INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY Lecture 1 PP Bioresources&Env.Biol.@MU

Assignment #1 Be prepared to discuss in class

Applied Microbiology The exploitation of microorganisms, their activities, and their products for the benefit of society, e.g. wine making, beer making, vinegar, etc.

Environmental Microbiology The study of microorganisms and their activities in the environment for the purpose of understanding their role in maintenance of the biosphere and their potential use in remediating sites that have been disturbed.

Microbial Ecology Microbial Ecology is the study of interactions between populations of microorganisms and between microbial populations and organisms in other tropic levels

Key events that led to the development of Environmental Microbiology as a scientific discipline Rachael Carson published “Silent Spring” bringing to the public’s attention the poor condition of the environment Emergence of new waterborne and foodborne pathogens that posed human health threats New technologies emerged to study microbes in their natural environment rather than as pure cultures in the laboratory

Environmental Microbiology Hazardous Industrial waste/ microbiology bioremediation Industrial microbiology Soil microbiology Food safety Aero- microbiology Environmental Microbiology Occupational health/ Infection control Aquatic microbiology Water quality Diagnostic microbiology Biotechnology

MICROORGANISMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT They are ubiquitous – occur everywhere In and on the body Things we touch, use, eat and drink Wet surfaces – biofilms Plants Deep subsurface Extraterrestrial?

Microorganisms in the Environment Viruses – animal & plant pathogens, bacteriophages Prior to the advent of antibiotics, bacteriophage were being studied as antibacterial agents. Is this concept still applicable today? Bacteria – pathogens & commensals; many are saprophytic, some chemolithotrophic, some photosynthetic

Microorganisms in the Environment Archaea Algae – primary producers, some pathogens Fungi – from microscopic to macroscopic Protozoa – parasites & saprophytes

Environmental Monitoring Challenge:Define microbial community structure and function under in-situ conditions Isolating microorganisms from their natural state and studying them in an artificial lab environment is no longer necessary. Why? Isolation of one population from another consorting population may be impossible...

Monitoring approaches Molecular methods... Are they the gold standard? No one approach is free of bias Best strategy is to use several independent approaches and compare results

Modern Environmental Microbiology Discovery and identification of new microbes, microbial activities, and microbial products that protect environment Use microbial products as pesticides to replace chemical pesticides with long resident time in environment. Example of such a product? Microbially enhanced oil recovery. Example of a product? Microbially enhanced mineral recovery. Example? Bioremediation