ARAVALI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

TOPIC- Microbes in human welfare

Submitted to:
MS - Charu

Submitted by
Parth Gulihar
Class: Xll – S2
 CONTENT
Topic Page no

1. Certificate 2
2. Acknowledgement 3
3. Introduction 4
4. Types of microbes 5
5. Microbes in industrial product 6
6. Microbes in sewage treatment 7
7. Microbes in biogas 8
8. Microbes as bio control agent 9
9. Bibliography 12
10.
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Parth Gulihar, student of Class Xll,
ARAVALI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL has completed the Term-ll-
Project file during the academic year Session: 2022-2023
toward partial fulfilment of credit for the Biology practical
evaluation of CBSE and submitted satisfactory report as
compiled in the following pages, under my supervision.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude and
indebtedness to our learned teacher Ms. Charu
PGT Biology, for her invaluable help, advice and guidance
in the preparation of this project. I also extend my thanks
to a number of teachers, my classmates and friends who
helped me to complete this practical file successfullly.
 INTRODUCTION
Microbes Definition
“Microbes are single-celled organisms that are invisible to the naked eye.”

What are Microbes?

Microbes are minute, unicellular organisms that are invisible to the naked eye. They are
also known as microorganisms or microscopic organisms as they could only be seen
under a microscope. They make up almost 60% of the earth’s living matter.
Because microorganisms include most unicellular organisms from all three domains of life they
can be extremely diverse. Two of the three domains, Archaea and Bacteria, only contain
microorganisms. The third domain Eukaryote includes all multicellular organisms as well as
many unicellular protists and protozoans that are microbes. Some protists are related
to animals and some to green plants. There are also many multicellular organisms that are
microscopic, namely micro-animals, some fungi, and some algae, but these are generally not
considered microorganisms. 
Microbes are important in human culture and health in many ways, serving to ferment
foods and treat sewage, and to produce fuel, enzymes, and other bioactive compounds.
Microbes are essential tools in biology as model organisms and have been put to use
in biological warfare and bioterrorism. Microbes are a vital component of fertile soil. In
the human body, microorganisms make up the human microbiota, including the
essential gut flora. The pathogens responsible for many infectious diseases are
microbes and, as such, are the target of hygiene measures.

The term “microbes” is used to describe several different life forms with different sizes
and characteristics. A few of these microbes include:

 Bacteria
 Fungi
 Protista
 Viruses
 Achaea
Microbes can be useful as well as harmful. Certain microbes cause severe infections
and diseases and can also spoil food and other materials. While others play an
important role in maintaining environmental balance.
Let us have a detailed look at the different types of microorganisms and their
importance.
 Types of Microbes
Algae
Algae are a diverse group of eukaryotic, non-vascular thallophytes, autotrophic,
chlorophyll-containing organisms capable of producing oxygen through
photosynthesis.
 Bacteria
Bacteria are very tiny single-cell microbes that can live in all environments on earth

Bacteria are unicellular, microscopic, prokaryotic microorganisms that contain no true

nucleus.

Bacteria play an important role in human survival. They break down nutrients in the
digestive system into simpler forms.

Few bacteria such as Rhizobium are involved in nitrogen fixation..

 Protozoa
Protozoa are microscopic unicellular eukaryotes, either free-living or parasitic.

They mostly have one membrane-bound nucleus in the cell

Membrane-bound cell organelles, like mitochondria, Golgi bodies, lysosomes and other
specialised structures are present

Virus
A virus is a submicroscopic infectious microbe that replicates only inside the living
cell of an organism.

Viruses are a connecting link between living and non-living.

They are non-cellular microorganisms, composed of protein, nucleic acids, and lipids.

They are active inside host cells and reproduce inside them by infecting living cells.
 Fungi
Fungi are eukaryotic, multicellular organisms that include Yeasts, moulds, etc.

These can be unicellular or multicellular with the cell wall made of chitin

These are heterotrophic and cannot synthesise their own food.

