Water is a necessity for all life: human, animal, plant and microbial. In recent years, the world has been deprived of water in many areas of the world with water shortages plaguing many societies; because of this, it is needed to produce improved methods for the reuse of wastewater[1] - there is not enough freshwater availability to fulfil the consumption needs of the entire planet. Fresh water is also a scarce resource, account for just 2% of the Earth's water supply[2], and with the majority of the world's reserves found in the polar ice caps, inaccessible for human use.
The Water Cycle
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The water cycle or hydrological cycle describes the movement of water through various stores in Earth. This includes the evaporation of water from oceans and rivers and the transpiration of plants contributing to water vapour which then can condense in the Earth's atmosphere and form clouds. This then leads to precipitation, which feeds into oceans, rivers and plants through surface run-off, throughflow, groundflow and other processes.
Water Chlorination
editWater chlorination forms a major part of modern water treatment and usage, making water safe from pathogenic microorganisms which would otherwise cause disease.
Role of microbes
editMicroorganisms are an integral part of wastewater treatment.
Enhanced Biological Phosphorus Removal
editEnhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) is a method in which microorganisms are used to remove phosphorus from wastewater in order to reduce eutrophication
Phosphorus Accumulating Organisms
editGlycogen Accumulating Organisms
editReferences
edit- ^ Shiklomanov, I. A. (1991). The world’s water resources. In Proceedings of the international symposium to commemorate (Vol. 25, pp. 93-126). Paris, France: Unesco.
- ^ "The distribution of water on, in, and above the Earth | U.S. Geological Survey". www.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2023-02-28.