ECONOMIC MICRO-ECONOMIC USES OF ORGANISMS

1. ECONOMIC MICRO-ECONOMIC USES OF ORGANISMS ABBOTTS COLLEGE

2. ECONOMIC USES OF BACTERIA • Degrade herbicides • Herbicides are chemicals which kill weeds • Bacteria clean contaminated groundwater • Neutralise toxic waste in soil • E.g. oil and diesel • Synthesize riboflavin • One of the Vitamin B’s

4. ECONOMIC USES OF BACTERIA • Separate the fibres of jute, hemp and flax in the making of ropes an sacks Hemp fibre Flax

5. ECONOMIC USES OF BACTERIA • Biological pest control • E.g. control of moth caterpillars • Replace pesticides • Have no effects on humans and most other beneficial insects

6. ECONOMIC USES OF BACTERIA • Decompose sewage waste to harmless sludge

8. ECONOMIC USES OF BACTERIA • Food production • E.g. making cheese

10. ECONOMIC USES OF BACTERIA • Make probiotics • Dietary supplements which contain beneficial bacteria that will assist digestion • E.g. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium

12. ECONOMIC USES OF ALGAE • Seaweed extracts include: • Phycocolloids found in algal cell walls have gelling properties • Used as gelling agents in food products e.g. instant puddings and also in cosmetics, medical drugs and insecticides • Thickening and stabilizing agents e.g. dairy products, artificial dairy toppings and canned pet food • To make agar plates used in laboratories for culturing bacteria agar plate

13. ECONOMIC USES OF ALGAE • Seaweed extracts include: • Plant growth regulators which control growth and development of plants • Iodine from kelp can be included in mineral salt tablets • Natural pigments can be used as an alternative to chemical dyes and colouring agents • Nutrient extracts used in plant fertilizers

14. ECONOMIC USES OF ALGAE Nori • Some seaweed is cultivated as a crash crop • E.g. Nori used in Sushi rolls • Excellent source of minerals and vitamins • Freshly harvested kelp is used to feed cultured abalone • Nutritional supplements can be made from cultivated algae kelp abalone

15. ECONOMIC USES OF ALGAE • Diatomaceous earth • A fine sediment from the walls of dead diatoms • Used in toothpaste, sink cleaners and polishes with low abrasive properties • Crude oil and natural gas are the remnants of photosynthetic products of ancient algae • Oil producing algae are being grown as a potential alternative to fossil fuels

16. ECONOMIC USES OF ALGAE • Seaweeds have the potential to contribute to sustainable employment opportunities and socio-economic up-liftment • South Africa has an advantage when it comes to the marketing of seaweed and its products because our coasts are pollution free and we have a high biodiversity of seaweeds

17. ECONOMIC USES OF FUNGI • As a direct food source e.g. mushrooms • For the production of biological products such as: • Alcohols • Plant growth regulators for plant and fruit development • Enzymes • E.g. cellulases for industrial use and proteases – the active ingredient of detergents proteases

18. ECONOMIC USES OF FUNGI • To produce drugs • E.g. antibiotics to fight bacterial and fungal diseases – penicillin Penicillin is one of the most well-known and widely used antibiotics

19. ECONOMIC USES OF FUNGI • To produce drugs • Drugs to control haemorrhage after birth e.g. ergometrine • Drugs to control cholesterol levels and ward off coronary heart disease e.g. statins

20. ECONOMIC USES OF FUNGI • For fermentation processes • In the making of yoghurt, maas, bread, beer and wine

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