Environmental Biotechnology

IntroductionEnvironmental

biotechnology is the solving of environmental problems through the application of biotechnology.

Why environmental biotechnology?It is needed to:

eliminate the hazardous wastes produced by our other technologies.

distinguish between similar species and ensure species are not at risk of extinction.

create alternative energy sources (i.e. Biofuel).

Current Areas of Research

1) Molecular EcologyUsing biological techniques (i.e. DNA

fingerprinting) to better understand aspects of nature.

This is done to look at the biodiversity of different populations to ensure they are not at risk of going extinct (cheetahs and polar bears currently).

It can be used to determine if a new species has emerged and also better map the evolutionary development of different families of animals (horses and whales currently).

1) Molecular Ecology

Reading a DNA fingerprint Biofuel exaggeration

2) BioremediationBioremediation is the use of

bacteria (or fungi) to clean up hazardous environmental wastes.

The bacteria essentially turn the dangerous waste products into less hazardous, easy to dispose of, waste.

Plants are also being tested in some areas to do this job (Sunflowers at Chernobyl removed Cesium and Strontium).

2) BioremediationBioremediation has been

used to clean remains from military sties and in the arctic and has been used to clean up after oil spills off of Alaska.

Currently, this science can “engineer” bacteria to break down hazardous waste right at the workplace to avoid transport and storage.

3) Biosensors A biosensor uses a

biological entity (i.e. bacteria) to monitor levels of certain chemicals OR uses chemicals to monitor levels of certain biological entities (i.e. pathogens).

3) Biosensors Current uses of

biosensors include:Detecting levels of

toxins in an ecosystem

Detecting airborne pathogens (i.e. anthrax)

Monitoring blood glucose levels

4) BiofuelsA biofuel is a plant derived

fuel that is deemed more environmentally friendly that current fuel sources as they all release less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Ethanol from corn is placed in many gasoline varieties in North America.

Biodiesel is fuel made from used cooking oil.

Biogas is made from gases released by compost or a landfill.

4) BiofuelsThe current project of many

biofuel scientists is aptly nicknamed “A Journey to Forever”, creating a self-sustaining biofuel cell that gives off no greenhouse gas emissions.

Many different bacterial strains can produce lots of hydrogen under anaerobic conditions.

This hydrogen can be used as a fuel source with the only waste product being oxidized hydrogen… water.

This technology has not been perfected yet.