Fungi such as yeast are used in the baking industries and also in the beer and wine
industries.
 Microbes in Household Production
Curd: Microorganisms such as Lactobacillus and others commonly called Lactic Acid
Bacteria (LAB) grow in milk and convert it into curd. During growth, the Lactic acid
bacteria produce acids that coagulate and partially digest the milk proteins called
casein.
1. Lactobacillus acidophilus converts lactose sugar of milk into lactic acid at a
temperature of about 40∘C40∘C or less. Streptococcus lactis and Streptococcus
thermophilus are also used in the formation of curd.

2. The starter or inoculation used in the preparation of milk products is a small amount
of curd (spoonful), which actually contains millions of lactic acid bacteria.
Curd is more nutritious than milk as it contains a number of organic acids and
vitamin B12

Toddy Drink: The toddy is a refreshing traditional drink in some parts of south India.
The toddy is prepared by the fermentation process of coconut water and sap of palm
trees. Toddy can be heated to produce jaggery or palm sugar.
Process of Toddy: Toddy undergoes fermentation if left for a few hours with the help
of naturally occurring yeast to form a beverage containing about 6%6% alcohol.

Cheese: Different varieties of cheese are known for their characteristic texture,

flavour and taste. The specificity comes from the microbe that is used in it. For
example, the large holes in ‘Swiss cheese’ are due to the production of a large
amount of CO2CO2 by a bacterium named Propionibacterium shermanii. In contrast,
the ‘Roquefort cheese’ are ripened by growing a specific fungus on them, which gives
them a specific flavour.

Paneer: Paneer (cottage cheese) is a fresh cheese common in South Asia, especially

in India. It is made by curdling milk with lemon juice, vinegar and other edible acids.
Large holes in Swiss cheese is due to the production of a large amount of carbon-di-
oxide by the bacterium Propionibacterium shermanii.
 Role of Microbes in Industrial Products
Biotechnology and microbiology have industrial microbiology as a branch that deals
with the study of various microorganisms and their application in industries. Microbes
are grown in very large vessels called fermentors or bioreactors. In industries,
microbes are very much used to synthesize different types of products which are
valuable for us. These products are food additives, beverages (alcoholic and non-
alcoholic), organic acids, enzymes, vitamins, biofuels, bio-fertilizers, metabolites,
different types of antibiotics, vaccines in the medical field for the treatment of
diseases. Microbes play a vital role in the fermentation process to obtain several
products.
Fermented Beverages
a) Fermentors are the very large vessels that are required in production on an
industrial scale for growing microbes.
b) Brewing refers to the production of beer by soaking a starch source, such as
barley, in water and fermenting the resulting liquid with Yeast.
C) Wine and beer are produced without distillation because the concentration of
alcohol in these beverages is maintained at a low level.
D) Whisky, brandy, and rum are produced by distillation of the fermented broth.

Antibiotics
a) The most widely used and significant discoveries of the twentieth century are
antibiotics which are produced by microbes.
b) Antibiotics are chemical substances that can kill or inhibit the growth of
disease-causing microbes.
c) Antibiotics are obtained from lichens, fungi, eubacteria, and actinomycetes.
 Penicillin was the first antibiotic discovered by Alexander Fleming, which was
used to treat wounded American soldiers in World War II.
d) The full potential of penicillin was explored and publicized by Ernest Chain and
Howard Florey, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for the discovery in the year 1945.
Penicillin was extensively used for the treatment of wounds of soldiers during World
War II

Organic acids
Microbes are also used for the industrial production of certain organic acids. Citric acid
was the first discovered organic acids from microbial fermentation of lemon – a citrus
fruits. Organic acids are also produced directly from glucose. Aspergillus Niger,
Acetobacter acute and Lactobacillus are few examples of microbes used for the
industrial production of organic acids.
 MICROBES IN SEWAGE TREATMENT
Municipal waste-water which contains large amounts of organic matter is called
sewage.

Before disposal, hence, sewage is treated in sewage treatment plants (STPs) by the
heterotrophic microbes to make it less polluting.

