Environmental Biotechnology

• Prof. Dr. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

Prof. of Microbiology, Agric. Microbiology Dept., Fac. of Agric.
Ain Shams University

• E. mail: khadija_Aboutaleb@agr.asu.edu.eg

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

➢ Any visible or invisible particle or gas found
in the air that is not part of the original,
normal composition.

➢Chemicals added to the atmosphere by

natural events or human activities in high
enough concentrations to be harmful.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

 with

Rapid industrialization Civilization

caused
human health problems
such as
ophthalmic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases

Types of treatments of contaminants

including

microbial bioremediation
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
phytoremediation
 I-divided into according to their
sources

Natural pollutants Unnatural pollutants

forest fires, pollen, dust man-made; coal, wood and other fuels
storm used in cars, homes, and factories for
energy
II- divided into two categories according to
their types

Primary Air Pollutant Secondary Air Pollutant

Harmful substance that is Harmful substance formed in the

released directly into the atmosphere when a primary air
atmosphere pollutant reacts with substances
normally found in the atmosphere or
with
Prof. Khadiga other air pollutants
Abou-Taleb
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
 Major Air Pollutants
The most common air pollutants, their possible health effects
from exposure, and how to limit or avoid exposure. The common
air pollutants are:

Particulate matter, ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon

monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) (Table 1 and 2).

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

Major Air Pollutants

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

 Particulate Material
• Solid or liquid matter that is suspended in the air.
• To remain in the air, particles usually must be less than
0.1-mm wide and can be as small as 0.00005 mm.
• Thousands of different solid or liquid particles suspended
in air
– Includes: soil particles, lead, asbestos, sea salt, and
sulfuric acid droplets
• Dangerous for 2 reasons
– May contain materials with toxic or carcinogenic
effects
– Extremely small particles can become lodged in lungs
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
The size of particles affects their potential to cause health problems:

PM10 (particles with a diameter of 10 micrometres or less):

these particles are small enough to pass through the throat and
nose and enter the lungs. Once inhaled, these particles can
affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects.

PM2.5 (particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less):

these particles are so small they can get deep into the lungs and
into the bloodstream. There is sufficient evidence that exposure to
PM2.5 over long periods (years) can cause adverse health effects.
Note that PM10 includes PM2.5.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

 Particulate matter Sources
can be divided into two types

Coarse particles Fine particles

formed from sources formed when fuel is

like road dust, sea burned in automobiles
spray, and and power plants.
construction.
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
 Nitrogen and Sulfur Oxides
• Nitrogen Oxides
– Gases produced by the chemical interactions
between atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen at high
temperature
– Problems
• can give people coughs and can make them feel
short of breath (difficulty breathing).
• Nitrogen dioxide reacts in the atmosphere to
form acid rain, which can:
- harm plants and animals
- cause greenhouse gases.
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
Sources:
Nitrogen dioxide mostly comes from power plants and cars.
Nitrogen dioxide is formed in two ways-when:
- nitrogen in the fuel is burned
- nitrogen in the air reacts with oxygen at very high
temperatures.

Nitrogen dioxide can also react in the atmosphere to form

ozone, acid rain, and particles.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

 Sulfur Oxides
Gases produced by the chemical interactions between sulfur and
oxygen.
Sources:
➢ Sulfur dioxide mostly comes from the burning of coal or oil in
power plants.
➢ It also comes from factories that make chemicals, paper, or fuel.
➢ Like nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide reacts in the atmosphere to
form acid rain and particles.

Effects: Sulfur dioxide exposure can affect people who have asthma
or emphysema by making it more difficult for them to breathe. It can
also irritate people's eyes, noses, and throats. Sulfur dioxide can
harm trees and crops, damage buildings, and make it harder for
people to see long distances.Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
 Carbon Oxides and Hydrocarbons
• Carbon Oxides
– Gases carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2)
– Greenhouse gases
Effects:
-Carbon monoxide makes it hard for body parts to get the oxygen
they need to run correctly.
-Exposure to carbon monoxide makes people feel dizzy and tired and
gives them headaches. In high concentrations it is fatal. Elderly
people with heart disease are hospitalized more often when they are
exposed to higher amounts of carbon monoxide.
•Hydrocarbons
– Diverse group of organic compounds that contain only hydrogen
and carbon (ex: CH4- methane)
– Some are related to photochemical smog and greenhouse gases
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
 Ozone
A gas that can be found in two places.
▪ Near the ground (the troposphere), it is a major part of smog.
▪ The harmful ozone in the lower atmosphere should not be
confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper
atmosphere (stratosphere), which screens out harmful
ultraviolet rays.
Source:
Ozone is not created directly but is formed when nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic compounds mix in sunlight. That is why ozone is mostly
found in the summer.
Nitrogen oxides come from burning gasoline, coal, or other fossil fuels.
There are many types of volatile organic compounds, and they come from
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
sources ranging from factories to trees.
Effects:

Ozone near the ground can cause a number of health problems.

