Name

Matric Number

Eva Lo Jin

BS14110283

Erra Fazira binti Yaakob

BS14110280

Fabio Isaac Rahul Anak Rajes

BS14110290

Lim Way Yang

BS14110450

Acclimatization

Activation

O Definition :

O Definition:

any of the numerous gradual,

long-term responses of an
organism to changes in its
environment. Such responses
are more or less habitual and
reversible should
environmental conditions
revert to an earlier state.

It is the conversion of
non-toxic substrate into a
toxic molecule.

O Ref : Acclimatization,

https://global.britannica.co
m/science/acclimatization
26th october 2016

O Ref : Porto and Andr

Luiz Meleiro. 2011

"Biodegradation of
pesticides." Pesticides
in the modern world
pesticides use and
management. 407438.

Aerobically
O Definition:

Organism that require

the presence of oxygen
for life.
O Ref : Aerobically. at

http://www.dictionary
.com/browse/aerobic
ally?s=t Accesed on
30th October 2016.

Anaerobic
digestion
O Definition:
O a degradation process of organic

substrates in the absence of oxygen,

via enzymatic and bacterial activities
producing biogas that could be used
as a renewable energy source.
O Ref : Wong Y.S., Teng T.T., Ong S.A., M.

Norhashimah , Rafatullah M. and Lee

H.C.. 2013. Anaerobic Acidogenesis
Biodegradation of Palm Oil Mill
Effluent Using Suspended Closed
Anaerobic Bioreactor (SCABR) at
Mesophilic Temperature. Procedia
Environmental Sciences. 18: 433-441

Assimilation

Bacterial
Culture

O Definition:

O Definition:

characterizes to the
integration of molecules
transported in the
cytoplasm in the microbial
metabolism.

The growing of micro-organisms

on a culture medium, such as
agar, in an incubator kept at
body temperature, for purposes
of identification.

O Ref : Dussud, Claire,

O Ref : Bacteria culture, At

and Ghiglione J. F..

2014. Bacterial
degradation of synthetic
plastics. CIESM
Workshop
Monograph.46

http://medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.c
om/bacterial+culture
Accessed on 26th October
2016

Bioaugmentation
O Definition :

the practice of adding

cultured microorganisms
into the subsurface for the
purpose of biodegrading
specific oil and groundwater
contaminants.
O Ref: At https://regenesis

.com/site-remediationsolutions/bioaugmentatio
n/ Accessed on 31th
October 2016

Biocide
O Definition :

an active chemical molecule

to control the growth of or kill
bacteria in a biocidal
product.
O Ref : At

ec.europa.eu/health/opnio
ns/en/biocides-antibioticresistance/l-3/1definationantimicrobials.html
Accessed on 31th October
2016

Biodegradability
O Definition :

Capable of being
decomposed by the action
of biological agents,
especially bacteria.
O Ref: Biodegradability. At

http://www.dictionary.c
om/browse/biodegrada
bility?s=t Accessed on
30th October 2016.

Biodegradable
plastic
O Definition :

plastic that decomposes naturally

in the environment. This is
achieved when microorganisms in
the environment metabolize and
break down the structure of
biodegradable plastic. The end
result is one which is less harmful
to the environment than
traditional plastics.
O Ref : Biodegradable Plastics, At

http://www.pepctplastics.com/
resources/connecticut-plasticslearning-center/biodegradableplastics/ Accessed on 31th
October 2016

Bio-deterioration
O Definition :

defines the action of microbial

communities and other
decomposer organisms
responsible for the physical and
chemical deterioration that
resulted in a superficial
degradation that modifies the
mechanical, physical and
chemical properties of the
plastic.
Ref : Dussud, Claire, and
Ghiglione J. F.. 2014. Bacterial
degradation of synthetic plastics.
CIESM Workshop Monograph.46

Biofilm
O Definition :

a complex structure adhering

to surfaces that are regularly
in contact with water,
consisting of colonies of
bacteria and usually other
microorganisms such as
yeasts, fungai and protozoa
that secrete a mucilaginous.
Ref : At
www.dictionary.com/browser
/biofilm Accessed on 31th
October 2016

Biofragmentation O Definition:

refers to the catalytic actions

that cleave polymeric
plastics into oligomers,
dimers or monomers by
ecto-enzymes or freeradicals secreted by
microorganisms.
O Ref : Dussud, Claire, and

Ghiglione J. F.. 2014.

