Question

How can we use bacteria to benefit us?

Answer 1

Beyond landmines, bacteria can help us detect pollution in a similar way -- glowing when they come into contact with a certain chemical. Researchers have been working on this kind of technology for some time, but it has only begun being used in the field in the last few years.Bacteria can not only keep us healthy, it can also keep us safe. Scientists have devised a way to make bacteria glow when close to a landmine. Through a technique called BioBricking, scientists manipulate the DNA of bacteria and mix it into a colorless solution, which can then be sprayed in areas where landmines are suspected to exist. The solution forms green patches when it is in contact with soil, and will begin to glow if it is next to an undetonated explosive. It could make eradicating landmines far easier and safer.
Not only is oil clean-up a benefit from bacteria, but also nuclear waste clean-up. More specifically, it's thanks to a bacterial we usually try to avoid as much as possible: E. coli. Researchers have found that E. coli can recover uranium from tainted waters when working alongside inositol phosphate. The bacteria breaks down the phosphate, which can then bind to uranium and attach to the bacteria. The bacteria cells are then harvested to recover the uranium. The technology can be used to clean polluted water near uranium mines as well as help clean up nuclear waste.