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CHAPTER 1, , Definition and Scope of Industrial, Microbiology, , , , , , ’, , Industrial microbiology deals with all forms of microbiology which have, an economic aspect. It deals with those areas of microbiology on which, in, some manner, a monetary value can be placed, regardless of whether the, microbiology involves a fermentation product or some form of deterioration,, disease, or waste disposal. In most instances, the economic criterion applies to, a desire either to cause or to allow some specific type of growth or metabolic, activity or to prevent microbial growth. These considerations make it apparent, that’ industrial microbiology is a very broad area for study. In fact, many, nonindustrial areas of microbiology are important to industrial microbiology,, and should be taken into consideration in understanding the concepts and, practice of industrial microbiology. These areas include, among others, soil, and agricultural microbiology, medical microbiology, microbial physiology,, cytology and morphology, virology, genetics, marine microbiology, food and, dairy microbiology, and immunology. Disciplines not normally considered to, be included in microbiology also are important to industrial microbiology and, include organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry, biochemistry, engineering,, medicine, economics, sales, and law, particularly patent law. Governmental, regulations on the use of certain substrates and the sale of certain products, , _ also are relevant to industrial microbiology, as are considerations of space, and marine exploration. Furthermore, areas not presently considered to have, any relationship to industrial microbiology, under the proper conditions,, easily can become a matter for consideration., , Industries for which industrial microbiology has no apparent application, sometimes become interested in or’ are forced to become interested in this, subject. They may merely wish to divers‘fy their overall product line, or they, may wish to employ microorganisms to bring about some change in a raw, material, by-product, or product normally associated with the company’s, , 3

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oN, , 4 Industrial Microbiology, production activities, At the other end of the scale, microorganisms may, bring about deterioration or, in some other manner, modify a product fh, an unwanted manner so that an industrial concern is forced to consider the, industrial aspects of microbial activity. As an example, an industrial concern, producing fiberglass may have no apparent necd for a knowledge of industria,, microbiology, Bul, if a change or improvement in some Processing ste, suddenly allows microbial growth on the sizing applied to the glass fibers,, then industrial microbiology immediately assumes importance. ., , It should now be apparent that there are many facets to industria], microbiology. Examples of particular areas of application include the, sterilizations, deterioration, and quality control associated with the production, and handling of food and beverage products, as well as the deterioration, of, for example, fabrics, metals, concrete, wood, jet fuels, paper, animal, feeds, and medicinal preparations. Also included are the methods for and, the problems associated with the disposal of wastes from municipalities or, industrial concerns, Microorganisms are industrially employed as a means, for prospecting for new oil reserves, and for obtaining better oil recovery, {rom present reserves. The industrial microbiologist is interested in ways of, combating discase agents of plants, animals and man. He is concemed with, the microbe’s ability (o modify a soil environment for the growing of green, plants, particularly with the relationship of microorganisms to soil fertility,, and with the ability of the soil microbe to degrade man-made pesticides and, other chemicals that find their way into soil., , Industrial microbiology concerns itself with the isolation and description, of microorganisms from natural environments, such as soil or water, and, with (he cultural conditions required for obtaining rapid and massive growth, of these organisms in the laboratory and in large-scale cultural vessels, commonly known as fermentors. Obviously, the design, sterilization, and use, of these fermentors is of importance,, , , , , , The means for the detection and assay of chemical products of microbial, aclivily is a part of industrial microbiology, as are the recovery, chemical, purification, packaging, and marketing of fermentation products. Thus,, the ability of microorganisms to convert inexpensive raw materials, or, substrates, to economically valuable organic compounds obviously is of, considerable concern to the industrial microbiologist. Also of great interest is, the cconomig value of the microbial cells themselves, and of the intracellular, and extracellular enzymes claborated by the organisms. The activities of, these enzymes are important to the success of an industrial fermentation, process, because they arc associated with the microorganism’s ability to, attack, degrade, and utilize components of the medium, and to accumulate, , , , \

