Basics of Microbiology for Civil and Environmental Engineers

Abstract

Microorganisms (microbes) are organisms that are not visible without aid of microscope and can be found in all five kingdoms of living creatures on Earth: Bacteria, Archaea, Fungi, Plants, and Animals, but mainly first kingdom is used in Construction Biotechnology because of smallest size, highest growth rate, and diverse biogeochemical and biosynthetic activities of bacteria. Selection of needed bacterial strain for the biosynthesis of construction material or performance of construction process can be done either theoretically using the periodic table of physiological classification of prokaryotes, or through the experimental selection of enrichment culture following with isolation and identification of pure culture. Microbiology of Construction Biotechnology process requires understanding and strict performance of the biosafety rules aiming to prevent outbreaks of the infectious diseases during the production of construction biomaterials or application of microorganisms in construction process. Fungi and aerobic Gram-negative bacteria are most active in the biosynthesis of cement admixtures and bioplastics. Facultative anaerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria are most suitable for cementation and clogging of the porous soil and fractured rocks under high or changeable osmotic pressure. Phototrophic cyanobacteria and algae are most suitable for the biocrust formation on the soil surface. Understanding of microbiology is essential in the development of biotechnological construction material or biotechnological construction process but the commercial biomaterial or bioprocess must be made so that there will be sufficient just instruction for user. However, geotechnical or environmental applications of microbial processes in the field may require due to complexity of the factors or either partnership with microbiologist or understanding of the basic principles of microbiology.