Leeuwenhoek's discovery of microorganisms in 1675, using a
microscope of his own design. Microorganisms are very
diverse; they include bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa;
microscopic plants (green algae); and animals such as rotifers
and planarians. Some microbiologists also include viruses, but
others consider these as nonliving. Most microorganisms are
unicellular (single-celled), but this is not universal, since some
multicellular organisms are microscopic, while some
unicellular protists and bacteria, like Thiomargarita
namibiensis, are macroscopic and visible to the naked eye.
Microorganisms live in all parts of the biosphere where there
is liquid water, including soil, hot springs, on the ocean floor,
high in the atmosphere and deep inside rocks within the
Earth's crust. Microorganisms are critical to nutrient recycling
in ecosystems as they act as decomposers.
As some microorganisms can fix nitrogen, they are a vital
part of the nitrogen cycle, and recent studies indicate that
airborne microbes may play a role in precipitation and
weather. Microbes are also exploited by people in
biotechnology, both in traditional food and beverage
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preparation, and in modern technologies based on genetic
engineering.
However, pathogenic microbes are harmful, since they invade
and grow within other organisms, causing diseases that kill
humans, other animals and plants. But they have a lot of uses
too. Let’s discuss about some of them.
A little description:
A little description Microorganisms are vital to humans and
the environment, as they participate in the Earth's element
cycles such as the carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle, as well as
fulfilling other vital roles in virtually all ecosystems, such as
recycling other organisms' dead remains and waste products
through decomposition.
Microbes also have an important place in most higher-order
multicellular organisms as symbionts. Many blame the failure
of Biosphere 2 on an improper balance of microbes
PRESENTATION
Microbes are very important part of ecology the main or
general function of microbes to or environmental well fare is
to work as decomposers. Microbes like bacteria and fungi are
also used in industrial production of enzymes and proteins or
some antibiotics. Some fungi like yeast are also used in
making wine and other in dairy products. The another useful
function of microbe is to study the action and mechanisms of
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genetic disease as E.coli is many time taken as model to study
genetic diseases.
USES OF MICROBES
Uses in food:
Uses in food Microorganisms are used in brewing,
winemaking, baking, pickling and other food-making
processes. They are also used to control the fermentation
process in the production of cultured dairy products such as
yogurt and cheese. The cultures also provide flavour and
aroma, and inhibit undesirable organisms.
Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of
carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids
using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under
anaerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the
chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol.
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The science of fermentation is also known as zymology, or
zymurgy. Fermentation usually implies that the action of
microorganisms is desirable, and the process is used to
produce alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, and cider.
Fermentation is also employed in the leavening of bread (CO
2 produced by yeast activity), and for preservation techniques
to produce lactic acid in sour foods such as sauerkraut, dry
sausages, kimchi and yogurt, or vinegar (acetic acid) for use
in pickling foods.
Uses in water treatment:
Uses in water treatment Specially-cultured microbes are used
in the biological treatment of sewage and industrial waste
effluent, a process known as bioaugmentation.
Bioaugmentation is the introduction of a group of natural
microbial strains or a genetically engineered variant to treat
contaminated soil or water. Usually the steps involve studying
the indigenous varieties present in the location to determine if
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biostimulation is possible. If the indigenous variety do not
have the metabolic capability to perform the remediation
process, exogenous varieties with such sophisticated pathways
are introduced.
Bioaugmentation is commonly used in municipal wastewater
treatment to restart activated sludge bioreactors. Most cultures
available contain a research based consortium of Microbial
cultures, containing all necessary microorganisms ( Bacillus
licheniformis , Bacillus thurengensis , Paenibacillus polymyxa
, Bacillus sterothemophilus , Flavobacterium, Arthrobacter,
Pseudomonas, Streptomyces, Saccaromyces, Triphoderma,
etc.). Whereas activated sludge systems are generally based
on microorganisms like bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, rotifers
and fungi capable to degrade bio degradable organic matter.