• Ozone can lead to more frequent asthma attacks in people who have
asthma and can cause sore throats, coughs, and breathing difficulty.
It may even lead to premature death (irritate respiratory system and
asthma; reduces lung function by inflaming and damaging lining of
lungs).
• Ozone can also hurt plants and crops.
• at upper level, ozone shields Earth from sun’s harmful UV rays.
• at ground level, ozone is harmful pollutants.

formed from car, power, and chemical plant exhaust.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

Lead
A blue-gray metal that is very toxic and is found in a number of forms
and locations.
Sources:
Outside: lead comes from cars in areas where unleaded gasoline is not
used. Lead can also come from power plants and other industrial sources.
Inside: lead paint is an important source of lead, especially in houses
where paint is peeling. Lead in old pipes can also be a source of lead in
drinking water.
Effects: High amounts of lead can be dangerous for small children and
can lead to lower IQs and kidney problems. For adults, exposure to lead
can increase the chance of having heart attacks or strokes.
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
Air ​toxics

Air toxics are another group of air pollutants that are typically present in low
concentrations in the air but have toxic characteristics that may result in health effects
from exposure even at low levels. Sources of air toxics included motor vehicle
exhaust and some commercial and industrial processes.

In 2004, the National Environment Protection Council made the National

Environment Protection (Air Toxics) Measure which addresses the five priority air
toxics: benzene, formaldehyde, toluene, xylenes and benzo (a) pyrene (as a marker
for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). The goal of the Measure is to improve the
information base regarding ambient air toxics within the Australian environment in
order to facilitate the development of standards.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

Biological pollutants
'Biological pollutants' are another class of pollutants. They arise
from sources such as microbiological contamination, eg
moulds, the skin of animals and humans and the remains and
dropping of pests such as cockroaches. Biological pollutants can
be airborne and can have a significant impact on indoor air quality.

Effects of Air Pollution

✓ Low level exposure:
- Irritates eyes.
- Causes inflammation of respiratory tract.
✓ Can develop into chronic respiratory diseases.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

 Effects of Air Pollution
• Low level exposure
– Irritates eyes
– Causes inflammation of respiratory tract
• Can develop into chronic respiratory diseases

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

Definition:
A suspension of airborne particles that
contain living organisms or were released from
living organisms.

Or
Microorganisms or particles, gases,
vapors, or fragments of biological origin (i.e.,
alive or released from a living organism) that
are in the air.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

➢ These particles are very small and range in
size from less than one micrometer (0.00004)
to one hundred micrometers (0.004).

➢ Bioaerosols react to air currents and move

quickly or slowly depending on the
environment.

➢ Bioaerosols are impacted by gravity but due

to their size air density and air currents play a
large role in their movement.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

➢ The intact cellular component has been
given the name, primary biological aerosol
(PBA), which consists of virus particles,
bacteria, fungal spores and plant pollen.
PBA can range in size from 10 nanometers
(small virus particles) to 100 micrometers
(pollen grains).

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

Factors Influencing Airborne Infection Aerosol Factors
 Particle size; <5 um dia.; "droplet nuclei" from coughing &
sneezing
◦ Deposition site: depends on particle size and
hygroscopicity
◦ Chemical composition of the aerosol particle
 Relative humidity (RH); dessication (loss of moisture).
 Temperature: generally greater inactivation at higher
temperature.
 Sunlight: UV inactivation of microbes.
 Factors influencing air movement: winds, currents,
mechanical air handlers, etc.
 Seasonal factors: precipitation, air currents, pollen
sources, etc. Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
 Size of microbe and of aerosol particle
◦ influences air transport
◦ influences deposition site: in environment and in
host
 Composition:
◦ lipids, proteins (structural, enzymes), amino acids,
etc.
◦ enveloped and non-enveloped viruses respond
differently to air pollution
 Protective forms:
◦ spores
◦ cysts
◦ growth phase
◦ moisture content Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
 Table. 3. Characteristics of selected infectious microorganisms transmitted via the
airborne route of exposure.
Organism Characteristics Disease Reservoir
Aspergillus spp. Fungus, a mold with Aspergillosis, Environment, compos
spherical spores ∼1 μm in aspergilloma (fungus and plant, material, soil
diameter, variety of species ball), allergic sinusitis, dust, building materials
including A. fumigatus, A. and allergic
flavus, A. nidulans, A. terrus, bronchopulmonary
and A. niger disease
Blastomyces Fungus; 8–15 μm spherical Flu-like illness, chronic Moist soil enriched with
dermatitidis yeast cells lung disease decomposing organi
debris
Coccidioides immitis Fungus; 5 μm alternating Coccidioidomycosis/San Desert soils with
barrel-shaped arthrospores Joaquin Valley fever intermittent wet and ho
dry cycles
Histoplasma capsulatum Fungus; dimorphic 2–5 μm Flu-like symptoms, Environment
oval cells chronic lung disease,
dissemination to other
organ systems
Mycobacterium Bacterium; acid-fast, 0.2– Tuberculosis Infected persons
tuberculosis 0.6 μm by 1–10 μm
Blastomyces Fungus; 8–15 μm spherical Flu-like illness, chronic Moist soil enriched with
dermatitidis yeast cells lung disease decomposing organi
debris
Influenza A viruses Virus; single-stranded RNA, Influenza, pneumonia, Human respiratory
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
three distinct types (i.e., A, acute respiratory distress secretions; avian flu
Biofiltration refers to the biological transformation or
treatment of contaminants
present in the gas phase,
usually air.
• The fact that air contaminants can be biodegraded
by active bacteria has been known for quite some
time. However, it is only in the last 10 years, that
biofiltration has begun to emerge as an economically
viable treatment process.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

