Australasian Biotechnology,
Volume 8 Number 4, July/August 1998, pp. 228-234
Conference Paper: Innovations and Broad Horizons for Environmental
Biotechnology
Gary S. Sayler
Code Number:AU98031
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Text: 27K
Graphics: Line drawings (gif) - 29K
Over the next thirty years, it has been predicted that worldwide
markets for
environmental technology will exceed $400 billion annually. These markets
are extremely
broad and are encompassed by a vision of environmental sustainability.
Within this vision,
environmental biotechnology can play a distinct role. Yet, this role is not
clearly defined and
the market share that environmental biotechnology can capture remains
unpredictable. What is
clear, is that environmental biotechnology has opportunities to contribute
new solutions and
directions in remediation of contaminated environments, minimizing future
waste release and
creating pollution prevention alternatives. To take advantage of these
opportunities,
innovative new strategies, which advance the use of molecular biological
methods and genetic
engineering technology, must be developed. These methods would improve the
understanding
of existing biological processes in order to increase their efficiency,
productivity, and
flexibility. Examples of the development and implementation of such
strategies include: 1) the
use of recombinant organisms in soil bioremediation, 2) genetic and
molecular process
monitoring and control for optimization of waste treatment systems,
bioprocessing and
bioremediation, and 3) novel gene discovery technology and wireless
integrated circuit
biosensor biotechnology for direct environmental analysis, and system
improvement. While the
research and development landscape is expected to shift from bioremediation
technology to
more complex topics in environmental sustainability, the resulting
transition creates enormous
opportunities for innovative biotechnical approaches to capture a
significant share of the future
environmental technology market.
Copyright 1998 Australian Biotechnology Association Ltd.
