Researchers at Australia's Macquarie University have found a way to combat mercury pollution, which adversely affects both human health and ecosystems. Led by Kate Tepper, they genetically engineered zebra fish and fruit flies to convert harmful methylmercury into elemental mercury, which is less toxic and evaporates. Their modified zebra fish and fruit flies showed significant reductions in mercury levelsâ64% and 83%, respectively. The researchers suggest that these bioengineered organisms could help cleanse the food chain from mercury, offering a creative bioremediation method for this persistent environmental issue.
To try to make a dent in this problem, Tepper and her colleagues genetically engineered zebra fish and fruit flies so that they convert methylmercury... into the less harmful elemental mercury.
The modified zebra fish contained 64 percent less mercury than their unmodified counterparts, and the fruit flies had 83 percent less.
Tepper's team isn't the first to advocate bioremediation, the use of biological processes to clean up contamination... But those organisms can't reach the pollutants already inside fish.
By equipping animals with these enzymes, Tepper says, you're targeting mercury... directly within the creatures that are affected, providing a novel strategy for mitigation.
#mercury-pollution #bioremediation #genetic-engineering #sustainable-solutions #environmental-health
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