Environmental biotechnology

Environmental biotechnology

2. Environmental biotechnology
Solving of environmental
problems through the
application of biotechnology.

3. Environmental microbiology
Study of microbial interactions, microbial processes
and microbial communities in the environment.
Environmental microbiology includes:
Study of
Structure and activities of microbial communities.
Microbial interaction and interaction with macro-organisims.
Population biology of microorganisms.
Microbial communities genetic and evolutionary processes.
Element cycles and biogeochemical processes.
Microbial life in extreme and unusual environment.

4. 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).

6. 1. Molecular Ecology
Molecularecologyistheuseofmoleculargenetictoolstostudyecological
questions.TechniquessuchasmicroarraysandDNAmarkersareusedto
studytheinteractionsanddiversityofnaturalpopulations.
Usingbiologicaltechniques(i.e.DNAfingerprinting)tobetterunderstand
aspectsofnature.
Thisisdonetolookatthebiodiversityofdifferentpopulationstoensurethey
arenotatriskofgoingextinct(cheetahsandpolarbearscurrently).
Itcanbeusedtodetermineifanewspecieshasemergedandalsobettermap
theevolutionarydevelopmentofdifferentfamiliesofanimals.

7. Reading a DNA fingerprint
Biofuel exaggeration

8. 2. Bioremediation
Bioremediationistheuseofbacteria(orfungi)tocleanup
hazardousenvironmentalwastes.
Thebacteriaessentiallyturnthedangerouswasteproducts
intolesshazardous,easytodisposeoffwaste.
Plantsarealsobeingtestedinsomeareastodothisjob
(SunflowersatChernobylremovedCesiumand
Strontium).

9. In North America,
bioremediation has been used to
clean up Canada’s DEW line sties
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.

10. 3. Biosensors
Abiosensorusesa
biologicalentity(i.e.
bacteria)tomonitorlevels
ofcertainchemicalsOR
useschemicalstomonitor
levelsofcertainbiological
entities(i.e.pathogens).

11. Current uses of biosensors
include:
Detecting levels of toxins
in an ecosystem
Detecting airborne
pathogens (i.e. anthrax)
Monitoring blood glucose
levels

12. 4. Biofuels
A biofuelis a plant derived fuel that is deemed more
environmentally friendly that current fuel sources as they all
release less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Ethanolfrom corn is placed in many gasoline varieties in
North America.
Biodieselis fuel made from used cooking oil.
Biogasis made from gases released by compost or a landfill.

13. Thecurrentprojectofmanybiofuelscientistsisaptly
nicknamed“AJourneytoForever”,creatingaself-sustaining
biofuelcellthatgivesoffnogreenhousegasemissions.
Manydifferentbacterialstrainscanproducelotsofhydrogen
underanaerobicconditions.
Thishydrogencanbeusedasafuelsourcewiththeonlywaste
productbeingoxidizedhydrogen…water.
Thistechnologyhasnotbeenperfectedyet.