 Biofiltration

involved the use of

Air contaminants
naturally bioactive media,

Media
Bioactive
such as
the naturally present
soil
microorganisms in this
Peat
media
compost

Biodegraded
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
 Air contamination problems
There are two kinds of the concentration of the air
contaminants are:
1) lower(< 25 ppmv) 2) higher (> 25 ppmv).
➢ Compost biofilters (as naturally bioactive media)
are capable of treating low concentration
contaminants (< 25 ppmv) and are not ideally suited
for treating air contaminated with high concentration
organics.
The reason for making this distinction is that naturally
bioactive media exhibit :
▪ low biodegradation rates,
▪ limited supply of nitrogen and phosphorus,
▪ limited capacity to neutralize acidic products of
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
degradation.
 Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
Fig. (1): Diffusion Mechanisms operating in a Compost Biofilter .
Biofilters work by absorbing noxious gases into a
biofilm where microorganisms break down the gases
into carbon dioxide, water and salts and use the energy
and nutrients to grow and reproduce. Well-designed and
managed biofilters can reduce odours and hydrogen
sulphide (H2S) by as much as 95 % and ammonia (NH3)
by 80 %.

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

A combination of a biofilter and a bioscrubber. The bacteria
responsible for decomposition are immobilized on a carrier or
filter material. The filter material consists of synthetic media.

❑ Other types of support media used in biofilters are

synthetic media, such as ceramic, plastic, metallic
material, with active bacteria immobilized on the
surface in the form of biofilms. These synthetic
media biofilters, known as biotrickling filters
❑ Synthetic support media are used in trickling filters
for wastewater treatment, gas absorption, catalytic
reactors.
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
❑ Synthetic support media can be in the form of high
surface area pellets, with either a porous or non-
porous surface.

❑ In some cases, the support media may be

coated with activated carbon, to enhance
adsorption of contaminant(s).

❑ Can handle high contaminant concentrations ( > 25

ppmv)

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb

Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
 Glossary
Environmental The branch of biotechnology that addresses environmental problems,
biotechnology such as the removal of pollution, renewable energy generation, or
biomass production, by exploiting biological processes.

Air Pollution -Any visible or invisible particle or gas found in the air that is not part
of the original, normal composition.
-Chemicals added to the atmosphere by natural events or human
activities in high enough concentrations to be harmful.
Primary Air Pollutant A harmful substance that is released directly into the atmosphere.
Secondary Air Pollutant A harmful substance formed in the atmosphere when a primary air
pollutant reacts with substances normally found in the atmosphere or
with other air pollutants.
Aerosol A suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in the air.
Bioaerosols A suspension of airborne particles that contain living organisms or
were released from living organisms.
Biofiltration The biological transformation or treatment of contaminants present in
the gas phase, usually air.
Biotrickling filter A combination of a biofilter and a bioscrubber. The bacteria
responsible for decomposition are immobilized on a carrier or filter
material. The filter material consists of synthetic media.
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb
Quizzes
1. Define the following terms
a. Air pollution
b. Bioaerosols
c. Biofiltration
d. Biotrickling filter
Compare between the following:
a. Primary Air Pollutant & Secondary Air Pollutant
b. Natural pollutants & Unnatural pollutants
c. Naturally biofilter media & Synthetic biofilter media
d. Bioaerosols & Biotrickling filters
Give a short account
-Diffusion mechanisms operating in a compost biofilter.
Prof. Khadiga Abou-Taleb