We bury them underground, drown them in lagoons, or shove them out to sea—no matter how remote a site, it may be full of the toxic by-products of modern life. Nuclear waste and heavy metals are just some of the noxious residue of our everyday existence. To reverse the damage, scientists turn to both innovative technologies and peculiar organisms.
If they make their way into the groundwater, chlorinated wastes, like those found in dry-cleaning fluids and paint thinner, can cause liver problems and cancer in people. But some bacteria find these chemicals quite palatable: When Dehalococcoides ethenogenes comes in contact with the chemicals, it feasts on chlorinated compounds, converting them into harmless gases.
In the process of generating electricity, U.S. coal plants spew more than 70 million tons a year of a radioactive waste called fly ash. Now a Missouri company has found a way to turn the ash into ...
