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Microorganisms: Benefits and Risks

The document provides an overview of microorganisms, categorizing them into bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and algae, and discusses their roles as both beneficial and harmful organisms. It highlights the uses of microorganisms in food production, medicine, and environmental cleaning, as well as the diseases they can cause in humans, animals, and plants. Additionally, it covers methods of food preservation and the nitrogen cycle, emphasizing the importance of microorganisms in maintaining ecological balance.

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15 views9 pages

Microorganisms: Benefits and Risks

The document provides an overview of microorganisms, categorizing them into bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and algae, and discusses their roles as both beneficial and harmful organisms. It highlights the uses of microorganisms in food production, medicine, and environmental cleaning, as well as the diseases they can cause in humans, animals, and plants. Additionally, it covers methods of food preservation and the nitrogen cycle, emphasizing the importance of microorganisms in maintaining ecological balance.

Uploaded by

Javaid167
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

St. Andrews Scots Sr. Sec.

School
9th Avenue, I.P. Extension, Patparganj, Delhi – 110092
Session: 2022-2023
Chapter 2 - Notes

Class: VIII Subject: Science Topic: Microorganisms: Friend and Foe

Microorganisms:
(i) Organisms which are too small to be seen by the naked eye, especially a single
celled organism is called microorganisms or microbes.
(ii) Microorganisms are classified into four major groups- bacteria, fungi, protozoa
and some algae.

Bacteria

Protozoa
. Red, Brown and Green Alga

Fungi

(iii) Viruses are also microscopic. They reproduce only inside the cells of the host
organism, which may be a bacterium, plant or animal.
Virus

Where do Microorganisms Live:


(i) Microorganisms may be single celled (bacteria, some algae and protozoa) or multi
cellular (algae and fungi) can survive under all types of environment, ranging from ice
cold climate to hot springs and deserts to marshy lands.
(ii) They are also found inside the bodies of other organisms including humans.
(iii) Growth of some microorganisms depends on other organisms while other
organisms exist freely.
(iv) Microorganisms like amoeba can live alone, while fungi and bacteria may live in
colonies.

Microorganisms and Us:


Some of Microorganisms are beneficial in many ways while some others are harmful
and cause diseases.

Friendly Microorganisms:
Microorganisms are used for various purposes.
(i) Some microorganisms are used in the production of curd, bread and cake.
(ii) Some microorganisms have been used for the production of alcohol since ages.
(iii) They are also used in cleaning up of the environment as composers. For example,
the organic wastes (vegetable peels, remains of animals, faeces, etc.) are broken down
into harmless and usable substances by bacteria.
(iv) In agriculture fields, microorganisms are used to increase soil fertility by fixing
nitrogen.
Commercial Use of Microorganisms:
(i) For large scale production of alcohol, wine and acetic acid (Vinegar)
Microorganisms are used
(ii) For commercial production of alcohol and wine yeast is grown on natural sugars
present in grains like barley, wheat, rice and crushed fruit juices, etc.

Medicinal Use of Microorganisms:


(i) Whenever we fall ill the doctor may give us some antibiotic tablets, capsules or
injections like peenicillin which are made up of microorganism.
(ii) These days the medicines produced from Bactria and fungi kill or stop the growth
of the disease-causing microorganisms. Such medicines are called antibiotics.
(iii) Streptomycin, tetracycline and erythromycin medicines which are made from
fungi and bacteria are some of the commonly known antibiotics.
(iv) The antibiotics are made by growing specific microorganisms and are used to
cure a variety of diseases. Antibiotics should be taken only on the advice of a
qualified doctor.
(v) Antibiotics are even added with the feed of livestock and poultry for checking
microbial infection in animals.
(vi) Microorganisms are also used to control many plant diseases.

