Microbial Life: Prokaryotes and Protists - Renz Science

Figure 16.516.6 CONNECTION: Prokaryotes help clean upthe environment Prokaryotes are useful for cleaning up contaminantsin the environment because prokaryotes– have great nutritional diversity,– are quickly adaptable, and– can form biofilms.© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.16.6 CONNECTION: Prokaryotes help clean upthe environment Bioremediation is the use of organisms to removepollutants from– soil,– air, or– water.16.6 CONNECTION: Prokaryotes help clean upthe environment Prokaryotic decomposers are the mainstays ofsewage treatment facilities.– Raw sewage is first passed through a series of screensand shredders.– Solid matter then settles out from the liquid waste,forming sludge.– Sludge is gradually added to a culture of anaerobicprokaryotes, including bacteria and archaea.– The microbes decompose the organic matter into materialthat can be placed in a landfill or used as fertilizer.© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.16.6 CONNECTION: Prokaryotes help clean upthe environmentFigure 16.6A Liquid wastes are treated separately from thesludge.– Liquid wastes are sprayed onto a thick bed of rocks.– Biofilms of aerobic bacteria and fungi growing on therocks remove much of the dissolved organic material.– Fluid draining from the rocks is sterilized and thenreleased, usually into a river or ocean.Rotatingspray armRock bed coatedwith aerobicprokaryotesand fungi© 2012 Pearson Education, Inc.Liquid wastesOutflow7