Herramientas Biotecnológicas

Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Biotechnology Research International
Volume 2012, Article ID 450802, 26 pages
doi:10.1155/2012/450802
Review Article
Biotechnological Tools for Environmental Sustainability:
Prospects and Challenges for Environments in Nigeria—A
Standard Review
Chukwuma S. Ezeonu,1 Richard Tagbo,1 EphraimN. Anike,2
Obinna A. Oje,3 and Ikechukwu N. E. Onwurah3
1 IndustrialBiochemistry and Environmental Biotechnology Unit, Chemical Sciences Department, Godfrey Okoye University,
P.M.B. 01014, Enugu, Nigeria
2Pure and Industrial Chemistry Unit, Chemical Sciences Department, Godfrey Okoye University, P.M.B. 01014, Enugu, Nigeria
3Pollution Control and Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
Correspondenceshould be addressed to Chukwuma S. Ezeonu, chuksmaristos@yahoo.com
Received 13 June 2011; Revised 13 December 2011; Accepted 13 December 2011
Academic Editor: Manuel Canovas
Copyright © 2012 Chukwuma S. Ezeonu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, providedthe original work is properly
cited.
The environment is a very important component necessary for the existence of both man and other biotic organisms. The degree
of sustainability of the physical environment is an index of the survival and well-being of the entire components in it. Additionally,
it is not sufficient to try disposing toxic/deleterious substances with any known method. The bestmethod of sustaining the
environment is such that returns back all the components (wastes) in a recyclable way so that the waste becomes useful and
helps the biotic and abiotic relationship to maintain an aesthetic and healthy equilibrium that characterizes an ideal environment.
In this study, the method investigated includes biological method of environmental sustainability which seeks toinvestigate the
various biotechnological tools (biotools) in current use and those undergoing investigations for future use.
1. Introduction
Biotechnological tools are those processes of bioscientific
interests that use the chemistry of living organisms through
cell manipulation to develop new and alternative methods
aimed at cleaner and more effective ways of producing traditional
products andat the same time maintain the natural
and aesthetic beauty of the environment. Biotechnology is
the current trend in production processes across the world, as
opposed to the conventional chemical synthesis of products.
The reason is due to the fact that biotechnological methods
are ecofriendly while the latter method adds pollutants and
waste into our environment. A lot of problemsassociated
with conventional methods of pollutant treatment by incineration
or landfills have given the impetus on the need for
alternative, economical, and reliable biological methods of
pollution treatments.
Chen et al. [1] enumerated vividly that environmental
biotechnology refers to the utilization of microorganisms
to improve environmental quality. Although the field of
environmentalbiotechnology has been around for decades,
starting with the activated sludge and anaerobic digestion
in the early 20th century, the introduction of new technologies
from modern microbiology and molecular biology
has enabled engineers and scientists to tackle the more
contemporary environment problems such as detoxification
of hazardous wastes through the use of living organisms.
As the earth’shuman population has increased, natural
ecosystems have declined and changes in the balance of
natural cycles have had a negative impact on both humans
and other living systems. Thus, there is abundant scientific
evidence that humanity is living unsustainably, and returning
human use of natural resources to within limits will require a
major collective effort [2]. Given the challenges of...