Ways bacteria can be used to help better the environment

Some type of bacteria are very helpful in cleaning up oil spills. Crude oil is one of the rich sources of food for bacteria. Also, when an area is filled with a large amount of hydrocarbons (in the form of oil spills, that is crude oil) and is supplied with nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous, it becomes breeding ground for bacteria. Once they clean up the spilled oil these bacteria die a natural death and do not cause any harm to the natural environment. Bacteria have been effective oil zappers in many oil spills like deep water horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico and Delaware oil spill in Pennsylvania.

For a long time scientists have been independently researching to find bacteria that can help in cleaning up pollution and bacteria that can generate electricity. Now they have found some bacteria that can do the both at the same time. A bacterium known as Desulfitobacteria can simultaneously breakdown pollutants like Printed Circuit Boards and produce electricity. Another bacterium known as Shewanella which grows in low oxygen environment of deep seas has the capability to produce electricity. These bacteria have the capability to produce continuous electricity provided they are constantly being fed.

One of the biggest problems our planet is facing today is the problem of global warming. It is caused due to emission of greenhouse gases from various processes and activities like burning of fuel for power generation, transportation, etc. One of the major gases responsible for global warming is methane. Scientists have been researching an effective way to metabolize methane and reduce its quantity in atmosphere. They have been able to find that certain types of bacteria metabolize methane in presence of heavy metals like copper and convert it into methane. These bacteria have three advantages. Firstly they remove methane from atmosphere, secondly the help in reducing the quantity of harmful heavy metals which can cause harm to humans and thirdly the methanol produced can be used as a fuel. Bacteria that metabolize methane are known as methanotrophs. It has been suggested that they can be used by venting methane gas emissions through filters which contain methanotrophs, and the methanol produced can be stored in a container attached for future use.

With threat of running out of fossil fuel for energy consumption, this could be answer to world’s energy needs. A particular type of bacteria known as TU-103, was discovered at Tulane University, New Orleans (by David Miller, associate professor). This bacteria converts cellulose into butanol. Cellulose is most widely available organic material in the world. It can be found practically everywhere from paper, glass, leaves, corns, to bagasse, a fibrous leftover material in production of sugar from sugarcane. This discovery can have several ramifications. It could help in reducing the cost required to produce biofuels, it can take pressure of farmers and arable lands where crops are produce specifically to produce biofuels, it can decompose a lot of waste material hence lesser landfill space would be required and the harmful emissions produced from butanol are less as compared to petrol or gasoline.

Bacteria have been living inside us symbiotically and assisting us in many vital functions ranging from dental health to digestion. These bacteria are known as probiotic bacteria. Recently researchers at McMaster University in Canada have found another useful function of these bacteria. They fed a group of mice with a type of bacteria known as Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 and another group just broth. Later they found that the mice who had ingested JB-1 bacteria showed fewer anxiety, depression and stress related behaviors and had a significantly lower level of stress-induced hormone, corticosterone than the mice who were fed only broth. This could be a foundation stone to a new kind of treatment for psychic disorders.