Environmental Biotechnology Questions and Answers for Aptitude test focuses on “Microbial Adaptation to Pesticide Contaminated Environment”.
1. Which of the following can degrade pesticides reaching soil sediments?
a) Agricultural pesticides
b) Cow dung
c) Water
d) Biological agents
Answer: d
Clarification: Biological agents or chemical agents can help to degrade pesticides reaching soil sediments under the soil. Agricultural pesticides can cause pollution by its release into the environment causing damage to the surroundings. Cow dung is a natural fertilizer which helps in the proper growth of the plants and it cannot help in degrading pesticides, whereas, water doesn’t help in the process.
2. Which of the following factors doesn’t influence the decomposition of xenobiotic compounds?
a) pH
b) Temperature
c) Biota
d) Redox potential
Answer: c
Clarification: Redox potential, pH, ion concentration and temperature are the factors that influence the decomposition of xenobiotic compounds. These are the physiochemical forces that affect various xenobiotic compounds present in the environment. Whereas, biota refers to as plant life along with animal life.
3. Which of the following phenomenon is not involved in decomposition of the pesticides?
a) Photo-metabolism
b) Oxidation
c) Hydrolysis
d) Fermentation
Answer: d
Clarification: Photo-metabolism, oxidation, hydrolysis and reduction are the various phenomenon which together make up the biological and chemical phenomenon for decomposition of the pesticides by degrading it in the process. However, these phenomena cannot be distinguished under natural circumstances. Fermentation is not a pesticide degradation process that degrades the toxic compounds.
4. Which of the following can cleave the complex lipophilic pesticide molecule?
a) Microorganisms
b) Simazine
c) Benomyle
d) Cytotoxic drugs
Answer: a
Clarification: Simazine, Benomyle are basic insecticides used in the industry for production of insecticide in India, so, they are themselves categorized as toxic compounds and hence they do not degrade the complex lipophilic pesticide molecule, whereas, cytotoxic drugs are used as old expired medicines and hence, it’s not an insecticide. Microorganisms use enzymatic apparatus to cleave the complex lipophilic pesticide molecule, also, they are environment friendly.
5. Which method is not involved in degradation of the insecticides?
a) Oxidation
b) Oily sludge removal
c) Hydrolysis
d) Reduction
Answer: b
Clarification: Oily sludge removal is the process for removal of waste that accumulates in motor, it is basically a waste produced in the petroleum industry. Photo-metabolism, oxidation, hydrolysis and reduction are various biological and chemical phenomenon for decomposition of the pesticides, basically the complex lipophilic pesticide molecule.
6. Pesticides protect the Microflora.
a) True
b) False
Answer: b
Clarification: Pesticides do not protect the Microflora, they instead destroy them completely, which destroys the habitat. So, it is very important to use microflora to help degrade the insecticide and fungicides to protect the stored food in agricultural crop lands.
7. Which of the following type of pesticide is widely used in agricultural lands?
a) Acaricides
b) Nematicides
c) Fungicide
d) Herbicides
Answer: d
Clarification: Acaricides, nematicides, fungicide are the pesticides that helps to control mites, nematodes and fungus respectively, thereby killing the organism and decreasing their number, whereas, herbicides are the type of pesticides which are used to kill or control unwanted plants. This helps in choking of young trees and plants by weed growth.
8. Degradation of hydrocarbon is a co-metabolic phenomenon.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Degradation of lignocellulose, especially the toxic ones and the hydrocarbon are co-metabolic in nature, co-metabolic phenomenon usually depends on the simultaneous degradation of two compounds, where degradation of the one compound is dependent on the other compound.
9. Which of the following system is affected by micro pollutants?
a) Nervous system
b) Circulatory system
c) Heart
d) Digestive system
Answer: a
Clarification: The most affected part is nervous system which is affected by the micro pollutants. It of produces its activity by affecting the functioning of the nervous system. The molecule interferes with the activity of the ionic permeability of nerve cell membranes, whereas, circulatory system, heart, digestive system is not certainly affected by the organochlorine insecticide or micro pollutants.
10. Microorganisms can degrade micro pollutants.
a) True
b) False
Answer: a
Clarification: Microorganisms can degrade micro pollutants by alteration of microflora which can degrade micro-pollutants by isolating various microorganisms. Using microorganisms is more safe and environment friendly as they do not cause any side effects.