Question 1

Microbial immobilization is the best strategy for uranium bioremediation, because

Accepted Answer

A)  uranium is difficult to chemically oxidize. 
B)  uranium contamination is widespread and thus difficult to physically remove. 
C)  the by-products of chemical immobilization are toxic. 
D)  immobilization may only be temporary. 
A)  uranium is difficult to chemically oxidize. 
B)  uranium contamination is widespread and thus difficult to physically remove. 
C)  the by-products of chemical immobilization are toxic. 
D)  immobilization may only be temporary.

Question 2

Based on your knowledge of hydrocarbon degradation, what factors most likely limited the rate of petroleum degradation after the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska?

Accepted Answer

A)  salt concentration 
B)  temperature 
C)  inorganic nutrient concentrations 
D)  temperature and inorganic nutrient concentrations 
A)  salt concentration 
B)  temperature 
C)  inorganic nutrient concentrations 
D)  temperature and inorganic nutrient concentrations

Question 3

Which product of anoxic sewage treatment can be used to heat and power an entire water treatment facility?

Accepted Answer

A)  CO₂ 
B)  H₂ 
C)  CH₄ 
D)  O₂ 
A)  CO₂ 
B)  H₂ 
C)  CH₄ 
D)  O₂

Question 4

Water disinfection agents such as chlorine can easily kill Cryptosporidium.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

During secondary aerobic wastewater treatment, some of the activated sludge goes ________ while the rest goes ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  back to the aerator / to the anoxic sludge digester 
B)  back to the primary system / to the aerator 
C)  to the anoxic digester / back to the primary system 
D)  back to the primary system / to the tertiary digester 
A)  back to the aerator / to the anoxic sludge digester 
B)  back to the primary system / to the aerator 
C)  to the anoxic digester / back to the primary system 
D)  back to the primary system / to the tertiary digester

Question 6

Chlorinated xenobiotics can ONLY be degraded aerobically, thus making them very recalcitrant if they accumulate in anoxic environments.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Water distribution systems contain

Accepted Answer

A)  very few bacteria or other microorganisms. 
B)  biofilms that may harbor opportunistic pathogens. 
C)  numerous grazing protists that consume bacteria. 
D)  biofilms that may harbor opportunistic pathogens and numerous grazing protists that consume bacteria. 
A)  very few bacteria or other microorganisms. 
B)  biofilms that may harbor opportunistic pathogens. 
C)  numerous grazing protists that consume bacteria. 
D)  biofilms that may harbor opportunistic pathogens and numerous grazing protists that consume bacteria.

Question 8

The use of ________ to treat drinking water, which began in 1913, reduces the incidence of waterborne diseases.

Accepted Answer

A)  coagulation 
B)  chlorination 
C)  filtration 
D)  UV irradiation 
A)  coagulation 
B)  chlorination 
C)  filtration 
D)  UV irradiation

Question 9

If you were in charge of preserving ancient stone ruins and sculptures in an outdoor environment, what strategies would you use to prevent deterioration of the stone?

Accepted Answer

Biodeterioration is important to the ove

Question 10

What role does Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans play in the copper leaching process?

Accepted Answer

A)  oxidation of sulfide to sulfate 
B)  reduction of oxidized iron (Fe³⁺) to reduced iron (Fe²⁺) 
C)  oxidation of reduced iron (Fe²⁺) to oxidized iron (Fe³⁺) 
D)  reduction of sulfate to sulfide 
A)  oxidation of sulfide to sulfate 
B)  reduction of oxidized iron (Fe³⁺) to reduced iron (Fe²⁺) 
C)  oxidation of reduced iron (Fe²⁺) to oxidized iron (Fe³⁺) 
D)  reduction of sulfate to sulfide

Question 11

Natural underground pyritic deposits that are not disturbed by mining activities do not form acidic drainage waters. Why not? Explain the critical steps in the formation of acid mine drainage in your answer.

Accepted Answer

The initiation, or first, step in the fo

Question 12

Synthetic plastics are

Accepted Answer

A)  oxidized completely to carbon dioxide after a few years under aerobic conditions. 
B)  slower to degrade than microbial plastics. 
C)  constructed from PHAs. 
D)  more expensive than microbial plastics. 
A)  oxidized completely to carbon dioxide after a few years under aerobic conditions. 
B)  slower to degrade than microbial plastics. 
C)  constructed from PHAs. 
D)  more expensive than microbial plastics.

Question 13

Pyrite (FeS₂) is common in bituminous coal and metal ores and is a critical component of the microbial leaching of ores and acid mine drainage.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

What is the advantage of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) over chemical precipitation?

Accepted Answer

A)  Chemical precipitation produces sludge containing arsenic. 
B)  EBPR removes significantly more phosphorus than chemical precipitation. 
C)  Significantly less sludge is produced by EBPR compared to chemical precipitation. 
D)  EBPR is a more stable process. 
A)  Chemical precipitation produces sludge containing arsenic. 
B)  EBPR removes significantly more phosphorus than chemical precipitation. 
C)  Significantly less sludge is produced by EBPR compared to chemical precipitation. 
D)  EBPR is a more stable process.

Question 15

Water leaving an efficient wastewater treatment facility ideally has a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) between ________ units.

