ssENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY

, Mcroorganisms are present in large quantities everywhere and can survive extreme
physical and chemical conditions. Many microorganisms play foundational roles in aquatic
ecosystems, capturing the sun’s energy through photosynthesis and, through their role in
decomposition, releasing nutrients stored in organic tissue.
Important role of aquatic microbiology, Aquatic microorganisms play a vital role in the
cycling of nutrients within their environment, and thus are a crucial part of the food
chain/web . Many microorganisms obtain their nutrition by breaking down organic matter in
dead plants and animals. Aquatic Environments

WHAT MICROOGANISMS ARE IN AQUACTIC ENVIRONMENTS Planktonic

microbial communities include algae, bacteria, and protozoa. The benthos is
characterized by a dramatic increase in microbial numbers and activity that supports
the formation of adjacent aerobic and anaerobic microenvironments as well as
cycling of essential nutrients.
Aquatic Organisms: Microorganisms
 Bacteria. Some of the smallest and most ancient organisms on earth, bacteria
are present in virtually every environment and are abundant in all aquatic
systems. ...
 Fungi. Fungi occur as single cells, and in filaments called hyphae. ...
 Protozoa. ...
 Algae and Phytoplankton. ..

Aquatic organisms generally fall into three broad groups: plankton, nekton, and
benthos. They vary in how they move and where they live.

 Plankton are tiny aquatic organisms that cannot move on their own. They
live in the photic zone. They include phytoplankton and
zooplankton. Phytoplankton are bacteria and algae that use sunlight to
make food. Zooplankton are tiny animals that feed on phytoplankton.
 Nekton are aquatic animals that can move on their own by “swimming”
through the water. They may live in the photic or aphotic zone. They feed on
plankton or other nekton. Examples of nekton include fish and shrimp.
 Benthos are aquatic organisms that crawl in sediments at the bottom of a
body of water. Many are decomposers. Benthos include sponges, clams, and
anglerfish like the one How has this fish adapted to a life in the dark?
Heterotrophic bacteria are key decomposers in aquatic
ecosystems, while autotrophic bacteria (such as
Cyanobacteria) are key producers in eutrophic waterbodies.
They play a crucial role in nutrient cycling and organic matter
transformation.
ECOLOGY OF MICROBIOLOGY IN FRESH WATER. Freshwater is natural water that contains
only minimal quantities of dissolved salts, thus distinguishing it from sea water or
brackish water. All freshwater ultimately comes from precipitation of atmospheric water
vapor, reaching inland lakes, rivers, and groundwater bodies directly, or after melting of snow
or ice. There are three main types of freshwater biomes: ponds and lakes, streams and
rivers, and wetlands. Ponds and lakes are often called lentic ecosystems. This means that
they have still or standing waters, not moving like rivers or streams while lotics are moving
water

Lakes, rivers, and streams can be broadly classified as either lotic systems with free-
running waters (streams, most rivers, canals) or lentic systems with free-standing waters
(e.g., ponds; lakes; marshes; very broad, slow-moving rivers). In large, lentic rivers and
lakes, phytoplankton thrive and are responsible for most of the fixed carbon. The
biologically available carbon that is produced within the system is
called autochthonous.

By contrast, the constant flow of water in streams and all but the largest rivers prevents
the development of significant planktonic communities. In addition, phytoplankton
growth can be further limited by the amount of available light due to overhanging
foliage, turbidity, and rapid mixing of the water. In most streams and rivers, the source of
nutrients therefore comes from the surrounding land. Such nutrients are
called allochthonous. This distinction is important, as lentic systems often have a net
autotrophic metabolism, whereas lotic systems are generally heterotrophic

Groups of Water Organisms

Microorganisms occupy surface waters in all of the zones; they may be suspended
in water (plankton), cover stationary underwater objects, plants etc. (periphyton),
or live in bottom sediments (benthos).

30.3.1 Plankton

The group of organisms that passively float in water not being able to resist the
movement and the flow of water mass is called plankton or bioseston. These are of
following types:

30.3.1.1 Phytoplankton

Phytoplankton are mainly microscopic algae and blue-green algae. It is a varied

community in terms of the systematics and mainly composed of forms smaller than
50 μm. Sea phytoplankton are dominated by diatoms and dinophyta, whereas fresh
water phytoplankton are dominated one by cryptophytes, diatoms, green algae, and
blue-green algae.

30.3.1.2 Zooplankton
Zooplankton are small water animals that occur in plankton. There are three
systematic groups that occur in fresh waters: rotifers, branchiopods and copepods.
The sea water plankton is composed of copepods, ctenophores, urochordata, arrow-
worms as well as some species of snails. Most of them are filtrators (condense
suspended particles) or predators.

30.3.1.3 Protozoa plankton

Protozoa plankton consists of protozoa which occupy the open water zones like
flagellates and ciliates. They are the main consumers of bacteria. Moreover, most
ciliates feed upon flagellates, algae and smaller ciliates. The protozoa itself feeds
the zooplankton.

