What is grey biotechnology?
Grey biotechnology is the branch of biotechnology dedicated to applying biological processes to solve environmental problems. In practice, this means using microorganisms, plants, or other living organisms to protect biodiversity, restore damaged ecosystems, and remove pollutants.
In short, grey biotechnology aims to make human activities (industry, agriculture, etc.) less harmful to the natural environment and to contribute to the recovery of soils, waters, and air.
What is grey biotechnology used for?
Grey biotechnology has multiple practical applications focused on decontaminating and adding value to resources. Among its most important uses are:
- Bioremediation of contaminated soils and waters: This consists of using microorganisms to degrade or transform toxic substances. For example, bacteria or fungi can break down hydrocarbons, pesticides, or metals in affected soils. This technique cleans contaminated areas in a natural and cost-effective way.
- Phytoremediation with improved plants: Certain plants (natural or genetically modified) absorb contaminants from soil or water. A real example is the GLAUREM project (Spain, 2024), where modified lines of Nicotiana glauca accumulate heavy metals in their roots and leaves, helping regenerate contaminated soils. Efforts by Litoclean and other European projects such as Phy2Climate also employ plant species to absorb hydrocarbons and then use the biomaterials as biofuel.
- Treatment of organic waste for energy and compost: Microorganisms applied in anaerobic treatment plants convert organic matter into biogas (methane) and compost. Anaerobic fermentation of sludge produces biogas for combustion, while aerobic fermentation generates fertilizer compost from organic waste. In this way, hazardous waste is reduced and renewable energy or agricultural inputs are obtained.
- Bioextraction of metals: In mining, bacteria (for example, Thiobacillus ferrooxidans) are used to dissolve valuable metals such as copper and gold from ores or wastewaters. This bioleaching process removes metal contaminants and has been highly efficient: around 25% of the world’s copper is produced using these biological techniques.
- Mycoremediation: Specialized fungi are used to degrade toxic compounds. For example, the Spanish company Biomar MT employs marine fungi capable of degrading hydrocarbons in contaminated soils, making it a promising tool for cleaning affected sites.
- Environmental biosensors: Detection systems based on biology (biosensors) are developed to monitor contaminants (pesticides, heavy metals, organic compounds) in the environment. These sensors can provide early warnings of pollution and guide cleanup actions.
Taken together, grey biotechnology aims to clean and restore the environment (soil, water, air) and to transform waste into resources (biogas, fertilizers). Its applications range from decontaminating oil spills or industrial discharges to producing clean energy, all through living organisms or biomolecules.
How is grey biotechnology related to the environment?
Grey biotechnology is intrinsically linked to the environment, since its fundamental purpose is to preserve and restore it. Unlike other branches (such as biomedicine or industrial biotech), grey biotechnology arises from the need to address the global environmental crisis. International organizations such as the UN have emphasized its use: for example, the United Nations’ Agenda 21 for Environmental Biotechnology promotes adopting biotechnological processes for the bioremediation of land and water to protect ecological integrity.
In practice, grey biotechnology acts directly on ecosystems. This includes studying the genetics of threatened species to conserve biodiversity, but above all developing biological methods to remove contaminants. For example, cleaning up an oil spill in soil can be approached by introducing bacteria capable of degrading hydrocarbons, preventing the spill from affecting groundwater layers. Likewise, plants are used to filter metals from rivers, or microbes to treat mine drainage water.
In a few words, grey biotechnology and the environment are two sides of the same coin: this discipline emerges to address ecological threats. Its goal is to ensure that the outcome of human activity is far less harmful to the surroundings. Thanks to this, it helps conserve healthy ecosystems, improve water and soil quality, and reduce negative impacts on fauna and flora.
What challenges does grey biotechnology face today?
Although grey biotechnology offers solutions for ecological restoration, it also faces limitations and significant challenges that condition its large-scale application. Some of the most relevant are:
- Variability of contaminated environments: Not all contaminants or ecosystems respond the same way. Environmental conditions (pH, temperature, oxygen, microbial competition, etc.) can negatively affect the performance of the microorganisms or plants used.
- Regulatory limitations: The use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in open environments raises ethical and legal debates. In many countries it is heavily restricted or prohibited, which slows solutions that could be highly effective for environmental cleanup.
- Social acceptance and public perception: Some communities are wary of using microorganisms or modified organisms, especially if the project is not well communicated or if there is a history of prior industrial contamination. Misinformation can generate resistance to implementation.
- Implementation and maintenance costs: Although they are more cost-effective in the long term, many bioremediation processes require significant upfront investments in infrastructure, soil or water analysis, cultivation of specific microorganisms, and environmental monitoring.
- Scalability of projects: What works in the lab or in pilot projects does not always translate into success at large scale. Adapting biotechnological technologies to extensive terrains, contaminated for decades or hard to access, remains a technical challenge.
- Assessment of long-term impact: Some biological solutions can have unintended side effects, such as the proliferation of invasive species or the generation of by-products that still need treatment.
Is grey biotechnology related to industrial processes?
