Uses of Microorganisms - EP - 2
3 Minutes
Uses of microorganisms in industry for students: learn how bacteria help in sewage treatment, biogas, and tanning. A science lesson in English.
- Sewage treatment stages and how Nitrobacter cleans liquid waste
- How methanogens produce biogas and yeast ferments sugars
- Tanning in the leather industry and retting flax fibers
What this lesson teaches
Microorganisms are microscopic living organisms that are widely used across various industries, in sewage treatment, and in decomposing solid waste. Instead of only being associated with dirt and filth, specific bacteria and yeast decompose waste, perform chemical transformations, and help manufacture useful everyday items.
Stages of sewage treatment
- Primary treatment begins by collecting roadside drain water and separating solid waste, such as chocolate wrappers, biscuit wrappers, and vegetable waste, from liquid waste.
- Secondary treatment involves adding a specific type of bacteria called Nitrobacter into the remaining liquid waste.
- Nitrobacter bacteria consume all the organic materials in the liquid and help settle everything down.
- Tertiary treatment removes all the remaining waste and purifies the water so that clean water is produced.
Biogas production from waste
Microorganisms help decompose plant and animal waste to produce biogas that people use for cooking and other purposes. Certain bacteria are able to grow on waste materials in environments without oxygen. As these bacteria feed on and decompose the waste, they release a mixture of gases including methane, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. The specific bacteria that produce methane gas are called methanogens.
Industrial fermentation using yeast
Fermentation is a chemical process where glucose molecules are broken down in the absence of oxygen. Industries use yeast microorganisms to carry out fermentation, especially when producing items like alcohol and oil. For example, yeast breaks down the natural sugars in grapes through fermentation to produce wine. Yeast similarly breaks down the sugars found in rice and barley to manufacture beer.
Leather tanning and plant fiber retting
- Tanning is a manufacturing process in the leather industry where bacteria are added to animal skin to make products like belts and shoes flexible and soft.
- Retting is a biological process that separates tough fibers from plant stems so they can be made into ropes and jute.
- Workers take bundles of the flax plant and soak them in water.
- The bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa is added to the water to act on the tissues of the flax stems and separate the fibers.