Most Bacteria are more beneficial to living things than simply causing diseases. Bacteria are single-celled, or simple, organisms that are invisible to the naked eye. Many bacteria are found both inside and outside of organisms, including humans. Bacteria are also found on surfaces and in substances like water, soil, and food, making them key players in the Earth’s ecosystems. (healthline.com)
Most Bacteria are good for humans. For example, the bacteria in human bodies help food consumption by degrading the food eaten. Bacteria also help make nutrients available to humans and neutralize toxins in the human body. Besides that, the microbiota has an essential role in defending the human body against infections by protecting the colonized surfaces from invading pathogens. Likewise, animals also have microbiomes in their bodies that are essential for their living. Bacteria help many animals to digest their food. Some Bacteria also help trees grow and have a crucial role in the recycling of nutrients in the environment.
Bacteria can also be used in practical applications. There are existing microbes that help humans in their households as household products. Products like the formation of curd, yogurt, cheese, paneer, and many more. Microbes have been successfully used for remediation in petrochemical plants, chemical plants, refineries, food processing plants, marine barges, truck washes, wood treating plants, oil spill cleanup, soil decontamination, and groundwater remediation applications. (NCBI, 2019)
But Bacteria are still capable of delivering negative impacts, especially on humans. Since Bacteria are highly sensitive to changes in the physical and chemical environment surrounding them, they are known to be easily denatured or mutated. Bacteria have been known to cause major diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, pneumonia, and many more. It is essential to know and understand the importance of Bacteria in both the positive and negative impacts it provides.
References
1. “Essential for life”
https://www.reactgroup.org/toolbox/understand/bacteria/bacteria-are-essential for-human-life/
2. “Application of Microbial Cleaning Technology for Removal of Surface Contamination” by Rajiv Kohli
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7149890/
3. “Microbes in Household Products – Definition, Uses & Significance” by Sagarika Swamy https://www.embibe.com/exams/microbes-in-household products/
4. “Beneficial Bacteria” https://askabiologist.asu.edu/beneficial-bacteria 5. “The advantages and disadvantages of bacteria”
https://www.markedbyteachers.com/gcse/science/the-advantages-and
disadvantages-of-bacteria.html
6. “The Impact of Microbes on the Environment and Human Activities” by Kenneth Todar, PhD http://textbookofbacteriology.net/Impact.html
7. “What Is Bacteria? Good vs. Bad, Benefits, and Common Types” https://www.healthline.com
