SEMESTER – VI
DSE – 2B
APMB 363 MICROBIAL ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY (4 credits)
Unit - I
Environment ecosystems, food chain – niche, soil, water and air environment. Microbial interactions – symbiosis, neutralism, commensalism, synergism, mutualism, ammensalism, competition, parasitism and predation.
Aerobiology – microbes in aerosol. Allergens – assessment of quality of air – air borne diseases caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses – symptoms and preventive measures.
Microbiology of water – determination of water quality – bacteriological examination of water – indicator organisms – water borne pathogens. Microbiology of sewage – chemical and biochemical characteristics of sewage – sewage treatment and disposal of wastes.
Biodegradation of oil, biodeterioration of materials – paint, paper, wood, leather and metal – mode of deterioration – organism involved –disadvantage and mode of prevention.
Water pollution – BOD – COD. Bioremediation, composting, bioamelioration – biofilm formation – impact on the environment. Environmental protection laws.
Text Books
1. Atlas R.N. and Bartha R. (1992). Microbial Ecology: Fundamentals and Applications, 3rd Edn. Redwood City, CA Benjamin/Cummings.
2. Pepper I.L. and Gerba C.P. (2004) Environmental Microbiology: A Laboratory manual, 2nd Edn. Academic Press.
Reference Books
1. Pepper I., Gerba C. and Gentry T. (Ed.) (2014) Environmental Microbiology, Academic Press.
2. Madsen E.L. (2008) Environmental Microbiology: From Genomes to Biogeochemistry, Blackwell publishers.
3. Barton L.E. and Northup D.E. (2011) Microbial Ecology, Wiley-Blackwell.