Vaccine:
(i) When a disease-carrying microbe enters our body, the antibodies produced by our
body fight with the invader. If microbes enter again, the body also remembers that
how to fight with the microbes.
(ii) If dead or weakened microbes are injected in a healthy body, the body fights and
kills them by producing suitable antibodies.
(iii) The antibodies remain in the body for protecting from the disease causing
microbes. This is how a vaccine works.
(iv) Several diseases like cholera, tuberculosis, smallpox and hepatitis can be
prevented by vaccination.

Increasing Soil Fertility:


(i) Some bacteria and blue green algae are able increase the fertility of soil by fix
nitrogen from the atmosphere to enrich soil with nitrogen. These microbes are
commonly called biological nitrogen fixers.
Cleaning the Environment:
At the time of making manure, we collect wastes of plants, vegetables and fruits from
nearby houses and gardens. They put them in a pit meant for waste disposal. After
some time, it decomposed by microorganisms and gets converted to manure. By this
method environment is cleaned.

Harmful Microorganisms:
(i) Some of microorganisms are harmful in many ways.
(ii) In human beings, plants and animals, some of the microorganisms cause diseases.
Such disease-causing microorganisms are called pathogens.
(iii) Food, clothing and leather are spoiled due to some harmful microorganisms.

Disease— causing Microorganisms in Humans:


(i) Pathogens enter our body through the different way like air when we breathe, the
water when we drink or the food when we eat. They can also get transmitted by direct
contact with an infected person or carried through an animal.
(ii) Microbial diseases such as cholera, common cold, chicken pox and tuberculosis
that can spread from an infected person to a healthy person through air, water, food or
physical contact are called communicable diseases.
(iii) There are some insects and animals which act as carriers of disease causing
microbes. For example housefly is one such carrier that flies sit on the garbage and
animal excreta etc. Pathogens stick to their bodies. When these flies sit on uncovered
food they transfer the pathogens. Whoever eats the contaminated food is likely to get
sick. Some more examples of carrier microbes are the female Anopheles mosquito,
which carries the parasite of malaria. Female Aedes mosquito acts as carrier of
dengue virus.
(iv) All mosquitoes breed in water. So, one should not let water collect anywhere like
in coolers, tyres, flower pot etc. By keeping the surroundings clean and dry we can
prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
Some Common Human Diseases caused by Microorganisms:

Human Disease Causative Microorganism Mode of Preventive measures


Transmission (General)

Tuberculosis Bacteria Air Keep the patient in complete


isolation. Keep the personal
belongings of the patient
Measles Virus Air
away from those of the
others. Vaccination to be
Chicken Pox Virus Air/Contact given at suitable age

Polio Virus Air/Water

Cholera Bacteria Water/Food Maintain personal hygiene


and good sanitary habits.
Consume properly cooked
Typhoid Bacteria Water
food and boiled drinking
water. Vaccination

Hepatitis B Virus Water Drink boiled drinking water.


Vaccination.

Malaria Protozoa Mosquito Use mosquito net and


repellents. Spray
insecticides and control
breeding of mosquitoes by
not allowing water to collect
in the surroundings

Disease-causing Microorganisms in Animals:


Some of microorganisms not only cause diseases in humans and plants, but also in
other animals. For example: anthrax is an example of dangerous human and cattle
disease caused by a bacterium. Foot and mouth disease of cattle is caused by a virus.

Disease-causing Microorganisms in Plants:


Some of microorganisms cause diseases in plants such as wheat, rice, potato,
sugarcane, orange, apple and others. These diseases reduce the yield of crops. They
can be controlled by the use of certain chemicals or pesticides which kill the microbes,
which affect the yield the crops.

Some Common Plant Diseases caused by Microorganisms

Food Poisoning:
Food poisoning in humans could be due to the consumption spoiled food by some
microorganisms. Microorganisms that grow on our food produce toxic substances and
make the food poisonous causing serious diseases. So, it is very important that we
preserve food to prevent it from being spoilt by the microorganisms.