Bacterial degradation of
synthetic plastics. CIESM
Workshop Monograph.46

Biogas
O Definition:

is a renewable source of
energy that belongs to the
category of biofuels. It
typically refers to a gas
produced by the biological
breakdown of organic matter
in the absence of oxygen.
O Ref : bio2watt. At

http://www.bio2watt.com/
what-is-biogas.html
Accessed on 25th October
2016

Biomedicine

Bio-reactive
barrier

O Definition :

O Definition:

The application of the

natural sciences, especially
the biological and
physiological sciences, to
clinical medicine.

a technology with most fullscale applications based

on abiotic mechanism to
manage contaminated soil
and groundwater risks

O Ref: Biomedicine. At

O Ref : At

http://www.dictionary.co
m/browse/biomedicine?s
=t Accessed on 30th
October 2016.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m
/pubmed/15196489/
Accessed on 31th
October 2016

Bioreactor

Biosorption

O Definition:

O Definition:

a device or apparatus in
which living organisms
and especially bacteria
synthesize useful
substances (as interferon)
or break down harmful
ones (as in sewage)

property of certain types of

inactive, dead, microbial
biomass to bind and
concentrate heavy metals
from even very dilute
aqueous solution.

O Ref : www.meriam-

O Ref :

webster.com/dictionary
/bioreactor

biosorption.mcgill.ca/wh
atis.htm

Biosurfactant
O Definition :

can be defined as the

surface-active biomolecules
produced by microorganisms
with wide-range of
applications.
O Ref: Biosurfactant. At

http://scialert.net/fulltext
/?doi=jm.2015.181.192&
org=10 Accessed on 30th
October 2016.

Changing the
spectrum of toxicity
O Definition :

Some fungicides/pesticides are

designed to control one
particular group of organisms /
pests, but they are metabolized
to yield products inhibitory to
entirely dissimilar groups of
organisms.
O Ref : Porto and AndrLuiz

Meleiro. 2011.
Biodegradation of pesticides.
Pesticides in the modern
worldpesticides use and
management. 407-438.

Chromobacterium, Micrococcus,
Bacillus, Pseudomonas,
Candida, Saccharomyces

O Definition :

Oil tarballs are

biodegraded slowly by
species from this genera.
O Ref : Atlas, Ronald M.

1995. Petroleum
biodegradation and oil
spill bioremediation.
Marine Pollution
Bulletin 178-182.

Compostable
O Definition :

Capable of being used as

compost: compostable
waste
O Ref: Compostable. At

http://www.dictionary.c
om/browse/compostabl
e Accessed on 30th
October 2016.

Conjugation

Decomposition

O Definition:

O Definition :

In which an organism make the

substrate more complex or
combines the pesticide with cell
metabolites. Conjugation or the
formation of addition product is
accomplished by those organisms
catalyzing the reaction of addition
of an amino acid, organic acid or
methyl crown to the substrate.

Decomposition is the natural

process of dead animal or
plant tissue being rotted or
broken down. This process is
carried out by invertebrates,
fungi and bacteria.

O Ref : Porto and AndrLuiz

Meleiro. 2011. Biodegradation

of pesticides. Pesticides in the
modern worldpesticides use
and management. 407-438.

O Ref Decomposition. At

http://www.countrysideinf
o.co.uk/decompos.htm
Accessed on 25th October
2016

Degradation
O Definition :

The breaking down /

transformation of a complex
substrate into simpler products
leading finally to mineralization.
O Ref : Porto and AndrLuiz

Meleiro. 2011.
Biodegradation of
pesticides. Pesticides in the
modern worldpesticides use
and management. 407-438.

Diauxic growth
O Definition :

is the diphasic (two-phase)

growth response seen in a
culture of microorganism
making a phenotypic
adaption to the addition of a
second substrate
O Ref : At

https://www.accessscienc
e.com/content/diauxicgrowthdiauxie/br0105151
Accessed on 31th October
2016

Disintegrability
O Definition :

Capable of being
disintegrated.
O Ref: Disintegrability. At

https://en.wiktionary.org
/wiki/disintegrable
Accessed on 30th
October 2016.

