Ethics of Sustainable Development – a Study of Swedish Regulations for Genetically Modified Organisms

In spite of stricter provisions inthe new EU directive on deliberate release ofgenetically modified organisms (GMOs), criticsstill advocate a moratorium on permits forcultivation of GMOs. However, in an attempt tomeet concerns raised by the public, thedirective explicitly gives Member States thepossibility to take into consideration ethicalaspects of GMOs in the decision-making. Thisarticle investigates the potential effects ofsuch formulation by means of an empiricalanalysis of experiences gained the last yearsfrom similar Swedish regulations for GMOs,aiming at promoting sustainable development.The faulty implementation shown in the Swedishcase indicates that legal stipulations forethics as such have limited importance. It issuggested that public participation is animportant factor for successful implementationof the ethics of sustainable development.     

Genetically Modified (GM) Crops: Precautionary Science and Conflicts of Interests

Risk governance of GM plants and GMfood products is presently subject to heatedscientific and public controversies. Scientistsand representatives of the biotechnologyindustry have dominated debates concerningsafety issues. The public is suspicious withregard to the motives of scientists, companies,and political institutions involved. Thedilemmas posed are nested, embracing valuequestions, scientific uncertainty, andcontextual issues. The obvious lack of data andinsufficient information concerning ecologicaleffects call for application of thePrecautionary Principle (PP). There are,however, divergent opinions among scientistsabout the relevance of putative hazards,definition of potential ``adverse effects,' andwhether actions should be taken to preventharm. The reliance on the concept ofsubstantial equivalence in safety evaluation ofGM food is equally controversial. Consequently,value assumptions embedded in a scientificframework may be a barrier for employment ofthe PP. One of our major conclusions is thatprecautionary GMP usage requires riskassessment criteria yet undeveloped, as well asbroader and more long-term conceptions of risk,uncertainty, and ignorance. Conflicts ofinterest and public participation are otherissues that need to be taken intoconsideration. GMP governance regimes that arejustifiable from a precautionary and ethicalpoint of view must transcend traditionalscientific boundaries to include alternativescientific perspectives as well as publicinvolvement.     

You Are What You Eat: Genetically Modified Foods, Integrity, and Society

Thus far, the moral debateconcerning genetically modified foods (GMF) hasfocused on extrinsic consequentialist questionsabout the health effects, environmental impacts,and economic benefits of such foods. Thisextrinsic approach to the morality of GMF isdependent on unsubstantiated empirical claimsand fails to account for the intrinsic moralvalue of food and food choice and theirconnection to the agent's concept of the goodlife. I develop a set of objections to GMFgrounded in the concept of integrity andmaintain that food and food choice can beintimately connected to the agent's personalintegrity. I argue that due to the constitutionof GMF and the manner in which they areproduced, such foods are incompatible with thefundamental values and integrity of certainindividual moral agents or groups. I identifythree types of integrity that are threatened byGMF: religious, consumer, and integrity basedon certain other moral or metaphysical grounds.I maintain that these types of integrity aresufficiently important to provide justificationfor political and societal actions to protectthe interests of those affected. I conclude byproposing specific steps for handling GMFconsistent with the moral principles ofinformed consent, non-maleficence, and respectfor the integrity of all members of society.They include mandatory labeling of GMF, theimplementation of a system for control andregulations concerning such foods, andguaranteed provision of conventional foods.     

Respecting The Autonomy of European and American Consumers: Defending Positive Labels on Gm Foods

In her recent article, “Does autonomy count in favor of labeling genetically modified food?,” Kirsten Hansen argues that in Europe, voluntary negative labeling of non-GM foods respects consumer autonomy just as well as mandatory positive labeling of foods with GM content. She also argues that because negative labeling places labeling costs upon those consumers that want to know whether food is GM, negative labeling is better policy than positive labeling. In this paper, we argue that Hansen’s arguments are mistaken in several respects. Most importantly, she underestimates the demands of respecting autonomy and overestimates the cost of positive labeling. Moreover, she mistakenly implies that only a small minority of people desire information about GM content. We also explore the extent to which her arguments would apply to the US context, and argue that any discussion of the relationship between autonomy and labeling should include not just considerations of consumer autonomy but also considerations of what we call citizen autonomy.     

植物对纳米颗粒的吸收、转运及毒性效应

随着工程纳米颗粒的广泛使用,这些纳米材料不可避免地进入环境,对环境造成未知影响.植物是高等生物暴露于纳米颗粒的一条主要途径,工程纳米颗粒可能通过食物链使其在高营养水平生物中积累.植物与纳米颗粒间的相互作用应该受到关注和重视.已有的文献表明纳米颗粒能被植物选择性地吸收并引起植物毒性,但纳米颗粒进入植物体内的机制仍不明确.多数关于植物吸收纳米颗粒的研究是在理想条件如水培实验下开展,并且集中在植物的种子发芽或是幼苗生长阶段.描述纳米颗粒在植物体内的生物转化和在植物体内分配的报道较少,而且这方面的机制没有阐述清楚.目前有许多研究者关注纳米颗粒的植物毒性效应,但这方面的研究需要进一步深入.     

