Biotechnology is compatible with sustainable agriculture

Biotechnology can provide appropriate new tools for use in solution of specific problems in sustainable agriculture. Its usefulness will depend in large part on the degree to which sustainable agriculturists understand the utility of biotechnology and apply it toward ends they deem important. Biotechnology can give little assistance to sustainable agriculture in the short term. It can be more useful in the medium term, and it could be highly useful in the long term as an integral part of the art and science of plant breeding and other components of sustainable agriculture systems.     

Developing the ethical matrix as a decision support framework: GM fish as a case study

The Ethical Matrix was developed to help decision-makers explore the ethical issues raised by agri-food biotechnologies. Over the decade since its inception the Ethical Matrix has been used by a number of organizations and the philosophical basis of the framework has been discussed and analyzed extensively. The role of tools such as the Ethical Matrix in public policy decision-making has received increasing attention. In order to further develop the methodological aspects of the Ethical Matrix method, work was carried out to study the potential role of the Ethical Matrix as a decision support framework. When considering which frameworks to apply when analyzing the ethical dimensions of the application of agri-food biotechnologies, it is important to clarify the substantive nature of any prospective framework. In order to further investigate this issue, reflections on the neologism “ethical soundness” of an ethical framework are presented here. This concept is introduced in order to provide more structured evaluations of a range of ethical tools, including ethical frameworks such as the Ethical Matrix. As well as examining the philosophical dimensions of the method, theoretical analysis and literature studies were combined with stakeholder engagement exercises and consultations in order to review the Ethical Matrix from a user perspective. This work resulted in the development of an Ethical Matrix Manual, which is intended to act as a guide for potential user groups.     

Taking Ethics into Account in Farm Animal Breeding: What can the Breeding Companies Achieve?

Animal welfare and the ethical issues it raises have been discussed intensively for a couple of decades. The emphasis has been on the direct effects of housing and husbandry, but more attention is now being given to problems originating in selective breeding. European attempts to adjust animal welfare legislation to deal with these problems have been largely unsuccessful, but the fact that selective breeding can introduce welfare problems continues to place an ethical responsibility on the animal breeding industry. Since breeding decisions are made centrally and, increasingly, internationally, strategic change is only likely to occur if it is embedded in an international agreement of some kind. The aim of this paper is to describe the key ethical issues facing animal breeding and assess the suggestion that the breeding industry itself can deal with ethical issues by means of an ethical code. Results from recent projects involving commercial breeding enterprises are presented.     

Including Public Perspectives in Industrial Biotechnology and the Biobased Economy

Industrial (“white”) biotechnology promises to contribute to a more sustainable future. Compared to current production processes, cases have been identified where industrial biotechnology can decrease the amount of energy and raw materials used to make products and also reduce the amount of emissions and waste produced during production. However, switching from products based on chemical production processes and fossil fuels towards “biobased” products is at present not necessarily economically viable. This is especially true for bulk products, for example ethanol production from biomass. Therefore, scientists are also turning to genetic modification as a means to develop organisms that can produce at lower costs. These include not only micro-organisms, but also organisms used in agriculture for food and feed.The use of genetic modification for “deliberate release” purposes, in particular, has met great opposition in Europe. Many industrial biotechnology applications may, due to their scale, entail deliberate releases of GM organisms. Thus, the biobased economy brings back a familiar question; is it ethically justifiable, and acceptable to citizens, to expose the environment and society to the risks associated with GM, in order to protect that same environment and to sustain our affluent way of life? For a successful innovation towards a biobased economy, its proponents, especially producers, need to take into account (take responsibility for) such issues when developing new products and processes. These issues, and how scientists can interact with citizens about them in a timely way, are further explored in projects at Delft University and Leiden University, also in collaboration with Utrecht University.     

应用生物技术净化硝酸尾气小试

针对氮肥生产中排放的硝酸尾气中主要污染物 Ｎ Ｏ Ｘ,利用脱氮硫杆菌生物处理工艺对氮氧化物进行了治理,使排入大气中的氮氧化物的含量由原来２ ０００ ～５ ０００ ×１０ － ６ ｍｇ／ Ｌ 降到５００ ×１０ － ６ ｍｇ／ Ｌ 以下,处理后的硝酸尾气中氮氧化物浓度远远低于国家标准,且处理后的菌液可以综合利用,具有较大的环境效益和经济效益．     

Labeling Products of Biotechnology: Towards Communication and Consent

Recently, both consumers and producers ofbiotechnology products have insisted thatcommunication between the two be improved. The formerdemand more democratic participation in the riskassessment process of biotechnology products. Thelatter seek to correct misinformation regardingalleged risks from these products. One way to resolvethese concerns, I argue, is through the use ofbiotechnology labels. Such labeling fosters consumerautonomy and moves toward more participatory decisionmaking, in addition to ensuring that informed consentfrom consumers is maintained. Furthermore, althoughvoluntary biotech-free labeling in lieu of biotechlabels may uphold consumer sovereignty, the latterremains a more effective strategy for achievingethical communication between consumers and producersof biotechnology products.     

城市污泥厌氧消化产沼气资源化研究

系统地综述了我国城市污泥处置与利用的现状和趋势,并重点讨论了污泥厌氧消化产沼气的可行性,介绍了提高消化速度的先进技术以及生物法沼气脱硫技术.认为污泥厌氧消化产沼气的资源化利用是符合我国国情的,并将成为我国污泥处置与利用的一种有效途径.     

环境生物技术的应用及发展趋势

环境生物技术在环境治理中起着越来越重要的作用，环境治理要依赖对生物，尤其是对微生物及其生理，生化特性的了解和认识，从而可以对其生理，生化和遗传方面的性能加以利用。文章重点论述了环境生物技术在这些方面的应用及发展趋势。     

Biotechnology: the ultimate cleaner production technology for agriculture?

There has been much discussion regarding the potential environmental benefits and hazards associated with agricultural biotechnology. Some argue that it can eliminate the need for a wide range of material inputs such as pesticides and herbicides. Others argue that it will increase the demand for non-sustainable and potentially hazardous ‘agri-business' practices. We test these claims against the cleaner production approach. Although we found that pressures to accept this technology are strong enough to overcome initial resistance, we also found that biotechnology, as it applies to agriculture, is not consistent with a cleaner production approach due to the high level of risk. We suggest that this type of technology adds an additional dimension to the cleaner production argument.     

污水处理生物技术的应用

针对环保要求日益严格，而水源污染却越演越烈的现象，选择性地综述了湿地工艺、固定化藻类和活性污泥等生物技术在污水处理中的应用实例及其在净化废水、减轻水体富营养化方面的显著作用。三项生物技术的共同特点是高效快速、低耗节能、简易实用、管理方便且能耐受高负荷污水的冲击。净化污水主要通过基质的过滤吸附、微生物的分解代谢、植物根系或藻类的吸收利用等理化和生物的协同作用。确保和提高污水净化效果的关键因素是：湿地系统——水力负荷与停留时间、有机污染物负荷、根系发达的植物种类；固定化藻类——载体的传导性能和孔径、校固定藻类的细胞粒径、密度和生长状态、藻类生长的最适pH和温度条件；活性污泥技术——单位体积内好气性微生物的浓度及其与其他活性生物的比例、活性污泥的循环速度与回用、系统中的溶氧浓度和好气条件。