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Antarctic’s frozen mountains and waters
are home to millions of microscopic animals whose future
is being decided by the international community.
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Speaking for micro-organisms
Treaties may not have what it takes to preserve the Antarctic from
an onslaught of bioprospectors.
Story by Matthew Talbot
In Antarctica, a land governed by treaties and conventions, micro-organisms are
at risk as waves of bioprospectors and biotechnology companies skirt the rules in
a 21st-century gold rush.
Bioprospectors, both scientific and commercial, have set up camp in Earth’s
icy southern wilderness in a new quest to find the perfect organism that will provide
the next billion-dollar product. The guidelines in the Antarctic Treaty and the conventions
on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and on the Regulation of
Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities may not be able to control the bioprospectors
or curb the impact this new hunt may have on the Antarctic.
EXTREME SCIENCE
What makes this scientific frontier so appealing is the harsh environment. The bacteria,
fungi and algae the prospectors seek are called "extremophiles," because they are so adept
at not only surviving but also thriving in extreme conditions. One such bacterium, found
in springs and geysers that can live at temperatures exceeding 70ºC, for example,
is used in a medical and forensic science test. Called the polymer-case chain reaction,
the test enhances very small samples of DNA so they can be further analysed. Another example,
a chemical, labelled "antifreeze," that many Antarctic fish have in their blood, stops
ice crystals from forming in extremely cold temperatures. It could be used for anything
from increasing the shelf life of ice cream to improved transplant of frozen organs and
tissues.
These practices, which are undeniably profitable, are contrary to the core guidelines
of the Antarctic Treaty. The treaty states that Antarctica shall be used for peaceful
purposes only, and that scientific information, observations and results gathered
shall be exchanged and made freely available to permit maximum economy and efficiency
of operations there. But the treaty does not directly address bioprospecting, an
activity that’s on the increase in Antarctica.
MODERN-DAY GOLD RUSH
There is concern that if bioprospecting goes unchecked it could turn into a mad dash for
profit, subverting the treaty’s focus on the human benefits of Antarctic exploration.
Warwick F. Vincent, a Canada Research chair and professor of biology at Laval University
in Quebec City, says the fear is that commercial bioprospecting will create a lot of competition
and encourage researchers to withhold trade secrets. “In the spirit of the Antarctic
Treaty, all information should be made available,” Vincent says.
To date, there have been 62 patents in the European Patent Office and over 300
references and applications in the United States Patent and Trademark Office related
to the Antarctic. These patents, an effort to claim certain micro-organisms, show
a disregard for the sharing of information outlined in the treaty. As micro-organisms
are patented, prospectors will be forced to hunt for different samples, accelerating
bioprospecting in Antarctica and putting the land and organisms at risk.
Vincent says the claims in Antarctica do not belong to anyone. International conventions
insist on fair and equitable sharing of the resources.
Antarctica is an area that was cut off from the rest of the world for millions
of years. Now, suddenly, an influx of commercial and scientific endeavours is threatening
to turn it into just another 19th-century gold field.
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