Uses in energy:
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Uses in energy Microbes are used in fermentation to produce
ethanol, and in biogas reactors to produce methane. Scientists
are researching the use of algae to produce liquid fuels, and
bacteria to convert various forms of agricultural and urban
waste into usable fuels. Ethanol fermentation, also referred to
as alcoholic fermentation , is a biological process in which
sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose are converted
into cellular energy and thereby produce ethanol and carbon
dioxide as metabolic waste products. Because yeasts perform
this conversion in the absence of oxygen, ethanol
fermentation is classified as anaerobic. Ethanol fermentation
occurs in the production of alcoholic beverages and ethanol
fuel, and in the rising of bread dough. Cellulosic ethanol is a
biofuel produced from wood, grasses, or the non-edible parts
of plants. It is a type of biofuel produced from lignocellulose,
a structural material that comprises much of the mass of
plants. Lignocellulose is composed mainly of cellulose,
hemicellulose and lignin. Corn stover, switchgrass,
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miscanthus, woodchips and the by products of lawn and tree
maintenance are some of the more popular cellulosic materials
for ethanol production. Production of ethanol from
lignocellulose has the advantage of abundant and diverse raw
material compared to sources like corn and cane sugars, but
requires a greater amount of processing to make the sugar
monomers available to the microorganisms that are typically
used to produce ethanol by fermentation.
Algae fuel is an alternative to fossil fuel that uses algae as its
source of natural deposits. Several companies and government
agencies are funding efforts to reduce capital and operating
costs and make algae fuel production commercially viable.
Harvested algae, like fossil fuel, release CO 2 when burnt but
unlike fossil fuel the CO 2 is taken out of the atmosphere by
the growing algae. High oil prices, competing demands
between foods and other biofuel sources, and the world food
crisis, have ignited interest in algaculture (farming algae) for
making vegetable oil, biodiesel, bioethanol, biogasoline,
biomethanol, biobutanol and other biofuels, using land that is
not suitable for agriculture.
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Among algal fuels' attractive characteristics: they can be
grown with minimal impact on fresh water resources, can be
produced using ocean and wastewater, and are biodegradable
and relatively harmless to the environment if spilled. Algae
cost more per unit mass (as of 2010, food grade algae costs
~$5000/tonne), due to high capital and operating costs, yet are
claimed to yield between 10 and 100 times more fuel per unit
area than other second-generation biofuel crops.
One biofuels company has claimed that algae can produce
more oil in an area the size of a two car garage than a football
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field of soybeans, because almost the entire algal organism
can use sunlight to produce lipids, or oil.
The United States Department of Energy estimates that if
algae fuel replaced all the petroleum fuel in the United States,
it would require 15,000 square miles (39,000 km 2 ) which is
only 0.42% of the U.S. map, or about half of the land area of
Maine. This is less than 1 ⁄ 7 the area of corn harvested in the
United States in 2000.
However, these claims remain unrealized, commercially.
According to the head of the Algal Biomass Organization
algae fuel can reach price parity with oil in 2018 if granted
production tax credits.
Use in production of chemicals, enzymes etc. :
Use in production of chemicals, enzymes etc. Many microbes
are used for commercial and industrial production of
chemicals, enzymes and other bioactive molecules. Examples
of organic acid produced include Acetic acid : Produced by
the bacterium Acetobacter aceti and other acetic acid bacteria
(AAB) Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) are bacteria that derive
their energy from the oxidation of ethanol to acetic acid
during fermentation. They are Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-
shaped bacteria. They are not to be confused with the genus
Acetobacterium , which are anaerobic homoacetogenic
facultative autotrophs and can reduce carbon dioxide to
produce acetic acid, for example, Acetobacterium woodii .
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Butyric acid (butanoic acid): Produced by the bacterium
Clostridium butyricum.