30.3.1.4 The heterotrophic bacteria plankton

The heterotrophic bacteria plankton occupy waters which are abundant in organic
compounds. The amount of bacteria in open waters varies between 10 5-
107 cells/ml.

30.3.1.5 Virus plankton

Virus plankton is composed of viruses which are the smallest element of plankton.
Their numbers may be very high (from 108 in 1ml) in various fresh and sea water
habitats. Viruses are, next to the protozoa, a crucial factor in bacteria mortality.

30.3.2 Periphyton

Periphyton occupy the shore line zones. They are a group of organisms that create
outgrowths upon various objects and underwater plants. Most of the time, they
usually consist of small algae - diatoms, green algae and bacteria. Moreover,
various settled or semi-settled protozoa, eelwarms, oligochaetes, insect larva, and
even crustaceans make up the periphyton biocenosis. Periphyton has a
characteristic complex biocenosis and many ecological relationships can be
observed between its components.

1.
 Natural freshwaters are classifiable into atmospheric,
surface, and underground waters each type having a unique
microbial ecology. Atmospheric waters lose their
microorganisms as they fall as rain or snow. Surface
freshwaters are found in rivers and lakes, and contain large
and diverse groups of microorganisms
 Ecology is the study of the relationship among organisms and their environment.
These relationships include interactions of organisms with the physical features – the
abiotic factors of the environment and interactions of organisms with one another- the
biotic factors of the environment.
 Ecosystems are organised into various biological levels. The biosphere is the region
of the earth inhabited by living organisms. It consists of the hydrosphere (earths water
supply), the lithosphere (the soil and rock that include the earth crusts and the
atmosphere, the gaseous envelope surrounding the earth.
 A terrestrial ecosystem such as a desert, tundra, grassland or tropical rain forest, is
characterised by a particular climate, soil type and organisms. The hydrosphere is
divided into fresh water and marine ecosystems.
 The organisms within an ecosystem live in communities: An ecological community
consists of all kinds of organisms that are present in a given environment.
Indigenous and Non-Indigenous
 Micro-organisms Micro- organisms can be categorised as indigenous or non-
indigenous to an environment.
 The indigenous or native organisms are always found in a given environment. They
are able to adapt to normal seasonal change or changes in the quantity of available
nutrients in the environment e.g. Spirillum pollutants is indigenous to stagnant water
(Jacquelyn, 2002). Various species of Streptomyces are indigenous to soil and
Escherichia coli is indigenous to the digestive tract. Regardless of variations in the
environment, an environment will always continue to support the life of an indigenous
organism.
 Non-indigenous organisms are temporary inhabitants of an environment, they
become numerous when growth conditions are favourable for them and disappear
when conditions become unfavourable.
 Communities are made up of populations, groups of organisms of the same species in
general, community composed of many populations of organisms are more stable than
those composed of only a few populations- that is only few different species. The
basic unit of the population is the individual organism. Organisms occupy a particular
habitat and niche. The habitat is the physical location of the organism. Micro-
organisms often occupy a microenvironment; a habitat in which the oxygen, nutrients
and light are stable, including the environment immediately surrounding the microbe.
A particle of soil could be the micro-environment of a bacterium .The environment is
more important to the bacterium than the more extensive micro-environment. An
organism’s niche is the role it plays in the ecosystem that is its use of the abiotic and
biotic factors in its environment.
 The Flow of Energy in the Ecosystem
 Energy is essential in life and radiant energy from the sun is The Flow of Energy in
the Ecosystem Energy is essential in life and radiant energy from the sun is the
ultimate source of energy for nearly all organisms in any ecosystem. The
chemolithotropic bacteria that extract energy from inorganic compounds are
exceptions.
  Micro-organisms as Producers, Consumers and Decomposers,
 Organisms called producers are autotrophs. They capture energy from the sun. They
use this energy and various nutrients in the soil and water to synthesise the substances
they need to grow and to support their other activities. Energy stored in the bodies of
the producers is transferred through an ecosystem when consumers who are
heterotrophs obtain nutrients by eating the producers or other consumers.
 Decomposers obtain energy by digesting dead bodies or wastes of producers and
consumers. The decomposers release substances that producers can use to produce
nutrients.
 The producers include photosynthetic organisms e.g. cyanobacteria, and eukaryotic
algae. Although green plants are primary producers on land, autotrophic micro-
organisms fill the role in the water bodies. The consumers include heterotrophic
bacteria, protozoa and microscopic fungi. The decomposers as micro-organisms play
a greater role in the decomposition of dead organic substances than larger organisms
 Environmental pollution is defined as “the contamination of the physical
and biological components of the earth/atmosphere system to such an
extent that normal environmental processes are adversely affected
TYPE OF POLLUTIONS .
 Air Pollution.
 Water Pollution.
 Soil Pollution.
 Noise Pollution.
Types of Environmental Pollution

1. Water Pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of bodies of water such as rivers, seas,

lakes, streams, aquifers, and groundwater. It occurs when imported dangerous
items such as chemicals, garbage, or polluted substances are dumped directly
or indirectly into bodies of water.