Yes, grey biotechnology is closely linked to industry, even if its focus is environmental. Many industrial processes generate waste or polluting emissions, and this is where grey biotechnology offers cleaner solutions. For example, industrial bioreactors use microorganisms to degrade organic waste from factories or industrial wastewater. In treatment plants, bacteria and fungi are used to metabolize and convert sewage sludge and blackwater, previously an environmental problem, into biogas or compost.
Likewise, the biological extraction of minerals is an industrial process of grey biotechnology. In mining, bacteria are incorporated to leach metals from ore, reducing pollution from mine tailings. An extreme example is the use of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans to obtain copper and gold. Although this technique is part of the extractive industry, its benefits are environmental: it avoids the use of harsh chemicals and recovers valuable metals that would otherwise contaminate the surroundings.
On the other hand, white (industrial) and grey biotechnology often converge. The production of biofuels illustrates this: many industrial plants use agricultural or municipal waste to produce bioethanol or biogas (an environmentally friendly solution). In general, grey biotechnology collaborates with industrial processes to make them more sustainable. It does not operate apart from industry; it integrates with it to minimize environmental impact.
What types of biotechnology exist?
Biotechnology is often classified by colors, each representing a different field of application. Red biotechnology focuses on human and animal health, covering areas such as vaccines, biological drugs, and diagnostics. yellow and green biotechnology are applied to agriculture and food, including genetically modified crops, biofertilizers, and seed improvement. White biotechnology relates to industrial manufacturing processes, from bioproducts to biofuels and bioplastics, while blue biotechnology makes use of marine resources and aquaculture. Golden biotechnology, or bioinformatics, specializes in managing and analyzing biological data. In short, the different types of biotechnology are defined by their sector of application, medical, agricultural, industrial, environmental, and beyond, and are commonly identified by this color-based classification, which helps to better understand the focus and contribution of each branch within biotechnological science. For more details, you can visit our blog dedicated to the types of biotechnology.
Conclusion
Grey biotechnology is a key discipline for addressing today’s environmental challenges. By using living organisms and biological tools, it makes it possible to clean contaminants (in soils, waters, and air) and to restore damaged ecosystems. At the same time, it generates productive solutions such as biogas and compost from waste, and even recovers metals safely. Real examples (phytoremediation projects in Spain and Europe, depurative algae cultivation, hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms) show its practical potential.
This biotechnology complements and transforms industrial processes, moving them toward sustainability. Thanks to genetic and physiological advances, grey biotechnology will contribute to global environmental goals by reducing pollution and protecting biodiversity. In summary, by optimizing our interactions with nature, grey biotechnology stands out as an indispensable tool in the transition to a greener, more ecological economy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Grey Biotechnology
Grey biotechnology, or environmental biotechnology, applies biological processes to clean soil, water and air, restore ecosystems, and turn waste into useful resources.
It is the environmental segment focused on bioremediation, phytoremediation, waste-to-energy, biosensors, and bioleaching to reduce pollution and protect biodiversity.
Common uses include microbial cleanup of oil spills, plant-based removal of heavy metals, anaerobic digestion of organic waste to biogas, and biosensors that detect pollutants early.
Bioremediation uses microorganisms to degrade or transform contaminants such as hydrocarbons, pesticides, solvents, or some metals in soil and water.
Phytoremediation employs specific plants to absorb, stabilize, or transform pollutants. Roots capture metals or organics, helping regenerate contaminated land and water.
Bioleaching uses bacteria to dissolve and recover metals (e.g., copper) from ores or waste streams, reducing chemical use and enabling cleaner extraction.
Biosensors are biological detection systems that identify pollutants—like pesticides or heavy metals—quickly and on-site, allowing faster intervention.
Key challenges include variable site conditions, regulation of GMOs in open environments, social acceptance, upfront costs, scalability to large areas, and long-term impact assessment.
Oil-spill cleanup with hydrocarbon-degrading microbes, heavy-metal removal with hyperaccumulator plants, landfill leachate treatment with anaerobic digestion, and mine-drainage biosensors.
Commonly cited types are red (medical), green/yellow (agri-food), white (industrial), and blue (marine). Grey (environmental) is often added as a distinct category.
Red (health), green/yellow (agriculture/food), white (industry), blue (marine), grey (environment), plus others like brown/black/violet depending on the source.
It mitigates pollution, recovers resources from waste, reduces chemical use, and supports circular-economy strategies while protecting ecosystems and biodiversity.
References
- Appels, L., Baeyens, J., Degrève, J., & Dewil, R. (2008). Principles and potential of the anaerobic digestion of waste-activated sludge . Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 34(6), 755–781.
- Das, N., & Chandran, P. (2011). Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminants: An overview . Biotechnology Research International, 2011, 941810.
- Salt, D. E., Smith, R. D., & Raskin, I. (1998). Phytoremediation . Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology, 49, 643–668.
- OECD. (2017). Managing pollution: Trends and policies for cleaner production . Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- Roy, I., & Gupta, M. N. (2023). White & grey biotechnologies for shaping a sustainable future . RSC Sustainability, 1(7), 1722–1736. Royal Society of Chemistry.
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This article was reviewed and published by TECNIC Bioprocess Solutions, specialists in bioprocess equipment and innovation for environmental and industrial biotechnology.
