ENVIRONMENTAL

BIOTECHNOLOGY

Dr. Rania Farouk Ahmed

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DEFINITION
 Environmental Biotechnology ‘the use of organisms or their
components in industrial or commercial processes, which can
be aided by the techniques of genetic manipulation in
developing e.g. novel plants for agriculture or industry.
❖ Environmental Biotechnology -

the development, use and regulation of biological

systems for remediation of contaminated environments (land, air,
water), and for environment-friendly processes.

 The utilization of microorganisms to improve environmental

quality (protect the environment by controlling pollution).
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BRANCHES OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
Red biotechnology
is biotechnology applied to medical
processes. Some examples are the designing of
organisms to produce antibiotics, vitamins and
insulin.

White biotechnology (or Grey biotechnology)

is biotechnology applied to
industrial processes. An example is the designing of
an organism to produce a useful chemical. White
biotechnology tends to consume less in resources
than traditional processes when used to produce
industrial goods. 3
Green biotechnology
is biotechnology applied to agricultural
processes. e.g. designing of transgenic plants to grow
under specific environmental conditions.

Blue biotechnology
has been used to describe the marine
and aquatic applications of biotechnology, but its use
is relatively rare.

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 The primary role of environmental biotechnology:

1) Cleaning up contamination and dealing rationally

with wastes.

2) Alternative and more environmental friendly

processes and products.

 Bioremediation:
is a technique waste management means the use of
biological organisms for cleaning polluted soil and water.
❖ Bioremediation: the use of microorganisms to remedy
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environmental problems
Applying Genetically Engineered Strains to Clean
Up the Environment

❖ Petroleum eating bacteria

❖ Heavy metals (bioaccumulation)

• Bacteria sequester heavy and radioactive
metals

❖ Biosensors
• lux genes
• bioremediation is used depends on

1) what is contaminated? (ecosystem or

locations).

2) on the types of chemicals that need to

be cleaned up (contaminants chemical
structure)

3) the concentration of the contaminants

(amount and duration). 7
 Bioremediation is a triple-corners process:

Solid
Inorganic Organic Liquid
Pollutants
Gas

Environments Organisms

Soil Microorganisms
Water Plants
Air
 Removal of a material from an environment takes one of
two routes:
• it is either degraded or immobilized
 1- Immobilisation can be achieved by
A. chemicals excreted by an organism or
B. by chemicals in the neighboring environment
which trap or chelate a molecule thus making it insoluble.

 all biological processes require the substrate to be dissolved

in water, chelation renders the substance unavailable.

 In some instances this is a desirable end result and may be

viewed as a form of remediation, since it stabilizes the
contaminant. 9
 2- Degradation :
is achieved by metabolic pathways operating within
an organism or combination of organisms.

 Certain microorganisms using contaminants as a source of

food (as carbon and nitrogen) and energy

 Such activity operates through metabolic pathways

functioning
 within the cell,

 or by enzymes either excreted by the cell or,

isolated and applied in a purified form. 10
BIOREMEDIATION

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 Pyramid bioremediation
FACTORS INFLUENCES THE BIOREMEDIATION
OF SOILS POLLUTION

 bioremediation of soils are abiotic (physical and chemical)

and biotic factors.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS FOR BIOREMEDIATION

A complete biodegradation :- results in detoxification by

mineralizing pollutants to carbon dioxide, water and harmless
inorganic salts.
(Aerobic – where oxygen in some form is added to the
treatment environment).

 Incomplete biodegradation will yield breakdown products

which may or may not be less toxic than the original
pollutant. Such as degradation of tri- or tetrachloroethylene
for instance can yield vinylchloride, which is more toxic
and carcinogenic than the original compounds.
(Anaerobic – where nitrate, iron, or other electron acceptor is
added to the treatment environment).
 TYPES OF BIOREMEDIATION: (2 TYPES)
1- Biostimulation
 involves the modification of the environment to stimulate
existing bacteria capable of bioremediation.
***This can be done by:-
* addition of various forms of limiting nutrients and electron
acceptors, such as phosphorus, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon.

