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Welcome back to The Environmental Review Podcast. Today, we’re heading to Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal—a waterway better known for its century-old industrial sludge than for anything alive. But beneath its murky surface, scientists have found something remarkable: a thriving community of microbes that have evolved an arsenal of pollution-fighting genes.
A new study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology shows these microbes can break down petroleum products, PCBs, heavy metals, and more—offering clues to cleaner, more sustainable ways to restore polluted waterways. This genetic toolkit could become the basis for bioremediation methods that are cheaper, faster, and far less disruptive than massive dredging operations.
Joining me today is Caroline Chou, a researcher on the project whose work bridges cutting-edge DNA analysis and environmental restoration.