Clostridium butyricum is a strictly anaerobic endospore-
forming Gram-positive butyric acid producing bacillus
subsisting by means of fermentation using an intracellularly
accumulated amylopectin-like α-polyglucan (granulose) as a
substrate. It is uncommonly reported as a human pathogen and
widely used as a probiotic in Asia (particularly Japan). C.
butyricum is a soil inhabitant in various parts of the world, has
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been cultured from the stool of healthy children and adults,
and is common in soured milk and cheeses.
Lactic acid : Lactobacillus and others commonly called as
lactic acid bacteria (LAB) The lactic acid bacteria (LAB)
comprise a clade of Gram-positive, low-GC, acid-tolerant,
generally non-sporulating, non-respiring rod or cocci that are
associated by their common metabolic and physiological
characteristic
s.
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These bacteria, usually found in decomposing plants and
lactic products, produce lactic acid as the major metabolic
end-product of carbohydrate fermentation. This trait has,
throughout history, linked LAB with food fermentations, as
acidification inhibits the growth of spoilage agents.
Proteinaceous bacteriocins are produced by several LAB
strains and provide an additional hurdle for spoilage and
pathogenic microorganisms. Furthermore, lactic acid and
other metabolic products contribute to the organoleptic and
textural profile of a food item. The industrial importance of
the LAB is further evinced by their generally recognized as
safe (GRAS) status, due to their ubiquitous appearance in
food and their contribution to the healthy microflora of human
mucosal surfaces.
Citric acid : Produced by the fungus Aspergillus niger
Aspergillus niger is a fungus and one of the most common
species of the genus Aspergillus .
It causes a disease called black mold on certain fruits and
vegetables such as grapes, onions, and peanuts, and is a
common contaminant of food. It is ubiquitous in soil and is
commonly reported from indoor environments, where its
black colonies can be confused with those of Stachybotrys
(species of which have also been called "black mould").
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Microbes are used for preparation of bioactive molecules and
enzymes.
STREPTOKINASE produced by the bacterium
Streptococcus and modified by genetic engineering is used as
a clot buster for removing clots from the blood vessels of
patients who have undergone myocardial infarctions leading
to heart attack.
CYCLOSPORIN A is a bioactive molecule used as an
immunosuppressive agent in organ transplantation. STAINS
produced by the yeast Monascus purpureus is commercialised
as blood cholesterol lowering agents which acts by
competitively inhibiting the enzyme responsible for synthesis
of cholesterol.
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Uses in science:
Uses in science Microbes are also essential tools in
biotechnology, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology.
The yeasts ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) and fission yeast (
Schizosaccharomyces pombe ) are important model organisms
in science, since they are simple eukaryotes that can be grown
rapidly in large numbers and are easily manipulated.
They are particularly valuable in genetics, genomics and
proteomics. Microbes can be harnessed for uses such as
creating steroids and treating skin diseases. Scientists are also
considering using microbes for living fuel cells, and as a
solution for pollution.
Uses in warfare:
Uses in warfare In the Middle Ages, diseased corpses were
thrown into castles during sieges using catapults or other siege
engines. Individuals near the corpses were exposed to the
deadly pathogen and were likely to spread that pathogen to
others.
Biological warfare (also known as germ warfare ) is the
use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria,
viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans,
animals or plants as an act of war.
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Biological weapons (often termed "bio-weapons" or "bio-
agents") are living organisms or replicating entities (viruses)
that reproduce or replicate within their host victims.
Entomological (insect) warfare is also considered a type of
biological warfare.
Biological weapons may be employed in various ways to gain
a strategic or tactical advantage over an adversary, either by
threats or by actual deployments. Like some of the chemical
weapons, biological weapons may also be useful as area
denial weapons. These agents may be lethal or non-lethal, and
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may be targeted against a single individual, a group of people,
or even an entire population. They may be developed,
acquired, stockpiled or deployed by nation states or by non-
national groups. In the latter case, or if a nation-state uses it
clandestinely, it may also be considered bioterrorism.
