What Has Prevented Genetically Engineered Microbes From Cleaning Up The Sea?

Microbial bioremediation is defined as the process by which micro-organisms degrade or transform hazardous organic compounds into non-toxic substances. A variety of microorganisms are capable of efficiently degrading toxic compounds and xenobiotic in the environment have either been isolated or engineered. Since naturally occurring microorganisms are not capable of degrading all toxic chemicals genetically engineered microorganisms have been the essential for bioremediation.

The first genetically engineered microbe was created by Ananda Chakrabarty in 1971; the microbe was an alternative form of the genus Pseudomonas and was capable of breaking down crude oil. These microbes as well as another, Deinococcus radiodurans (the most radiation-resistant organism) were not used for bioremediation because of public concern and regulations. In the 1980s-1990s many biomed companies began and increased research into genetic engineering. Due to high technical costs and difficulties involved in regulation a switch from companies to academics. There have been very few field trials for the use of genetically engineered microbes for bioremediation; therefore there is a need for this type of research to be moved from the lab to the field. The United states EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) started regulating genetically engineered microbes 30 years ago and have not been commercialized, this is due to possible reasons such as cost or complexity.

There was high resistance from the public and scientists to unleashing modified microbes for bioremediation due to a variety of risks. One major concern is containment, specifically ‘how can microorganisms be contained following completion of the bioremediation process?’ these concerns come from the potential of genetically engineered microorganisms to disrupt the environment they persist in after the desired pollutant has been depleted. Containment of the microbes, involves programming the death of genetically engineered microorganisms after the depletion of the concerning pollutant. This removes the risk and associated concerns of use, generally associated with introducing genetically engineered microorganisms into the environment.

These proposals were made by the authors to resolve the failure of the research to commercialization cycle in the use of genetically engineered microorganisms for bioremediation:

• The EPA should emphasize risk stratification in the use and application of genetically engineered microorganisms for bioremediation in its TSCA regulations.
• Scientists working on bioremediation research should take note of existing regulatory frameworks at the onset of their research in order to facilitate their application and commercialization of their research products.  The EPA should not presume that all genetic manipulation is high risk and focus their regulatory effects on high risk organisms and their uses.
• Regulations should continually be updated by to the EPA to take into account the rapidly evolving containment technologies and new information in genetic engineering development.
• Scientists should focus efforts on the application of technical safeguards in the design of GM microbes for bioremediation. 
• The EPA should initiate programs that support start-up bioremediation companies to try their product in field trials.

This paper is analyses why there is a gap present between the research and commercialization of microorganisms in bioremediation. The application of genetically engineered microbes in bioremediation requires safeguards (containment) and assessment of risks (risk-based regulation) of each genetically modified microorganism and the surrounding environment. A noticeable issue in commercializing genetically engineered microbes was the inadequacy of biotechnology to contain the genetically modified bacteria once released; this may however improve with time and funding. 

I found this paper to be very thorough in research; it provided a background and was sectioned well. For further research into this area of study it would be interesting to include limitations different countries have on the use of bioremediation microbes and possibly any case studies showing the harm a genetically engineered bacterium has been known to cause in the past and whether incidences like ‘The Deep-water Horizon oil spill’ has increased the research and funding since 2010.

Ezeizika, O.C., Singer, P.A. (2010), Genetically engineered oil-eating microbes for bioremediation: prospects and regulatory challenges, Technology in society, Volume 32, Pages 332-335