* optimizing conditions such as aeration, pH and temperature

control.
 BIOVENTING: increase the concentration of oxygen (air
extraction or injection) and stimulate biodegradation.
 that stimulates the natural in situ biodegradation of any
biodegradable compound by providing oxygen aerobic 14

microorganisms existing in soil.

 The primary advantage of biostimulation is: bioremediation
will be started by already present native microorganisms
that are well-suited to the subsurface environment, and are
well distributed spatially within the subsurface.

 the disadvantage of biostimulation is:

Addition of nutrients might also promote the growth of
heterotrophic microorganisms which are not mainly
degraders a waste thereby creating a competition between
the resident micro flora.

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2- BIOAUGMENTATION

❖ Definition: The addition of microorganisms to the

reaction chamber whether in situ or above ground.

❖ Considerations before bioaugmenting:

1) Ability to survive
2) Ability to function
3) Assurances that they are nonpathogenic to higher
life forms
4) Successful bioaugmentation treatments depend on
the use of inocula consisting of microbial strains or
microbial consortia that have been well adapted to
the site to be decontaminated.
 FACTORS AFFECTING BIOREMEDIATION
1-Site characteristics:
Soil structure controls the effective delivery of air, water, and
nutrients. To improve soil structure, materials such as gypsum or
organic matter can be applied. Low soil permeability can impede
movement of water, nutrients, and oxygen; hence, soils with low
permeability may not be appropriate for in situ clean-up
techniques
pH, temperature, water content, nutrient availability, and redox
potential.

2- Redox Potential and oxygen content:

typify oxidizing or reducing conditions. Redox potential is
influenced by the presence of electron acceptors such as nitrate,17
manganese oxides, iron oxides and sulfate.
3- Nutrients:
- nutrients are the basic building blocks of life and allow
microbes to create the necessary enzymes to break down the
contaminants.
- nutrients can be added in a useable form or via an organic
substrate amendment ,which also serves as an electron donor, to
stimulate bioremediation.
4- Moisture content:
Microbial growth requires an optimum presence of water in the
environmental matrix. For optimum growth and proliferation,
microorganisms require 12% to 25% of moisture.
5- Temperature:
Directly affects the rate of microbial metabolism and consequently
microbial activity in the environment. The biodegradation rate, to an
extent rises with increasing temperature and slows with decreasing 18
temperature.
6- Contaminant concentrations:
Directly influence microbial activity. When concentrations are
too high, the contaminants may have toxic effects on the present
bacteria. In contrast, low contaminant concentration may prevent
induction of bacterial degradation enzymes.

7- Contaminant bioavailability:
Depends on the degree to which:
* they adsorb to solids or are impound by molecules in
contaminated media,
* are diffused in macropores of soil or sediment, and
** other factors such as whether contaminants are present in
Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) form. Bioavailability for
microbial reactions is lower for contaminants that are more 19
strongly adsorbed to solids.
TO BE CONTINUED

Thank you
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 POLLUTION AND POLLUTION
CONTROL

Dr. Rania Farouk Ahmed

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POLLUTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

DEFINITION

 ’ means pollution of the environment due to the release (into

any environmental medium) from any process of substances
which are capable of causing harm to man or any other living
organisms supported by the environment.

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CLASSIFYING POLLUTION

 May be made on the basis of:-

- the chemical or physical nature of the substance,
- its source,
- the environmental pathway used,
- the target organism affected or
- simply its gross effect.

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THE POLLUTANT′S PROPERTIES, INCLUDE FACTORS
SUCH AS:

1) toxicity
2) persistence
3) mobility
4) ease of control
5) bioaccumulation
6) chemistry

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 1- TOXICITY
 Toxicity represents the potential damage to life and can be both
short and long term.
 It is related to the concentration of pollutant and the time of
exposure to it.
 Intrinsically highly toxic substances can kill in a short time, while
less toxic ones require a longer period of exposure to do damage.

