How are decomposers used in the treatment of sewage?

Answer 1

Decay is an essential life process that digests food or waste matter and recycles materials. Materials from living things decay because they are digested (broken down) by microorganisms. These microorganisms cause decay by releasing enzymes that break down compounds to be absorbed by their cells.

Bacteria and fungi are the main groups of decomposer.

Factors affecting decayThe factors that affect the rate of decay include:

• moisture
• temperature
• amount of available oxygen.

Microorganisms are more active and digest materials faster when they are in moist, warm and aerobic conditions. They will digest materials more slowly in dry, cold and anaerobic conditions.

CyclesSome of the substances released during decay are needed by plants for healthy growth. In a stable community of living things, processes that return substances to the environment (such as decay) are balanced by the processes that remove and use substances. In this way, the substances are continuously recycled.