Module 9 Flashcards
Applications (28 cards)
What is the primary objective of wastewater treatment?
To decrease organic matter and microorganisms in human waste-impacted water, reducing the spread of pathogens
What happens during primary treatment of wastewater?
Solid material is removed, forming sludge
What is the main process during secondary WW treatment?
Dissolved organic matter is transformed into microbial biomass and carbon dioxide
What is stable floc in WW treatment?
floc that settles well during the treatment process
What is bulking sludge?
Sludge that does not settle properly in the activated sludge system
What is the objective of aerated lagoon design?
To reduce biodegradable organic matter in influent by promoting bacterial consumption
What factors are considered in endogenous decay during biological WW treatment?
- energy required for cell maintenance
- cell death
- cells consuming other cells
What is the difference between a CSTR with and without cell recycle?
A CSTR without cell recycle has a smaller biomass concentration, while recycling increases the treatment rate by boosting “X” (biomass concentration)
What is the purpose of anaerobic digestion in WW treatment?
To treat sludges, reduce disposal volume, and produce methane
What do home treatment systems sometimes fail?
Septic tanks often fail to work properly, leading to groundwater contamination
What are key future challenges in WW treatment?
- providing clean water for 7 billion people
- removing pathogens/pharmaceuticals
- handling sewage overflows during storms
What is the purpose of bioremediation?
To use microbes to transform toxic molecules into non-toxic degradation products
What is reductive dehalogenation?
The removal of a halogen substituent from a molecule while adding electrons, typically under anaerobic conditions
What is a downside of biodegradation?
It can cause damage, such as metal corrosion, and financial losses when uncontrolled
What does bioremediation involve?
stimulating the degradative activities of microbes already present at contaminated sites by addressing limiting factors (ex. nitrogen, phosphorus)
What is co-metabolism in bioremediation?
The addition of easily metabolized organic matter to enhance degradation of recalcitrant compounds not typically used as carbon or energy sources
What are biosurfactants and what are they used for?
Microbial derivatives, such as glycolipids, used for emulsification, detergency, wetting, phase dispersion, and solubilization, particularly in bioremediation, oil spill cleanup, and enhancing oil recovery
What additional benefits do many biosurfactants provide?
Antibacterial and antifungal activity
What is bioaugmentation, and how can its effectiveness be improved?
Adding microorganisms to microbial communities, with outcomes improved by providing protective microhabitats, such as living or inert
What are biosensors and how do they work?
Devices using living microbes, enzymes, or organelles linked to electrodes to detect substances by converting biological reactions into measurable signals
What percentage of antibiotics are produced by microorganisms?
More than 65%
Which microorganisms are the primary producers of antibiotics? Provide an example.
Streptomyces bacteria and filamentous fungi. Ex. penicillin, which requires precise nutrient control and can be modified to create semisynthetic variants
What is an antigen in vaccine production?
A weakened form of a pathogen or its derivatives that stimulates a host immune response upon future exposure
Name three platforms used for vaccine production.
- Bacteria
- Mammalian cells
- Fertilized chicken eggs