However, some pollutants which may kill swiftly in high

concentrations, may also have an effect on an organism’s behaviour or
its susceptibility to environmental stress over its lifetime, in the case
of low concentration exposure.

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2- PERSISTENCE

 This is the duration of effect. It is often linked to mobility

and bioaccumulation.

 Highly toxic chemicals which are environmentally unstable

and break down rapidly are less harmful than persistent
substances.

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3- MOBILITY

 The tendency of a pollutant to disperse or dilute since

this affects concentration.

 Some pollutants are not readily mobile and tend to

remain in ‘hot-spots’ near to their point of origin. Others
spread readily and can cause widespread contamination.

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5- EASE OF CONTROL
 Factors affecting ease of control

▪ the mobility of the pollutant

▪ the nature duration of the pollution event

▪ local site-specific considerations.

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6- BIOACCUMULATION

 As is widely appreciated, some pollutants, even when present

in very small amounts within the environment, can be taken up
by living organisms and become concentrated in their tissues
over time.

 Xenobiotic compounds are chemical compounds found in an

organism but it are not normally produced or expected to be
present in it.

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7- CHEMISTRY

 since the reaction or breakdown products of a given

pollutant can sometimes be more dangerous than the
original substance.

 two or more substances occurring together produce a

combined pollution outcome which is greater than
simply the sum of their individual effects.

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PRACTICAL TOXICITY ISSUES
 Mechanisms of the toxic action of pollutants arises

 There are two main mechanisms, often labelled ‘direct’ and

‘indirect’.
▪ Direct, the effect arises by the contaminant combining with
cellular constituents or enzymes and thus preventing their
proper function.

▪ indirect, the damage is done by secondary action resulting

from their presence.
 BIOREMEDIATION
 upgraded techniques involving living organisms, specifically
plants and microbes, for the removal and/or immobilization of
contaminants.

 Microbial bioremediation techniques:

1) Biostimulation (enhancing the activity of native microbes)

2) Bioaugmentation (increasing the viable microbial counts)
3) Bioaccumulation (storage of toxic or nontoxic elements by
the microbes)
4) biosorption (removal of elements from the environment
through adsorption) 32
 BIOREMEDIATION
 microbial bioremediation can be classified on the basis of the
nature of substrate:

(1) inorganic contaminants

(2) organic contaminants

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 BIOREMEDIATION
(1) inorganic contaminants
❑ include toxic heavy metals

❑ microbes in any case cannot degrade the metal ions.

❑ able to transform metallic ions from higher to lower oxidation states to

stabilize them or

❑ able to metabolize, detoxify and accumulate metals mostly in cell wall

like any other nutrient element.

Microbes releasing chelating agents and acids changing

physicochemical properties such as redox potential,

increasing the bioavailability of metal ions

(biosorption, first step in the interaction between microbial cell and
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metal ions, then the physical adsorption, ion exchange and

complexation)
(2) ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS (OCS)
 Biodegradation of OCs: refers to the catabolic activity of
microbes transforming them into less or completely nontoxic
residues.

 single microbial species hardly degrades any organic substrate

in isolation and works well in community.

 less or completely nontoxic residues Fungi have, however,

several advantages over bacterial degrading processes as the
former can grow at higher concentrations of toxic organics

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Biological Treatment Processes:

 Biological treatment processes,

are those that use microorganisms to coagulate and remove the
non-settleable colloidal solids and to stabilize the organic matter.

 The discussion of biological treatment processes has been

further divided into the following two categories:
A- Suspended growth processes.
B- Fixed growth processes.
 (1) Suspended growth processes refer to
treatment systems where microorganisms and waste are
contained in a reactor. Oxygen is introduced to the reactor
allowing the biological activity to take place. Examples of
suspended growth processes include activated sludge systems.

