As for my last blog, plants extracting arsenic from soil, I
have found a new article with somewhat the same concept, except instead of
using Arabidopsis, a member of the
mustard family, researchers have begun to use a French Hybrid Aspen tree, Populus leuce. Researchers have used an
enzyme called, cytochrome P450 2E1, that is found in humans and animals and
have genetically inserted into the genetic instruction of the hybrid aspen tree
using bacteria. The
enzyme is known for breaking down contaminates in the liver, but produces
radicals that are harmful to humans.
Once the enzyme was genetically inserted, the effects of this enzyme was astounding, researchers found
that the aspen tree’s carrying the gene extracted the contaminant out of the
water 53 times faster then the unaltered ones.
Not only was it able to absorb a variety of contaminated but it also
increased the tree’s ability to absorb residual chloroform deposits left over
in clean drinking water.
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ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting news however you mentioned that the enzyme is harmful to humans. Because of this, I only wonder about the affects of the trees on humans while they are being used to eliminate pollution. Would these trees pose any sort of threat to a population's health having been made with the enzyme? I mean, if the enzyme is normally harmful to humans how healthy would it be to introduce it to clean drinking water? I'm interested to see where this study goes and more information that is developed regarding it and its health risks, whether they be pros or cons.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I read on this article, it is only harmful IF this enzyme is digested and not properly processed in the liver. From what I have read they were still testing to see what actually happens, but i think since it is metabolizing in plants, the toxins will be stored in the plants and all you have to do is chop the tree and burn it, re-plant and test the soil to see if the toxins are out.
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