Download Environmental Biotechnology

Introduction
 Environmental
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).
1) Molecular Ecology
 Using 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) Bioremediation
 Bioremediation 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) Bioremediation
 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.
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) Biofuels
 A 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) Biofuels
 The 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.
Homework
1) Define the following terms: environmental
biotechnology, biofuel, biofuel cell, bioremediation,
biosensor
2) What positive impacts do you feel environmental
biotechnology will have on the Canadian
environment? Explain.