 (2) Fixed growth processes refer to systems where a

biological mass is allowed to grow on a medium (as a carrier).
Wastewater is sprayed on the medium or put into contact in
other manners. The biological mass stabilizes the wastewater
as it passes over it. Examples of fixed growth processes
include biotrickling filters and bioscrubbers
ADVANTAGES OF BIOREMEDIATION
❖ highlyspecific
❖ Less expensive
❖ If mineralization occurs get complete degradation and
clean up
❖ Does not transfer contaminants from one
environment to another
❖ Uses a natural process
❖ Good public acceptance
❖ Process is simple
DISADVANTAGES TO BIOREMEDIATION
❖ Not quickly
❖ Often need to develop a system

❖ Always need to test and optimize conditions

empirically – not with computer models
❖ May have inhibitors present

❖ Compounds may not be in a biodegradable form –

polymers, plastics
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS TO POLLUTION
CONTROL

 Technologies of practical applications (Fixed growth

processes) are divided into three main types,

biofilters, biotrickling filters and bioscrubbers.

 BIOFILTERS

 Biofiltration relies on aerobic microorganisms immobilized on

solid particles in a bed media such as peat, compost and wood
chips

 The system, consists of a relatively large vessel or container,

 typically made of cast concrete, metal or durable plastic, which
holds a filter medium of organic material.

 The gas to be treated is forced, or drawn, through the filter, as

shown in the diagram. The medium offers good water-holding
capacity and soluble chemicals within the waste gas, or smelt,
dissolve into the film of moisture around the matrix.
 The medium itself provides physical support for microbial
growth, with a large surface area to volume ratio,

 high in internal void spaces and rich in nutrients to stimulate and

sustain bacterial activity.

 Biofilters need to be watered sufficiently to maintain optimum

internal conditions, but waterlogging is to be avoided as this
leads to compaction, and hence, reduced efficiency.

 Properly maintained, biofilters can reduce odour release by 95%

or more.
 Advantage of biofiltration:

 pollutants are converted into harmless end-products.

 low costs

 operational stability

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BIOTRICKLING FILTERS
 these represent an intermediate technology between
biofilters and bioscrubbers, sharing certain features of each.

 Once again, an engineered vessel holds a quantity of filter

medium, but in this case,

 It is an inert material, often clinker or slag. Being highly

resistant to compaction, this also provides a large number
of void spaces between particles and a high surface area
relative to the overall volume of the filter.
 The microbes form an attached growth biofilm on the
surfaces of the medium. The odourous air is again forced
through the filter, while water simultaneously recirculates
through it, trickling down from the top, hence the name.

 the efficiency of the biotrickling filter is broadly similar to

the previous method.

 it can deal with higher concentrations of contaminant and

has a significantly smaller foot-print than a biofilter.
BIOSCRUBBERS
 is not itself truly a biological treatment system,

 highly efficient method of removing odour components

by dissolving them.

 it is most appropriate for hydrophilic compounds like

acetone or methanol.
 The gas to be treated passes through a fine water spray
generated as a mist
 The contaminant is absorbed into the water, which
subsequently pools to form a reservoir at the bottom.
 The contaminant solution is then removed to a secondary
bioreactor where the actual process of biodegradation takes
place.
 In practice, activated sludge systems are often used in this
role.
 As in the preceding case, process control can be achieved
by monitoring the water phase and adding nutrients,
buffers or fresh water as appropriate
 DEFINITIONS
 Bioremediation is any process that uses organisms
(microorganism, algae and plant) or their enzymes to return the
polluted environment to its original condition.

 Biodegradation is the use of these organisms in the degradation of

different pollutants.

 Co-metabolism: in this process the microorganism produces an

enzyme to utilizes its nutrients, but by chance this enzyme can
degrade a pollutant.
TO BE CONTINUED

Thank you
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