Unit IV - Environmental Microbiology Notes 11/11/25, 10:40 PM

MCR-615: Applied and

Environmental Microbiology

Unit IV - Study Notes

Topic: Significance of Microbial Activities in Environment

1. Significance of Microbial Activities in

the Environment

Why are microbes important?

Microorganisms are tiny living things that we cannot see with naked
eyes, but they do HUGE work in nature. They act like nature's
recycling team!

Key Roles of Microbes:

Decomposers: Break down dead plants and animals, returning

nutrients to soil

Nutrient Recyclers: Transform elements like carbon, nitrogen,

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phosphorus

Climate Controllers: Help control greenhouse gases in

atmosphere

Pollution Cleaners: Eat up pollutants and toxic chemicals

Plant Helpers: Help plants grow by fixing nitrogen

Microorganisms performing important environmental functions

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2. Role of Microorganisms in
Biogeochemical Cycling

What is Biogeochemical Cycling?

It's like a circular movement where important elements (Carbon,

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulphur) move between living things, soil,
water, and air. Microbes are the main workers in this cycle!

A) Carbon Cycle

Microbes' Role:

Decomposition: Bacteria and fungi break down dead

materials, releasing CO₂

Photosynthesis: Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) capture

CO₂ from air

Methane Production: Methanogenic archaea produce

methane in wetlands and cow stomachs

Methane Consumption: Methanotrophic bacteria eat

methane, preventing it from reaching atmosphere

Simple Example: When a leaf falls, bacteria eat it and release CO₂.
Plants then use this CO₂ to make food. This is the carbon cycle!

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B) Nitrogen Cycle

Microbes' Role:

Nitrogen Fixation: Bacteria like Rhizobium, Azotobacter

convert N₂ gas from air into ammonia (NH₃) that plants can use

Nitrification:

Nitrosomonas bacteria: Convert NH₃ → NO₂⁻ (nitrite)

Nitrobacter bacteria: Convert NO₂⁻ → NO₃⁻ (nitrate)

Denitrification: Bacteria like Pseudomonas convert NO₃⁻ back

to N₂ gas, returning it to atmosphere

Simple Example: Legume plants (like peas, beans) have bacteria

in their roots that take nitrogen from air and make it usable for
plants. This is why farmers plant these crops!

C) Phosphorus Cycle

Microbes' Role:

Rock Weathering: Bacteria release acids that break down

rocks containing phosphorus

Mineralization: Decompose dead organisms, releasing

phosphate (PO₄³⁻)

Solubilization: Make phosphorus available to plants from soil

Simple Example: Phosphorus is locked in rocks. Microbes release

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it slowly so plants can use it to grow. When plants die, microbes

return phosphorus to soil.

D) Sulphur Cycle

Microbes' Role:

Sulphur Oxidation: Thiobacillus bacteria oxidize H₂S →

SO₄²⁻ (sulphate)

Sulphate Reduction: Desulfovibrio bacteria reduce SO₄²⁻

→ H₂S under anaerobic conditions

Decomposition: Release sulphur from dead organisms

Biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in ecosystems

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3. Bioremediation (Cleaning
Pollution)

What is Bioremediation?

Using microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, algae) to clean up

polluted soil, water, and air. It's like using nature's cleaning
crew to remove toxic waste!

Types of Bioremediation:

1. Biostimulation

Adding nutrients (fertilizers, oxygen) to help native microbes

grow faster and eat more pollution.

Example: Adding nitrogen and phosphorus to oil-polluted soil

to boost bacterial activity.

2. Bioaugmentation

Adding special pollution-eating microbes to contaminated

sites.

Example: Adding Pseudomonas bacteria to clean up oil

spills.

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Important Bioremediation Microbes:

Pseudomonas: Cleans oil, petroleum products

Bacillus: Degrades pesticides and heavy metals

Aspergillus (fungus): Removes heavy metals like thorium

Rhizopus (fungus): Removes mercury

White-rot fungi: Breaks down toxic chemicals like dyes

What Can Be Cleaned?

Oil spills and petroleum

Heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium)

Pesticides and herbicides

Industrial chemicals

Plastics (slowly)

Exam Tip: Remember factors affecting bioremediation:

Temperature, pH (6.5-8.5 is best), oxygen availability, nutrient
availability, and type of pollutant!

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Bioremediation - Using microbes to clean polluted environments

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4. Degradation of Pesticides and

Xenobiotics

What are Xenobiotics?

These are man-made chemical substances that don't

naturally exist in nature. Examples: Pesticides, plastics, dyes,
industrial chemicals. They are also called "recalcitrants"
because they resist breaking down.

