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Marine Biotechnology in the Twenty-First Century Problems, Promise, and Products (2002) / Chapter Skim
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Environmental Aspects of Marine Biotechnology: Overview of the 1999 Workshop
Pages 29-36

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From page 29...
... The 1999 workshop identified several areas where there are serious needs and exciting opportunities for biotechnology to improve our understanding of the marine environment to better ensure its protection (National Research Council, 20001. These areas include the bioremediation of oil and other spills, the health of coral reefs and other marine environments, and potential threats to human health caused by toxic blooms and microbial contamination.
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From page 30...
... and anaerobic dredge spoil may release heavy metals if allowed to become aerobic without appropriate containment (National Research Council, 19971. Bioremediation can potentially offer cost-effective and environmentally appropriate treatments for these troublesome situations.
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From page 31...
... Outbreaks of harmful algal blooms, such as the toxic Pfiesteria in North Carolina and then the Chesapeake Bay in the late 1990s, caused near hysteria in the press (Magnien, 20011. In spite of substantial efforts, controversy still exists over whet causes these outbreaks, although excess inorganic nutrients in the water seem to play a role (National Science and Technology Council, 20001.
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From page 32...
... HUMAN HEALTH One of the primary concerns in public health is the risk that humans using the marine environment will encounter microbial pathogens, especially from human excrete (Griffin et al., 20011. Unfortunately, the diversity of potentially harmful microorganisms is so great that routine monitoring for pollution relies on the search for "indicator organisms." Historically, these indicators have been used because they are conservative, they occur with high concentrations of pathogens, and they cannot replicate in the environment (Griffin et al., 20011.
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From page 33...
... plague type II contributing to the decline of coral reefs in U.S. waters.
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From page 34...
... Similar tools will be essential for understanding coral-reef diversity as restoration proceeds. · Develop genomic and other modern molecular techniques to monitor potentially toxic species, such as dinoflagellates, and human pathogens in the marine environment, so that potential outbreaks of disease can be predicted and eventually prevented.
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From page 35...
... 2001. Human health risks of exposure to Pfiesteria piscicida.
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From page 36...
... Shoreline bioremediation following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. Journal of Bioremediation 1 :97- 104.
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Key Terms

  • marine environment
  • algal blooms
  • harmful algal
  • modern molecular
  • marine biotechnology

  • molecular tools
  • marine environments
  • healthy marine
  • technology council
  • oil spill

  • molecular techniques
  • major spills
  • environmental applications
  • exxon valdez
  • protect human

  • environmentally appropriate
  • oil spills
  • bioremediation strategies
  • black band
  • toxic organisms

  • toxic dinoflagellates
  • testing discussed
  • exciting opportunities
  • toxicological testing
  • mesocosm simulation

  • tests involve
  • bioremediation offers
  • initial spill
  • potentially offer
  • initial outbreaks


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