This article talks about how we can filter out pesticides using genetically modified bacteria.
In this chapter we learned that researchers can introduce cloned genes into oocytes, fertilized eggs, and embryonic cells to produce animals that carry the cloned genes. An organism that carries genes that were introduced using molecular techniques, like gene cloning, are called transgenic. Another name for them is genetically modified organism.
E. coli is often used in research for many beneficial experiments. Researchers have found that a genetically modified bacteria can be used in a biofilter to help remove pesticides, parathion, and methyl parathion from the air.
A group of researchers in Beijing used a biofilter with an engineered E. coli BL21 and found the removal efficiencies of 95.2% for parathion and 98.6% for methyl parathion. Optimizing the system may allow for 100% removal. The team explained why their biofilter is better than the average, conventional biofilter. Their system was more effective, especially in the initial stages of filtering. They also explained how their biofilters work. The pesticides are broken down to p-nitrophenol as well as nitrate and sulfate byproducts. The byproducts are mineralized by other naturally occurring microbes present in the biofilter.
These two pesticides that these researchers have been focusing on are highly effective pesticides and contribute to more than a third of agricultural crop protection throughout the world. However, if they accumulate in the environment, they can seriously harm human health. This is why we are currently developing bioremediation of water and soil using bacteria that can break down these harmful compounds. These Beijing researchers focused on one aspect, air purification, using biofilters.
In this chapter we learned that researchers can introduce cloned genes into oocytes, fertilized eggs, and embryonic cells to produce animals that carry the cloned genes. An organism that carries genes that were introduced using molecular techniques, like gene cloning, are called transgenic. Another name for them is genetically modified organism.
E. coli is often used in research for many beneficial experiments. Researchers have found that a genetically modified bacteria can be used in a biofilter to help remove pesticides, parathion, and methyl parathion from the air.
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| Biofilters use living material to capture and biologically degrade process pollutants. |
A group of researchers in Beijing used a biofilter with an engineered E. coli BL21 and found the removal efficiencies of 95.2% for parathion and 98.6% for methyl parathion. Optimizing the system may allow for 100% removal. The team explained why their biofilter is better than the average, conventional biofilter. Their system was more effective, especially in the initial stages of filtering. They also explained how their biofilters work. The pesticides are broken down to p-nitrophenol as well as nitrate and sulfate byproducts. The byproducts are mineralized by other naturally occurring microbes present in the biofilter.
These two pesticides that these researchers have been focusing on are highly effective pesticides and contribute to more than a third of agricultural crop protection throughout the world. However, if they accumulate in the environment, they can seriously harm human health. This is why we are currently developing bioremediation of water and soil using bacteria that can break down these harmful compounds. These Beijing researchers focused on one aspect, air purification, using biofilters.
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