How Microbes Degrade Pesticides:

A) Mechanisms (Ways of Breaking Down):

Hydrolysis: Breaking bonds using water

Oxidation: Adding oxygen to the chemical

Reduction: Removing oxygen or adding electrons

Dehalogenation: Removing chlorine atoms (important for

DDT, PCBs)

Hydroxylation: Adding -OH groups to make chemical less

toxic

B) Microbes That Degrade Pesticides:

Bacteria: Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Burkholderia,

Streptomyces

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Fungi: Aspergillus, Penicillium, White-rot fungi

Actinomycetes: Streptomyces (soil bacteria)

Algae: Can work with bacteria to clean water

C) Factors Affecting Pesticide Degradation:

Temperature: Higher temperature = faster degradation (up to

optimal point)

pH: Most microbes work best at pH 6-8

Moisture: Water needed for microbial activity

Oxygen: Some need oxygen (aerobic), some don't

(anaerobic)

Nutrients: C:N:P ratio must be balanced

Chemical structure: Simpler chemicals break down faster

Real Example: After the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, bacteria
like Alcanivorax and Marinobacter naturally degraded the oil
in the ocean. Scientists also added nutrients to speed up the
process!

Exam Tip: Remember - microbes use pesticides as food

source (carbon, nitrogen, energy)! They have special
enzymes to break down toxic chemicals into harmless
products like CO₂ and H₂O.

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Microbes breaking down pesticides in agricultural soils

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5. Global Warming and Possible

Control Measures

What is Global Warming?

Increase in Earth's temperature due to greenhouse gases

(CO₂, CH₄, N₂O) trapping heat in atmosphere. Microbes both
produce AND consume these gases!

A) How Microbes Contribute to Global Warming:

Greenhouse Gas Producers:

CO₂ Production: Decomposing bacteria release CO₂

from dead organic matter

Methane Production:

Methanogenic archaea in wetlands produce CH₄

Rumen bacteria in cow stomachs produce 25% of

human methane emissions

Note: Methane is 25x more powerful than CO₂ at

trapping heat!

N₂O Production: Denitrifying bacteria in soil produce

nitrous oxide (298x more powerful than CO₂!)

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B) How Microbes Help Control Global Warming:

Greenhouse Gas Consumers:

CO₂ Fixation: Photosynthetic bacteria and algae capture

CO₂ from atmosphere

Methane Consumption: Methanotrophic bacteria (like

Methylococcus) eat methane before it reaches
atmosphere

Carbon Sequestration: Soil microbes lock carbon in soil

organic matter

C) Microbial Control Measures for Climate

Change:

1. Reducing Emissions:

Livestock Management: Using special feed additives to

reduce methane from cows

Rice Paddy Management: Using different bacteria to reduce

methane from rice fields

Wastewater Treatment: Using microbes to capture methane

and convert it to energy

2. Carbon Capture:

Soil Microbes: Enhance carbon storage in agricultural soils

Algae Biofuel: Grow algae to capture CO₂ and produce fuel

Forest Microbes: Protect soil microbes that store carbon

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3. Bioremediation of Pollutants:

Clean up pollution that contributes to warming

Reduce toxic chemicals that harm beneficial microbes

Practical Example: Scientists are developing feed

supplements for cows that reduce methane production by
their gut bacteria by up to 30%! This can significantly reduce
greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.

D) Effects of Climate Change on Microbes:

Temperature Rise: Changes microbial community

composition

Extreme Weather: Affects microbial diversity in soil and

water

Ocean Warming: Causes harmful algal blooms

Permafrost Melting: Releases trapped greenhouse gases by

activating frozen microbes

Exam Tip: Remember the dual role of microbes - they

both produce AND consume greenhouse gases. The balance
between these two activities affects global warming!

Microbes playing crucial roles in climate regulation

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Quick Revision Points

Important Microorganisms to Remember:

Nitrogen Fixers: Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Clostridium

Nitrifiers: Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter

Denitrifiers: Pseudomonas, Bacillus

Methanogens: Methanobacterium, Methanococcus

Methanotrophs: Methylococcus, Methylomonas

Sulfur Bacteria: Thiobacillus, Desulfovibrio

Decomposers: Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Aspergillus

Most Important Exam Topics:

1. Biogeochemical Cycles: Know the role of microbes in

C, N, P, S cycles

2. Bioremediation: Types, mechanisms, and examples

3. Pesticide Degradation: Mechanisms and microbes

involved

4. Climate Change: How microbes contribute and help

control it

5. Environmental Factors: pH, temperature, oxygen

affecting microbial activity

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Key Terms to Define:

Bioremediation: Using microbes to clean pollution

Xenobiotics: Man-made chemicals not found in nature

Nitrogen Fixation: Converting N₂ gas to NH₃

Nitrification: Converting NH₃ to NO₃⁻

Denitrification: Converting NO₃⁻ to N₂ gas

Bioaugmentation: Adding special microbes to polluted

sites

Biostimulation: Adding nutrients to boost native

microbes

Methanogenesis: Production of methane by archaea

Study Tips for Exam:

Draw diagrams of C, N, P, S cycles with microbial names

Make a table of microbes and their functions

Remember real-life examples (Gulf oil spill, cow methane,

etc.)

Understand mechanisms, don't just memorize names

Know factors affecting each process (temp, pH, oxygen)

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Connect topics - how bioremediation relates to climate

change

Good Luck with Your Exams!

Remember: Understanding is better than memorizing. Try to

connect concepts!

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