Dyes
Definition :
are widely used in the textile, rubber product,
paper, printing, color photography,
pharmaceuticals, cosetics and many other
industries. Azo dyes, which are aromatic
compounds with one or more (N=N)
groups, are the most important and largest
class of synthetic dyes used in commercial
applications . These dyes are poorly
biodegrabale.
O

Ref : Joutey N.T, Bahafid W., Sayel H., and

Ghachtouli N.E.. 2013. Biodegradation:
Involved Microorganisms and Genetically
Engineered Microorganisms.
"Biodegradation - Life of Science".
Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory, Sidi
Mohammed Ben Abdellah University,
Faculty of Science and Technics, Fez,
Morocco

Hydrocarbonoclastic
bacteria (HCB)
Definition:
The representative of this group is
Alcanivorax borkumensis; it's also the only
one to have its genome sequenced. This
species contains individual genes
responsible for breaking down certain
alkanes into harmless products. It also
possesses genes to direct the production
of a layer of biosurfactant around the cell
to enhance the oil emulsification. The
addition of nitrogen and phosphorus to
the Alcanivorax environment increases its
growth rate.
O

Ref : Atlas, Ronald M. 1995. Petroleum

biodegradation and oil spill
bioremediation. Marine Pollution
Bulletin :178-182.

Inoculum
O Definition :

A small amount of substance

containing bacteria from a pure
culture which is used to start a
new culture or to infect an
experimental animal.
O Ref : Inoculum. At

http://encyclopedia2.thefree
dictionary.com/inoculum ,
Accessed on 26th October
2017

Ligninolytic Enzyme

Limiting nutrients

O Definition :

O Definition:

enzyme that are involved

in the degradation of the
complex and recalcitrant
polymer lignin.
O Ref : At

link.spinger.com/chapte
r/10.1007%2F978-14020-99427_22#page-1 Accessed
on 31th October 2016

at any given time, one or the other

of these nutrients may be the
hardest nutrient for a plant to
acquire and therefore be the only
nutrient that is limiting the plant's
growth. For example, Phosphorous
and nitrogen.
O Ref : Nutrients - Phosphorus &

Nitrogen. At
http://educators.btnep.org/sub
sites/water/estuarywater/pollut
ants/nutrients.aspx Accessed
on 26th October 2016

Methanogenic crude
oil biodegradation
O Definition :

A process of Microbial conversion

of residual crude oil (i.e. oil that
remains in a reservoir post primary
production) to biogenic CH4, is
one potential lower CO2-emitting
energy resource.

Micrococcus and
Rhodococcus
O Definition :

Aside from hydrocarbons, crude oil

contains additional toxic
compounds, such as pyridine
which degraded by this two
microorganism.
O Ref : Atlas, Ronald M. 1995.

O Ref : Selton J.L., McIntosh J. C.,

Warwick P. D. and McCraya J. E..

2016. Impact of formation
water geochemistry and crude
oil biodegradation on microbial
methanogenesis. Organic
Geochemistry. 98: 105117

Petroleum biodegradation and

oil spill bioremediation. Marine
Pollution Bulletin :178-182.

Mineralisation
O Definition:

refers to the complete

degradation of molecules that
resulted in the excretion of
completely oxidized
metabolites (CO2, N2, CH4,
H2O).
O Ref: Dussud, Claire, and

Ghiglione J. F. 2014.
Bacterial degradation of
synthetic plastics. CIESM
Workshop Monograph. 46.

Oxidative
O Definition :The deposit

that forms on the

surface of a metal as it
oxidizes.
O Ref: Oxidative. At

http://www.dictionary.c
om/browse/oxidative?s
=ts Accessed on 30th
October 2016.

Pleurotus eryngii
Definition:
saprophytic mushroom that is
taxologically related to Basidiomycota,
Agaricomycetes, Agaricales,
Pleurotaceae, and Pleurotus. This
fungus can produce ligninolytic
enzymes such as laccase, MnP, and the
H2O2-generating enzyme aryl-alcohol
oxidase (AAO).
O

Ref : Chang B.V. and Chang Y. M.

2016. Biodegradation of toxic
chemicals by Pleurotus eryngii in
submerged fermentation and solidstate fermentation. Journal of
Microbiology, Immunology and
Infection. 49(2): 175181

Polycaprolactone
(PCL)
O Definition:

is a biodegradable polyester with a

low melting point of around 60 C
and a glass transition temperature
of about 60 C. The most
common use of polycaprolactone is
in the manufacture of speciality
polyurethanes. Polycaprolactones
impart good water, oil, solvent and
chlorine resistance to the
polyurethane produced.
O Ref: Polycaprolactone, At

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P
olycaprolactone Accessed on
30th October 2016.