Sewage treatment is carried out in two stages.

1. Primary treatment –
o These treatment steps basically involve physical removal of large and small
particles.
o Initially, floating debris is removed by sequential filtration and then the grit are
removed by sedimentation.
o All solids that settle form the primary sludge, and the supernatant forms the effluent.
o The effluent from the primary settling tank is taken for secondary treatment.

2. Secondary treatment or biological treatment-

o The primary effluent is passed into large aeration tanks where it is constantly
agitated which allows vigorous growth of useful aerobic microbes into flocs.
o Flocs are the masses of bacteria associated with fungal filaments to form mesh like
structures.
o While growing, the microbes significantly reduces the BOD (biochemical oxygen
demand) which is the amount of oxygen required to oxidize total organic matter in
the effluent.
o The BOD test measures the rate of uptake of oxygen by micro-organisms, the
greater the BOD of waste water, more is its polluting potential.
o The effluent is then passed into a settling tank where the bacterial ‘flocs’ are allowed
to sediment and the sediment is called activated sludge .
o A small part of the activated sludge is pumped back into the aeration tank to serve
as the inoculum.
o The remaining major part of the sludge is pumped into large tanks called anaerobic
sludge digesters where other kinds of bacteria grow anaerobically which digest the
bacteria and the fungi in the sludge.
o During digestion, bacteria produce a mixture of gases such as methane, hydrogen
sulphide and carbon dioxide which form biogas .
The effluent from the secondary treatment plant is generally released into natural water
bodies like rivers and streams.
 MICROBES IN THE PRODUCTION OF BIOGAS
Biogas is a mixture of gases (containing predominantly methane) produced by the
microbial activity.Certain bacteria grow anaerobically on cellulosic material and produce
large amount of methane along with CO2 and H2 which are collectively called as
methanogens.

One common methanogen is MethanobacteriumThese bacteria are commonly found in

the anaerobic sludge during sewage treatment and in the rumen of cattle to
digest cellulose in the food of the cattle , thus the excreta of cattle, commonly
called gobar can be used for generation of biogas, commonly called gobar gas.

The biogas plant consists of a concrete tank (10-15 feet deep) in which bio-wastes
are collected and a slurry of dung is fed.
o A floating cover is placed over the slurry, which keeps on rising as the gas is
produced in the tank due to the microbial activity.
o The biogas plant has an outlet, which is connected to a pipe to supply biogas to
nearby houses.
o The spent slurry is removed through another outlet and may be used as fertilizer.
o The biogas thus produced can be used for cooking and lighting.

Advantages of Biogas
1. Biogas is a safe, cheap, renewable source of energy.
2. Biogas can be burnt in stoves to provide heat.
3. It is used for domestic and street lighting, and cooking.
4. It is eco-friendly and does not cause any pollution.
5. It is also used for driving engines.
6. It is easy to generate, transport and store.
7. It improves the sanitation of the surroundings.
8. The residue left after the production of biogas can be used as manure.
The use of biogas is environment-friendly. It implies the conversion of animal and plant
waste into useful energy, thereby, reducing the production of methane. This is because
of the biogas combustion which results in a net decrease in the emission of greenhouse
gases.

MICROBES AS BIOCONTROL AGENTS

Biocontrol refers to the use of biological methods for controlling plant diseases and
pests.

Chemicals, insecticides and pesticides are extremely harmful to human beings and also
these pollute our environment.The use of biocontrol measures will greatly reduce our
dependence on toxic chemicals and pesticides.

Characteristics of Effective Biocontrol Agents

These highly effective bio-control agents must fulfil certain criteria like:
1. Should be able to compete and live longer in soil and host tissue.
2. Should be able to colonize and proliferate.
3. Should be non-pathogenic to the host plant and environment.
4. Production must result in biomass with an excellent shelf life.
5. Delivery and application must permit full expression of the agent.
Advantages of Microbes as Biocontrol Agents
These have no negative impacts on plants, mammals, fish, birds or even on non-
target insects. This is specifically desirable when beneficial insects are being
conserved to aid in the overall Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Programme or
when an ecologically sensitive area is being treated.
Some of the advantages are as follows:
1. These are cost-effective.
2. These biocontrol agents reduce the use of chemicals and other pesticides.
3. As it is easily available, effective in all seasons and easy to use.
4. They are environment friendly and also do not cause any side effects.

