1. MIC 303 INDUSTRIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY CHAPTER 8-ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY

2. INTRODUCTION Environmental microbiology applied the principles of microbiology to the solution of environmental problems. Applications in environmental microbiology include: 1)Treatment of industrial and municipal wastewater. 2)Enhancement of the quality of drinking water. 3)Restoration of industrial, commercial, residential and government sites contaminated with hazardous materials. 4)Protection or restoration of rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters from environmental contaminants. 5)Prevention of the spread through water or air of pathogens among humans and other species.

3. INTRODUCTION (CON’T) Almost always are concerned with mixed cultures and open, nonsterile systems. Success are depends on: 1)How individual microbes with desired characteristics can survive in competition with other organisms. 2)How desired functions can be maintained in complex ecosystems. 3)How the survival and proliferation of undesired microorganisms can be prevented.

4. WATER MICROBIOLOGY

5. Water Microbiology Aquatic Microbiology (Freshwater): study of microscopic microorganisms living in freshwater system, river and ponds. Marine Microbiology (Seawater): study of microscopic microorganisms living in sea/oceans.

6. AQUATIC MICROBIOLOGY

7. Aquatic Microbiota A typical lakes or ponds serves as an example to represent the various zones and the kinds of microbiota found in the freshwater. Have characteristics zoonitic pattern/ stratification. Four (4) zones: Littoral zone Limnetic zone Profundal zone Benthic Zone

9. Characteristics of the Aquatic zones Littoral zone : Along shore line. Large population of rooted vegetation and light can penetrate. Zone can be determine by amount of light penetration. Photosynthesis decreasing when increase depth of zone. Greatest microbiology diversity, producers: Plant.

10. Characteristics of the Aquatic zones (cont) Limnetic zone : Surface of open water along shore, light penetrates throughout it. Producers: Algae and cyanobacteria – because of light penetrationsupport the population of bacteria, protozoa, fish and other aquatic life.

11. Characteristics of the Aquatic zones (cont) Profundal zone : Middle zone, deeper water, under limnetic zone, has low oxygen concentrations and less light. Populated by chemolitotrophy microorganisms because of availability of nutrients in this zones. Producers: Anaerobic purple and green photosynthetic bacteria (metabolize H 2 S to sulphate and sulfur).

12. Characteristics of the Aquatic zones (cont) Benthic zone : Bottom sediment, often no light and little O 2. Composed of soft mud, mainly organic matter. Populated by heterotrophic microorganisms, mainly anaerobic decomposer. SRB: Desulfovibrio (reduce sulphate to H 2 S). Methanogens (produce methane gas). Clostridrium sp, particularly those causing outbreaks of botulism in waterfowl.

13. Factor affecting type and no of m/o’s in aquatic Oxygen availability. O 2 solubility in water never exceed 0.007g/100g of fresh water. Concentration of organic matter. High number of organic matter content encourage bacteria decomposer, resulting in changes in liquid O 2 supply in water. Depth of sunlight penetration. Effect type and quantity of photosynthesis. pH of water. Acidic pH encourage acidophilic microorganisms to grow. Alkaline pH: alkalophilic microorganisms. Temperature. Water from hot spring, encourage thermophilic bacteria to grow.

14. MARINE MICROBIOLOGY

15. Marine Microbiology Characteristics of seawater. High no of salt concentration – salt concentration very constant, dissolve salt concentration vary from 33.37g/ kg of seawater. Salt concentration less in shallow water compared to deeper water. Microflora of seawater. Halophiles – Bacteria, Algae, protozoa, Viruses. Planktons – Zooplanktons (animal origin), Phytoplankton (plant origin)

16. Marine Microbiota

17. Populations of different strains vary at different depths according to their adaptation to available sunlight. Phytoplankton in top 100 m (upper of ocean): Photosynthetic cyanobacteria: They fix carbon dioxide to form organic matter (released as dissolved organic matter) and used by ocean’s heterotrophic bacteria. Prochlorococcus Synechococcus Fixes nitrogen and help replenish the nitrogen that is lost as organisms sink to oceanic depths. Trichodesmium

18. Marine Microbiota Waste products of photosynthetic populations will decomposed by: Pelagibacter ubique Archaea dominate below 100 m: Crenarchaeota, well adapt to cool temperatures and low oxygen levels of oceanic depths. Carbon sources derived from dissolved CO 2. Bioluminescent (aka light emission) bacteria are present. Have established symbiotic relationship with benthic- dwelling fish. Fish use the glow of luminescence bacteria to attract and capture prey in the darkness of ocean depths.

19. FMNH 2 (Flavoprotein) FMN + photon of light Luciferase Bioluminescence

20. METHODS OF WATER PURIFICATION

21. Water Treatment Objectives: 1)To make it safe for drinking and all organisms activities. 2)Free of disease-causing microbes, not intended to produce sterile water.

22. The Treatment of Water Water Purification is a Three-Step Process: Sedimentation removes large objects and particles through flocculation. Filtration removes microorganisms by passing water through a layer of: Sand. Gravel. accumulated microbe biofilm. Chlorination involves adding chlorine gas to kill remaining organisms.

23. Flocculation Process Turbid (cloudy) water is allowed to stand in a holding reservoir to allow as much particulate suspended matter as possible to settle out. Followed by flocculation process to remove colloidal materials (e.g clay). A flocculant chemical {Aluminium potassium sulfate (alum)} is added to form aggregations of fine suspended particles called ‘floc’, which later slowly settle out to the bottom. Most viruses and bacteria are removed by this way.

24. Filtration Process Filtration prosesses - water passed through beds of 2- 4 ft of fine sand or a crushed anthracite coal. Protozoan cysts and oocysts are removed by this method. Water system of cities: Sand filtration were supplement with activated charcoal (carbon) to remove particulate matter and most dissolved organic chemical pollutants. To date, Low pressure membrane filtration systems (pore openings 0.2 µm) also used to remove Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

25. Disinfection Process Filtered water is chlorinated (organic matter neutralizes chlorine). Another methods is ozone treatment, used as primary disinfectant treatment followed by chlorination. Ozone is highly reactive form of oxygen that is formed by electrical spark discharges and UV light. Ozone for water treatment is generated electrically at the site of treatment. Adv: leaves no taste or odor, has little residual effect.

26. Municipal Water Purification Treatment