Lab Report #5 Environmental Microbiology

Exercise 1: Table 1. Colour changes observed after 15ul of Nesslers reagent was added to the different samples. Sample S1 S2 U C Colour Faint Yellow Rusty Brown Deep Yellow No Color Change Exercise 2: Sample one was taken from the soya bean field and sample two as taken from the building site because the first sample had a drastic change in colour whereas the second sample didnt change much. Exercise 3: Table 2. Concentration and pH of each of the five samples tested. Concentration 2.0 ppm 0 ppm 5.0 ppm 0 ppm 0.50 ppm pH 8.4 7.6 6.0 6.0 6.6

NO2 (Nitrite test) AB1 (Nitrite test) NO3 (Nitrate test) AB2 (Nitrate test) AB3 (Ammonia test)

Nitrification is the biological oxidation of ammonia with oxygen, then into ammonium, then into nitrite. This is followed by the oxidation of these nitrites into nitrates. Nitrification is important in agricultural systems were fertilizer is applied as ammonia. Nitrification also plays an important role in the removal of nitrogen from municipal wastewater. The removal is nitrification followed by denitrification. Together with ammonification, nitrification forms a mineralization process that refers to the complete decomposition of organic material, with the release of available nitrogen compounds. This replenishes the nitrogen cycle. Exercise 4: Test Tube Red coloration with sulfanic acid & alphanaphthyamine (+) or (-) Red coloration with Zinc (+) or (-) Nitrate Reduction (+) or (-) End Products

1 (Uninoculated Control) 2 (Inoculated with soil) 3 (Inoculated with test organism)

+ +

+ -

NO3 NO3 NO3 Gas NO3 NO3

Exercise 5: Assimilatory nitrate reduction is the process occurring in higher plants, algae, and fungi, in which nitrogen from nitrate is converted into compounds containing organic nitrogen. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction is the process that occurs under anaerobic conditions in which nitrate functions as a terminal electron acceptor. The assimilatory nitrate reduction is the reaction that is a more specialized metabolic capability and has NH3 whereas the dissimilatory nitrate reduction is the reaction performed by most microbes and NH3 is intermediate. Exercise 6: The Ontario Drinking Water Standards (ODWS) set 10 mg/L of nitrate as the maximum allowable level for drinking water in Ontario. Medical researchers concluded that a concentration of 10 mg/L in drinking water is appropriate to avoid baby-blue syndrome in human infants and to avoid harming some forms of aquatic life, particularly amphibians. Exercise 7: I would advise the farmer NOT to use the product to kill soil bacteria. These bacteria are needed for nitrogen cycle to take place. Without the bacteria, the nitrogen cycle would not exist and the soil would never be replenished. Without replenished soil, his crops will not grow. Therefore, even though these bacteria may be responsible for many diseases that reduce soybean yields including Downy mildew, Fusarium root rot, Alternaria leaf spot and powdery mildew, these bacteria are needed in order for the farmer to grow healthy crops. Exercise 8: Plants need nitrogen in order to grow. Nitrogen is abundant in the earth`s atmosphere, but plants cannot use it in that particular form (nitrogen gas). Certain bacteria which reside on some plant roots are able to chance atmospheric nitrogen into a form that plants can use (ammonia). Two microbial systems that are mediated by nitrogen fixation are agricultural systems and natural systems. An example of an organism from the agricultural system is Azolia (cyanobacteria). An example of an organism from the natural system is endophytic bacteria. Exercise 9: Biofilms are collections of microorganisms that form on hard surfaces. Examples of biofilms are plaque that forms on teeth, the slime that forms on watery surfaces, and layers that can be found in the intestinal tract that can cause serious damage.

References: http://www.water.siemens.com/en/application/wastewater_treatement/primary_treatment/Pages/def ault.aspx http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/05-073.htm http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/biological-nitrogen-fiaxation-23570419