Objective Summarize the use of biotechnology applications in the field of environmental science.

A.Biotechnology Applications in Environmental Science 1.Bioremediation- the use of living organisms to remove environmental contaminants from water or soil. a.Often utilizes plants to take absorb contaminants through the root system- phytoremediation. b.Bacteria are also often used in bioremediation activities.

Ex. The use of bacteria to clean oil spills from ocean water.

c. Pytoremediation- specialized type of bioremediation utilizing plants to clean soil and water in contaminated sites. i.Often used to clean heavy metals at Superfund Sites ii.Much cheaper than normal methods of soil removal and incineration. (The process is however much slower than incineration.) iii.Can utilize a variety of plants from small sedges and grasses to large shrubs and trees.

2.Immunoassay tests- tests utilizing antibodies produced in various animals to test for the presence of antigens in an environment or organism. a.Rabbits, Guinea Pigs & other small animals are often used to produce antibodies. b.Can be used to indicate the presence of specific pollutants, viruses, bacteria, and a variety of other harmful compounds. c.Tests can be stored for long periods of time if unopened.

3.Indicator species- plant or animal used to indicate increasing levels of contaminants or antigens in an environment. a.Often used to prevent dangerous levels of exposure to important plants or animals in a habitat or area- ESPECIALLY HUMANS.

b. Examples i.Specialized fragile algae to measure pollutants in water sources. ii.The use of canaries in early mining operations to indicate the presence of carbon monoxide or other noxious gasses.

c.Biosensors have recently begun to replace indicator species. i.Biosensors are more exact- able to measure extremely small changes in a given environment. ii.Often linked to advanced remote computer monitoring stations.

4.Biological Controls- methods utilizing naturally occurring organisms or compounds to control plant and animal pests. a.Decrease the need of harmful chemical pesticides and herbicides. b.Often utilize genetically engineered organisms to kill or resist harmful organisms. c.Examples i.The use of predatory insects (ladybugs) to control insect pests (aphids) ii.The use of geese to control weeds and insects in a production orchard.

5.Biofuels- alternatives to fossil fuels produced from organic matter. a.Two Common Varieties i.Ethanol- alcohol based fuel produced from the fermentation of grains and other crops. a.Intended for use in specialized gasoline engine vehicles. b. Burns cleaner than traditional petroleum based gasoline c.Lessons dependency on oil & provides alternative use for excess crops.

ii. Biodiesel- fuel produced from the inclusion of certain additives into recycled vegetable oil. a.Can be utilized in any diesel engine (old or new). b.Consists of almost pure vegetable oil- gets better fuel efficiency than traditional diesel, and has almost no harmful emissions. c.Exhaust smells like french fries.

Objective Describe the impact of biotechnology on sustainability

A. Biotechnology in Increasing Sustainability 1. Sustainable Agriculture utilizes resources (plants and animals) that may be quickly replaced with little or no environmental impact. a. Example- increased use of insect resistant transgenic crops resulted in the use of 46 million pounds less pesticides.

2. Biotechnology techniques can be used to produce more versatile and effective organisms with increased speed. a. Cloning is often used to produce a large number of organisms useful for sustainable production. 3. Examples of Sustainable Resources a. Agricultural production of bamboo as an alternative to mature hardwoods (oaks, ashes, maples) in flooring and furniture. b. Production of rapidly reproducing bacteria to manufacture compounds usually extracted from endangered plants and animals. c. Increased use of biofuels produced from organic material (grains and other crops).

Maple Bamboo Oak Ash

B. Biotechnology Techniques for Environmental Preservation 1. Cloning, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and other reproduction techniques have been widely used to preserve and repopulate decreasing plant and animal populations. a. Enable scientists to use small amounts of genetic material to create new organisms for release in the wild. b. Example- the successful cloning of an endangered Asian Gaur, using a standard cow as a surrogate mother. 2. Cloning could eventually allow the researchers to produce extinct organisms from preserved genetic material.

Asian Gaur

C. Concerns over Biodiversity 1. The widespread use of cloning and controlled breeding has raised fears over decreasing genetic diversity. a. The creation of a monoculture, in which all organisms are genetically identical (or very close) can lead to devastation from disease or insects. i. Organisms will have no diversity in genetic resistance. 2. The use of genetically modified organisms with resistance to certain insects, or other organisms can INCREASE surrounding genetic diversity. a. Reduce the need for nonselective herbicides & pesticides, reducing the destruction of non-harmful insect & plants.

6872 Biotechnology and Agriscience Research II Unit H Environmental Science & Biotechnolgy Objective:14.03 Use scientific principles to conduct a simple experiment in contained bioremediation.

A. Experimental Principles in Bioremediation: 1. Organism Selection a. A wide variety of organisms may be used in bioremediation, though certain varieties or species will be much more effective than others. i. Example- aerobic bacteria may need oxygenation to function in water, and photosynthetic organisms will need a consistent source of light to function at full efficiency. b. Researchers should conduct a literature review prior to selecting organisms for use or trial.

2. Experimental Variables: a. Altering the temperature, moisture content, and pH of soil or other host material can greatly impact the effectiveness of organisms in bioremediation. b. Control Group- used for comparison of in bioremediation experiments. i. Should utilize the same contaminated environment, under the same environmental conditions, with no organisms added.

3. Monitoring Bioremediation Success: a. Immunoassay tests can be used to monitor the success of bioremediation efforts. i. Generally accurate, but can be time consuming and are not perfect. ii. Digital probes are more accurate, take less time, and can provide real time monitoring capabilities. iii. Some organisms, such as bacteria, produce gases as byproducts while functioning. b. Gasses can be trapped using a simple balloon over the opening of a beaker. (More exact methods can be used, but are often more complicated and expensive.)