Comprehension Passage
Sewage treatment is a critical process for managing waste water generated in cities and towns, which primarily contains human excreta and organic matter, including harmful pathogenic microbes. Directly discharging untreated sewage into rivers and streams would cause severe environmental pollution. To prevent this, sewage is treated in sewage treatment plants (STPs) through a two-stage process.Despite the effectiveness of microbial treatment, the rapid urbanization has led to an increase in sewage, often outpacing the expansion of treatment facilities. As a result, untreated sewage is sometimes discharged into rivers, exacerbating pollution and waterborne diseases
Methanobacterium, a common methanogen, plays a significant role in:
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Producing CO₂ gas during aerobic fermentation
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Breaking down cellulose in the rumen of cattle
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Fermentation of sugars to produce ethanol
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Nitrogen fixation in the roots of legumes