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Biotechnology |
| Environmental Biotechnology |
| Environmental biotechnology is used in waste treatment and pollution prevention. It is used to clean up many wastes more efficiently than by using conventional methods. It also greatly reduces our dependence on methods for land-based disposal. The useful applications of environmental biotechnology are listed below: |
 | Control of feral pests such as foxes, mice, rabbits and control of exotic weeds |  | | Removal of heavy metals such as arsenic from soil using selected modified plant | | Conversion of waste into useful products, such as manure into source of energy | | Treatment of solid waste and waste water | | Detection, removal and treatment of toxins in water, air, food and soil | |
| Industrial Biotechnology |
| Industrial biotechnology applies techniques of modern molecular biology to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impacts of industrial processes like textile, paper and pulp, and chemical manufacturing. For example, industrial biotechnology companies develop biocatalysts, such as enzymes, to synthesize chemicals. Enzymes are proteins produced by all organisms. Using biotechnology, the desired enzyme can be manufactured in commercial quantities. |
| Manufacturing and Bio-Processing |
| Plants produce compounds for use in detergents, nylon, glue, paints, lubricants and plastics | | Biomaterials in marine plants that reduce marine fouling and resist mould or bacteria | | Sugarcane and oilseed plants tailored to become ‘biofactories’ to produce alternatives to plastics an other compounds made from petrochemicals | | “Glue” from frogs for biomedical uses | |
| Mining |
| Leaching of ores from waste heaps, using bacteria | | Use of biological approaches to extract and recover metals from ores (known as biomining), and control acid drainage | | Coal bioprocess to improve ways of cleaning coal and converting it for chemical and energy uses | |
| Agriculture |
The greatest use of biotechnology has come in the area of agriculture and forestry. Some of them are given below:
| Crops with improved disease resistance | | Herbicide tolerant and insecticide-resistant crops | | Sugarcane that utilizes nitrogen more efficiently which reduces the need to fertilize, potentially reducing off-farm impacts in waterways | | Plants with improved nutritional value for livestock, such as lupins with an added sunflower gene that makes a sulphur-rich protein to boost wool and meat | | Plants genetically modified to produce oils with increased amounts of omega-3 fatty acids | | New vaccines and diagnostic tests for animal diseases | | New pasture plants that are more digestible, improving animal health | | Better protection for sheep against parasites | | Cattle bred to be resistant to ticks and mastitis | |
| Bio-Applications |
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