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IMPORTANCE IN HUMAN HEALTH:
Importance in human health Microorganisms can form an
endosymbiotic relationship with other, larger organisms. For
example, the bacteria that live within the human digestive
system contribute to gut immunity, synthesise vitamins such
as folic acid and biotin, and ferment complex indigestible
carbohydrates.
The human microbiome (or human microbiota ) is the
aggregate of microorganisms that reside on the surface and in
deep layers of skin, in the saliva and oral mucosa, in the
conjunctiva, and in the gastrointestinal tracts. They include
bacteria, fungi, and archaea. Some of these organisms perform
tasks that are useful for the human host. However, the
majority have no known beneficial or harmful effect. Those
that are expected to be present, and that under normal
circumstances do not cause disease, but instead participate in
maintaining health, are deemed members of the normal flora .
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Though widely known as "microflora", this is, in technical
terms, a misnomer, since the word root "flora" pertains to
plants, and biota refers to the total collection of organisms in a
particular ecosystem. Recently, the more appropriate term
"microbiota" is applied, though its use has not eclipsed the
entrenched use and recognition of "flora" with regard to
bacteria and other microorganisms.
Both terms are being used in different literature. Studies in
2009 questioned whether the decline in biota (including
microfauna) as a result of human intervention might impede
human health
IMPORTANCE IN ECOLOGY:
Importance in ecology Microbes are critical to the processes
of decomposition required to cycle nitrogen and other
elements back to the natural world. Decomposition (or rotting
) is the process by which organic substances are broken down
into simpler forms of matter.
The process is essential for recycling the finite matter that
occupies physical space in the biome. Bodies of living
organisms begin to decompose shortly after death. Although
no two organisms decompose in the same way, they all
undergo the same sequential stages of decomposition.
The science which studies decomposition is generally referred
to as taphonomy from the Greek word taphos , meaning tomb.
One can differentiate abiotic from biotic decomposition
(biodegradation). The former means "degradation of a
substance by chemical or physical processes, eg hydrolysis).
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The latter one means "the metabolic breakdown of materials
into simpler components by living organisms", typically by
microorganisms.
HYGIENE
Hygiene Hygiene is the avoidance of infection or food
spoiling by eliminating microorganisms from the
surroundings.
As microorganisms, in particular bacteria, are found virtually
everywhere, the levels of harmful microorganisms can be
reduced to acceptable levels.
However, in some cases, it is required that an object or
substance be completely sterile, i.e. devoid of all living
entities and viruses. A good example of this is a hypodermic
needle. In food preparation microorganisms are reduced by
preservation methods (such as the addition of vinegar), clean
utensils used in preparation, short storage periods, or by cool
temperatures.
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If complete sterility is needed, the two most common methods
are irradiation and the use of an autoclave, which resembles a
pressure cooker.
There are several methods for investigating the level of
hygiene in a sample of food, drinking water, equipment, etc.
Water samples can be filtrated through an extremely fine
filter.
This filter is then placed in a nutrient medium.
Microorganisms on the filter then grow to form a visible
colony.
Harmful microorganisms can be detected in food by placing a
sample in a nutrient broth designed to enrich the organisms in
question. Various methods, such as selective media or PCR,
can then be used for detection.
The hygiene of hard surfaces, such as cooking pots, can be
tested by touching them with a solid piece of nutrient medium
and then allowing the microorganisms to grow on it.
There are no conditions where all microorganisms would
grow, and therefore often several different methods are
needed. For example, a food sample might be analyzed on
three different nutrient mediums designed to indicate the
presence of "total" bacteria (conditions where many, but not
all, bacteria grow), molds (conditions where the growth of
bacteria is prevented by, e.g., antibiotics) and coliform
bacteria (these indicate a sewage contamination).
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CASE STUDY
PUSPALATHA ET.AL (2016) REVIEWED ON DESIGN APPROACH
FOR SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT. A CASE STUDY OF
SRIKAKULAM
GREATER MUNICIPALITY.
