Ways to Identify and Obtain Rights to Technology from Federal Facilities

Abstract

Bioremediation of hazardous waste materials is in its infancy. The applications associated with this pollution abatement technique will continue to increase rapidly as we learn to optimize physical and chemical conditions for the degradation process. In the future, biodegradation will be possible but not necessarily economical for most compounds. Factors influencing future biodegradation approaches will include the time and area available for the process, regulations, and cost of competing technologies. This paper emphasizes recent opportunities for industry to work in conjunction with the federal government that should reduce the time and the cost of biotechnology development for the private sector.