Accepted Answer

A)  50 and 100 
B)  25 and 50 
C)  5 and 25 
D)  0 and 5 
A)  50 and 100 
B)  25 and 50 
C)  5 and 25 
D)  0 and 5

Question 16

While wastewater is in an activated sludge tank, much of the organic matter is

Accepted Answer

A)  oxidized. 
B)  adsorbed to the floc. 
C)  incorporated into microbial cells. 
D)  oxidized, adsorbed to the floc, and incorporated into microbial cells. 
A)  oxidized. 
B)  adsorbed to the floc. 
C)  incorporated into microbial cells. 
D)  oxidized, adsorbed to the floc, and incorporated into microbial cells.

Question 17

Which of the following bacterial pathogens is found in water distribution systems?

Accepted Answer

A)  Enterobacter aerogenes 
B)  Klebsiella pneumoniae 
C)  Legionella pneumophila 
D)  Vibrio cholerae 
A)  Enterobacter aerogenes 
B)  Klebsiella pneumoniae 
C)  Legionella pneumophila 
D)  Vibrio cholerae

Question 18

In water, most taste- and odor-producing compounds are inorganic in nature.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

The production of ________ by ________ is thought to be a major contributor to the biodeterioration of stone building materials.

Accepted Answer

A)  oxalic acid / fungi 
B)  sulfuric acid / sulfate reducers 
C)  nitric acid / nitrate reducers 
D)  carbonic acid / lichens 
A)  oxalic acid / fungi 
B)  sulfuric acid / sulfate reducers 
C)  nitric acid / nitrate reducers 
D)  carbonic acid / lichens

Question 20

Crown corrosion of concrete wastewater distribution systems is the result of

Accepted Answer

A)  acidic fermentation products reacting with the gypsum in the concrete. 
B)  sulfate reduction in the sewage and sulfide oxidation in the oxic headspace above. 
C)  fungal growth in the concrete. 
D)  rapid iron reduction coupled to pyrite dissolution. 
A)  acidic fermentation products reacting with the gypsum in the concrete. 
B)  sulfate reduction in the sewage and sulfide oxidation in the oxic headspace above. 
C)  fungal growth in the concrete. 
D)  rapid iron reduction coupled to pyrite dissolution.

Exam 22: Microbiology of the Built Environment

Microbial immobilization is the best strategy for uranium bioremediation, because

Based on your knowledge of hydrocarbon degradation, what factors most likely limited the rate of petroleum degradation after the Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska?

Which product of anoxic sewage treatment can be used to heat and power an entire water treatment facility?

Water disinfection agents such as chlorine can easily kill Cryptosporidium.

During secondary aerobic wastewater treatment, some of the activated sludge goes ________ while the rest goes ________.

Chlorinated xenobiotics can ONLY be degraded aerobically, thus making them very recalcitrant if they accumulate in anoxic environments.

Water distribution systems contain

The use of ________ to treat drinking water, which began in 1913, reduces the incidence of waterborne diseases.

If you were in charge of preserving ancient stone ruins and sculptures in an outdoor environment, what strategies would you use to prevent deterioration of the stone?

What role does Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans play in the copper leaching process?

Natural underground pyritic deposits that are not disturbed by mining activities do not form acidic drainage waters. Why not? Explain the critical steps in the formation of acid mine drainage in your answer.

Synthetic plastics are

Pyrite (FeS₂) is common in bituminous coal and metal ores and is a critical component of the microbial leaching of ores and acid mine drainage.

What is the advantage of enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) over chemical precipitation?

Water leaving an efficient wastewater treatment facility ideally has a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) between ________ units.

While wastewater is in an activated sludge tank, much of the organic matter is

Which of the following bacterial pathogens is found in water distribution systems?

In water, most taste- and odor-producing compounds are inorganic in nature.

The production of ________ by ________ is thought to be a major contributor to the biodeterioration of stone building materials.

Crown corrosion of concrete wastewater distribution systems is the result of

The Microbial World

Microbial Cell Structure and Function

Microbial Metabolism

Molecular Information Flow and Protein Processing

Microbial Growth and Its Control

Microbial Regulatory Systems

Molecular Biology of Microbial Growth

Viruses and Their Replication

Microbial Systems Biology

Viral Genomics, Diversity, and Ecology

Genetics of Bacteria and Archaea

Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology

Microbial Evolution and Systematics

Metabolic Diversity of Microorganisms

Functional Diversity of Microorganisms

Diversity of Bacteria

Diversity of Archaea

Diversity of Microbial Eukarya

Taking the Measure of Microbial Systems

Microbial Ecosystems

Nutrient Cycles

Microbial Symbioses

Microbial Symbioses with Humans

Microbial Infection and Pathogenesis

Innate Immunity: Broadly Specific Host Defenses

Adaptive Immunity: Highly Specific Host Defenses

Clinical Microbiology and Immunology

Epidemiology

Person-to-Person Bacterial and Viral Diseases

Vectorborne and Soilborne Bacterial and Viral Diseases

Waterborne and Foodborne Bacterial and Viral Diseases

Eukaryotic Pathogens: Fungi, Protozoans, and Helminths

Filters

During secondary aerobic wastewater treatment, some of the activated sludge goes while the rest goes .

The production of by is thought to be a major contributor to the biodeterioration of stone building materials.