Ask A Scientist© Biology Archive

Author:      deenaharper
Text:        In my studies, I have found that everything in this world is 
balanced.  When something dies it is converted into life.  Is there anything 
out there that could convert radioactive material into a harmless substance?  
Some sort of bacteria that consumes radiation?

Response #:  1 of 2
Author:      wizkid
Text:        The reason why radiation is so harmful is that is produces free 
radicals in living tissue, that is, it de-stabilizes molecules by tearing off 
electrons due to intense energies.  These free radicals start a chain reaction 
of destruction, de-stabilizing neighboring molecules.  If this continues 
unchecked, cells die, genetic material are mutated, and tissue aging 
accelerates.  It is somewhat like being burned.  Fire oxidizes by a similar 
free radical reaction.  (Hence the term "sun burn.")  The natural defenses 
against free radical reactions in biological systems are antioxidants, which 
are enzymes, nutrients, and other chemicals, which quench free radical 
reactions.  Without them, life would very quickly cease.  To my knowledge, no 
microorganism has an antioxidant capacity great enough to withstand even 
minimal exposure to any type of radiation.  Microorganisms are actually very 
susceptible to radiation, which is why heat and gamma irradiation are used to 
sterilize food, instruments, etc.  However, you raise an interesting 
possibility in that perhaps one can be genetically engineered to have super-
antioxidant capacity, but that may be beyond current technology.  Plus, if any 
got loose, given the exponential rate of reproduction, they may become an 
uncontrollable health hazard, as it would be very difficult to destroy them!



Response #:  2 of 2
Author:      profbill
Text:        Unlikely, I would think.  Organisms convert one type of molecule 
into another, like proteins into sugars etc., but do not act at the level of 
individual atoms, where the property of radioactivity resides.  So even if 
they had superantioxidant capability, I do not think they would be equipped to 
do the job metabolically.