能吃掉炸药的真菌

时间:2006-02-23 09:45 来源:New Scientist 作者:bioguider 点击:次

Explosive-eating  fungus

Could  fungus  counter  the  explosive  power  of  dynamite?  That's  the  idea  behind  a  patent  filed  by  Robert  Riggs  of  Texas,  US.

When  explosives  are  used  for  mining  or  demolition,  some  may  fail  to  detonate  and  get  lost  in  the  rubble.  Riggs  reckons  the  remedy  could  be  to  mix  pellets  of  dormant  fungal  spores  in  with  the  explosive  charge  before  inserting  the  wick  into  the  explosive  package.

The  dry  spores  lie  dormant  while  the  explosives  are  in  storage  and,  if  the  charge  detonates  as  intended,  will  get  blown  to  smithereens.

But  if  the  explosive  fails  to  detonate,  water  from  the  air  should  migrate  down  the  wick  and  into  the  charge.  The  spores  should  then  germinate  and  devour  the  charge,  rendering  it  harmless.

The  white-rot  fungus  Phlebia  radiate  is  particularly  fond  of  high  explosives,  according  to  the  patent.  And  the  speed  at  which  it  gobbles  the  stuff  up  depends  on  the  number  of  pellets  added:  5  pellets  per  stick  for  slow  degradation  or  30  to  make  it  safe  after  just  a  few  days.

Read  the  explosive-gobbling  fungus  patent  here.  http://tinyurl.com/jmv5j (责任编辑：泉水)