Late in 2004, Nairobi, Kenya hosted the Global Summit on the prohibition of landmines organized by the UN and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. The forum gathered more than 3,000 participants from many countries, including experts in the destruction and utilization of ammunition that pose ecological hazard. I met Alexander Patergyn, one of such experts from Ukraine.
Q: The Nairobi summit discussed the utilization of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, which is a financially, technically, and ecologically a difficult task. At the summit, the Ukrainian delegation presented a unique utilization technology. Tell us about it.
A: We call it biological utilization. It grows a culture of bacteria that is absolutely harmless for humans, animals, and plants but are programmed to destroy certain materials. This technology can be utilized on large-size weapons containing explosives: torpedoes, mines, bombs, and shells. The utilization of such ammunitions involves certain dangers because of the following difficulties: the casing of a shell or a bomb must be opened without heat, they often can not be moved or exploded on the place and the chemicals comprising explosives are aggressive to the environment.
Bacteria can be utilized not only on explosive substances but also on the metal parts of military equipment (chips, cable, connectors, electric motors, and details containing precious metals). The process is as follows: ammunitions are put into a tub with a solution containing a special bacteria, which corrodes certain metals (gold, silver, iridium, or aluminum) and destroys explosive substances, producing fractions that can be used in, for example, paint production, to say nothing about pure metal extraction.
Q: Can this technology be used in spheres other than military?
A: Yes, it is universal. Bio utilization can be used in the metallurgical industry in which bacteria can extract chemical elements from production waste and poor ores. This technology can also be used to clean offshore oil spills, producing fractions that are absolutely safe for the environment.
Q: How can this technology be used in landmine destruction?
A: Bio utilization is part of a comprehensive utilization program we suggest to countries interested in landmine destruction. The program consists of the assessment and monitoring of landmine situation, training personnel capable of using our technology, the mine clearing process, and the utilization of removed landmines.
When Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan sign the Ottawa Convention on the prohibition of anti-personnel mines, they will encounter the problem of landmine utilization. They encounter this problem without the participation in this convention either.
The utilization of dangerous ammunitions does not forgive a dilettante attitude. It is a very serious and expensive business. So new approaches and new technology are needed. There are about 180 million anti-personnel mines in the world, so there is enough work for decades. The main thing is to solve the problem efficiently and at the least cost. Bio utilization is an ecologically safe and economically cost-effective method, which does not involve many people and does not put their lives at risk. I can also say that bacteria employed in this technology do not mutate.
Q: Has anybody been interested in your technology?
A: In Nairobi, we had talks with delegations from Great Britain, Turkey, Afghanistan, Poland, and Canada. I think some day Central Asian countries will also apply to us.
