IB Biology

Option B-3
Environmental Protection

Made by Sadha Satya Lotan

Material (including image source) is taken from ib.bioninja.com and https://www.hoddereducation.co.uk/ib-extras
1. Bioremediation
• Bioremediation is the process of returning a polluted environment to
its natural state by using microorganisms
• Microorganisms may produce specific enzymes and undergo certain
chemical processes that can break down contaminants and use them
for metabolism (chemoheterotroph)
• Can be supported by physical or chemical procedure
1. Bioremediation – Oil Spills
• Pseudomonas can utilize crude oil as carbon source, making it
efficient for oil degradation
• Oil are converted into biomass or into CO2 and water (respiration)
• Spraying the oil with essential inorganic nutrients (e.g. nitrates, phosphates)
assists in the conversion to biomass
• Surfactant helps to distribute bacteria, thus improving efficiency
• High salt concentration (oil spill in sea) may inhibit bacteria from
degrading the oil
• Marinobacter are a halophilic ('salt-loving’) bacteria that can degrade
certain hydrocarbons present in crude oil (benzene)
1. Bioremediation – Mercury Contamination
• 3 forms of mercury: - as a metal (elemental mercury), - as inorganic
ions, - as an organic form (methyl mercury)
• Elemental mercury is an industrial pollutant. It can be converted to the
other forms by aquatic bacterial.
• Methyl mercury is the most toxic form and will accumulate within polluted
aquatic ecosystems (accumulate in fish, and later consumed by human)
• Pseudomonas can degrade the toxic methyl mercury to elemental mercury
and methane gas
 2. Biofilm
• Cooperative aggregate of microorganisms, held by some matrix (“slime”)
• Can be a single species or many species of microorganisms
2. Biofilm – Emergent Properties
• Quorum Sensing: change in gene expression in response to change in
population density, leading to emergent properties
• Emergent Properties: properties of microorganisms that are not
present in an individual cell
• Example: less cell division, increased resistance to antibiotic
(some antibiotic work by targeting cell division of bacteria)
2. Biofilm – Problems and Removal by Bacteriophage
• Problems: contamination of surfaces in food production, clogging and
corrosion of pipes, crop diseases, etc
• Difficult to remove due to high antibiotic resistance
• Bacteriophages: viruses that specifically target bacteria
• Bacteriophages may quickly spread through all bacterial cells and
disrupt the coordinated maintenance of the biofilm
• The virus will propagate within the bacterial cell and cause it to lyse as
part of its viral life cycle
2. Biofilm – Used for Sewage Treatment
• Sewage is the fluid waste of human communities and is rich in organic
matter that can be broken down by microorganisms
• Solids are anaerobically digested by saprotrophic microorganisms,
while liquid is aerobically digested

Bed of stones to maintain

dissolved O2 level

Cleaned water goes to another

tank for bacteria removal and
further treatment
Review Questions
1. What are the two microorganisms that can help to clean oil spills? Why do
we need to use the 2nd microorganism?
2. How to improve efficiency of oil degradation by microorganisms?
3. Mention 3 forms of mercury and which one is most toxic?
4. What bacteria can degrade the most toxic mercury? What are the products?
5. What is Quorum Sensing?
6. What is Emergent Property? Give an example in biofilm
7. What can we use to remove biofilm?
8. What is the benefit of biofilm for us?