Radionuclides
Definition:
a radionuclide is an atom with an
unstable nucleus, characterized by
excess energy available to be imparted
either to a newly created radiation
particle within the nucleus or via
internal conversion.
O

Ref : Joutey N.T, Bahafid W., Sayel

H., and Ghachtouli N.E.. 2013.
Biodegradation: Involved
Microorganisms and Genetically
Engineered Microorganisms.
"Biodegradation - Life of Science".
Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory,
Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah
University, Faculty of Science and
Technics, Fez, Morocco

Respirometers
O Definition :

Computer-controlled respirometers
can be used for more advanced BOD
testing, biodegradation
assessments, bioremediation
testing, and toxicity screening
studies. These instruments precisely
supply and measure oxygen
concentrations needed to sustain
biological reactions in liquids or
semi-solids within reactors over
extended periods of time.
O Ref : Respirometry, At

http://www.ebsbiowizard.com/pro
ducts/respirometry/ Accessed on
31th October 2016

Respirometry

The Dissolved Oxygen

Uptake Rate (DOUR; mg
O2/L/h) test

O Definition :

O Definition :

a technology used to measure

and interpret oxygen
consumption in the biomass as
total consumption or rate of
consumption in a biological
wastewater treatment plant.

measures the respiration rate

of microorganisms by
calculating how quickly the
biomass consume the oxygen.
This test can be completed in a
matter of minutes and gives us
an idea about how much BOD
is available for respiration.

O Ref : Respirometry. At

http://www.ebsbiowizard.co
m/products/respirometry/
Accessed on 31th October
2016

O Ref : Respirometry, At

http://www.ebsbiowizard.co
m/products/respirometry/
Accessed on 31th October
2016

The Specific Oxygen

Uptake Rate (SOUR)

Trade effluent

O Definition :

O Definition :

is the DOUR standardized to

the biomass of the solution; it
is defined as the milligram of
oxygen consumed per gram of
volatile suspended solids (VSS)
per hour (mg O2/g VSS/h).

any non-domestic wastewater

produced from a commercial or
industrial premises. It does not
include wastewater from
flushing toilets, kitchens and
hand washing.

O Ref : Respirometry, At

O Ref : Waste services,

http://www.ebsbiowizard.co
m/products/respirometry/
Accessed on 31th October
2016

https://www.southernwater.c
o.uk/what-is-trade-effluent ,
26th October 2016

Zeolite

Bioleaching

O Definition :

O Definition:

a family of naturaly occuring

volcanic minerals with unique
physical and chemical
characteristic.

the process of using bacteria to

dissolve metals instead of
chemical solutions. Bioleaching
has been used to dissolve
metals such as nickel, copper,
zinc, cobalt, gold, lead, arsenic
and others.

O Ref : At

www.stcloudmining.com/wh
at-is-zeolite.html Accessed
on 31th October 2016

O Ref : Bioleaching, At

http://www.pythongroup.ca/
mining-news/article/id/56
Accessed on 31th October
2016

Microfungi
Definition :
are described as a group of organisms
that constitute an extremely important
and interesting group of eukaryotic,
aerobic microbes ranging from the
unicellular yeasts to the extensively
mycelial molds.
O

Ref : Joutey N.T, Bahafid W., Sayel

H., and Ghachtouli N.E.. 2013.
Biodegradation: Involved
Microorganisms and Genetically
Engineered Microorganisms.
"Biodegradation - Life of Science".
Microbial Biotechnology Laboratory,
Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah
University, Faculty of Science and
Technics, Fez, Morocco

Nitrification
O Definition :

a microbial process by which

reduced nitrogen compounds
(primarily ammonia) are
sequentially oxidized to nitrite
and nitrate.
O Ref : Environmental

Protection Agency,
Nitrification, At
https://www.epa.gov/sites/p
roduction/files/201509/documents/nitrification_
1.pdf Accessed on 31th
October 2016

Plant growth promoting

rhizobacteria (PGPR)

Rotifers

O Definition:

O Definition:

are naturally occurring soil bacteria

that aggressively colonize plant
roots and benefit plants by providing
growth promotion.

are microscopic aquatic

animals of the phylum Rotifera.
Rotifers can be found in many
freshwater environments and in
moist soil, where they inhabit
the thin films of water that are
formed around soil particles.

O Ref : Joutey N.T, Bahafid W.,

Sayel H., and Ghachtouli N.E..

2013. Biodegradation: Involved
Microorganisms and Genetically
Engineered Microorganisms.
"Biodegradation - Life of
Science". Microbial Biotechnology
Laboratory, Sidi Mohammed Ben
Abdellah University, Faculty of
Science and Technics, Fez,
Morocco

O Ref : Introduction to the

Rotifera. At
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.e
du/phyla/rotifera/rotifera.ht
ml Accessed on 31th
October 2016