Food Preservation:
Microorganisms spoil our food. Spoiled food emits bad smell and has a bad taste and
changed colour. Here some common methods to preserve food in our homes.

a. Chemical Method:
(i) Preservatives like Salts and edible oils are the common chemicals generally used to
check the growth of microorganisms.
(ii) We add salt or acid preservatives to pickles to prevent the attack of microbes.
Sodium benzoate and sodium meta bisulphite are common preservatives which are
used in the jams and squashes to check their spoilage.

b. Preservation by Common Salt:


(i) To preserve meat and fish for ages, common salt is used. Meat and fish are covered
with dry salt to check the growth of bacteria.
(ii) Salting is also used to preserve amla, raw mangoes, tamarind, etc.

c. Preservation by Sugar:
(i) Sugar is used for preserving jams, jellies and squashes are preserved.
(ii) It reduces the moisture content which inhibits the growth of bacteria which spoil
food.

d. Preservation by Oil and Vinegar:


(i) Oil and vinegar are used to prevent spoilage of pickles because bacteria cannot live
in such an environment.
(ii) Vegetables, fruits, fish and meat are often preserved by this method.

e. Heat and Cold Treatments:


(i) Boiling of milk kills many microorganisms, after that it is stored or used.
(ii) We keep our food in the refrigerator. Low temperature inhibits the growth of
microbes.
(iii) Pasteurized milk can be taken without boiling as it is free from harmful
microbes. The milk is heated to about 700C for 15 to 30 seconds and then suddenly
chilled and stored. By doing so, this process prevents the growth of microbes. This
process was discovered by Louis Pasteur. It is called pasteurization.

f. Storage and Packing:


Dry fruits and even vegetables are sold in sealed air tight packets to prevent the attack
of microbes.

Nitrogen Fixation:
(i) Rhizobium is involved in the fixation of nitrogen in leguminous plants (pulses).
(ii) Nitrogen also gets fixed through the action of lightning. But the amount of
nitrogen remains constant in the atmosphere.

Nitrogen Cycle:
(i) Nitrogen is one of the essential constituents of all living organisms as part of
proteins, chlorophyll, nucleic acids and vitamins, available 78% in our environment.
Bacteria and blue green algae present in the soil for fixing nitrogen from the
atmosphere and then convert into compounds of nitrogen.
(ii) After this, usable compounds can be utilised by plants from the soil through their
root system. These compounds are then used for the synthesis of plant proteins and
other compounds. Animals feeding on plants get these proteins and other nitrogen
compounds.
(iii) When plants and animals die, bacteria and fungi present in the soil convert the
nitrogenous wastes into nitrogenous compounds to be used by plants again. Certain
other bacteria convert some part of them to nitrogen gas which goes back into the
atmosphere. As a result, the percentage of nitrogen in the atmosphere remains more or
less constant.

Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Common questions

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Pathogenic microorganisms cause diseases in humans, animals, and plants. They spread through air, water, food, and vectors like mosquitoes, leading to ailments such as cholera, typhoid, and malaria . Conversely, beneficial microorganisms include those used in agriculture and industry. In agriculture, bacteria and blue-green algae fix atmospheric nitrogen, enhancing soil fertility and crop yields . Industrially, yeasts and bacteria are employed in the production of alcohol, breads, and antibiotics . While pathogens negatively impact health, beneficial microorganisms support food production, environmental health, and industrial processes.

Microorganisms can negatively impact food security by causing spoilage and foodborne illnesses through contamination from pathogens like bacteria and fungi . They produce toxins in food, leading to food poisoning and reduced food availability. To mitigate these issues, food preservation techniques such as refrigeration, pasteurization, and airtight packaging can be employed to inhibit microbial growth . Additionally, improving sanitation, conducting regular food safety monitoring, and educating the public about hygiene practices are crucial strategies to prevent contamination and improve food security.

