126 • Impacts of Applied Genetics — Micro-Organisms, Plants, and Animals 
and the potential market was estimated to be as 
much as $200 milliond^ These estimates can be 
compared to Polybac’s own sales records. In 
1976, its first year, its sales totaled $0.5 million 
and in 1977, $1.0 million. It expects to reach $5 
million in 1981. 
To date genetically engineered strains have 
not been applied to pollution problems. At least 
one prominent genetic engineering company 
has decided not to enter the pollution control 
field, concluding that it was improbable that 
added microbes could compete with indigenous 
organisms. More specifically, the possiblity of 
liability problems make the approach even less 
attractive. Pollution control requires that “new” 
life forms be released into the environment, 
which is already seen as precariously balanced. 
Such new forms might cause health, economic, 
or environmental problems. The problems of 
liability that might arise from such applications 
are enough to deter entrepreneurs from con- 
templating work in the field at this time. 
An additional reason for the reluctance of 
some companies to engage in this activity is that 
the opportunities for making money are limited. 
Selling microbes, rather than their products, 
may well be a one-shot opportunity. The mi- 
crobes, once purchased, might be propagated 
by the buyer. Nevertheless, at least two small 
companies have announced that they are pursu- 
ing efforts to use genetic engineering. 
The low-key efforts in this field might accel- 
erate quickly if a significant breakthrough oc- 
curred. To date, no “new” organism has ap- 
peared that will degrade previously intractable 
chemicals. The effect of such a development 
might be enormous. 
Genetic research in pollution control 
The Oil and Hazardous Materials Spills 
Branch of EPA currently supports research 
aimed at isolating organisms to degrade three 
specific chemical compounds. The work is being 
carried out on contract; as of November 1979, 
no field trials of the organisms had been under- 
'^See footnote 8. 
taken. Two of the toxic chemicals, pentachoro- 
phenol and hexachlorocyclopentadiene, are 
relatively long-lived compounds and present 
long-term problems. A fungus and a bacterium 
that can degrade the first compound ha\ e been 
isolated,^® and Sybron/Biochemical already sells 
a culture specifically for pentachlorophenol 
degradation. The third toxic compound is meth- 
yl parathion. Its inclusion is more difficult to 
understand, since it is degraded within a few 
days after its application as a pesticide. 
Efforts have been made to isolate bacteria 
that can degrade (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic 
acid (2,4-D) and (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy) acetic 
acid (2,4, 5-T), the components of Agent 
Orange. Strains of the bacterium Alcaligenes 
paradoxus rapidly degrade 2,4-U, and the 
genetic information for the degradation acti\ ity 
has been located on a plasmid. The inv estigator 
who found that strain, while optimistic about 
the opportunities for isolating and transferring 
other resistance genes, has been unable to find 
a bacterium that degrades 2, 4, 5-1' oi' its very 
toxic contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodihenzo- 
para-dioxin (TCDD or dioxin). 
By far the best known research in this area is 
that of Dr. Ananda M. Chaki ahai ty who iMigi- 
neered two strains of Pseudonionas, each of 
which has the ability to degrade th(' four class(\s 
of chemicals found in oil spills, (diakrahartv 
began with four different strains of Pseudo- 
monas. None of them presented a threat to 
human health, and each could d(‘gi ade one of 
the four classes of chemicals. His research 
showed that the genes controlling the degi ading 
activities were located on plasmids, faking ad- 
vantage of the relative ease of moving such 
genes among bacteria, he produced two recom- 
binant bacteria. 
Chakraharty has presented ev idence that his 
bacterium degrades complex petioleum mix- 
tures such as crude oil or Bunkj'i’ (' " oil. and In* 
'^N. K. rhuma. P. K. O'Nrill, S (. Ili-msnliT .met H ^ V.ilrnlmf 
"Laboratory Feasil)ilily and Pilot Plant Stndii-s Novel ItiodeKi .id.i 
tion Processes for the Ultimate Dispos.il ol Spilli-d li.i/.n dme. 
Materials," National I-'.nv ironmi'nt Keseai c h I enti-i t s I muon 
mental Protection Af'eney, Cincinnati, Ohio, I!I7H 
‘“J. M. Pemberton, "Pesticide De^radin^ PlaMtiuK V lliolof;M .d 
Answer to Knvironmental Pollution by Phenow berim id< ' tei/.,,, 
8:202-20.';, 1979. 