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ion and Scope of Industrial Microbiology 5, , san be economic, , , , fermentation products. Microbial enzymes in themsely, products: for example, microbially produced invertases, anyl, proteases. On the other end of the scale, however. microbial enzymes also, mediate the deterioration and spoilage caused by microorganisms., , es, and, , , , Thus, fermentation products may be components of the microbial, cells, the cells themselves. intracellular or extracellular enzymes, or, chemicals which are produced or altered by the cells. Examples of various, of the commercially important products of microbial activity are listed in, Table 1.1. This list necessarily is not complete, since newly discovered, products are continually coming to the forefront., , , , Yable 1.1 Products of microbial activity having present or potential, commercial importance, , , , , , 1, Antibiotics: streptomycin, penicillin, the tetracyclines, erythromycin,, polymyxin, bacitracin, ete., , , , , , , , , , , , 2. Organic solvents: acetone, butanol, ethanol, amyl alcohol, ete., , 3. Gases: carbon dioxide and hydrogen, , 4. Beverages: wine. beer and distilled, , 3, s. fermented milks, pickl ‘oy sauce, yeast, bread, vinegar, mushrooms, and acidulants such as cit id, , 6. — Flavoring agents: monosodium glutamate and nucleotides, , , , 7. Organic a, kojie, ete,, , 8. Glycerol, , 9. Amino acids: L-ghutamie acid and L-lysine, , 10. Steroids, , Il. Wide range of compounds used as chemical intermediates for further, chemical synthesis of economically valuable products, , lactic, acetic. citric, gluconic, butyric, fumaric, itaconic,, , , , 12, Bakers’ yeast, , 13. Food and feed yeast, , I4. Legume inoculant, , Bacterial insecticides: for example, Bacillus dniringicnsis, , 16, Vitamins and other growth stimulants: B,,, ciboflavin, vitamin A and the, gibberellins, , 17. Enzymes: anylases, proteases, pectinases, invertase, etc,, , 18. Fats, , , , Patents are of importance to industrial microbiology in that they provide, acertain degree of economic protection to an inventor (and to his employer), for a new fermentation process or product. Thus, patents provide the impetus, for the expenditure of the huge sums of money ofter required for the research, and development associated with new fermentation processes.

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Industrial Microbiology, , Industrial microbiology is often considered to be purely an areg of, applied microbiology, Thus, purely theoretical aspects should Plovide, little interest to the industrial microbiologist. However, this frequently, is not a true statement. Purely theoretical research being carried (Out at, a university or governmental laboratory can well have applicability for, industrial microbiology. For example, a study of keto-acid intermediates, in the metabolism of a microorganism may yield the information that the, addition to the growth medium of high levels of an ammonium salt Or of urea, causes amino acids to accumulate in the medium. This observation may be, of value in explaining a metabolic pathway or pathways for the theoretical, study of the microorganism, but at the same time, if further explored from, the industrial microbiology standpoint, it could yield a process for the, commercial production of amino acids. Thus, academic observations can, yield practical possibilities, and industrial fermentation industries often keep, a close watch on theoretical studies being carried out in universities and ip, other laboratories. In fact, industrial concerns may have research personnel, of their own carrying out studies of a purely theoretical nature which have no, initially apparent economic possibilities., , This consideration also works in reverse. Discoveries of new industrial, microbial processes for producing fermentation products or for combating, deterioration ofien raise questions of an academic nature. These questions, relate to the physiology, morphology, and genetic make-up of microorganisms,, and to the medical implications, mode of action, and the like, of chemical, compounds. For instance, newly discovered antibiotics may be in commercial, production and actually be employed for some time in combating disease, before the chemical structure of the antibiotic has been deciphered or its, mode of action has been elucidated., , Thus, in studying industrial microbiology, the student should concentrate, on the economic aspects of how man makes use of or combats the activities, of microorganisms. But, at the same time, the student must not lose sight, of the basic concepts of microbiology which have no immediately apparent, money-making possibilities,