China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Microbial Remediation of Persistent Organic Pollutants
Published in Narendra Kumar, Vertika Shukla, Persistent Organic Pollutants in the Environment, 2021
The primary requirement for any successful bioremediation process is the presence of an adequate microbial population and catabolic activity of any introduced microbes (Cutright and Ziya, 2012, Heinaru et al., 2005). An organic compound will be degraded to a measurable extent only if the bioremediating organism has enzymes that catalyze the compound’s breakdown. For example, studies show that to enhance DDT degradation, microbes with DDT-metabolizing ability like ligninolytic fungi or chlorobiphenyl-degrading bacteria should be introduced to the soil (Aislabie et al., 1997). It has also been reported that degradation of pesticides in situ is usually achieved by a consortium of microbes rather than a single species (Aislaibe and Jones, 1995). Lately, biomolecular engineering has developed to improve microbial efficiency in bioremediation applications. For example, natural evolutionary processes may give rise to microorganisms that can dehalogenate dichloro pentadiene in due time, but this may take several years or even decades. Biomolecular engineering can be applied to shorten this process by developing a novel enzyme that can carry out the reaction. (Ang et al., 2005).
FDA History and Relevant Non-Device Regulations
Published in Paul H. King, Richard C. Fries, Arthur T. Johnson, Design of Biomedical Devices and Systems, 2018
Paul H. King, Richard C. Fries, Arthur T. Johnson
Drug development at the current time is both university driven and industry driven. University programs with such monikers as “Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry,” “Pharmacology,” “Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering,” “Biotechnology,” etc., study drug development, drug sensitivity and resistance, cell signaling, nanoprobe development, toxicity of materials, etc. Most major drug companies run both in-house and university collaborative programs. Most drugs in current use are based upon historical precursors and variations on known chemical libraries that have a bio-effect, as will be mentioned below. Many biotechnology firms not only deal with working on interactions with our own personal genetic makeup, but also that of other animal and plants in the development of new drugs, vaccines, and processes.
What Are Chemical Engineering and Biomolecular Engineering?
Published in Victor H. Edwards, Suzanne Shelley, Careers in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 2018
Victor H. Edwards, Suzanne Shelley
The professions of chemical engineering and biomolecular engineering are very similar; they use many of the same processing methods to create industrial- or commercial-scale quantities of new chemicals, biochemicals, medicines, fuels, specialty materials, and more. In fact, some believe that the name “chemical engineering” covers all types of materials. We will maintain the distinction between chemical engineering and biomolecular engineering because there are a few important differences in the processes employed across these two disciplines. Figure 1.3 is a photo of two engineers reviewing plans in a process plant.
Molecular swarm robots: recent progress and future challenges
Published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 2020
Arif Md. Rashedul Kabir, Daisuke Inoue, Akira Kakugo
Over the last decade, we have witnessed enormous progress in the development of artificial molecular machines, as exemplified by the 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry [1,2]. An ability to manipulate molecules has greatly facilitated the recent development of artificial molecular machines which have been proved promising in performing specific tasks. With such progress, a new paradigm towards molecular robotics has emerged through the fusion of various fields, thanks to the latest innovations in supramolecular chemistry, nanotechnology, chemical engineering, biomolecular engineering, etc. [3–13]. The artificial molecular machines have been proved effective in accomplishing various tasks like molecular robots, i.e. a device or a system which can perform tasks autonomously by assessing its surrounding based on a program or information provided. Molecular robots have been reported to be useful in oligomer synthesis [14,15], switching of product chirality [16,17], mechanically twisting molecules [18], molecular transportation [19] and moving a substrate between different activating sites to achieve different product outcomes from chemical synthesis [20]. In the latter case, the molecular robots possess programmability for stereoselective conversion of reactants into products in chemical reactions. Considerable efforts have also been devoted to fabricating nanocar or nanotruck with controlled motion from fullerene [21–23]. Swimming molecular robots energized by external magnetic fields have attracted attention in recent years that exhibited a variety of intriguing dynamic behaviors [24]. Apart from the many attempts based on synthetic or supramolecular chemistry, DNA nanotechnology and bioengineering also came up with great promises in the advancements of molecular robots [25] (Figure 1). DNA-based well-designed and robust molecular machines like DNA walkers [26], nanomotors [27], switches [28], nanorobotic arm [29], etc. have been fabricated that can perform specific functions at nanoscale. The DNA nanorobotic arm was synthesized from a six-helix DNA bundle connected to a DNA origami plate via flexible single-stranded scaffold crossovers [29]. The arm could be driven by externally applied electrical fields and can be used for transport of molecules or nanoparticles, which would be useful for the control of photonic and plasmonic processes.