Developing plants to eat chemical waste

[AOTANI, Masayasu]

Remembering a Chimp Known for Her Use of American Sign Language
Also: Experts suggest early autism testing for all babies. And scientists are developing plants to eat chemical waste. Transcript of radio broadcast:
19 November 2007

 

Finally, scientists have developed plants to remove harmful chemical wastes from soil near military or industrial centers.  The process is called phyto-remediation.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published two reports about the process on its web site. 

 

Scientists describe how they used a special kind of plant to take up a chemical that results from military and manufacturing operations.  The plants were products of genetic engineering.  Their genetic information has been changed. 

 

One report describes a study of a chemical called RDX.  The lead writer of the report was Liz Rylott of the University of York in Britain.  She says RDX is often found in places where there was an explosion or where weapons have been stored. 

 

Professor Rylott says RDX is important for explosives.  She says it does not break down naturally.  The chemical instead leaks into the soil and threatens water supplies.

 

Professor Rylott and her team collected soil from military training areas.  They found bacteria that were able to break down RDX themselves and use it as their food supply.  Her team identified the gene in the bacteria that breaks down RDX.  They changed the genetic information so that enough of the gene can be produced to attack the harmful wastes.

 

Professor Rylott says the next step is to use this technology to create grasses that can grow in military training areas.  A likely test area for the bacteria is the Massachusetts Military Reservation in the northeastern United States.  The use of RDX has been restricted there because of its threat to drinking water supplies.

 

But some scientists say there could be serious problems.  Terry Hazen is the head of the Center for Environmental Technology at the Energy Department's Lawrence Livermore Laboratory in Berkley, California.  He says something has to be done with the plants after they take up chemical wastes from the soil.  He warns that the plants could be carried away or spread by insects and animals. 

 

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS program was written by Brianna Blake, Soo Jee Han and Caty Weaver.  Brianna Blake was our producer.  I'm Bob Doughty.

 

And I'm Barbara Klein.  Read and listen to our programs at voaspecialenglish.com.  Join us again at this time next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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