CEEFAX 2 142 Wed 29 Dec 12:56/43 ************ ************************** * *** *** ** ************ **** ************ ***************** 6/7 BACTERIUM ENGINEERED TO EAT TOXIC WASTE US scientists have biologically engineered a bacterium into a "superbug" that can consume toxic waste
Government geneticists said they inserted genes from another form of bacteria into deinococcus.
The new bacterium can transform toxic mercury compounds commonly found at nuclear weapons production sites into less harmful forms.
The bug works in laboratory experiments but has not been tested in the field.
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