Microorganisms Inhabit Every Sphere of Our Planet

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Microorganisms are very tiny living organisms. They are microscopic and may be unicellular or multicellular (Madigan and Martinko 2006). The microorganisms include all prokaryotes and some eukaryotes. They are usually not visible to the naked eye, but some macroscopic ones can be seen with naked eye also (Max Planck Society Research News Released Accessed 15 September 2012).
Microorganisms include bacteria, archaea, protozoa, fungi, algae and some members of the kingdom Animalia such as rotifers and planarians. Viruses also fall under this category, i.e., microorganisms but some researchers even consider viruses as non living (Rybicki 1990) (LWOFF 1956).
Microorganisms inhabit every sphere of this planet Earth. They inhabit the most extreme environments where no other living organisms can survive. Such microbes are known as “Extremophiles”. These may include the following:

a) Acidophiles:- these include those organisms which can survive in highly acidic conditions or at very low pH which is generally less than 2. Acidophiles belong to all the three classes namely Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. Example: Acetobacter aceti, Dunaliella acidophila, Acidianus infernus etc.

b) Basophiles:- this class include organisms which can thrive in extremely alkaline conditions with a pH of more than 10. These are also known as Alkaliphiles. Example: Halorhodospira halochloris, Natromonas pharaonis, Thiohalospira alkaliphira etc.

c) Thermophiles:- these are those organisms which thrive easily at very high temperatures such as 45 degree Celsius and up to 122 degree Celsius. At such high temperatures no other living organisms are found to survive except this certain class of microorganisms. Examples: Sulfobolus solfataricus, Sulfobolus acidocalda...

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...ttributed to the fact that they are too expensive and the range of toxic materials that they can decontaminate is very less.
This has led the researchers to look for alternative solutions. This is how the use of microorganisms for bioremediation first started. This use of microorganisms provides an environment friendly technique of remediation of harmful substances without having any alternative effect which may disturb the homeostasis of environment in any manner.
Many microorganisms live in the body of human beings and other animals also. Most common of these is bacteria Lactobacillus which is found in the human mouth, intestine and vagina of females. Lactobacillus has the ability to bind to detoxify some of the most harmful radionuclides and toxic metals. Due to this property, Lactobacillus is now also used in packed frozen foods and fermented preparations also.

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