Sewage Treatment Process Flow
Microbe-to-Product Associations
| Category | Microbe | Product / Role |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Lactobacillus | Curd (lactic acid fermentation) + vitamin B12 |
| Food | Saccharomyces cerevisiae | Bread (CO2) + beer/wine (ethanol) |
| Food | Propionibacterium shermanii | Swiss cheese holes (CO2) |
| Food | Penicillium roqueforti | Roquefort cheese (blue mold) |
| Food | Aspergillus niger | Citric acid |
| Food | Acetobacter aceti | Vinegar (ethanol → acetic acid) |
| Antibiotic | Penicillium notatum | Penicillin (Fleming, 1928) |
| Antibiotic | Streptomyces spp. | Streptomycin, erythromycin, tetracycline |
| Enzyme | Streptococcus | Streptokinase (thrombolytic — NOT antibiotic) |
| Bioactive | Monascus purpureus | Lovastatin (inhibits HMG-CoA reductase) |
| Bioactive | Trichoderma polysporum | Cyclosporin A (immunosuppressant) |
| Sewage | Methanobacterium | Biogas from anaerobic sludge digestion |
| Biocontrol | Bacillus thuringiensis | Cry proteins → toxic to lepidopteran larvae |
| Biofertilizer | Rhizobium | Symbiotic N2 fixation (legume nodules) |
| Biofertilizer | Glomus (mycorrhiza) | Phosphorus uptake (NOT N2 fixation) |
Nitrogen Fixation Flow
Sewage Quality Indicator
| BOD Level | Interpretation | Cause |
|---|---|---|
| Low BOD | Clean / less polluted water | Little organic matter present |
| High BOD | Heavily polluted water | High organic matter; microbes consume more O2 |