The present study involves the analysis of parameters like BOD,
raw sewage, effluent. The construction of sewage treatment plant
will prevent the direct disposal of sewage in nagavali river
and the use of treated water will reduce the surface water
and
contaminated ground water.
Pramod sambhaji patil et.al. (2016) studied on design of sewage
treatment plant for Dhule city.
Some treatment units are designed like screens, grit chamber,
storage tank, settling tank, aeration tank and skimming tank. The
effluent can also be used for artificial recharge of ground water,
flushing, foam control, fire protection, lawn sprinkling.
Murthy polasa et.al (2014) reviewed about design of sewage
treatment plant for gated community.
In this project three types of treatment unit operations are
conducted. Like physical, chemical and biological processes. By
increasing the detention time of sewage in each treatment unit
increases the efficiency of removal unwanted impurities.
Chakar Bhushan et al. (2017) reviewed about design of sewage
treatment plant for Lohegaon village, Pune.
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This project studied that social and environmental pollution issue
due to sewage is disposed in some part of village and directly
sewage drain in open land. It is used for recharging sub surface
water level at Lohegaon and used for irrigation purpose.
M. Aswathy et al. (2017) studied on analysis and design of sewage
treatment plant of apartment in Chennai.
This project is studied that domestic and commercial waste and
removes the material with possess harm from generated public.
To
produce an environmental sewage fluid waste stream and solid
waste suitable from disposal of use.
S. Ramya et al. (2015) reviewed on design of sewage treatment
plant and characteristics of sewage.
The growing environmental pollution need for
decontaminating water results in the study of characterization
of waste water
especially domestic sewage. The waste water leads to developing
and implementing new treatment techniques to control nitrogen
and other priority pollutants.
Sequential batch reactor (SBR) Lin et al. (2004), investigate
the municipal sewage wastewater treatment by chemical
coagulation and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) methods with an
aim to elevating water quality to meet the standards required for
agricultural irrigation. Both the conventional and modified SBR
methods are considered. The conventional SBR technology is a
28. 23
batch process based on a single activated sludge treatment
reactor. Chemical coagulation alone was able to lower the
wastewater
COD and color by up to 75 and 80%, (COD and NTU to below 20
and 2mg/l). The water quality was consistently excellent and
was deemed suitable for agricultural irrigation.
Arrojo et al. (2005)
Gave a study on SBR process, in SBR process with help membrane
process completely removes coliform bacteria and suspended
solids, thus providing a higher quality effluent with respect to
conventional processes. After SBR treatment neither found faecal
coliforms nor E. coli were found in permeate. The removal
efficiency of both bacteria and suspended solids by membrane
filtration
was 100%, suggesting that the experimented compact system
(SBR + membrane filtration) could produce an effluent suitable
for
reuse in agriculture and could be a suitable technology for rural
communities.
Subbaramaiah and Mall (2012),
This study show Use Based on the experimental results obtained,
Sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was an attractive alternative to
conventional biological wastewater treatment systems, optimum
value of MLSS concentration to be maintained in the reactor is
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found to be 5000 mg/l. treatability of SBR for BA is good for
higher concentrations (< 200 mg/l), and also removal percentage
was
increases with increase in initial concentration. The optimum
value of temperature was found at 30oC. The optimum value of
aeration time during fill phase is found to be 3 h, at full aeration
rate of removal is rapidly increasing compare with
anoxic condition in fill phase.
Sirianuntapiboon et al. (2005),
Gave a study based on Sequential Batch Reactor used in dairy
wastewater treatment, in dairy waste treatment most of time we
are
use membrane coupled sequencing batch reactor (MSBR).
After treatment our wastewater effluent concentration
effectively
decrease. Its efficiency COD, BOD5, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN),
and oil and grease removal efficiencies of 89.3, 83.0, 59.4 and
82.4%, respectively, when treatment was done at high organic
loading rate (OLR) of 1.34 kg, BOD5/m
3
d.
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