Home food preservation methods to prevent microbial spoilage include chemical preservation, salting, sugaring, oil and vinegar use, heat treatments, and refrigeration. Chemical preservatives like sodium benzoate and sodium metabisulphite inhibit microbial growth in jams and squashes . Salting draws out moisture to preserve meats and fish, while sugar does similarly for jams and jellies, inhibiting bacterial growth . Oil and vinegar create environments unsuitable for bacterial survival, aiding in pickle preservation . Refrigeration reduces temperature to slow microbial activity, and pasteurization involves heating to kill pathogens in milk . These methods ensure food safety over longer periods.

Microorganisms have several important commercial and medicinal roles. Commercially, they are utilized in the production of alcohol, wine, and acetic acid (vinegar), where yeast ferments natural sugars from grains and fruit juices . In medicine, antibiotics like penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and erythromycin are produced from microorganisms like bacteria and fungi to treat bacterial infections . These antibiotics work by inhibiting the growth of disease-causing microbes and are also used in animal feed to prevent infections . Additionally, vaccines use dead or weakened microbes to stimulate the immune system, providing protection against diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis, and hepatitis .

Microorganisms become pathogens when they cause diseases in humans. They can enter the body through air, water, food, or direct contact, leading to communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, measles, chickenpox, polio, cholera, and typhoid . Prevention involves maintaining personal hygiene, ensuring proper sanitation, consuming properly cooked and stored food, boiling drinking water, and vaccinating against diseases . Additionally, controlling insect vectors like mosquitoes is essential, as they can transmit diseases such as malaria and dengue, necessitating the use of mosquito nets, repellents, and environmental sanitation to prevent breeding .

Microorganisms contribute to environmental cleaning through the decomposition of organic waste. They break down plant, vegetable, and fruit waste into manure, which enriches the soil and reduces landfill buildup . This decomposition process not only aids waste management but also recycles nutrients back into the ecosystem, supporting plant growth and soil health. By spurring nutrient recycling and reducing wastes, microorganisms play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem stability and promoting sustainable agriculture .

Mosquitoes act as vectors for several diseases by transmitting pathogens like the malaria parasite and dengue virus through their bites . They breed in stagnant water, making habitats like coolers, tires, and flower pots potential breeding grounds . To mitigate their impact, control measures should include eliminating standing water to prevent breeding, using insecticides, and employing protective measures such as mosquito nets and repellents . Community and individual efforts to maintain hygiene and sanitary conditions are critical in disrupting the vector path and reducing the incidence of vector-borne diseases.

Pasteurization is a food preservation process where milk is heated to about 70°C for 15 to 30 seconds and then rapidly chilled and stored . This process significantly reduces the microbial load, including harmful microorganisms, making the milk safe to consume without boiling . Discovered by Louis Pasteur, pasteurization prevents spoilage and extends the shelf life of milk and other perishable liquids . Its significance lies in its ability to prevent foodborne illnesses caused by microorganisms, ensuring consumer safety and maintaining nutritional quality.

Microorganisms, specifically certain bacteria and blue-green algae, play a crucial role in enhancing soil fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen into compounds that plants can use, a process known as biological nitrogen fixation. This is primarily done by microbes like Rhizobium in leguminous plants . In the nitrogen cycle, these fixed nitrogen compounds are absorbed by plants and used to synthesize proteins and other nitrogenous compounds . When plants and animals die, decomposers like bacteria and fungi in the soil convert these nitrogenous wastes back into compounds available for plants, maintaining the nitrogen levels in the atmosphere . This cycle is critical for sustaining plant life and maintaining ecological balance.

Vaccines work by introducing dead or weakened microbes into the body, prompting the immune system to produce antibodies against them without causing the disease . This exposure trains the immune system to recognize and combat the actual pathogen if encountered later, thereby conferring immunity. Examples of diseases preventable through vaccination include cholera, tuberculosis, smallpox, and hepatitis . Vaccination has been instrumental in reducing the incidence of these diseases, protecting public health, and preventing outbreaks.

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