Biotechnology and the Environment

Applications of Biotechnology in Environment

• Biotechnology is a technology that uses biological systems to create or modify products.
• It helps reduce infectious diseases, saves lives of children, provides personalized medicine, and improves disease detection.
• The environment is comprised of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors. Environmental factors include physical, biological, and chemical components that sustain life and biodiversity.

Role of Biotechnology in Environment

• Biotechnology plays multiple roles in pollution prevention, remediation (repair), and monitoring the environment.
• Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi break down pollutants (e.g., oil spills).

Role of Microbes in Environment

• Bacteria perform nitrogen fixation and phosphate mobilization.
• Fungi act as decomposers and produce bio fertilizers/biopeticides.
• Algae remove CO2 and produce oxygen.
• Archaea recycle nutrients and decompose organic matter.
• Viruses help produce biopesticides and are useful for antiviral resistance.
• Microorganisms are preferred for their rapid growth, cost-effectiveness, diverse metabolic capabilities, and low maintenance.

History of Biotechnology in Environment

• Ancient civilizations (e.g., Egypt) used fermentation for food preservation (brewing, winemaking, breadmaking).
• The 19th century saw the development of pure cultured yeasts.
• The 20th century observed the discovery of organisms (e.g. Pseudomonas putida, Aspergillus Niger) that were used for biodegradation, and environmental remediation.
• The modern era involved the genetic engineering of microorganisms to enhance their ability to break down pollutants. Microbes are also used as biosensors to detect pollution.

Decomposition Processes

• Decomposition involves fragmentation, leaching, catabolism, and humification.
• These steps break down organic matter and release nutrients back into the soil.
• Organisms like insects, fungi, and bacteria contribute to decomposition.

Nitrogen Cycle

• The nitrogen cycle involves nitrogen fixation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification.
• Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms.

Carbon Cycle

• The carbon cycle involves photosynthesis, animal respiration, and decomposition.
• Plants take up atmospheric CO2 during photosynthesis. Animals release CO2 during respiration. Decomposition returns carbon to the atmosphere.

Applications of Biotechnology Applications

• Examples of biotechnology applications are biomarkers, biosensors, bioconversion, bioenergy, molecular ecology, and bioremediation.

Bioremediation

• Bioremediation is a branch of biotechnology that uses living organisms to remove contaminants.
• Organisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi, algae) are used to break down pollutants like hydrocarbons (in oil spills).
• Advantages of bioremediation include its sustainability, eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness.
• The main challenge is the slow process.
• There are in situ (in place) and ex situ (out of place) bioremediation methods.

Oil Spillage

• Petroleum is a mixture of organic compounds, heavy metals (including VOCs & PAHs).
• Oil spills cause harm to terrestrial and marine food chains.
• Examples include the Exxon Valdez and Tasman Spirit oil spills.
• Bioremediation can be used to clean up oil spills.

Bioaugmentation

• Involves introducing genetically enhanced microorganisms to an environment.
• Enhance efficiency in oil breakdown.

Biostimulation

• Improves the growth of indigenous microorganisms by adding nutrients to the environment.
• Improves the overall degradation process of pollutants within the environment.

Oil Degradation by Pseudomonas

• Pseudomonas bacteria produce biosurfactants and have enzymes (e.g., hydroxylase, oxygenase, dehydrogenase) to break down hydrocarbons.
• The TCA cycle is involved in hydrocarbon breakdown.
• Pseudomonas species can also degrade hydrocarbons in anaerobic conditions.

Enzymatic Activity

• This involves enzymes that break down hydrocarbons.
• Hydroxylase enzymes catalyze reactions like alkane addition with oxygen.
• Oxygenase enzymes break down aromatic hydrocarbons.
• Others are dehydrogenase and hydrocarbon oxidase enzymes.

Aerobic & Anaerobic Biodegradation

• Aerobic biodegradation utilizes oxygen as the electron acceptor.
• Anaerobic involves alternative electron acceptors such as nitrate or sulphate.

Adaptive Potential

• Pseudomonas bacteria possess genes that help them adapt to fluctuating conditions.
• Examples of these genes are XyIR, NahR, and Crc protein.

Genetic Modification of Microbes

• Genes can be transferred into microbes to enhance pollutant degradation.

Challenges

• Scalability, cost-effectiveness, public acceptance, regulatory frameworks, limited understanding, safety, collaboration, and data management are key problems that need addressing in environmental biotechnology.

Future Perspectives

• Gene editing, synthetic biology, biodegradation, bioaugmentation, phytoremediation, and bioreactors are some of the future areas in environmental biotechnology. Methods involved are in situ, ex situ, bioventing, biostimulation, etc.

Conclusion

• Biotechnology plays a vital role in addressing environmental issues by harnessing microorganisms and biotech innovations.
• Microbes can solve specific pollution issues through engineered functions for degradation purposes.