CEE 210 Environmental Biology for EngineersSouthern Illinois University Carbondale10/3/2010Lecture: Microbial GroupsInstructor: L.R. Chevalier p. 1CEE 210 ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY FOR ENGINEERSLecture: Microbial GroupsInstructor: L.R. ChevalierDepartment of Civil and Environmental EngineeringSouthern Illinois University CarbondaleEnvironmental Biology for EngineersObjectives Review basic classifications of microorganisms Understand the importance of microorganisms to engineered systems Identify organisms important to these systems Calculate theoretical oxygen demand for aerobic degradation  Review the main concept of denitrificationEnvironmental Biology for EngineersImportance of Microorganisms Efficient and cost-effective means of treating municipal sewage Critical to the recovery processes of natural environments degraded by human activities◦ Self-purification of streams receiving sewage and runoff◦ Natural attenuation of industrial contaminants leaked or spilled onto soil  Create environmental problems◦ Deplete oxygen◦ Generate unpleasant tastes and odors◦ Clog equipment◦ Corrode pipes◦ Produce disease in humans, other animals and plantsEnvironmental Biology for EngineersKey Evolutionary Steps for Microbial LifeTime Frame (billion years before present)Duration(billion years)Geological and Biological ActivityGeologic Time (%)~ 4.6-3.90.7Earth formed; no life; chemical evolution~15Origin of life; anaerobic environmentOxygen production by cyanobacteria; emergence of aerobic bacterial lifeShift to aerobic atmosphere; emergence of more complex eukaryotic cellsDevelopment of more advanced lifeEnvironmental Biology for EngineersDiscovery of Microbial LifeFirst to use magnifying lens for the study of microbial lifeBacteria, protozoan, algae and fungiEnvironmental Biology for EngineersLouis Pasteur 1822-1895Pasteurization of wineMicrobial metabolismCEE 210 Environmental Biology for EngineersSouthern Illinois University Carbondale10/3/2010Lecture: Microbial GroupsInstructor: L.R. Chevalier p. 2Environmental Biology for EngineersFerdinand Cohen (1828 –1898)Established the field of bacteriology.His classification of bacteria into four groups based on shape (sphericals, short rods, threads, and spirals) is still used today.Environmental Biology for EngineersHeinrich Herman Robert Koch (1843-1910)  German physician Isolated Bacillus anthracis(1877), the  Isolated Tuberculosis bacillus (1882) Isolated Vibrio cholera (1883)  Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his tuberculosis findings in 1905.  He is considered one of the founders of microbiologyEnvironmental Biology for Engineers_____________ In 1892, Russian scientist Dimitri Ivanowsky showed that tobacco mosaic disease was caused by an agent smaller than any known bacteria. In 1898, Dutch scientist Martinus Beijerinck realized that the agent was distinct from bacteria and termed it a virus. The same year (1898), the German scientists Friedrich Loeffler(1852-1915) and Paul Frosch, both former students and assistants of Robert Koch (1843-1910), observed that a similar agent was responsible for foot-and-mouth disease. In spite of these findings, there was resistance to the idea that these mysterious agents might have anything to do with human diseases.Environmental Biology for EngineersEnergy SourceEnergyEnvironmental Biology for EngineersCarbon SourceEnergyChemotrophs:Chemical OxidationOrganotrophsOrganicLithotrophsInorganic Phototrophs:PhotosynthesisCarbonfungiprotozoamost bacteriaalgaesome bacteriaEnvironmental Biology for EngineersMetabolismMetabolism is the term for a series of chemical reactions that provide energy in a form the organism can use for its own purposes: repairing cells, excreting wastes, making new cells, and reproducing. In over-simplified terms, the energy comes from an electron that is donated at the beginning of the process and accepted by another atom at the end of the process. Anaerobic metabolism uses a variety electron acceptors, but not oxygen. Aerobic metabolism uses oxygen as the electron acceptor.CEE 210 Environmental Biology for EngineersSouthern Illinois University Carbondale10/3/2010Lecture: Microbial GroupsInstructor: L.R. Chevalier p. 3Environmental Biology for EngineersEnvironmental Conditions: Oxygen____________• Require oxygen• Molecular oxygen is the terminal electron acceptor• Microaeorphilic (very low oxygen)_____________• Do not require oxygen• Obligates cannot grow in presence of O2• Facultative can grow with or without O2• Inorganic terminal electron acceptor include nitrates, nitrite, ferric iron, sulfate, CO2______________• In environmental engineering , oxygen is absent but nitrate and/or nitrite are present Environmental Biology for EngineersEnvironmental Conditions: Temperature_________• Cold temperature• 0° C to mid-teens• Polar ocean waters__________• Moderate temperatures• Vast majority of microbial life___________• 45°-50°C• Bacteria, archaea, and fungi___________• 80°C or higherEnvironmental Biology for EngineersExtreme Temperature: Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WyomingEnvironmental Biology for EngineersExtreme TemperatureHot spring vent at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park. Maximum vent temperature is approximately 74 degrees. Photo by Jack FarmerAarchaebacterial streamersfrom near the hot spring vent in the previous image. The streamers coat all surfaces of the vent. Photo by Jack Farmer.Microscopic view of archaebacterial filaments that form the streamers shown in the previous image. The filaments become mineralized and preserved as the spring cools. Image by Jack Farmer.Environmental Biology for EngineersExtreme Temperature: Additional Facts of Interest The “world record”; for life growing at high temperatures is _____ Enzymes from thermophiles are useful commercially◦ Enzymes are added to many washing detergents because they can “eat away” the oily stains on clothing in hot water Enzymes are also useful in genetic research◦ Thermophilic DNA enzyme Taq polymerase is used to make copies of DNA pieces◦ First obtained from the thermophile Thermus aquaticus from Yellowstone National Park◦ This thermophile creates the yellow-mustard color found in many hot springs around Yellowstone’s Lower Geyser Basin Biotechnology companies have also been selling similar enzymes from deep-sea hydrothermal vent