Sustainable Development Through Biotechnology

Biofuels derived from crops have become a more popular alternative recently.

Fremont, CA: Biotechnology is uniquely positioned to substitute more sustainable biological alternatives for polluting materials and chemical processes. This scientific field is based on millions of years of progression in which living beings have particularized in producing and recycling different compounds and materials. These biological processes can collapse waste and produce materials with less pollution, land, water, and energy intake than conventional methods.

Many applications where biotechnology could help with sustainability are virtually boundless. Nonetheless, some crucial areas where biotechnology is already having an effect.

Biofuels

Fossil fuels are the prior source of air pollution, which is counted to kill millions of people yearly. Therefore, biofuels derived from crops have become a more popular alternative recently. However, these crops are starting to compete for agricultural land, which may contribute to deforestation and uprising food prices.

Numerous companies are employing the natural ability of some microorganisms to degrade agricultural or forestry waste to produce fuels. This is one of the objectives of Global Bioenergies, a French company cooperating with Audi to produce gasoline from sustainable sources like wheat straw and wood chips.

Clariant, a Swiss company, is also working with Exxon Mobil to develop methods for converting agricultural waste into biodiesel. Other companies, such as Solaga in Germany and AlgaEnergy in Spain, are investigating the usage of algae to produce fuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide.

Enzymatic Detergents

One of the first utilization of industrial biotechnology was stronger and more sustainable detergents. Novozymes, a Danish biotech giant, started selling the first enzymatic detergents in the 1960s. They are composed of specialized enzymes derived from microorganisms that can break down molecules that cause hard stains, like blood and fat. Moreover, enzymatic detergents, unlike chemical alternatives, are decomposable.

New generations of enzymatic detergents have turned increasingly effective over time. One important advantage is that they can work at lower temperatures, reducing the energy expended on laundry. Similarly, enzymatic detergents can clean medical equipment more absolutely and efficiently than traditional cleaning solutions.