Genetically Engineered Organisms Brochure
Ramana Anand
Due: November 24th by 5:00pm
Answer the questions below using the following websites (additional research may be
required).
o Environment and Nature News. (n.d.) Toxin-munching plants a step
closer. Retrieved March 15, 2006 from
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/enviro/EnviroRepublish_921973.
htm
o United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.) Using superplants to clean
up our environment. Retrieved March 15, 2006 from
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jun00/form0600.htm
1. How does phyto-engineering or phytoremediation harvest heavy metals from
soil?
The plants suck up the heavy metals from the soil and store it in their parts. It has
been found that the plant does not evenly store it all over its body, but it stores
concentrated amounts in their leaves and roots.
2. What is meant by phytoextraction? What is an added benefit of this process?
Phytoextraction is a process by which plants extract harmful metallic waste from
the soil. The added benefit is that it is very easy to implement in remote areas,
and plants will remove those toxins from the soil.
3. What are some environmental problems caused by heavy metals?
Heavy metals can interfere with biological processes in nature. The metals can
form redox reactions with H2O2 and O2, and it can render it useless for living
creatures.
4. What human activities have resulted in the collection of heavy metals in soil?
Humans are involved in this process because the waste form the factories and
industries are let out in rivers and soils. There can be heavy metals form sewage
treatment plants etc.
5. What are some global impacts of these environmental problems?
When these plants release harmful toxins into the environment, they are actually
polluting the whole earth because when the toxins go into water, it will harm the
fish, and other aquatic creatures.
6. What are some of the current high tech solutions to the environmental problems
you stated?
Some companies have implemented GPS controlled computer software to
monitor the levels of harmful toxins in the air and in the water.
7. What are the human impacts associated with phyto-engineering and how do
those human impacts relate to biotechnical engineering?
When humans bioengineer plants to suck up toxins from the earth and store it in
their roots, there will be reduction of toxins from the environment. This a is very
cheap and efficient solution to the current problem that we face today.
Answer the questions below using the following websites (additional research may be
required).

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/04/110405-nsf-oilsomasundaran-video/

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/08/study-oil-eatingmicrobes-plentiful-in-gulf-oil-spill.html
1. What is bioremediation and what role do engineers play in the process of
bioremediation?
It is “the branch of biotechnology that uses biological process to overcome
environmental problems”. Engineers are the people who design the biological
system by which problems can be solved.
2. Explain how the following engineers work together during the bioremediation
process: chemical engineers, environmental engineers, genetic engineers, and
civil engineers.
Genetic engineers identify problems at the molecular level and they
communicate with chemical engineers, they both communicate to environmental
engineers to learn about how it can be applied to the environment, and when
they have their plan they call the civil engineers to implement it.
3. What impact does bioremediation play on the environment and society as a
whole?
Bioremediation uses biological processes to solve problems that we face today. It
can help reduce harmful pollutants in the atmosphere and in the environment. It
can help reduce many harmful diseases in the society.
Answer the questions below using the following websites (additional research may be
required).

http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml
1. What is genetically modified/engineered food?
Genetically modified foods refer to the foods that are modified by engineers at the
molecular level.
2. What are some potential benefits to these types of foods?
It has many potential benefits for example, it can help improve the shelf life of the
foods, it can make them bigger, it can help them taste better.
3. What are some potential concerns to these types of foods?
People believe that this can be harmful because this type of food has not been
tested for a long period to know the potential trouble it can have.
4. What are some medical ideas researchers have for these foods?
Medical researchers are trying to add vitamins and minerals to these foods so
that all the dietary requirements can be met with small amount of food. They are
also trying to replace vaccine shots with bananas, so that eating a GM banana
will equal taking a vaccine shot.
Using the information you have collected design a brochure to display the information to
any common individual. This brochure is best created using the brochure template in
Microsoft Publisher. Your brochure should include the following:
Brochure on a different document.
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_____ Information on phytoremediation (15 pts)
_____ Information on bioremediation (15 pts)
_____ Information on GMOs (15 pts)
_____ Information on a GMO you will create (15 pts)
o Get creative here and include design, potential uses, and benefits of
your product
_____ Pictures that help to explain your information(10 pts)
_____ Creativity and aesthetics (10 pts)
_____ All questions from above answered and posted on weebly (20 pts)
*** This is due by 5:00pm on November 24th (that
is the Sunday before we return to school).***