GRAY BIOTECHNOLOGY: APPLICATIONS, ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES - BIOLOGY - 2025

The gray biotechnology is one composed of all direct applications of biotechnology to the environment, ie, it is focused on creating technology solutions that help protect the ecosystem.

This branch of biotechnology has as its ultimate goal the sustainability of the planet, human beings and ecosystems, through the development of biotechnological resources of energy and microbiological origin.

Gray biotechnology focuses on reducing the main environmental problems Source: Pixabay

Gray biotechnology has two main aspects: the first, maintaining biodiversity and the second, eliminating pollutants such as heavy metals and hydrocarbons. Among the most notable advances that have been achieved through the use of microorganisms and plants are: soil decontamination, wastewater treatment, elimination of polluting gases and the reduction of heavy metals, hydrocarbons or degrading species of the biosphere, among others,

Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary approach that, through chemistry, biology, computer science and physics, uses biological systems or living organisms to develop or modify products and processes for a specific purpose. This term has been gaining popularity in recent years because its applicability is possible in very diverse sectors.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines biotechnology as follows: “application of scientific and engineering principles for the process of materials through biological agents, in order to obtain goods and services. These principles cover a wide variety of disciplines but are mainly based on microbiology, biochemistry, genetics and genetic engineering. '

The meaning of biotechnology colors

Commonly the classification of biotechnology has been done through the use of colors. For this reason, one can speak of a red, blue, green, brown and yellow biotechnology, in addition to gray.

Red biotechnology is linked to the area of ​​medicine and veterinary products. The blue is related to the exploitation of marine resources. The green is focused on the agricultural area. Brown biotechnology is dedicated to obtaining components and harnessing the resources of the desert. The yellow is the one referred to food production and nutritional control.

In the case of gray biotechnology, its processes can help soil sanitation, wastewater treatment, purification of exhaust gases and other pollutants, as well as the recycling of residual substances or waste.

Gray biotechnology applications

Gray biotechnology focuses on two large areas of action: the preservation of biodiversity and the elimination of pollutants.

Conservation of flora and fauna

With regard to the conservation of flora and fauna, this multidisciplinary approach focuses on the study of molecular biology and the performance of genetic analyzes of populations and species that make up ecosystems.

It is also in charge of comparing and classifying the species. Also through cloning techniques and genome storage technologies, species that are in danger of extinction can be preserved.

Waste reduction

With reference to reducing toxic waste, gray biotechnology makes use of microorganisms and plants to isolate and eliminate various substances such as heavy metals and hydrocarbons.

Living beings have the ability to degrade substances present in the environment through oxygen, which is known as aerobic biodegradation or in the absence of it, which is called anaerobic degradation.

They can also develop clean technologies for the treatment of hazardous waste for recycling or recovery. An example with which this application can be illustrated is through wastewater treatment plants, which carry out fermentation processes with the sludge obtained in their purification process. This product is usable for the generation of electricity and compost for gardening.

Bioremediation

It is one of the key processes of gray biotechnology. It consists of the use of living organisms to eliminate or neutralize contaminants in the soil or water.

Although different microorganisms are generally mixed, specific strains and genetically modified plants are sometimes developed to be used in bioremediation.

This process can be carried out in situ (stimulating the degradative capacities of the organisms present in the area) or ex situ (on material isolated from the environment).

Advantage

Bioremediation uses living organisms to remove or neutralize contaminants. Source: Pixabay

Gray biotechnology can be considered the most modern and recent technique with which pollution can be controlled, through effective waste management. The advantages that this entails are closer and more evident than it seems.

Crop yields are noticeably improved without excessive demand for resources, including less use of pesticides and harmful substances. This translates into increased agricultural productivity without increasing the ecological footprint.

Another of its advantages is that it favors the development of new non-polluting and renewable materials. In addition, it implies an improvement in industrial processes, making them cleaner and less polluting for workers and for the environment.

With the advances of gray biotechnology, problems have been solved that in the past would have been irremediable, too costly or complex.

For example, an oil spill that has entered the ground and could have affected the groundwater. In the past, the only alternative would have been to dig. Today, through bioremediation, this problem can be fought and nutrients can be provided through composting processes in a viable and simple way.

Disadvantages

Among the disadvantages that can be listed of gray biotechnology are undoubtedly the undisclosed unknowns. This multidisciplinary field is still quite incipient, so many doubts and questions have arisen that still have no answer.

This ignorance can have negative consequences in the medium or long term, so it must be implemented with caution.

Although it can bring many benefits, the benefits of gray biotechnology in the wrong hands or with uncontrolled uses could trigger the destruction of crops or species, as well as the spread of toxins that previously did not affect us.

The possibility of generating an imbalance in the ecosystem by altering or introducing new species is also often mentioned, everything that could directly or indirectly impact humans and our planet.

Another disadvantage may be the high costs involved in these technological developments, so that countries with fewer resources have little possibility of implementing their methods and obtaining their benefits.

References

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2. Canary Science. (sf). The colors of biotechnology. Recovered from Cienciacanaria.es
3. Environmental biotechnology. (2019, November 7). Wikipedia, The Encyclopedia. Recovered from wikipedia.org
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