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how do the microorganisms help in sewage treatment plants

The process of treating the sewage before discharging it in the waterways is termed as sewage treatment. Sewage consists of excessive amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, metal compounds and organic matter. Microorganisms breaks down the chemical and biological waste present in the sewage, digesting the organic matter present in it. They feed on the organic matter and releases an enzyme which helps in its degradation removing the organic matter from the sewage. This results in conversion of complex matter into simpler substances to prevent the pollution of water bodies in which the treated sewage is discharged.

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Microorganisms and their enzyme systems are responsible for many different chemical reactions produced in the degradation of organic matter. As the bacteria metabolize, grow and divide they produce enzymes. These enzymes are high molecular weight proteins.

It is important to recognize the fact that colonies of bacteria are literally factories for the production of enzymes. The enzymes which are manufactured by the bacteria will be appropriate to the substrate in which  the enzyme will be working and so you have automatic production of the right enzyme for the biological reduction of any waste material, provided you have the right bacteria to start with. Enzymes do not reproduce whereas as bacteria do.

Enzymes in biochemical reactions act as organic catalysts. The enzymes actually become a part of the action, but after having caused it, split off from it and are themselves unchanged. After the biochemical reactions are complete and products formed, the enzyme is released to catalyze another reaction. The rate of reaction may be increase by increasing the quantity of the substrate or temperature up to a certain point , but beyond this, the rate of reaction ceases to increase because the enzyme concentration limits it.

hope it helpzz

best of luck!!!!!!!!!!!

  • -2

Microorganisms and their enzyme systems are responsible for many different chemical reactions produced in the degradation of organic matter. As the bacteria metabolize, grow and divide they produce enzymes. These enzymes are high molecular weight proteins.

It is important to recognize the fact that colonies of bacteria are literally factories for the production of enzymes. The enzymes which are manufactured by the bacteria will be appropriate to the substrate in which  the enzyme will be working and so you have automatic production of the right enzyme for the biological reduction of any waste material, provided you have the right bacteria to start with. Enzymes do not reproduce whereas as bacteria do.

Enzymes in biochemical reactions act as organic catalysts. The enzymes actually become a part of the action, but after having caused it, split off from it and are themselves unchanged. After the biochemical reactions are complete and products formed, the enzyme is released to catalyze another reaction. The rate of reaction may be increase by increasing the quantity of the substrate or temperature up to a certain point , but beyond this, the rate of reaction ceases to increase because the enzyme concentration limits it.

hope it helpz

best of luck!!!!!!!!

  • -2


There are two types of micro organisms at work in a sewage treatment plant., aerobes (oxygen needing microbes) and anaerobes (microbes that do not need oxygen)
The anaerobes are mixed with the raw delumped sewage in aerated basins. They rat up the small particles and dissolved organic material present in the sewage to produce carbon dioxide and their own microbe bodies.
The Anaerobes are stained out and the sewage is discharged to the effluent discharge.
The removed aerobes are then put in the anaerobic digestor tanks where anaerobic bacteria eat them up creating methane which is collected to power the plant. Eventually all the bacteria in the digestor are consumed leaving inert materials.

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