Science and the Consequences of Mistruct: Lessons from Recent GM Controversies

In 2001, it was announced thattransgenic DNA had introgressed intotraditional strains of maize in Mexico. Acontroversy erupted and raged throughout 2001and 2002. This episode represents an acutebreakdown in scientific discourse. Given thestakes in the genetically modified organismdebate, a breakdown in scientific discourse isalarming. The following inquiry looks into thecauses of this breakdown. Ultimately, it willbe argued that the underlying problem is thecurrent institutional structure of science,particularly in the United States. If thediagnosis is correct, then the proper course oftreatment is to pursue a program ofinstitutional reconstruction.     

重组荧光假单胞菌BioP8在环境中消长动态与安全性评价

通过选择分离培养和PCR鉴定,对转苏云金芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)杀虫蛋白基因荧光假单胞菌BioP8及其天然受体菌P303在温室自然土壤和田间大白菜根际、叶面的环境生存竞争能力进行研究.结果表明,在温室自然土壤中,可培养细菌总量在108 CFU/g土(湿重)左右,40 d内P303和BioP8群落总量分别能维持在105 CFU/g土(湿重)和104 CFU/g土(湿重)左右,100 d后检测不到残留; 在大白菜根际,可培养细菌总量在1010 CFU/g根(湿重)左右,30 d内P303和BioP8可维持在106 CFU/g根(湿重)和105 CFU/g根(湿重),75 d后检测不到残留; 在大白菜叶面,可培养细菌总量在103～106 CFU/ cm2叶片之间波动,处理后3 d的供试菌菌量迅速由105 CFU/ cm2叶片降至最低(103 CFU/cm2叶片和102 CFU/cm2叶片左右),之后回升并以(104和103)CFU/ cm2叶片维持一段时间(第5-15 d),30 d检测不到残留.P303及其工程菌株在温室自然土壤、田间大白菜根际和叶面的定殖时间至少分别为60 d、50 d和15 d,它们的消长动态相似,在温室自然土壤、田间大白菜根际的定殖能力明显强于叶面,BioP8定殖能力弱于出发菌P303.     

玉米联合固氮耐铵工程菌Enterobacter gergoviae-7(E7)在不同载体及玉米根际的存活规律

以草炭、腐植酸和水为载体接种玉米联合固氮耐铵工程菌Enterobactergergoviae -7(以下简称E7)制备菌剂 ,在常温条件下放置 5dE7菌数在载体内明显增加 ,1mo后E7菌数略有下降 ,2mo后E7菌数急剧下降 ,半年后E7活菌数降至n(CFU) =5 .0× 10 6～ 93.0× 10 6g- 1 ,3种菌剂中菌数的变化趋势一致 ,E7菌数残留量 :草炭菌剂 >液体菌剂 >腐植酸菌剂 ;用草炭菌剂拌种在生长 2 0d的玉米根区 (包括根系和根际土壤 ) ,E7菌数达到最大值 ,以后E7菌数下降 ,至灌浆期玉米根际未能检测到E7;不同接种方法试验结果表明 ,以草炭菌剂拌种 +种下 2cm穴施使玉米获得最高增产率 .(表 3)     

水平基因转移及其在污染修复中的应用

水平基因转移加速了部分生物体基因组的进化和革新;但随着基因改造生物的大量运用,由水平基因转移引起的生态安全问题越来越成为人们争论的焦点.由于大量异生污染物的产生,污染地区成为细菌水平基因转移的一个"热点"区域.为了实现污染地区的生物修复及强化难降解废水处理的效果,人为的制造和加快特定降解基因的水平转移被认为是解决这些问题的一个新思路.图2参57     

海洋酸化与重金属、有机污染物和人工纳米颗粒的联合毒性效应研究进展

由于大量人类活动的影响,大气CO_2浓度持续增加,其中约1/3被海洋吸收,导致表层海水pH值降低和碳酸盐平衡体系波动,即"海洋酸化"现象。污染物的海洋环境效应一直是全球环境科学领域研究的热点。在实际环境中,海洋酸化往往与污染物共同存在并作用于海洋生态系统,且海洋酸化极有可能改变污染物的海洋环境行为从而影响其毒性效应。但现有研究大多针对海洋酸化或者污染物单独作用下的毒性效应展开,对海洋酸化与污染物的联合毒性效应的研究不足、亟待加强。为此,综述了近年来海洋酸化与典型污染物(重金属、有机污染物)及新型污染物(人工纳米颗粒)的相关文献,重点阐述了海洋酸化对污染物环境行为的影响和海洋酸化与污染物对海洋生物的联合毒性效应,指出当前的研究不足,并对未来的研究方向进行了展望。