When contaminants enter a water body from a single identified origin, this is
referred to as point source water pollution, whereas non-point source water
pollution happens as a consequence of the cumulative impacts of varying
levels of contaminants. Infiltration causes groundwater contamination, which
impacts groundwater supplies such as wells and reservoirs.
2 Air Pollution
 Air pollution is the introduction of dangerous compounds into the
atmosphere, which has a negative influence on the environment and
mankind.

Simply said, air pollution makes the air filthy or polluted. It happens when
hazardous chemicals, such as foreign gases, scents, dust, or fumes, are
released into the air at levels that are damaging to the comfort or health of
animals and humans, or even damage plant life.

Hydrocarbons, organic compounds, dust particles, carbon monoxide, sulfur

oxides, and nitrogen oxides are examples of air pollutants (substances that
contaminate the air). Both human and natural activities contribute to air
pollution.

3. Soil Pollution

Soil contamination occurs when chemical pollutants pollute or deteriorate the

soil as a result of activities such as mining, clearing of plant cover, or topsoil
erosion. Typically, it occurs when human activities directly or indirectly
introduce harmful chemicals, substances, or items into the soil, causing harm
to the nearby terrestrial environment.

As a result, soil loses the value of its original mineral and nutrient
compositions. Soil deterioration, which happens as a result of overgrazing,
over-farming, or mining operations, also contributes to soil contamination.
 Agricultural farming operations, trash dumping on land, industrial activities,
mining, and acid rain are all significant contributors to soil contamination.

4. Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is often defined as an unfavourable sound or sound that

causes severe discomfort in the ears. Noise pollution is described as
unpleasant and unacceptable sound levels that cause significant distress to all
living beings. It is expressed in decibels (dB).

Sound levels above 100 decibels (dB) can induce lifelong hearing loss, while
noise levels around 90 decibels (dB) create auditory weakness.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the industrial sound

limit is 75 decibels (dB). Noise pollution has the same effect on marine and
wildlife species as it has on people, and it can even kill them.

5. Industrial Pollution

The discharge of wastes and pollutants caused by industrial activity into the
natural habitat, including air, water, and land, is referred to as industrial
pollution.

Contaminants and pollutants produced by industry include air emissions, the

discharge of spent water into water resources, and landfill disposal. Industrial
pollution may harm plants, kill animals, disrupt ecosystems, and reduce
people's quality of life.
 Industrial pollution is caused by significant industries such as power plants,
steel mills, sewage treatment facilities, heating plants, and glass casting,
among other producing, refining, and manufacturing organizations.
SELF PURIFICATIJN OF WATER

 Biogeochemical cycles: describes the movements of chemical elements through the

biological and geographical components of the biosphere. The atmosphere (the
gaseous mass surrounding the earth), lithosphere (the earth crusts) and hydrosphere
(water) comprise the geographical portion of these cycles. The biological part consists
of the living organisms which are classified as producers, consumers and
decomposers (unit1). Micro-organisms are indispensable in the recycling process this
is because they are not only producers and consumers but also have unique role as
biological decomposers. The biogeochemical cycles are: nitrogen, sulphur, carbon,
phosphorus and oxygen cycles. describes the movements of chemical elements
through the biological and geographical components of the biosphere. The
atmosphere (the gaseous mass surrounding the earth), lithosphere (the earth crusts)
and hydrosphere (water) comprise the geographical portion of these cycles. The
biological part consists of the living organisms which are classified as producers,
consumers and decomposers . Micro-organisms are indispensable in the recycling
process this is because they are not only producers and consumers but also have
unique role as biological decomposers. The biogeochemical cycles are: nitrogen,
sulphur, carbon, phosphorus and oxygen cycles.
 The Nitrogen Cycle
 This cycle goes through several processes namely: ammonification, nitrification and
denitrification. (a) Ammonification: Dead plants and animals, animal excreta and
plant debris are decomposed to yield ammonia gas. The ammonifying bacteria e.g.
species of Clostridium and Azotobacter bring about the reduction of nitrogen to yield
ammonia N2+3H2 = 2NH3. (b) Nitrification: This is the action of nitrifying bacteria
which bring about the oxidation of ammonia to nitrites e.g. Nitrosomonas and
Nitrococcus. 2NH3 +3O2 = 2HNO2+2H2O The nitrite is further oxidised by
Nitrobacter and Nitrocystis to nitrate. 2HNO2+2O2 = 2HNO3 The energy obtained
from these reactions is used by bacteria to synthesis carbohydrate using carbon
dioxide and water. These nitrifying bacteria are therefore chemosynthetic and are
referred to as chemolitrophs. The nitrates so produced are absorbed by