EKW is the world’s largest natural treatment plant for solid and soluble waste, where bioremediation and biodegradation of complex compounds are mainly based on microbial community activity
Currently, microbes are buzz word. Microorganism has become an essential part of human life as well as all life on earth. Cracking the secrets of some of Earth’s countless microbial communities will reveal ways to meet innumerable challenges and scopes in biopharmaceutical, biomedicine, healthcare nutraceuticals, agriculture, and environmental stewardship. The range of microbial diversity in nature is still largely unidentified, suggesting that there might be many more useful products yet to be identified from microorganisms. This understanding provides the scientific foundation for a renewed interest in continuing research on microorganisms for novel commercially important products. This is mainly the inspiration to the scientist or scientific work community to access the metabolic potential of microorganisms via cultivation strategy.
A Ramsar Site East Kolkata Wetland- a natural aquaculture system
East Kolkata Wetland (EKW) is the world’s largest natural treatment plant for solid and soluble waste, where bioremediation and biodegradation of complex compounds are mainly based on microbial community activity and is recognised as a potential source of the beneficial microorganism of biotechnological impact. Samples collected from EKW shows the presence of various new strains of microbes which are not only ecologically important but also have commercial significance.
Bioremediation of heavy metals and toxic compounds, degradation and recycling of woody tissues of plants, and nitrogen fixation along with the other different microorganisms playing important roles in metal accumulation, antimicrobial compound production, capable of commercial enzyme production etc. Fungi are also used for a major portion of natural resources likely to provide innovative applications which useful to human society. Fungi are one of the major sources of antimicrobial agents and produce a wide range of other important medicinal compounds, industrially important biomolecules, novel enzymes, insecticides.
The wetlands also act as a carbon sink and provide lots of valuable resources. It has also been considering as a potential climate change mitigation strategy with carbon sequestered this way is known as blue carbon. Wetland soil, particularly in coastal wetlands such as mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes, is an important carbon reservoir; 20-30 per cent of the world’s soil carbon is found in wetlands while only 5-8 per cent of the world’s land is composed of wetlands. Many studies have shown that restored wetlands can become productive CO2 sinks and many restoration projects have been enacted in and around the world.
Apart from climate benefits wetland restoration and conservation can help to preserve biodiversity, improve water quality, and aid with quality livelihood. Microbial CO2 sequestration is a promising strategy to reduce global warming and optimise the production of chemical substances. In addition, there is a lot of potentiality to pharma biotechnological research to promote microbial CO2 sequestration and guides the broader use of microorganisms as attractive carbon sinks.
In recent times the use of microorganisms as biotechnological agents of profit has not only continued but has exponentially increased. Indeed, the biotechnology sector as it is familiar today is already a multi-billion-dollar sector worldwide. The ethanol that microbes produce is widely used as a solvent and extractant and antifreeze source. Many bacteria thrive by reducing Fe (III), ferric iron, to Fe (II), ferrous iron, and Mn (VI) to Mn (II). Thus, these kinds of microbes can be used to leach Fe(III) and Mn(VI) metals from some soils and sediments to form a range of materials. This process, which is called bioleaching as well as creates the potential to control water flow in aquifers and also produce biomaterials of commercial value.
The soil samples of EKW have a good amount of chromium and nickel concentration indicating the microorganisms have some heavy metal tolerance capacity. The ability of microbial strains to grow in the presence of heavy metals would be helpful in the contaminated soil treatment where microorganisms are directly involved in the decomposition of organic matter in biological processes for soil treatment. Some microorganisms are also able to produce fluorescent siderophores that may influence the colour change of isolates and act as a microbial sensor.
This East Kolkata wetland produces daily around 29.9 tonnes of fish, and 150 tonnes of different types of vegetables. It has been found from the record that during post-monsoon 24 types of crops are produced. So there is a huge demand for associated product sectors like biopesticide, bio fertilisers too. The use of bioinsecticides is believed to be one of the major factors behind the increase in agricultural productivity in the 21st century. Microorganisms are used to enhance the nutritional content of plants and other secondary metabolite sources. Pesticides formulated using microorganisms and their products are highly effective, species-specific, and eco-friendly, leading to acceptance of their use in pest management strategies worldwide. Bioinsecticides produced from microorganisms are especially valuable because their toxicity to non-target animals and humans is extremely low. Microbial origin now exceeds $13 billion annually.
Researchers are also focusing to continue their research effort to produce microbial by-products as an insecticide for better growth-promoting and immune-modulating roles. Microbial pesticides can control many different kinds of pests, although each separate active ingredient is relatively specific for its target pests. Having a good significance value, there is enough scope for further development in their marketing and profitability for the manufacturing industry.
Microorganisms have also been harnessed as factories to produce compounds that are used in areas as drivers as textile manufacture, agriculture, and nutrition. Other bacterial enzymes and constituents of the organisms are utilised to produce materials such as biopolymers. This East Kolkata Wetland is a hub of different medicinal important plant sources. Plant growth promotion and its effect on secondary metabolite production are also showing new hope of product development. DNA fingerprinting, which relies upon enzymes that are produced and operate in bacteria, has enabled the tracing of the fate of genes in plant and animal populations and enhanced the gathering of evidence at crime scenes.
With time, the realisation and potential benefits of microorganisms and the implementation of strict standards of microbe use are lessening the concern over the use of engineered microorganisms for economic and social benefit. Breakthrough, followed by the latest development in microbiological work exposed a new adventure of working with the communities of microbes and interrelated networks.
Dr Swati Chakraborty, HOD, Dept of Life Sciences
Guru Nanak Institute of Pharmaceutical Science & Technology, Kolkata
