Bioremediation in Other U.S. Departments and Agencies

Several other departments and agencies in the U.S. government are sponsoring bioremediation research programs or projects. The major programs are briefly described below. None of these programs, however, sponsor research or use bioremediation techniques to clean up radionuclides and complex mixtures of contaminants -- the central remediation issue facing the DOE.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

The goal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's environmental research is to acquire knowledge that will improve the management and protection of natural resources. The program addresses all aspects of agriculture, including forestry and aquaculture, with the aim of improving operational efficiency while minimizing negative environmental impacts. The research ranges from understanding the function of both natural and managed ecosystems to using bioremediation to degrade toxic pesticides.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

The Department of Commerce (DOC) sponsors research on bioremediation through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NIST has a new program concentrating on the use of cytochrome-producing microorganisms to dehalogenate hazardous compounds in contaminated soil or water. Bioremediation research, as well as research in many other fields, is also supported by NOAA through the National Marine Fisheries Service and the National Sea Grant College Program.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

The Department of Defense (DOD) supports research on bioremediation through the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the Army Research Office, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. The goal is the bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons, explosives, propellants, and organophosphates. Research has led to the cleaning of contaminated soils and sediments at military installations by biodegradative processes.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The Department of Health and Human Services supports basic and applied research in environmental biotechnologies through one of its institutes, the National Institute for Environmental Health Science (NIEHS). Areas of interest include the mechanisms of degradation and transformation of toxic chemicals mediated by microorganisms, bioremediation technologies, and biomarkers of toxic chemical interaction with humans and other animals.

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

The Department of Interior (DOI), through its Bureau of Mines and Geological Survey, awards specific contracts to examine the efficacy of bioremediation in addressing DOI needs. Primary emphasis is on metals and groundwater contamination.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

The Environmental Biotechnology Program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is researching bioremediation and engineering activities to clean up hazardous waste in the environment. Their research explores factors limiting biodegradation in the field and seeks to define the impact of waste characterization on biotreatment and the mechanisms controlling the rate and extent of biodegradation. The program also conducts research to translate biodegradation process concepts into well-engineered biosystems, develop in situ biostimulation and bioaugmentation delivery systems, and develop tools to assess performance and ecological and human health effects.

In addition to bioremediation research, the Agency also serves in an advisory function for States and EPA Regions that have technical questions related to bioremediation of specific hazardous waste sites. The Agency also has several partnership programs with industry and other Federal Agencies to develop commercial bioremediation technologies such as the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program (SITE) and the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable.

AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Agency for International Development (USAID) supports several small-scale research projects involving bioremediation. Examples include using petroleum dispersants in Jamaica and exploring bioremediation techniques to remove heavy-metal contamination of soil and water in Bulgaria.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research on bioremediation through its Engineering, Biological Science, and Biological Oceanography directorates. Most of this research is focused on the fundamental biology, genetics, and ecology of microorganisms used in bioremediation. NSF also supports targeted efforts that combine basic research with field testing in cooperation with private industry, such as research conducted at the Center for Microbial Ecology at Michigan State University.

STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The EPA, DOD, and DOE have developed the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) to address problems of mutual concern. Bioremediation is one of a number of topics addressed in research programs funded by SERDP. In particular, SERDP sponsors the National Center for Integrated Bioremediation Research and Development. The Center is operated by the University of Michigan and is located at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan. At this national center, integrated research is conducted on bioremediation of mixtures of contaminants common to DOD and many industrial facilities, including petroleum hydrocarbon mixtures, solvents, heavy metals, and PAHs.