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Elementary Microbiology > 4: Environmental Microbiology > Flashcards

4: Environmental Microbiology Flashcards

1
Q

We can think of soil as a “_______”

A

biological fire

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2
Q

a gaseous product of microbes that gives soil its musty odor

A

geosmin

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3
Q

microbial pathogen in soil, which can cause botulism, tetanus, and gas gangrene

A

clostridium

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4
Q

gram positive bacillus or “box cars” found in soil that forms endospores and hates oxygen. causes gas gangrene (amputation is only treatment)

A

clostridium perfringens

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5
Q

microbes are essential for the recycling of certain chemical elements so that they can be reused

A

biogeochemcial cycle

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6
Q

What “fixes” CO2 into organic compounds?

A

green plants, algae, and bacteria

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7
Q

Why is nitrogen needed by all organisms?

A

for the synthesis of proteins, nucleic acids, and other nitrogen-containing compounds

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8
Q

Free nitrogen gas makes up _____ of the atmosphere

A

80%

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9
Q

What do microbes fix atmospheric nitrogen and nitrogen in organic matter into?

A

ammonia (NH3) gas

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10
Q

Ammonia is further processed by microbes into _____ which are directly used by plants for _____.

A

nitrates (NO3-), protein synthesis

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11
Q

formed a symbiotic relationship with roots of leguminous plants. the bacteria causes roots for form nodules where the bacteria thrive. What does the bacteria do in return for the plant?

A

Rhizobium fixates nitrogen into ammonia, to be converted to nitrates for use by the plant

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12
Q

The fixation of nitrogen gas by microbes is accomplished by what microbial enzyme?

A

nitrogenase

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13
Q

combination of fungus and an alga, or a cyanobacterium in a mutualistic relationship

A

lichens

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14
Q

most dangerous form of water pollution

A

fecal contamination

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15
Q

responsible for over 2 million deaths (globally) each year, mostly among children under 5 yrs.

A

waterborne diseases

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16
Q

most important criterion is that it is consistently in human feces in substantial numbers so that its detection is a good indication that human wastes are entering the water

A

indicator organism

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17
Q

usual indicator organisms for water purity tests

A

coliform bacteria

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18
Q

predominant fecal coliform

A

escherichia coli

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19
Q

direct method of determining the presence and numbers of coliforms and is probably the most widely used method in North America and Europe (water purity test)

A

membrane filtration method

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20
Q

5 Steps of Water Treatment

A

standing in reservoir, flocculation, surface absorption, chlorination, and storage reservoirs

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21
Q

During water treatment, what is the purpose of water standing for a period of time in a reservoir?

A

allows large particulate matter to settle out

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22
Q

During water treatment, flocculation treatment includes what substance? What effect does this substance have?

A

alum, causes small particles to stick together and settle. many bacteria and viruses are removed by this step

23
Q

During water treatment, what is used for surface absorption?

A

sand or crushed anthracite coal filtration

24
Q

During water treatment, what is the surface absorption step effective at removing?

A

giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium cysts. almost all viruses and bacteria remaining are removed by this step.

25
Q

have pore openings as small as 0.2 micrometers and are more reliable for removal of giardia and cryptosporidium

A

low pressure membrane filtration systems

26
Q

During water treatment, what is chlorination not very effective at killing?

A

viruses and protozoan cysts

27
Q

Name two alternatives to chlorination for water treatment

A

UV light irradiation, treatment with ozone

28
Q

process by which algal blooms use up all the dissolved O2, killing life below surface of water

A

eutrophication

29
Q

a measurement used to determine how much organic matter remains after each step in sewage treatment. The amount of biologically degradable organic matter in the water is estimated by measuring the the amount of _____ required by bacteria to metabolize it.

A

Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), oxygen

30
Q

The BOD will _____ as organic material is removed at each step in sewage treatment.

A

decrease

31
Q

_______ is the first step of sewage treatment and it relies mostly upon ________.

A

Primary Treatment, physical processes

32
Q

what step of sewage treatment uses sedimentation tanks? what is another name for these tanks?

A

Primary Treatment, clarification tanks

33
Q

settled solids in clarification tanks

A

primary sludge

34
Q

liquid flowing out of clarification tanks

A

primary effluent

35
Q

Secondary Treatment (Sewage) is mainly a _______ and is designed to further reduce organic matter in sewage. This is done by _____ the sewage to encourage the growth of ________ which can oxidize the wastes to CO2 and water.

A

biological process, aerating, aerobic bacteria

36
Q

Name the three basic methods of secondary sewage treatment

A

Activated Sludge System, Trickling Filter, and Rotating Biological Contactro

37
Q

secondary sewage treatment which relies on blowing air through the sewage to promote bacterial decomposition

A

activated sludge system

38
Q

secondary sewage treatment in which sewage is sprayed over zoogleal slime covered rocks or plastic. The aerobic microbes in the slime digest the organic matter

A

trickling filter

39
Q

secondary sewage treatment which is a series of disks several feet in diameter, mounted on a shaft, which rotate slowly with their lower 40% submerged in the wastewater

A

rotating biological contactor

40
Q

what is the purpose of rotation in the rotating biological contactor system?

A

provides aeration and contact between the biofilm on the disks and the wastewater. also causes accumulated biofilm to slough off when it becomes too thick

41
Q

What two end products do all secondary sewage treatment methods make?

A

liquid effluent (goes on to tertiary treatment) and secondary sludge (processed by anaerobic sludge digestion)

42
Q

sludge from primary and secondary treatment is processed by __________

A

anaerobic sludge digesters

43
Q

What is the methane produced by the anaerobic sludge digesters used for?

A

fuel to heat the digester and to run other equipment at the plant

44
Q

remaining undigested sludge that is dumped

A

recalcitrant sludge, or biosolids

45
Q

_____ is often the final step (unless tertiary treatment is used) and it uses _____ to treat the effluent from secondary treatment prior to release.

A

Disinfection, chemical processes

46
Q

What chemical processes are used in Disinfection to kill any remaining microbes

A

chlorine or UV light

47
Q

must have a very large leeching field in order for wast to be broken down

A

septic tanks

48
Q

have fountains (aerators) to aerate the water so solid waste is broken down to CO2 gas and water

A

oxidation ponds, sewage lagoons, stabilization ponds

49
Q

What is the purpose of the wetland at the sewage treatment plant? What plants are used in the wetland to aid in this process?

A

removes residual ammonia and phosphorus, cattails and bullrushes

50
Q

is designed to remove all remaining BOD, nitrogen, and phosphorus

A

tertiary sewage treatment

51
Q

In tertiary sewage treatment, what is used to remove the phosphorus?

A

chemical precipitation

52
Q

In tertiary sewage treatment, what is used to remove small particulate matter and dissolved chemicals?

A

filters of fine sands and activated charcoal

53
Q

In tertiary sewage treatment, what is converted to ammonia and released into the air?

A

nitrogen

54
Q

In tertiary sewage treatment, what do they do to the purified water?

A

it is chlorinated

Elementary Microbiology (45 decks)

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