Scientists are researching how microbes clean contaminated water to help clean the earths' water resources. Potable water is at a premium before we pollute it, and afterward it's a truly scarce resource. Using microbes to clean it from animal waste, industrial pollutants, and mining refuse will go a long way to alleviating the world-wide water shortage.
Microorganisms, which are also referred to as microbes, are not usually visible to the naked eye and include bacteria (Archaea and Eubacteria), viruses, fungi, protists, and algae. Most people associate microbes with bacteria and viruses which act as germs that get us sick, but actually microbes are an important part of life. In nature, microbes have a very specific purpose and understanding how microbes clean contaminated water is vital to ensuring that we have plenty of clean, healthy drinking water.
Scientists understand that in a water environment, microbes metabolize waste into food, which makes the water clean again for safe drinking water. Scientists also recognize that if they can more fully understand exactly how microbes "eat" the waste found in our water, they can help improve our water treatment facilities by imitating nature's process. In theory, it is less expensive and safer to use natural bacteria to clean our water than to use potentially dangerous and expensive chemicals.
In Melbourne, Australia, scientists have discovered a new bacterial that they hope to use to help clean arsenic from wastewater caused by mining operations and by digging drinking wells. Arsenic, which is found in rocks, is harmless until it is exposed to air and water through mining and digging. Since air and water make arsenic toxic to humans and plants, scientists in Melbourne are excited about the idea of harnessing the powers of the arsenic-eating bacteria to remove this soluble and toxic
arsenic on a mass scale.
The implications of using this bacteria to clean arsenic from water are immense. If scientists can understand and apply the process of bioremediation (the biological process where contaminated water is cleaned through special bacteria) to clean arsenic from mines and wells, they could transfer the process to clean other toxic substances from water, too.
The science of bioremediation is still developing because scientists can't just put the arsenic-eating microbes into their biological reactor, push the button, and wait for clean water. No, they must first fully understand the process before they can transfer the technology to other contaminated areas. They must understand how microbes clean contaminated water before effectively imitating nature.
Another challenge society faces is the association with bacteria and viruses with illness. The demand for antibiotics and antibacterial soaps and cleaners is on the rise because people are frantic to kill germs. Ironically, the overuse of antibiotics and antibacterial agents is not only making the germs harder to kill, but also some of the beneficial microbes are being eliminated. Consider the fact that these antibiotics and antibacterial agents are not limited to our bodies and that some end up in our wastewater treatment plants. Imagine the challenge that microbes face in our water treatment plants when antibiotics are introduced through our sewage system, medical waste from hospitals, pharmaceutical production, and household products. The natural job of microbes to eat and eliminate waste from our drinking water becomes very difficult if antibiotics are killing the very microbes we depend on.
The bottom line is that we rely on the process of how microbes clean contaminated water for our very survival, and we need to understand and respect the process. Once our society understands the vital function of microbes in cleaning our water, the easier time the microbes will have doing their job.