Disadvantages of Microbes as Biological Agents

Some of the disadvantages are as follows:
1. The high specificity against the target disease and pathogen may require multiple
microbial pesticides.
2. It may affect product quality.
3. Pest is not completely removed by these biocontrol agents.
4. These are not very effective for short scale applications.
Examples of biocontrol agents are:
The ladybird and dragonflies are useful to get rid of aphids and mosquitoes,
respectively.

Microbes as Biofertilizers
Biofertilizer Definition
Biofertilizers can be defined as living organisms, mainly bacteria, fungus, or algae
which increase the supply of essential nutrients in the soil that can be easily used by
the host plants promoting plant growth. A biofertilizer organism should be specific
strains of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae or their combinations.

Types of Biofertilizers
Biofertilizers are classified into different categories based on the types of
microorganisms involved

1. Bacterial Biofertilizers
Bacteria that promote soil fertility may be symbiotic, non-symbiotic (free-living) or
occurring in loose association with roots of higher plants. They supplement the soil by
fixing free nitrogen into nitrogen compounds like ammonia, nitric acid, organic
nitrates, etc. For example, Rhizobium, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Phosphobacteria,
etc.
A number of cyanobacteria have the property to fix nitrogen, e.g., Anabaena, Nostoc,
Aulosira, etc. Actinomycetes are bacteria known to produce several plant growth-
promoting molecules and fight plant diseases by secreting several compounds like
secondary metabolites. Hence, these are known to be good for improving agricultural
productivity —for example, Frankia.

2. Fungal Biofertilizers
Trichoderma and  mycorrhizal fungi  form mutual associations with plants. Fungal
biofertilizers play an important role in supporting plant growth, health, productivity and
enhancing soil fertility.

Importance of Biofertilizers
1. Biofertilizers are non-polluting, eco-friendly options that do not cause harm to the
environment. They increase the yield of plants by 15–35%.15–35%. Hence,
biofertilizers are the best replacement for chemical fertilizers.
2. Biofertilizers are inexpensive, effective, and renewable sources of plant nutrients.
3. These convert atmospheric nitrogen to various forms that can be used by plants.
4. Biofertilizers aid in the survival and growth of beneficial organisms.
5. They have the ability to regulate and suppress pathogenic soil bacteria.
6. They produce vitamins and growth-promoting bio-chemicals.
7. Biofertilizers improve soil texture by increasing the quantity of humus in the soil
and maintaining or even increasing the fertility of the soil.
8. These promote pollution-free techniques of agriculture. 
9. Bio-fertilizers are useful and active even under semi-arid conditions.
 Disadvantages of Biofertilizers
1. Contamination is a common problem during the bulk manufacturing of
microorganisms. Hence, strict aseptic precautions are required during the
manufacture of microbial fertilizer.
2. Biofertilizers are supplements to chemical fertilizers but not substitutes for them to
accomplish plant nutrient requirements. These can only yield 20–30%20–30% of crop
production as compared to chemical fertilizers.
3. It has a very low shelf life; e.g., at room temperature, microbial fertilizer must be
utilized within six months of manufacturing. If stored at a chilling temperature, these
must be used within two years.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://joyfulmicrobe.com/types-of-microbes/

https://www.doubtnut.com/question-answer-biology/explain-the-
role-of-microbes-in-biogas-production-647819576

https://www.embibe.com/exams/microbes-in-household-
products/#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20microbes
%20that,by%20microbes%20acting%20as%20parasites.

https://www.embibe.com/exams/microbes-in-industrial-products/

https://www.examfear.com/notes/Class-12/Biology/Microbes-In-
Human-Welfare/2298/Microbes-in-the-production-of-biogas.htm